Mulch and Termites

[k4kyv]

If you use mulch around your house be very careful about buying it this year. During the hurricane in New Orleans many trees were blown over. Downed trees are often turned into mulch and property owners are trying to get rid of tons and tons of this mulch to anyone who will come and haul it away.

This mulch may be showing up at your local home improvement warehouse at dirt cheap prices with one huge problem: Formosan Termites will be the bonus in many of those bags. New Orleans is one of the few areas in the country were the Formosan Termites have managed to get a stronghold and many of the trees blown down were already badly infested with those termites.

Now, in addition to all the other ineptitude regarding Katrina, we may have the worst case ever of transporting a problem to all parts of the country. These termites can eat a house in no time at all and we have no good control against them, so those of us who own homes should avoid cheap mulch and know were any mulch we buy came from. Of course, once they get a stronghold in your area, your house will be in danger whether you used mulch on your property or not.

For more information on the termites, check out the following links:

LSU AgCenter . Formosan Subterranean Termites Portal
Formosan Termites (http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/en/environment/insects/Termites/formosan_termites/)

How to avoid spreading Formosan termites (http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/NR/rdonlyres/B49C9FA5-24A9-4631-9210-68ECDE9FF1B6/2712/pub2908termites.pdf)

I checked out the Snopes website and did not see this story listed as an urban legend.

[N3ATS]

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/termites.asp

[G0GQK]

A great pity that the nation's elite in Washington are not gardeners keen on mulching their prize flowers then these little Chinese pests could eat DC !

G0GQK

[k4kyv]

Quote[/b] (N3ATS @ Mar. 13 2006,15:40)]http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/termites.asp
Unfortunately, there's a minor disclaimer at the end of the Snopes report.

Quote[/b] ]Of course, no quarantine can be absolutely 100% effective, and there is always some chance, however small, that termites (and other pests) could turn up in mulch produced just about anywhere at any time, so consumers are always advised to be careful. Inspect every bag of mulch you purchase, and if you find insects in any of them, return them to the point of purchase.

Quote[/b] ]This termite hitches a ride to new areas in infested cellulose. At the time of this writing, the number one method of spreading the Formosan subterranean termite is infested railroad ties. The second most important method of spreading the Formosan subterranean termite is infested utility poles. Other methods of spreading the termite include: wood from structures, lumber, pallets, landscape timbers, wood used in the oil industry, firewood, trees, woody plants, sawdust, mulch, wood in boats, potted plants, mobile homes, homes and paper.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/termites.asp

[kl7aj]

Looks like we might have another ANTenna thread starting. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[W0LPQ]

This has been circulating around the internet for at least 6 months, if not longer.

Bill, W0LPQ

[ab8ma]

Quote[/b] (kl7aj @ Mar. 13 2006,23:34)]Looks like we might have another ANTenna thread starting. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

AJ, sometimes you sleigh me.
Only if I could show you the mess you caused on my keyboard, laughing.