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May. 26, 2009 10:29 AM

The food-finding habits of subterranean termites seem to be based on where they think wood should be, not on knowing where it is exactly. (In most species, the worker termites do not have eyes and therefore, cannot "see" the location of wood.) A termite colony's strategy goes something like this:

Cellulose (wood and other similar material) is extremely abundant above ground and below ground - if you tunnel randomly and long enough in the soil, you are bound to find some.

Follow objects (like rocks and tree and shrub roots), cracks or gaps in the soil - this will likely help you locate a food source.

Follow increasing amounts of soil moisture - this is best for survival (termites need moist conditions) and more likely to lead to organic matter.

Follow the scent of fungi associated with food - many of these microorganisms attack and break down wood. You can often find more termites where there is fungi.

Finally, the colony sends out a large number of workers in search of food - the more you send, the better chances you have to get a hit.

As soon as someone gets a hit, they return to get help, but they leave a chemical trail behind so the new recruits can find their way to the food.

 

 

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RE: What is tenting with HOT Treatment

Thermal pest control (hot treatment?) for termites is typically used for drywood species, and is usually applied as a spot treatment to the site of the infestation (the galleries in structural wood). The extent and location of the colony and galleries is first determined, then heat is applied to those areas. The temperature must be between 150 and 170F for a period long enough to penetrate the wood (wood is an excellent insulator and resists heat) and kill all the termites. Temperatures this high can cause problems with adjacent surfaces and materials, so the process has to be done very carefully. Of course, if all the termites are not killed, the infestation will persist. Treating galleries with insecticide can kill the termites and leave a residual material to provide long-term protection.

William H. Robinson, Ph.D.
2009-06-02 05:09 PM

What is tenting with HOT Treatment

Could you please help us understand the use of HOT Treatment to kill termites that have infested a wooden beam ceiling ( we have large 12" long x 1" deep holes from termites). This has been offered as an alternative to Fumigation/Chemicals. Thank you for your help.

Susan
2009-06-01 09:14 AM