First Signs

I had a gentleman walk into the office today to talk about problems he was having with his oak trees. He was having them pruned and termites were found within one tree. We talked about treatment options and he scheduled an appointment with the forrester to discuss general tree maintainance. If you are concerned about termites the first thing you need to look for is dirt or mud in places that is does not naturally occur. Subterranean termites like high humidity and use mud to seal their tunnels to maintain the moisture levels that they require within their colony. When they move into a different area they pave the way with mud tunnels and this is one of the easiest signs to look for.

When infesting trees in over ninety percent of the cases the tunnels will be found outside the bark of the tree.

Having said that you must remember there will be a small percentage of the time when the termites will come up the inside of the tree. They can do major damage with few or no outward signs. The first sign of trouble may come after a wind storm.

When the tree or parts of the tree are blown down due to lack of support caused by the feeding of the termites. You can greatly reduce your possibility of loss by monitoring your trees and structures for signs of feeding or the building of mud tubes. Insecticidal barriers are a deterent to the termites, but they are driven by hunger to constantly seek out ways around these barriers to new sources of food. Breaks in the insecticidal barrier cause by digging animals, broken plumbing, planting of ornamentals too close to the house, or cracks in concrete slabs pose threats to your home. Louisiana provides many of the necessities of life for subterranean termites: moderate temperatures, plenty of water, and numerous sources of cellulose(wood). When cracks in concrete slabs offer them entry points not visible from the outside termites can begin feeding before outward signs are visible. They will eat the paper off the inside of gypsum board then tunnel though the gypsum to eat the paper on the outside. When they break through the paint on the inside of the room they will seal this opening with mud. By taking a white cloth and rubbing it acoss a wall suspected of harboring termites you will wipe off the mud leaving streaks on the cloth and pin prick holes in the wall revealing the work of the termites. Until everyone has access to a termite sniffing dog or infrared devices that detect hot spots inside the walls of our house caused by large numbers of termites feeding, we are limited to using our eyes to detect the presence of termites.

Termites and Trees

I have been asked, why are there termites. The simplest answer is termites are here to recycle wood. The problems start when they want to recycle our houses and trees. Most all termites will attact trees that are damaged in someway; a lightening strike or an area weaken by fungus. Unfortunately Formosan Subterranean Termites will also attack living trees causing significant damage and rendering the trees unsafe. Over 300 trees were reported blown down in New Orleans by the winds of Katrina and most of those were found to have contained active Formosan Subterranean Termites colonies. The infestation not only resulted in the loss of the tree with all of it's intrinsic value, but trees in an urban setting can cause considerable damage when they fall.
After hurricane Gustov, one of the beautiful old oaks on the Forsythe Park golf course was found split in two. Closer examination found the interior of the tree riddled by Formosan Subterranean Termites. Infested trees can be treated and this one had, but older trees are harder to treat successfully due to their larger bulk. Treating tree involves trenching the exterior of the tree and applying the appropriate insecticide and using a foaming insecticide mix on the interior of the tree to fill all of the voids caused by the feeding of the termites.
When Formosan Subterranean Termites infest a tree in over 90 percent of the cases mud tubes will be found on the exterior of the tree. If an infested tree is cut or suffers a broken limb the termites will seek to mud over the break in the tree.

They are trying to maintain the high moisture levels they require inside their tunnels. This picture is of a tree that was blown over in a windstorm in West Monroe. The tree damaged the roof of a near by house and the fallen tree was cut back to remove limbs from the roof. I examined the tree the next day and found that the termites had sealed this opening with mud. If the tree had still been standing this part of the tree would have been about 30 feet off the ground, which means that the termites were actively feeding in the tree above this point. Other trees suffering similar damage have fallen in the garden district of Monroe. In all cases the trees were removed and destroyed. Trees in urban settings need to be continually examined for signs of termite activity to prevent damage and loss of the trees. Fire ants can actually be of benefit in this scouting. Fire ants eat termites and will build their mounds against or into the base of trees to be closer to their termite food source.

