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Posts Tagged: termites
Bravo to Vernard Lewis and Margaret Collins: Two Legendary Entomologists
Congratulations to emeritus Cooperative Extension specialist Vernard Lewis of UC Berkeley, selected to deliver the Founders' Memorial...
In this image, taken in October 2018, consultant and mentor Vernard Lewis (left), confers with Andrew Sutherland, UC integrated pest management advisor for Bay Area counties, about the Villa Termiti at the UC Berkeley Field Station. Sutherland, who holds a doctorate in entomology from UC Davis, was recently awarded state funding to remodel the Villa for future training of pest management professionals in the state. (UC ANR Photo by Pam Kan-Rice)
In this 2018 image, entomologist Vernard Lewis shows staff research associates how to insert termites into wood blocks. The project involved placing the wood blocks in a house to see if heat and wintergreen oil will kill termites. In front is Casey Hubble of UC Cooperative Extension, Contra Costa County, and in back is Kathleen Campbell of UC Riverside. (UC ANR Photo by Evett Kilmartin)
We've Got Termites!
When I think of gardening, I always enjoy the things that come to mind - beautiful flowers, green luscious foliage, the humming of bees, the sweet drone of hummingbirds. This week, however, I've been forced to find something positive in a very unlikeable creature. Yep, termites. So, you ask, what do termites have to do with gardening? Termites are kind of like the clean-up crews in our gardens. All of that dead, decaying wood and plant material is a feast for the termites. Our home is built on land that was once just orchards of fruit trees. When the trees were cut down and homes built, termites are what work hard underground to "clean up" what is left of the tree roots.
The thing to keep in mind with termites is that they are out there in our gardens and landscapes. We do need them to serve a very specific purpose, and it is best not to panic simply because you see one. Seeing them in your yard does not mean they are eating away at your homes. In Solano County, many of our homes are built on old orchards and farmlands. You are going to have termites in your yard tending to the decaying matter. The problems come when they pass up on the wood around our homes and focus on the wood in our homes. Just be vigilant about checking in and around your home for anything unusual that might be termites. No idea what to look out for? Check out http://ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7415.html for some great information on termites. When was the last time your home was inspected for termites? Maybe now would be a good time to have that done!
Termites on wood. (photo by UC ANR)
Kinder, gentler termite control
A San Francisco Chronicle writer sought expertise from a UC scientist to unearth eco-friendly ideas for killing termites, the nemesis of wood-constructed home dwellers worldwide. Termites cause more consternation than depreciating property values and adjustable-rate mortgages, wrote Glen Martin, a former Chronicle environmental reporter.
Martin turned to Vernard Lewis, a UC Berkeley Cooperative Extension specialist, one of the country's top authorities on termite taxonomy and control, for advice on killing termites with kindness. Detection is one of the first problems with the pest. Lewis told the reporter he uses a portable x-ray device to detect termites. (As a homeowner who has stressed over possible termite evidence, I wonder where I could get one of those.)
Liquid nitrogen, an earth-friendly termite treatment that was popular a few years ago, worked on the termites it touched, Lewis told the reporter, but its extremely cold temperature caused "collateral damage," like cracked tiles and warped linoleum.
Orange oil, a natural termite remedy touted by Chronicle columnist and pest management consultant Richard Fagerlund, is safe and pleasantly scented, but according to Lewis' research, ineffective.
The best bet for consumers who want natural control, according to Lewis, are borate-based compounds. But for heavy infestations, chemical fumigation may be the only practical option, the article said.
Termites
