"HUNGRY HOME WRECKERS" Termites infest all houses and 30 percent of the trees in greater New Orleans

icfhomes.com ^ | Sept/Oct 2000 | Sharon O'Malley

[ladyinred]

Well of course! George and Karl let millions of them loose in NO from AF1.

[Johnny Crab]

>>"We've seen places where they've eaten through tin to get at the wood.''............***"<<<

Rocket Scientist Alert!!!

Is that ROBO-termite?

[mewzilla]

A Better Way to Keep Termites at Bay

Interestingly enough, it's from the Times-Picayune.

[dinodino]

I hope they can't swim.

Actually, eliminating these termites seems like a perfect job for genetic engineering. Surely somebody could engineer a sterile strain that would cause the population to die, like they've done for other insects.

[11th_VA]

A couple of insecticide bombs in some attics and it should be curtains for them..

That's not how you kill termites - you have to bait 'em or put up a barrier ..

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"...the U.S. Environment Protection Agency banned chlordane, an effective pesticide that's been linked to cancer. Since then, pesticides used to treat new home foundations have proven less effective, by all accounts, easing the spread of Formosan colonies."

I'd like to see a comparison of all the other carcinogens' cumulative effect vs. this one effective chemical. And I'll raise you one--add DDT. We could probably wipe out these termites, mosquitoes AND fire ants. The EPA needs its nose rubbed in this, big time.

[11th_VA]

The gravel keeps collapsing as the termites try to tunnel upwards to the wooden foundation.

Now that's interesting. Is it true? It seems too simple.

It only has one drawback though:

[Cincinatus' Wife]

From your LINK:

............Invented by University of Hawaii entomologist Minoru Tamashiro, Basaltic Termite Barrier is made of volcanic rock ground to a precise consistency: 1.7 to 2 millimeters. Granules that size are too big for termites to move, and pack too tightly for termites to penetrate. The gravel must be carefully raked and graded to a uniform 4-inch thickness before a slab is poured over it. BTB is also poured around the foundation. It can cost about $3,000 for an average-sized house. It is not available on the mainland due to the high cost of shipping, though tests have shown granite could be used the same way. .........***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Now you can't kid me!

LOL!

That's a sink hole if I ever saw one!

[RGSpincich]

Oh my lookee here. George Bush, master flood maker, may have rid New Orleans of all it's termites. Guess they'll be celebrating a St. Georges Day soon.

www.ars.usda.gov/research

Bacteria, which are lethal to Formosan subterranean termites, have been isolated from termite colonies and evaluated for their ability to kill this termite. Several strains of bacteria killed 100% of the termites in laboratory tests.

[cbkaty]

Here in Houston, those little bast__ds will even eat through sheetrock to deposit their "droppings" in your living rooms....

[joesnuffy]

Thats a great magazine

[Doomonyou]

when the U.S. Environment Protection Agency banned chlordane, an effective pesticide that's been linked to cancer.

Yeah, if you drink 5 gallons a day for 50 years, you might get cancer!

[etcetera]

"It seems too simple."

I saw a demonstration of it at some home improvement show in Honolulu. They had two aquarium-type setups of termites, one with the gravel and one without. The wood target piece above the gravel bed was untouched. The wood target without the gravel was riddled with holes.

Supposedly the university is working with builders in Hawaii to make this discovery available to home owners. Simple but effective.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

George Bush, master flood maker, may have rid New Orleans of all it's termites. Guess they'll be celebrating a St. Georges Day soon.

I award you "post of the thread."

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I see.

Post # 23 supports your information.

Neat stuff.

[wildbill]

Maybe the toxic brew left by Katrina will kill them.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I don't hold out much hope for the integrity of these structures.

[Rebelbase]

IIRC, the Formosans are flying termites. They can start from the roof and chew their way down.

[TexasTransplant]

Cockroaches eat the paper on the back side of Sheetrock and then find there way in, they live inside of our walls, the main entry point inside of our houses is if you have carpet, they find a way between the baseboard and the carpet and that entrance is hidden.

Just did a Major remodel and the inside of our walls were SCARY, almost all of the paper on the backside of the Sheetrock was gone, holes drilled through Sheetrock in many places, our home is about 60 years old (give or take) with literally an inch of Cockroach wings/remains at the bottom of the wall between the studs. Thank goodness that none of us are allergic to cockroaches.

TT


Amazing