Date: Tues, March 7, 2006

In this email look for the following:  Termites, Mulch, etc... E Letter

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Termites, Mulch, etc....

There have been two issues regarding termites recently. The one that has kept my inbox busy began with a “passalong email” that has been making the rounds in the past week or so. You may have received a warning about mulch.

Before I go to that one, lets remember that termites are one of the critters with whom we share our world and one of the reasons the piles of debris left in the woods after Hurricane Fran are gradually returning to the soil. And at this time of year you may see termites swarming. You may also see ants swarming. If you don’t know how to distinguish which is which you can collect some in a jar and bring them to me. It’s pretty easy once you know what to look for. (Ants won’t be caught in public without that perfect waspish waist properly displayed; termites never bought into wearing corsets and have a much healthier waist. Really.)

The second thing to remember about native termites is location – outdoors good, indoors bad. The swarming is a good reminder that the best defense is having your house inspected – not necessarily treated. Actually state and federal guidelines prohibit routine treatment without any indication of a problem.

Modern termiticides, properly used, must be effective for a minimum of 5 years. Properly used (!) they will often last 7 – 10 years. After that you don’t necessarily get infested at the beginning of year 11. But as years go by, the chances increase that a random forager will find you. You don’t have to be alarmed but should be aware.

If inspection reveals the presence of termites (not the same as “evidence of termites” or “conditions conducive to termites”), then you have time to get several estimates and evaluate what is included in the offer.

What about termite baits? They are not necessarily either better or worse than soil treatments. They are just a different option. In some cases they are the best option but not always.

Baits are only as effective as their installation and maintenance. And that goes back to having confidence in your pest control service. This service is a long-term agreement. You still pay a fee for regular inspections. When you discontinue the contract agreement, you essentially discontinue whatever protection was there. Baits can be a valuable tool but, as with most tools, don’t do the job by themselves.

Dr. Michael Waldvogel is an entomologist at NC State University who specializes in the study of wood destroying insects and how to manage them. He specifically discourages over-the-counter bait treatments or for that matter any do-it-yourself treatment for termite control. The issue is usually of sufficient importance to justify professional attention. If you would like more detail from Dr. Waldvogel’s lessons in all things termite, you can visit his webpage at http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/wood.htm

And that brings me to the other termite issue that is making the rounds. Several people received the “passalong email” over the week-end warning about mulch that could come from Louisiana and possibly introduce the non-native Formosan Subterranean Termite – FST!

Dr. Waldvogel has been following the Louisiana mulch issue since October. In his opinion the email that you may have received is a “non-issue.”

First, while the mulch is a possible source of termites, once this group of colonial animals gets redistributed via the chipper/shredder the long-term outlook for the colony is fair- to mostly-dismal.

Second, that material cannot be legally trucked out of the quarantine zone established by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. A more realistic possibility is that the 30-foot piles of shredded materials could become a new food source for Formosan Subterranean Termites already living near the piles and that these could end up in a truck. For the truck to transport that material out of the quarantined area would still be a violation.

Dr. Waldvogel suggests that if you find termites in or under mulch, the likely explanation is that native termites have set up housekeeping there because of the soil being moister beneath the mulch. (He also allows that you can point the finger of blame wherever you choose, not that it will do you much good.) His suggestion is to keep all mulch away from the house foundation – give it 6 to 10 inches. It makes inspections easier too.

“The first line of defense against termites,” according to Waldvogel “is not worrying about your mulch. It's making sure that your house is not infested or susceptible to an infestation by virtue of having conditions conducive to termites in and around your home. You can accomplish that goal through routine maintenance and by having your house inspected by a pest management professional.”

Finally, Dr. Waldvogel suggests that I should tell my friends and neighbors to “go spread their mulch, plant their flowers and shrubs, and enjoy beauty of their gardens (termite worry-free).”

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E Letters are archived at http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/ag/homehort/WhatsGardening/WGEindex.html

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Al Cooke
Extension Agent - Agriculture
Chatham County Center
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
N C State University
PO Box 279
Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.542.8202, FAX 919.542.8246
al_cooke@ncsu.edu http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html