termite advice

[terracore]

I think the sprays use diluted orange oil. "household" use of orange oil is usually 1 ounce per gallon of water. I think the exterminators use 95% orange oil which has an MSDS label for skin toxicity. Supposedly it wicks through the wood. The oil and the fumes are toxic to insects.

[K2man]

I had drywoodone termites in a boat. I mixed boric acid with propylene glycol (non toxic RV antifreeze also found in soft drinks) and water. I put this in a 3 gallon pump sprayer and saturated all the wood. It killed them and they haven't come back since.

K2man

[hotinhawaii]

One of the problems with drywood termites is that you only see them dropping pellets for a very brief period in their life cycles. So you can never be sure that spot treating has done anything. We have been spot treating our cabinets for 9 years. Months will go by with no new pellets, then a new place crops up. It finally got to the point where they were appearing in too many places to keep up with and they were finally in the flooring under the cabinets. We just tented last week. When you spot treat, you are only attacking the few termites that are in the boring phase of their lives. There may still be plenty of larvae elsewhere, just doing their thing and waiting til it's time to spread their tiny wings and fly away!

[knieft]

quote:

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Originally posted by hotinhawaii
We just tented last week.

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What is the ball park figure for tenting? Is there competition for the jobs?

I suppose I should just do my own research, but it would be nice yo have a context...

Cheers,
Kirt

[birdmove]

I found a previous thread here that said tenting ran someone around $1200. Anyone?

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[birdmove]

quote:

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Originally posted by DTisme

I'm guessing the fine dust is probably from powder post beetles, not termites. Termites here in Puna leave poo, which looks like poppy seeds. Fogging cabinets might help, but we had it in some baseboard and it continued even after house was tented for termites, so we got rid of the baseboard.

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You were right! Had a nice gent from Veteren pest control come over this morning and check it. It is not termites. Powder post beetles.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[terracore]

Good news I think. What is the treatment?

[birdmove]

He suggested a couple. "Term-Out", and Time Out for termites. Seems he thought these would kill the beetles.

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[donnie1354]

hotinhawaii, I heard that tenting dosen't always work, it might be too soon to ask but I was wondering if tenting got rid of the termites? If it did, can you tell me who you called and how much it cost? Any info or suggestions would be appreciated from anyone.

[lquade]

hey bird move, watching this with interest as i think i also have the beetles since they moved in with the cabinets. so the pest guy "thought" the termite stuff might work? that doesn't sound too hopeful if he wasn't sure. i have been trying to figure out how to just tent my cabinets myself and people keep telling me these beetles are hard to get out and i am afraid they will get in my wood ceilings which would be a disaster. watching your thread hopefully for the outcome. please keep us posted.