What I know about termites

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a termite meeting as a guest. It was informative, and I saw what is used in termite prevention and destruction, and there correct application. I saw the latest in termite control technology.

Examples below show where termites have been found recently.

Subterranean termites were found in a tree stump 10 feet away from an upscale home in Tallahassee. The colony probably had about a million termites. That close to the home puts the home at risk. Termite workers leave the colony to search for cellulose, which is what they eat. Cellulose is found in wood. Most home have a wood structure behind the brick, vinyl or stucco walls. A termite control application was applied in and around the infested tree stump.

Subterranean termites were found on one side of the home. There mud tunnels were observed on the exterior wall. Termites create mud tunnels to get to areas where there is cellulose. The tunnels can go in all kinds of directions. Termites use their excrement and wood particles to make their tunnels. The inside of the tunnels are temperature controlled and have the amount of moisture that termites require. They will return to the soil through the tunnels to get more moisture. The treatment for the wall was to remove the moisture coming from water settling at the base of the wall. A termiticide was applied not only in a trench made along this wall, but around the entire perimeter of the home, since termites could be elsewhere as well, but not visible.

When termites make contact with certain termiticides, they will infect the entire colony. This is because termites touch, groom and feed each other. The workers, which are the most numerous in a colony, have to feed the soldiers, reproductives, king, and queen, all of whom cannot feed themselves. The chemical contact and spread impacts the termite’s body growth process, and the termite is destroyed. It does not take long for the entire colony to be infected and destroyed. Termidor is the best know product today to destroy termites. It is costly, however, but it works. Other systems have not worked as well.

Termites need moisture. The soil has moisture and all wood has some moisture from the air. Without enough moisture, termites will die. What all of us can do is inspect our homes and other building we may have for moisture issues. Moisture can come from the air conditioner and drip beside the wall. Water can collect in pools beside the home due to poor or no drainage. Water needs to be diverted away from the structure. Having no rain gutters can cause moisture to maintain constant contact with soil and wall. Gutters should be installed where necessary.Leaky pipes is a problem. Plants along the wall of the home provide moisture in the soil. I would not have any plants within two feet of the exterior of the home, and this includes grass and weeds. Crawl areas, and underneath a deck can hold high moisture which termites need.

All areas of excess moisture should be examined for mud tunnels, soft wood, discoloration of the wood, indicating wood rot,and holes or cracks in the wood.

Another example was termite wings found at the base of a door exiting a house. Most termites do not have wings, but those that do swarm are the winged reproductives looking to find a place to establish a new colony.Here are the future kings and queens. Only the winged reproductives go out to locate new colonies, but do not deliberately locate a spot. Termites are blind or have poor eyesite, and find each other and make trails using the body substances, or pheromes, which leave a scent for other termites.
Treatment was applied to the entire perimeter of the home, not just the area of termite evidence.

The easiest evidence for termites are the mud tunnels and wings of the swarmers, who break off their wings when they land.

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The tree as seen from my Soul

What do you see in this tree? I see glory, harmony, perfection, unity, togetherness, order, clearness, arrangement, structure, season, cycle,  Life.

I had to take this pic as it inspired me. I felt renewed staring up at this free, and thinking how this tree and I fit in harmoniously with nature. I felt my being on the earth. Such gratitude boiling out from me.

Many trees have come and gone. Many have commanded my honor and attention, and I have so willingly gave it. However, this tree had me stop what I was doing in my seemingly hectic schedule of work tasks. I silently left what I was doing to give special attentiveness to the “still, small voice” speaking to me as I looked up to this angel of the earth. 

I probably would have continued what I was doing, the routine, the not-so-interesting duty of the work world. I was obligated to complete my job duties and move on the the next set of tasks. I just could not leave this tree unnoticed, and without sharing this moment with you. 

Look at the lines, the curves, and see how they harmoniously work with each other. Then, give gratitude for this tree, and all the tree creatures in our midst. Maybe you will take the next tree pic. Please send it to me when you do. I would like more refreshments.

If I were a termite

If I were a termite, I would probably be a subterranean termite, since they are more numerous. I would be in a colony in the earth, where there is plenty of moisture which I as all my termite brothers and sisters need, and get from the soil. I would have a permanent role, or job within the colony that I would belong to.  My society would be highly regulated, and controlled biologically, and socially. I could be a soldier, coming out with the other soldiers in mass  to defend the colony from invasions, enemy attacks, and threats.  I could be a worker, the most numerous population group in a termite colony. If I was a worker, my job would be to build the tunnels, and passageways within the earth, and the mud tunnels coming out of the earth,and up  into a structure, such as a house. I would have to go out foraging for cellulose within the wood I find, which is  the best source of cellulose, and I would have to feed the soldiers, reproductives, king and queen, through regurgitation, and anal excretion. Only the workers eat the cellulose, and provide it to the others non-worker termites. If I was a worker, I would have to have to care for the other termites. That is my job. I would leave scent trails for others to follow, since I would be blind, and live in darkness. If I would be a queen termite, I would  produce eggs all the time, a real baby producing machine always at work. I would be the sole source of population growth for the colony, but some colonies may have other kings and queens. 

Within my environment, there would be high humidity, and temperatures between 60 and 90 degreens maintained. I would have protozoa on my body, helping me digest the cellulose that I eat. I cannot do the digesting by myself. The micro-organisms are my friends.

Your job to prevent termites onto your property

I have seen so many homes, dwellings, and plants infested or touched by the presence of termites.  I feel impelled to provide some suggestions to folks about what they can do to prevent the intrusion and impact of termites. 

