Tenting Fell, and the Alternatives Did Not Replace It
Key result: California recorded 24,092 fewer structural fumigations in 2023 than in 2016. Termite bait system applications rose fourfold, from 5,940 to 23,433, but borate wood treatments, orange oil and termite-only liquid treatments were flat or fell. The data show no broad shift from tenting to localised termite treatment.
The question the fumigation decline raises
Our analysis of California’s fumigation decline found structural fumigations down from 102,490 in 2016 to 78,398 in 2023. The obvious question is whether the work moved to other termite treatments: localised wood injections, borate treatments, orange oil, or bait systems.
California’s pesticide use reports name the product used in every structural treatment, so termite-specific products can be tracked. We classified every structural product from 2016 to 2023 into termite-specific methods and counted their applications.
Termite-specific treatments, 2016 and 2023
| Method | Main products | 2016 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tent fumigation | Sulfuryl fluoride | 102,490 | 78,398 | −23.5% |
| Borate wood treatments | Nibor-D, Bora-Care, Tim-bor | 96,799 | 92,856 | −4.1% |
| Termite-only liquids | Termidor HE, Altriset, Dragnet FT | 41,456 | 33,418 | −19.4% |
| Orange oil | XT-2000, D-Liminite | 10,081 | 8,532 | −15.4% |
| Termite bait systems | Recruit HD, Trelona | 5,940 | 23,433 | +294% |
Source: California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Pesticide Use Reports 2016 to 2023, site code 10, application counts by product. Classification by the author from product names and active ingredients; product lists in the methods and CSV.
What it means. Only one termite-specific method grew: bait systems, which rose fourfold, most of it in 2022 and 2023. Every other termite-specific method was flat or smaller in 2023 than in 2016. The fall of 24,092 fumigations was not matched by a rise in borate treatments, orange oil or termite-only liquids.
What limits it. An “application” means different things for each method: a whole-building fumigation, a spot injection, or a bait-station check. Counts cannot be traded one for one. Nibor-D, the largest borate product, is also labelled for other wood-destroying and household pests.
Eight years of change
What it means. Bait systems were below their 2016 level until 2019, then rose to 2.3 times it in 2022 and 3.9 times in 2023. Borate wood treatments stayed within 12 percent of their 2016 level throughout. Fumigation drifted down with a 2021 rebound.
The part these data cannot separate
Most liquid termiticides are also labelled as general insecticides, such as Bifen I/T Insecticide/Termiticide and Termidor SC Termiticide/Insecticide. Applications of these dual-label products rose from 3,353,346 in 2016 to 4,066,222 in 2023, but the reports do not say whether a given application treated termites or ants, so we cannot count them as termite work. Some of the termite work that left fumigation could be inside that total. Heat treatment is not a pesticide and does not appear in pesticide use reports.
Checks
1. Classification
Method. Bait systems: products containing noviflumuron or hexaflumuron, or named as termite baits. Borate wood treatments: disodium octaborate tetrahydrate products, excluding gels and ant baits. Orange oil: limonene products named as orange oil. Termite-only liquids: products named “termiticide” but not “insecticide”.
Result. Every product counted is listed in the CSV with its category.
2. Complete series
Result. All eight annual archives read in full; every application was matched to a product.
Download the data
The tables in this report are published as CSV files under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. You may republish, remix and build on them, including commercially, with attribution to The Pest Control Brief and a link to this page.
- Applications by termite treatment method, California structural pest control, 2016 to 2023 (CSV, 48 rows)
How to cite this report
The Pest Control Brief, “Tenting Fell, but the Alternatives Did Not Replace It: Eight Years of California Termite Treatments”, 2 October 2026. https://thepestcontrolbrief.com/termite-treatment-methods-data/
References
- California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Pesticide Use Report annual archives, 2016 to 2023, with the product and product-chemical reference files. files.cdpr.ca.gov/pub/outgoing/pur_archives/. Accessed 2 October 2026.
- The Pest Control Brief. California is tenting fewer buildings. thepestcontrolbrief.com/california-termite-fumigation-decline.
How the methods were classified
Scope. Every Pesticide Use Report record with site code 10, 2016 to 2023.
Unit. The application count field, counted once per report and attributed to the report’s product.
Limitations. Product names are the only signal of purpose; dual-label products cannot be split. Non-chemical methods, such as heat, wood replacement and electrical devices, are not recorded. California only.
Last reviewed: 4 October 2026.
For trade and real estate reporters
Most quotable statistics
- California recorded 24,092 fewer structural fumigations in 2023 than in 2016.
- Termite bait system applications rose from 5,940 to 23,433 over the same period.
- Borate wood treatments were flat at about 93,000 to 109,000 applications a year.
- Orange oil treatments fell from 10,081 to 8,532.
Press summary
The decline of termite tenting in California has not been matched by a rise in most alternative termite treatments, according to an analysis of eight years of state pesticide use reports by The Pest Control Brief. Fumigations fell by 24,092 between 2016 and 2023. Termite bait system applications quadrupled, mostly in 2022 and 2023, but borate wood treatments, orange oil and termite-only liquids were flat or fell. Many liquid termiticides are also general insecticides, so the reports cannot show how much termite work they absorbed.
Headlines editors could use
- Tenting is falling, and orange oil is not replacing it
- Termite bait systems quadrupled in California in eight years
- Where did California’s termite fumigations go?
Questions about termite treatments
Are termite alternatives to tenting becoming more common?
In California, only bait systems grew between 2016 and 2023, fourfold. Borate treatments, orange oil and termite-only liquids were flat or fell.
Is orange oil replacing fumigation?
Not on state records. Orange oil applications fell from 10,081 in 2016 to 8,532 in 2023.
How common are termite bait systems?
23,433 applications in California structural pest control in 2023, up from 5,940 in 2016, led by Recruit HD and Trelona.
Why can’t the data show all termite treatment?
Most liquid termiticides are also labelled for other insects, and the reports do not record the target pest. Heat treatment is not recorded at all.
Where can I get the yearly figures?
The CSV above has every method for every year.
