Henry Schoeberlein had a big problem with termites attacking his 14-by-40-foot houseboat in Baltimore. Schoeberlein purchased the houseboat in April 2010 and had the boat docked since then. He called Home Paramount Pest Control in 2014 when he noticed damage along the fiberglass in the main cabin. It’s still unknown when the feeding began, but with the amount of damage, it was most likely a few years before he purchased the boat.

Schoeberlein completely gutted the boat to remove most of the damaged wood, and was unsure if he wanted to keep the houseboat or sell it. A wooden structure sitting in water for years is highly conducive to termite infestations. So what’s a Certified Sentricon Specialist™ to do? In September 2014, the team at Home Paramount Pest Control installed at least 14 Recruit® AG* termite bait devices where mud tubes and damage were visible.

 

Then it was time to wait and see if the termites would feed on the bait. In the next month, there were two minor hits — one on a magazine rack and another under the engine. The CSS continued to monitor the termite infestation. No new activity was discovered until May 2015, when Home Paramount found feeding in four above-ground stations. A couple months after that, feeding was apparent in the same four stations. What the CSS discovered included dead termites, 100 percent bait consumption and no new activity.

“It was a pleasure supporting the Home Paramount team on this project. They did an awesome job. Henry was understanding throughout the process and remained confident that we were going to rid his houseboat of termites,” said Jeremy Adamson, account representative, Dow AgroSciences. “This was a unique opportunity to put Recruit AG to the test and get the boat in a livable condition.”

  

                                                                                 Consumed bait in Recruit AG station

The team was thrilled when they checked on the houseboat in September 2015. No termite activity was found, meaning the colony was eliminated! Schoeberlein finally got peace of mind knowing his houseboat was termite-free for the first time in years. This is a great example of how Recruit AG is proven to eliminate termite colonies above-ground — and on a unique structure such as a houseboat.