Kenny Bellau of Slidell, Louisiana recently encountered a swarm of Formosan termites in his backyard. Rather than calling an exterminator, he decided to take matters into his own hands with a DIY flamethrower.
In a video he posted on social media, Bellau can be seen using a blowtorch and a can of starter fluid to eradicate the pests. However, the flamethrower proved to be ineffective, with Bellau admitting that “within two seconds, all their buddies replaced them over my head.”
The video may have gotten laughs on the internet, but Bellau’s local fire department was not amused. “Don’t try this at home. It’s not effective. It doesn’t work,” Bellau warned in a statement.
Experts also cautioned against using flamethrowers to combat termite swarms, citing safety risks and the potential for property damage. Instead, they recommended calling a professional exterminator to handle the problem.
So the next time you encounter a swarm of termites, it’s probably best to leave the flamethrower at home and call in the experts.
