If your bait system is like the one we will be getting, then the "bait" is only a piece of wood. They don't put the chemicals in until they get termite activity on the bait -- that way they reduce the amount of chemical use. Even then, the chemicals are in their own housing, not in contact with the dirt. The termites enter the chemical cartridge to get at the bait, and then bring the chemical back to the nest, and then the whole nest dies. But if the piece of wood that's in your herb garden never gets gnawed on, they'll never put the chemicals in. Check with your termite company to be sure that that's they way they're doing it. I believe that's standard, but they could be doing it differently. HTH! P.S. also, even if the wood does get gnawed and they want to add chemicals to the station, you could request that they didn't. They could just put the cartridges in the other stations that were getting gnawed. The chemicals will get back to the nest either way, right? Or maybe you could get them to move the bait station out of the herb garden. There's no magic placement; they just need to be surrounding the house.

Thanks jcalhoun. It looks like borax is about as safe a chemical for this as I'll find but there are some questions about it's safety around animals. I would probably try vinegar first and go on to borax. Per my husband we don't really have a mound, they're hiding underground and now we''re not quite sure where to get them. It's too bad I didn't know these possibilities when we actually saw some when we were digging planting holes. Lori

It's a little tough to see details. But I think they're ants. Which kind, I don't know. Termites have "broad waists" whereas ants have a narrow connection between the thorax & abdomen.

I'm starting to think the second company which is the one my friend has used for several years (in 3 houses) was being honest when they said I didn't have termites, he really went around the unfinished part of my basement hitting it with a stick, and looking for signs, he did same in garage, and when he looked outside he said good news,you don' have any!....the first guy looked downstairs and said he saw signs, and then went outside, moved the mulch and showed my husband bugs, he said you have termites, figured out the charge, and said 1700...second when I asked how much it would be, because of my friend, and not seeing any, was at a discounted price of 800....some difference, but honestly if I have no termites, why treat? Third inspector is coming the end of week, will see what he says....hope I don't have a 4th come...lol