Where there is cellulose, there is a threat of termites. Cellulose is found in wood and wood products, including paper. Termites find the cellulose in the home,  and enter the home through cracks, and crevices in the foundation, wall, and through the gaps around plumbing lines, fixtures, and other pipe entryways. 

Never bury wood scraps or timbers in your yard.

There could be millions of termites under the earth on your property. Termites need the moisture in the soil, if they are subterranean termites, and most termites are of that category. 

Here are some useful suggestions: 

Remove all mulch, wood chips and wood borders in the yard, but especially withing a foot from the foundation of the home, or dwelling. The mulch is touching the ground, and is an easy source of cellulose for termites. 

Do not have your water sprinklers shooting water out at or toward the home. Termites are attracted to moisture. 

Make sure there is no free standing wood, like timbers, wood scraps, broken fence posts, rotten tree stumps, paper, or cardboard on the ground. Clean up your yard.  Remember, termites eat cellulose, and they get that from wood, and wood related products.

Repair any leaky faucets, roof leaks, and plumbing leaks. 

Screen any vent area to prevent drywood termites from entering.

Check for standing water or pools of water near the home. Make sure the water drains away from the home, and does not keep the area butting with home moist.

Check around tubs, showers and toilets to make sure there is no water leaks, seepage, or moisture on the floor, and walls. Resolve this as soon as possible. Termites need cellulose and moisture to survive.

Do not grow any plants with one foot of the perimeter of the home or other building. Remove all plant growth within 12 inches from the wall all around the home. Plants provide moisture in the earth, which termites need.

Seal all wood exposed to moisture using a weather sealer, especially exterior window frames and the bottom of wall edges.

Seal all cracks and crevices in the interior and exterior walls, and foundation floor. Stop the easy entryway for termites.

Have proper cross-ventilation in crawl spaces under the floor of the home, to keep the area dry. 

Create sand barriers in crawl spaces and under fence posts, patios and steps to deter subterranean termites. These termites cannot tunnel through sand. It is a good idea to use sand along the perimeter of the home where there is currently grass, or plants along the building’s walls.

Take some time looking for mud tunnels on the exterior walls, underneath decks, in crawl spaces, around plumbing fixtures, and elsewhere. The mud tunnels is the termite highway from the soil to the cellulose in the house.

Redwood, cedar and juniper are all wood species that are less favorable to termites, but that does not mean they are free from the threat of termite attacks. 

I repeat: termites go where there is moisture and cellulose, their food. Keeping the property dry, and free of wood touching the ground, will greatly help prevent termite intrusion.

Always changing and updating our lifestyles

We are always changing or updating our blogs, websites, projects, interior designs, garden display, and arrangement, accessories, technology, and activities. Is this not true? I know I have. Change has been a constant to me.

Within a very short amount of time, I have changed and updated the appearance of my blogs, website, garden, interior design, projects, databases, and much more. I can’t seem to stick with one way, or one appearance. However, for me, each change or update is better the the prior one. I am improving, and in that sense, it is healthy. I only would like to have had the perfect design in the first place. Well, such is the virtue of experience.

Actually, even though change and and update is tiring, and means work, it also unfolds new ideas, and better ways of doing something.

I hope I have provided some room for though in this brief post!

Beware of the dog, or the termites?

Having worked in the pest control business, I can tell you that there are termites doing bad things to homes and other dwellings here in Florida.  In fact, termites are a real problem, especially here in Florida, due to all our moisture, and temperature mix. All the termite types thrive well here, and my hometown of Tallahassee, Florida has been impacted by this cellulose eating critter.

There are two main categories of termites: subterranean, and drywood. The subterranean termites are more numerous. The subterranean termites need moisture from within the earth. They make mud tunnels to climb up into a home, or other structure to get to the wood, or wood products. They must however, be able to return back to the soil for the moisture and nutrients. Drywood termites do not make colonies in the earth. They live in the wood of a structure, or tree.

Within the subterranean termite category are the formosan termites. Formosans are not native to North America. They were recently brought over in ships from overseas regions:  the orient. However, they are the most aggressive of all termites in the United States. They can eat the wood our of a home in as little as three months. They have been found in New Orleans, California, and Florida. They are particularly populated in south Florida, and are moving up to north Florida in greater numbers.

I have seen the damage of termites in Tallahassee. Homes that have lost the roof, or floors that have caved in, decks that are infested. One home can have numerous termite colonies within, and the human residents may be totally unaware of this. Termites do their work with the walls, not outside them. They can be found in wood furniture, and picture frames, however. Again, they go for the cellulose found in wood and wood products, including paper.

Now the best way to protect a dwelling from termites, is by applying a chemical liquid solution of either “premise,” which is usually effective for one to two years, or “termidor,” which is effective for  up to 10 years. A pest control technician, will make a small trench around the exterior perimeter of the home and then apply the liquid termiticide. The older method of applying a termiticide, using tubes with wood bait in them (Sentricon), is not that useful, as it works only if the termites are attracted to the bait tubes. They can always access the  home between the tubes, as the tubes are only applied inside the earth at intervals around the perimeter of the home. Termites have been proven to be much smarter than falling for the bait.

I love Tallahassee, and Florida in general. Who doesn’t. I live here, but am aware of the dangers and higher risks associated with Florida living: hurricanes, tornados, floods, snakes, alligators in most bodies of water, insect pests, long hot summers, and of course, termites.

Would I live elsewhere? Well, give me a cabin in the rockies of Colorado. I would go there. Darn, no mountains in Florida. Hahaha, we have the beautiful beaches, the white sand dunes of the Gulf of Mexico coastline of Florida. We have many forest regions, and rural land. I will deal with the termites.