Formosan Subterranean Termites in Ouachita Parish

Formosan Subterranean Termites swarm from mid-April thru May and into the month of June. They can fly up to 1,700 feet while swarming. So how did they get to the Monroe area from the gulf coast? The simple answer is we helped them. Back in the early 90's they were discovered in a church building in West Monroe. The building was built next to a site where various types of wood had been discarded, some of that wood was brought from New Orleans to be used in the construction of a house. In 2001 Formosan Subterranean Termites were discovered swarming in the Forsythe Park area when the swarmers disrupted a little league baseball game. These termites were thought to have been brought to the area inside railroad crossties used for landscaping within the park.
We as humans help the Formosan Subterranean Termites travel great distances when we move railroad ties, used wood, potted plants, paper products and even boats.

Even though cross ties are treated, the treatment doesn't always protect the center of the wood. Any untreated wood in contact with the ground is a possible food source for termites. When the older cross ties are taken up and discarded they are often sold for landscaping purposes and end up being the means by which the termites are spread.



One case in the Pineville area the home owner had brought in over 60 of the crossties to terrace the area around his home and then added his ornamental plants. Within 5 years he had Formosan Subterranean Termites swarming within his house. The termites were also found in stumps, live trees, and landscaping timbers. The landscaping timbers were taken up and treated before being removed from the area. Later it was learned that the home owner also brought in plants in wooden planters that may have been infested and planted the flowers in front of his house. In either case the termites were transported by humans to the area where they became a problem.

Not all of the Formsoan Subterranean Termites traveled to the Monroe area in crossties, in at least two instances the termites have travelled to the area in boats. Wood is used to stiffen and support the thin fiberglass sides of the boat and if a crack can be found then the hungry termites are able to gain entrance.



This outboard had become dangerous to use because the transom had begun to flex when the motor was reved up. It had been brought into the shop to have the transom removed and an inboard installed in the boat. When they began to remove the fiberglass they found that there was very little wood left and a large number of termites.

The termites were destroyed before they could spread and the LDAF was notified of the discovery.

It is important that all wood and wood product that are moved from areas where Formosan Subterannean Termites are found are inspected before they are moved and if found infested be burned or treated.

End of Summer is not the end of Termites

On the radio this morning we were discussing fall gardening and the effects of the dry summer. Even though the last tomatoes will soon be picked and the yard mowed for the last time this season. Termites are still active in our yards. Stacks of firewood that are in contact with the ground will be harboring termites until the temperature drops below 60 degrees and those of us who live in houses built on concrete slabs provide winter protection for the termites. My father told of times in North Mississippi when there were no termites in houses in the winter time at least. All of the houses were built up off of the ground on piers and would freeze out in the winter time. Now if for some reason your termite barrier has been breached the termites can be active inside your house during cooler weather.
Termite barriers can be broken by plumbing that has begun to leak or by plumbers that repair the leak. Cracks in the slab can provide entry points to termites, and when they occur under carpet or wood flooring discovering the point of entry can be difficult or impossible. Trees growing too close to houses can provide paths of entry to temites when the wood dies and or the root growth causes a shift in the concrete slab.  It is important that the termite barrier be protected. To do this certain landscape practices need to be avoided. Any digging next to the foundation will remove the termite barrier. This can occur when shrubs are planted, when irrigation pipes and heads are installed, when plumbing is being repaired or pipes cleaned, when fence posts are placed close to the structure, or when additions are made to the house.
Mulching to protect your plants and to improve the looks of your landscape has the down side of covering up the termite treatment and allowing termites an open route into your house. When we build decks to add value to our property and to increase it's utility or value we may also be creating a path around the termite barrier. Wooden steps and firewood stored against our houses are also ways that termites may use to enter our houses. Even tools that have leaned too long in one place have been used by termites to enter a home. Trellises are beautiful but they also obsure the view of the slab and displace the insecticide that is protecting your house. As the weather cools off and it is now pleasant to be outside it is a good time to walk around the outside of your house and comtemplate the effects your landscaping has had on your termite protection.

A small demonstration of landscaping don't was established at the Calhoun Research Station and at the Citrus station south of New Orleans to help people visualize mistakes they can make when landscaping their property.