Recommendation for Elimination of Termite Hazards in Lumber Storage Piles

Prepared byLumter Sub.Committee* and Appnoved by the Tcfmitc Investigation CommiAee, San Franciro, CdiforniaJctobecr 19tO.

1. INFORM YOURSELF AS TO LIFE AND FOOD HABITS OF THE TERMITE. Circular 318 of the University of California is the most recent publication ort this subject. No methods for eliminating termite. hazards can be 'successfully carried out without knowledge of termite habits.

2. DETERMINE WHETHER TERMITES ARE AIREADY PRESENT. This rvill require a survey of all lumber storage piles, the area surrounding the piles and all structures, including dead parts of trees, tree stumps and poles, withitt se't .ral hundred feet of the area u'here lumber is piled.

in a lumber yard the follorving items should be investigated:

(a) Drainage-Reticuliterl.nei re-quires moisture to live' The diier the ground the less likely the presence of termites (except in ground rvhich is constantly wet). '

('b) PiIe foundations. These often provide a convenient pissageway for Reticulitermes from ground to food supply and back again. - -

(t) Fences-A frequent source of infestation.

(a) Posts-Dig down a few inches below-the -gro:lq' Look for mud runwiys built by termites. (See Circul". !19.)

(e) Buildings and other siructures-(Se.e Cir-cular 318')

(f) Stoct-Unless lumber has been piljd .for-.several montis it is not likely to be infested with Reticulitermes. Infestation from Kalotermes is most likely in the months of October and November, the swarming season. It can be identified by small holes (about the size of BB shot) wtrich are plugged up by the termites soon after entering the lumber.' THise indicite the presence of a mated pair of termites. No great damage will 6e done to the lumber by this pair unlels it lives and starts a new colony. This takes at least a Year. -

(g) Debris-Odds and ends of lumber, old paper.s, etc. This'ii'the favorite food supply of Reticulitermes. It is also a good source for propagation of fungus and a potential fire hizard. From all three of these standpoints it presents a hazard rvhich warrants an immediate clean-up.

(h) Outside sources of infestation-Old tree- stumps, poles of all kinds and bullding-s. Examine these for Kalotermes presence, particularly in the direction from rvhich the prevailing winds come.

3.^ PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO PREVENT TERMITE INFESTATION.

(a) Drainage-Keep ground dry by providing adequate drainage.

(b) I'ile foundations. Use concrete or "protected" *ood. "Protected" wood as referred to here means-(1) wood protected by metal termit shields (page 60,-Circular 318); (2) wood piotected by preservatives (page 61, Circular 318) i (3) wooa having naturally termite resistant qualities (page 61, Circular 318). The same precautions that have many times been advocated to eliminate decay or dryrot due to fungus growth will be effective in preventing infestation by the subterranean termite.

(c) Fences-Keep all unprotected lumber arvay from the ground at least 12 inches and preferabty ?! inches. ld) Posts and Poles-Same as above., Make periodic inspections at least every 6 months to see that they are not infested.

(e) Buildings and .other structures-Keep all unprq tected lumber at least 12 inches away from the ground. Where this is impractical use a "Ground treatment" as indicated in Circular 318.

(f)Stock-If above precautions are complied with there rvill be practically no danger of Reticulitermes infestation in lumber piles.

During the swarming season of Kalotermes, usually October and November, there may be a danger from swarming termites landing on lumber piled in the open air and digging-in. Lumber piled in sheds or other closed buildings does not appear attractive to swarming Kalotermes. lVe know of no cases of such infestation. The Termite Investigations Committee has made and is continuin-g to make experiments to determine the best method of preventing such infestation.

At present it is believed that spraying the lumber piles with, or dipping the lumber for l0 seconds in, a solution of sodium fluosilicate will prevent infestation from swatming Kalotermes. Use one pound of sodium fuosilicate to l0 gallons of water and spray liberally on top and sides of all lumber piles.

Sodium fuosilicate is a dry chemical which can be obtained in one pound and up to 4(X) pound packages. In 25 pound packages it costs l3rl cents per pound and in l@ pound packages it costs 9f cents per pound. It is not generally available but can be obtained from Braun-KnechtHeimann Company, San Francisco; Michel and Pelton Company, Oakland; Braun Corporation, Los Angeles; Pfaltz and Bauer, Los Angeles. There are undoubtedly other sources of supply.

