Termites!

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Mont, Feb 15, 2004.

  1. Mont

    Mont Junior Member

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    I've found termites today in boards supporting the water heater just outside the back door. In the phone book, among the conventional pest controllers, are firms advertising that they use biological control and natural methods. I recall someone telling me they'd tried that once, found it useless, and had to call in the maximum-poison armageddon kind of controllers. Has anyone had any experience of this? Naturally I'd like to avoid the poisons and go the more natural way, but only if it's truly effective.

    Mont
     
  2. Chook Nut

    Chook Nut Junior Member

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    Hi Mont,

    Eeek.... termites! This is a hard one to answer.... and rather than pretend i do know the answer i will have a yarn to our local pest controller next time i see him this week at the pub. I think most recommendations you will get though is to use chemicals... there may be no other option.

    I have seen the downside of diluted termite spray.... friends of ours had to spend a lot of money getting their 2 year old house rebuilt in a section b/c the developer skimped on the initial treatment of the ground.

    I will tell you why i did respond to this topic. I have found termites in old pieces of wood around my property and have placed them in my chook pens. I periodically turn them and expose them to my chooks who then feast on a high protein diet until they retreat! :;):

    Not sure where you live but wouldnt wait too long to get it sorted out.

    Good luck and let us know how you get on.

    Dave
     
  3. Mont

    Mont Junior Member

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    Thanks Dave. I've got the green-and-groovy bloke coming tomorrow. It seems he uses 'low hazard dust' rather than arsenic-based, and returns 10 days after the first treatment to check on progress. I only found the termites because the lid wouldn't sit right on my worm farm so I grabbed a brick to sit on top and there they were below it, and in nearby wood. Pays to have a worm farm I suppose! With any luck they're not in the house.
    If I was rural I'd love to just get the chooks in to sort it out, or an echidna with attitude, but I'm right in suburbia so we'll go with the human terminator. If you learn more from the bloke you know I'd still like to hear it.

    Mont
     
  4. Chook Nut

    Chook Nut Junior Member

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    Hi Mont,

    I spoke to the pest guy yesterday and he said he uses 2 different types of organic termite control. He said one is more expensive than the other and will give me a couple of pamphlets on these products next time i see him.

    He said he was very happy with them as it's virtually all he uses now. You can tell b/c he doesn't have that chemical smell about him anymore.

    Will keep you posted.

    Dave
     
  5. Mont

    Mont Junior Member

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    Thanks Dave. I appreciate you researching it. I actually had very good news. The boards were just suffering from 'fungal rot' and the ants that had taken up residence weren't termites, nor was there any sign that termites had been there. So no chemicals needed this time.
     
  6. Tezza

    Tezza Junior Member

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    I beleive Black Ants Just Love White ants breakfast,dinner or tea
     

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