The Sentricon system: history of a revolution
Since its earliest known applications, the story of pest control has been one of innovation. While each advancement has met the needs of its times, the introduction of termite baiting and the Sentricon® system revolutionized termite control and redefined the relationship between the pest management industry and the companies that develop and manufacture its most valued products. But that revolution didn’t happen easily.
For much of the 20th century, termite control relied on intrusive liquid termiticide treatments. Although these treatments were effective and are still used in certain circumstances today, they present challenges. First, liquid treatments require trenching or drilling – straightforward in soil, but more difficult and time-consuming in concrete or asphalt. Second, soil naturally shifts over time, which can create gaps in the chemical barrier. Finally, while liquid termite treatments can protect a structure for a time, they have a low likelihood of eliminating the entire termite colony.
But the development of termite baiting and the introduction of the Sentricon system addressed these challenges and quickly positioned Sentricon as the leading termite bait system worldwide, a distinction it still holds.
And it all began in a small lab in Florida.
An industry-changing revelation
The discovery was simple, but it had a profound effect on termite control.
Dr. Nan-Yao Su, a researcher at the University of Florida, was the first to observe and document termite self-recruitment – the tendency of worker termites to lead others to a food source. Even though the Sentricon system was still years away, Su recognized that self-recruitment could be used to spread termiticide throughout the colony.
The first challenge was identifying the right active ingredient – one that termites could not detect, would act slowly and would be effective in small doses against colonies of hundreds of thousands of termites.
That active ingredient turned out to be hexaflumuron.
Originally developed for agricultural usage, hexaflumuron is slow-acting and undetectable to termites, allowing workers to transfer it throughout the colony. While highly effective against termites, it has a favorable safety profile for people and pets.
With that discovery, Su and his team began development. Working with researchers from Dow AgroSciences, they created the original Sentricon system, an in-ground, tamper-resistant bait station designed to deliver a lethal dose of hexaflumuron to the entire termite colony.
To say the Sentricon system revolutionized termite control would be an understatement. It became the first product with an active ingredient registered under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Reduced Risk Pesticide Initiative. It required no trenching or drilling, allowing an entire structure to be treated in a fraction of the time required for a liquid application. And its unique mode of action of hexaflumuron meant the entire termite colony – not just individual workers – could be eliminated.
A legacy of continuous improvement
Soon after the Sentricon system was introduced, researchers began working to make it even more effective and easier to use.
Shortly after bringing Sentricon to market, a new active ingredient, noviflumuron, was perfected. This chemistry – the first active ingredient developed specifically for termite control – works at lower doses and acts more quickly while maintaining a reduced-risk profile. It also demonstrated strong activity against Formosan termites, a pest that was gaining attention at the time.
Ongoing research and development continued to enhance the performance of the Sentricon system and provide Certified Sentricon Specialists® with greater flexibility and business opportunities. Recruit® IV bait, introduced in 2006, enabled quarterly monitoring and delivered double the active ingredient of its predecessor.
Recruit® HD, introduced in 2010, became the first termite bait to offer once-per-year monitoring. It also introduced Always Active™ technology, allowing the bait to withstand extended exposure to subsoil environments, reducing labor requirements and improving the customer experience.
While advancing in-ground bait formulations, researchers also developed solutions for aerial colonies. The introduction of Recruit® AG in 1997 allowed Certified Sentricon Specialists to place bait in direct contact with foraging termites. The Recruit® AG FlexPack® bait station, introduced in 2015, made it easier to install bait in corners, around pipes and in other above-ground locations where termites can be intercepted.
Partners in leadership
When the Sentricon® system was introduced in 1995, it represented a fundamentally different approach to termite control — one that allowed pest management professionals to eliminate termite colonies without the limitations of liquid treatments.
None of this would have been possible without the partnership between the Sentricon system and the nationwide network of CSS. From the first in-ground baiting system to continued product refinement, progress has been driven by a shared commitment to protecting communities.
Today, the Sentricon system helps safeguard millions of homes, businesses and historic structures worldwide. The partnership that began with the first installation continues to generate insights, drive innovation and reinforce Sentricon’s position as a leader in termite baiting.
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