Shopsmith Forums

roopurt5 wrote:Well, I'm off big purchases for a bit. We are fortunate enough to have termites. So, there goes the better part of $1k, aka my tool allowance for the next while. Boo! Boooo!!!!

Google Cyzmic cs. I've sprayed termites in wood piles in my back yard and they die on contact. This kills just about everything. I haven't seen a live roach in my house since I started using it.

I agree that people might confuse ants with termites and that the simplest way to distinguish one from another is to check the body sections. Here's the example from pestcontrolhacks that I've found on the internet. If you get infested by those, well, get ready to buy tons of chemicals or just call to extermination services, there are no other options.

True Winter beats termites every time.

dusty wrote:[

It may well be that I am wrong. All I know is that these critters swarm every season when it rains and I often find mud tunnels coming up out of the ground on the foundation. I then call for extermination service and they come to treat.

Dusty is right on these for AZ. We have at least 2 types of termites here in AZ. One is the dreaded subterranean termite that can only live underground and/or inside of mud tubes. These can't live for very long in open air or they will die, which is why they make tubes through concrete, wood, etc. to get into your house. Once there they will consume just about anything, even carpet padding. There is a similar type of subterranean termite in CA and they tent the house there and fill with pesticide to kill it.

I believe the termite type that Dusty referred to it is the less dangerous variety here in AZ. When we get big rains, they feast on any dead wood, tree/bush litter that is on the ground. They leave behind a mud like coating on anything they are eating on, but it isn't a mud tube. Supposedly, this type only feasts on dead wood, so they are a "good" insect.

RFGuy wrote:

dusty wrote:[

It may well be that I am wrong. All I know is that these critters swarm every season when it rains and I often find mud tunnels coming up out of the ground on the foundation. I then call for extermination service and they come to treat.

Dusty is right on these for AZ. We have at least 2 types of termites here in AZ. One is the dreaded subterranean termite that can only live underground and/or inside of mud tubes. These can't live for very long in open air or they will die, which is why they make tubes through concrete, wood, etc. to get into your house. Once there they will consume just about anything, even carpet padding. There is a similar type of subterranean termite in CA and they tent the house there and fill with pesticide to kill it.

I believe the termite type that Dusty referred to it is the less dangerous variety here in AZ. When we get big rains, they feast on any dead wood, tree/bush litter that is on the ground. They leave behind a mud like coating on anything they are eating on, but it isn't a mud tube. Supposedly, this type only feasts on dead wood, so they are a "good" insect.

I wish we had had this discussion much earlier. Back in time before I had my medical issues, I acquired a bundle of wood fencing materials. I put it on the ground behind the back fence. It was left there for months and months. When we set out to relocate I went to get the fencing materials BUT it was for the most part consumed by either termites or carpenter ants. Just a mess that I had to cleanup before we sold the house and property.

dusty wrote: I wish we had had this discussion much earlier. Back in time before I had my medical issues, I acquired a bundle of wood fencing materials. I put it on the ground behind the back fence. It was left there for months and months. When we set out to relocate I went to get the fencing materials BUT it was for the most part consumed by either termites or carpenter ants. Just a mess that I had to cleanup before we sold the house and property.

Well, I wouldn't have been much help then. Sorry. I have dealt with the "bad" subterranean variety of termite in AZ in the past. It wasn't until a month or two ago that I noticed the 2nd variety of termite outside leaving mud coatings on everything after some massive rains. After consulting a pest guy, I was educated that this was the kindler, gentler cousin termite. I believe we also get carpenter ants in AZ, but these are not the wood eating variety like they have elsewhere in the US.