This spraying of lumber piles is still in the experimental stage. Laboratory experiments have shown that wood dipped in a solution of sodium fluosilicate for lO seconds gives 100/o protection against dry-wood termites, if the wood is kept dry. The protection afforded large piles of lumber rvill depend on the thoroughness of the spraying, especially between the pieces. Swarming termites prefer to enter piles between two pieces of lumber rather than to dig into the sides or tops and bottoms of an individual piece.

Please report any results obtained on this or other matters in this connection to the Chairman of this Lumber Sub-Committee.

(g) Debris-As a likely breeding place for termites the odds and ends of lumber and the accumulations of paper, decayed vegetation, and other debris cannot be improved on. Therefore, a general clean-up ofall debris around piles of lumber is strongly recommended. Such measures rvill also pay dividends in preventing fungus growth with constant dry-rot and reducing fire hazards.

(h) Outside Sources of Infestation-Termites live in "colonies" and each year, usually in the autumn, certain (Continued on Pagc 29)

(Continued from page 28) members of the colony start out to build a new home of their own. These are the rvinged termites or ,,flying ants,' and this is.the only time of year that dry-wood tjrmltes appear in public.

If lumber qiles are in the path of the flying termites they may elect to found their new home in such piles. Therefori it is desirable to find nearby sour.ces of possible infestation and have them removed.

Customary living places for colonies of termites are d.ead :trTpj, o1d buildings, fences and poles of all kinds. It rnay be difficult at times but it is hy lo means impossible to get such sources of infestation eliminated as a tLrmite hazid. It is not necessary to remove the building, pole, etc., but rt rs necessary to destroy the colony o{ termites in the building or pole. Circular 318 shouid be referred to for methods of eliminating existing colonies.

(i) Make periodic inspections every 6 months so that y-ou may be sure there are no termites present. This is the cheapest and perhap_s lhe most important single pre- caution you can take. Drive a 1x2 sapwood stakE 2'f.eet into the ground at various places, let it-stay 3 weeks, then remove and examine it for termite galleries. If there is no evidence of termite damage in any of the stakes you may be reasonably sure that th-ere are no Reticulitermes in thl nearby earth. Kalotermes presence is more difficult to de- tect. However, this type of termite is notlikely to be troublesome in lumber piles except in the s*ar*ing season. Nearby sources of possible infestation should 6e investigated every 6 months.

4. HOW TO PROCEED WHEN TERMITES ARE ALREADY PRESENT.

It is first essential to know whether the termites present are of the subterranean.type_(Reticulitermes) or of t-he dry- wood type (Kalotermes). The size of the termites (Reticilitermes being the smallest), the habits (runways built from the ground to the wood or in the wood in coniact with the ground indicate Reticulitermes) and the place's where ter.mites.are found (Reticulitermes usually near the ground) wil! all help in determing the kind of teimites present.

To avoid future hazard from termites it is decessary to destroy all existing termite colonies and to make piovi- sions _as in paragraph 3 of these Recommendations to pre- vent future termite infestation.

If Subterranean Termites Are Present

(a) Remove and burn all debris.

(b) Replace all pile foundations which are not in ac_ cordance with paragraph 3 (b) of these Recommendations. -

(") Provide for ventilation under all lumber piles by keepin_g them at least 12 inches above ground.

(d) Unless the actual piles of lumber have been in contact with the ground or with infested pile founclations there is not much danger of termite infestaiion in the lum_ ber. If such infestation is found it will usually be in a iew of the-bottom pieces of the pile only. These shoulcl be re_ moved and burned.

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(e) Eliminate sources of moisture such as leaking roof of buildings, faulty drains, etc., etc.

(f) M.ake periodic inspections as recommended in para_ graph 3 (i).

IF DRY-WOOD TERMITES ARE PRESENT

(g) Remove and burn all debris.

-(h) Replace all pile foundations which are not in ac_ cordance_with paragraph 3 (b) of these Recommendations.

(r)If lumber in piles has been infested with dry_woocl termites there is but one method now known of .ur:.fy a._ stro-ying those termites which are in the lumber. "ffi"t method is kiln-drying. Pieces 2 inches thick or t.., st otrlJ De sut)Jected to a heat of lz5 to r50 degrees Fahrenheit for a per.i,od long enough.to make certain"that the tempeiature rn the center of each piece reaches 125 degrees. Termites

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