Termites Hate These Smells – Repel Termite Pests With Natural Odors

Termites are a common household pest that can cause serious damage to homes by eating away at wood. An termite infestation that goes untreated can lead to structural damage and costly repairs. Many homeowners want to know how to prevent termites or get rid of them without using harsh chemicals. The good news is that there are several natural scents and smells that termites hate which can be used to deter them.

Certain plants, herbs, and essential oils give off strong odors that serve as natural termite repellents. Using these organic scents is an effective way to repel termites and keep them away without needing toxic pest control chemicals or extermination services. This article will discuss different scents that repel termites, how to use them, as well as other deterrents like beneficial insects that prey on termites.

Scents and Smells That Repel Termites

Termites rely heavily on pheromones to communicate and interact. As social insects, they use chemical scent signals to alert each other to food sources, warn of threats, and establish foraging trails. Strong odors can disrupt termite scent communication and drive them away. Additionally, some smells may mimic warning pheromones and cause termites to avoid treated areas. Here are some of the most effective scents and smells for repelling termite pests.

Why Scent Deters Termites

Termites detect smells through odorant receptors in their antennae which are highly sensitive. When they encounter certain strong odors that are unpleasant or potentially toxic, it triggers an avoidance response. Disrupting their ability to pick up on nestmate pheromone scent trails also deters termites and causes them to retreat.

Using repellent smells makes an area inhospitable for termites by blocking the scent signals they rely on. This interferes with their normal functioning and prevents infestations from getting established.

Termites Naturally Hate These Smells

Through trial and error testing, entomologists have identified various smells that termites instinctively avoid. Some plants naturally produce insecticidal or repellent compounds in their wood, leaves, or fruits which deter termites. Extracting and concentrating these odor molecules creates effective DIY termite treatments.

Here are some scents that termites hate:

• Citrus oils – Lemon, orange, grapefruit, cinnamon oil, lime, etc. Their acidic juices and peel oils contain termite-repelling limonene.
• Eucalyptus & tea tree oil – The pungent aroma overwhelms termite scent receptors.
• Peppermint & spearmint – Menthol and other volatile compounds repel termites.
• Cedarwood – Its natural oils block trail pheromones and drive termites away.
• Garlic – Sulfurous thiol chemicals emit a potent smell that termites avoid.
• Tobacco – Nicotine deters termites and masks scent trails they use to establish colonies.

Essential Oils as Termite Repellents

Concentrated plant essences like eucalyptus, citrus, peppermint, cedarwood, and garlic oils make very effective DIY termite treatments. You can mix these potent essential oils into spray bottles diluted with water and directly spray infested areas or spots vulnerable to attack.

The lingering aroma creates a noxious barrier that termites will not cross. Reapplying these natural repellent sprays every few weeks maintains the deterrent effects. The oil molecules bind to cellulose and permeate wood, emitting smells that overwhelm termite antennae and block pheromone reception for months.

Research shows that some essential oils like cedarwood, citronella, eucalyptus and garlic oil deter termite feeding and nest building for up to 5 years when impregnated into wood. This makes them a great preventative measure for at-risk lumber and crawl spaces.

Plants and Herbs That Deter Termite Infestations

Aside from bottled essential oils, there are many plants and herbs you can grow that naturally repel termites through the pungent smells they emit. Interplanting these aromatic plants around your property helps block pheromone trails and drive away termites through scent camouflage and confusion.

Lemongrass’ Strong Scent Repels Termites away

Lemongrass contains high concentrations of citral and geranial – compounds that give it a potent lemon aroma. Multiple studies confirm lemongrass oil and extracts strongly repel termites. Growing lemongrass plants around your home helps mask the scent trails they use to locate food sources and build nesting sites. Its ultra-strong lemon fragrance overwhelms termite chemical receptors, deterring them from infesting areas.

Wormwood (Artemisia)

Wormwood is a herbaceous perennial plant, that is known for its intense bitter taste. The plant contains high amounts of insecticidal and insect repellent compounds like monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenes, and essential oils like cineole, thujone, and camphor. These complex organic molecules interfere with termite scent communication and deter them from structures.

