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May 23, 2019

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Residents face a mighty problem

The annual battle between termites and residents is on again due to warm, humid weather.

Exterminators are rushing from home to home to deal with the annoying pests.

“The weather has created perfect conditions for their proliferation,” said Zhang Yong, an exterminator with Shanghai Xufang Greenery Co in Xuhui District. Xufang is receiving about 40 calls daily.

“The termite outbreak usually happens around May 15,” he said. “The termite season will last till early July with the extreme peak around June 10, due to sultry weather in the plum rain season.”

Old wooden houses are the favorite haunt of the creatures, and Yongjia Road, Jianguo Road and Huaihai Road M. are some of the worst-hit areas.

In some cases, termite nests were found to contain tens of thousands of the insects, said Zhang.

Nanfang Greenery and Termite Control Service Center in Huangpu District, also home to a large number of old wooden houses, has been inundated with calls for help. “We sometimes have to skip lunch to meet the demand,” said Yang, another exterminator.

“We suggest residents contact professionals when they spot termites at home instead of using insecticides themselves because they don’t know how to handle them,” Yang said.

Pesticides were not a solution as the termites will fly off and made new nests, he added.

Good ventilation, a dry environment and regular cleaning are important to avoid infestations, according to the Shanghai Property Management Affairs Center. People should avoid piling items on the floor or in dark corners and check wood and wooden products carefully.

They can install screen windows as a precaution, the center said.

Authorities are also taking measures to curb the invasion.

These include spraying roadside trees, experimenting with new agents and using technology to find their nests, said the Shanghai Greenery Management Station.




 

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