Geraniums Give Off a Termite Repellent Scent

Certain geranium species like scented geraniums and Egyptian or mosquito geraniums emit powerful smells that repel a wide range of pests – including termites. Studies show Egyptian geranium oil contains about 30% citronellol which gives it an intensely lemon-rose scent. This overwhelms termite chemical receptors, blocking their ability to follow pheromone trails. Growing geraniums around your property helps mask termite scent systems and acts as a deterrent. Their roots also release more repellent compounds into the soil.

Garlic & Onion Plants

Garlic and onions contain sulfuric amino acids that break down into strongly scented thiol molecules like diallyl disulfide, allicin, and allyl methyl sulfide – which termites avoid. Interplant garlic & chives around vulnerable areas like wood piles or crawlspaces. As their roots release more repellent compounds, it will permeate the soil creating a protective aroma barrier.

How To Apply These Scents To Repel Termites

Now that you know which scents termites hate, here are some simple methods to use them around your home:

Create DIY Sprays

Mix 5-10 drops of essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, cedarwood or citronella into a 16 oz spray bottle filled with water. Add a few drops of dish soap to help disperse the oil molecules. Lightly mist this solution onto known termite entry points, wooden structures, fence posts, infested mulch areas, etc. Reapply every 2-3 weeks.

Make Oil-Soaked Cotton Balls

Soak cotton balls in undiluted essential oils and place them in inconspicuous areas where termites enter like crawl spaces, crevices, shed rafters, attics, etc. The fumes permeating from the oil-soaked cotton balls create a sustained deterrent. Replace them with fresh cotton balls soaked in oil every few months.

Use Scented Dryer Sheets

Dryer sheets coated in fragrant chemicals can also repel termites. Stick them near potential termite access holes. As they slowly release chemicals over months, it deters termites. Simply tape new sheets over the old ones every few weeks to maintain the repellent scent barrier.

Grow Strategically Planted Veggies

Interplanting garlic, chives, lemongrass and other pest-repelling plants creates a network of smell barriers that block termites. This also deters above-ground pests and attracts beneficial predatory insects too. Maintaining these aromatic plants reinforces termite deterrence across your whole property.

Attract Natural Predators of Termites

Aside from using repellent plant smells, attracting animals that prey on termites can help reduce populations and prevent future infestations. Here are some of their natural enemies you can lure to your yard:

Insect Predators

Certain beetles like ground beetles and their larvae feed on termite eggs and workers. Parasitoid wasps insert eggs into termite nymphs which then hatch inside them. Centipedes, crickets, stink bugs, praying mantises, ants and spiders also eat termites. Growing native wildflowers, bushes and ground cover provides essential food and habitat to attract these hungry predators.

Bird Predators

Woodpeckers, blue jays, mockingbirds, shrikes, flycatchers and thrushes voraciously feed on termites. Putting up bird houses, roosting boxes and planting wildlife seed mixes gives these insect-hunting birds a place to live and thrive as they naturally control termites.

Keep Termites Away From Your Home

Avoiding termite infestations in the first place is key. Here are tips to deter them from your home using smells:

Smells That Drive Termites Away

Apply eucalyptus, tea tree or citrus oil along home foundations and crawl spaces monthly. Use oil-soaked cotton balls in wall voids, attics and other hidden areas termites could enter. Maintain aroma barriers with pest repelling plants around the exterior.

Create a Termite Scent Barrier

Strategically interplant geraniums, marigolds, chrysanthemums, petunias and other pungent flowering plants around the house every few feet. Their roots continuously release natural termite repellents into surrounding soil creating a protective screen.

Maintain Landscaping That Repels Termites

Trim vegetation touching the home which serves as handy bridges for termites to access your house. Keep mulch several inches away from foundations. Regularly apply fresh scent deterrents like cedar chips or eucalyptus mulch. Eliminate wood debris piles and tree stumps which attract termites.

Using repellent plant scents is the natural, non-toxic method to drive away termites. With some handy essential oils and strategic garden planting, you can deter termite pests without any chemicals or extermination! Try out some of these smells termites hate to keep them away for good.

Quick tips to remember:

• Interplant garlic, chives and other pest-repelling plants around your home
• Use essential oils like cedarwood, eucalyptus and peppermint as termite repellent sprays
• Place oil-soaked cotton balls as fume barriers in hidden termite access spots
• Attract beneficial predatory insects and bird that feast on termites