First an short update on my ongoing project in Africa…
Parts for our first model house (about 8000 sq.ft) are sitting in 9 shipping containers somewhere on the coast of Angola. Two of my team are on site overseeing the building foundations, and at the same time trying to overcome various problems endemic to the Third World. Parts for a second house (some 4000 sq. ft) are out on the ocean somewhere… We are beginning to produce at our facility in Israel the parts for house #3, a much smaller affair, refining the system as we go along.
Now for today’s question:
Previous information led us to believe that in the region of our building site in Angola there was not a serious termite problem. However, sources on the spot now report that the termites, large African ones, are just waiting in hungry anticipation for us to unpack the containers and “serve lunch” as it were.
Does anyone know what preventive measures to take? We’re not talking about the cultured, well-mannered termites that live in the USA… these are supposedly more akin to those cartoon termites that make a house disappear in seconds.
Seriously though, any knowledge of real prevention methods?
thanks,
David Ring
Replies
Bring oil and salt.
ANGOLA
Oliveira et al (1976) conducted analyses of the nutritional value of four species as cooked according to traditional methods in central Angola (Angola Table l; see Oliveira et al, Table VII). The termite, Macrotermes subhyalinus, has a wide distribution and is common in the north and east of Angola. The reproductive form or alate, known as juinguna, is consumed after the wings have been removed and the body fried in palm oil. The saturniid larva, Imbrasia ertli, feeds on the leaves of Acacia and two other host species in tropical rain and open forest of the Ethiopian faunal region. The mature larva is approximately 8 cm in length and known as engu (plural, ovungu). After removing the viscera, the larvae are either cooked in water, roasted or sundried. Salt is added for further flavoring. Usta terpsichore, another saturniid larva, is also widely distributed in the Ethiopian region and very common in Angola. It feeds on several species of plants and is locally known as olumbalala (plural, olombalala). The fully grown larva is about 8 cm long and is prepared for eating in a fashion similar to that for I. ertli. The weevil, Rhynchophorus phoenicis, is an important pest of palm, especially the oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, in Africa and its presence in the trunk of a tree is detectable because of the noise made by the larva when feeding. The apod larva measures about 3 cm in length and has a reddish‑brown or black head and whitish‑colored body. It is known locally as maghogho. After first incising the body, the larva is fried whole in oil.
The high fat content of Macrotermes subhyalinus and Rhynchophorus phoenicis is reflected in their high energy values, 613 and 561 kcal/l00 g, respectively (Angola Table 1). Usta terpsichore is a rich source of iron, copper, zinc, thiamine and riboflavin, l00 g of cooked insect providing more than 100% of the daily requirement of each of these minerals and vitamins. It is also relatively high in calcium compared to many insects, and in phosphorus. Macrotermes subhyalinus is high in magnesium and copper, and R. phoenicis in zinc, thiamine and riboflavin, l00 g of insect in each case providing more than the daily requirement.
Barbara Rogers (pers. comm. 1987), the daughter of missionaries in Angola between 1948 and 1960, observed the use of several kinds of insects as food. While the observations were primarily on the Kimbundu speaking people in the Malanje area, they are valid also for the Ovimbundu area of southern Angola. Termites, or "flying ants," emerged with the first spring rains in September and were fried for use. Cricket nymphs were roasted. Bee larvae (and pupae?) were eaten with the honey comb in which they were found. Large beetle grubs, about l inch long, white and accordian‑like with an orange head, were dug out of the ground, dried, and mixed with sauces. Large adult brownish and copperish qrasshoppers, about 3 inches long, were roasted.
"There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
-- Daniel Webster
"bring oil and salt" ... It took me a good few sentences into your message to get a grip. I actually thought at first that this was going to be some very down-home and environmentally responsible method for keeping the buggers away! Ah well, at least I now have culinary direction...If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em.thanks for the post,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Mr. Saunders has well described the nutrition of the termite. So to help the plight of the poor starving native African, you, in all of your generosity feed the lowly termite and they feed the natives. -----Gee, I hope you get better feedback than this.
He sure didn't get it from you. Did you even try?"There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
-- Daniel Webster
Not very much. I thought I'd follow your leading.
ring,
This site has a few things. Termidor should work. Would probably use a barrier product also.
http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgi-bin/Pestcontrol.storefront/47fd4fa2017ee672273f4200c15f067c/Product/View/I359&2D4
KK
Possibly borate treated lumber?
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/articles/new-pressure-treated-wood-decks.aspx
Timbersil?
http://www.timbersilwood.com/contact.html
Costly materials and probably huge shipping cost might make them unfeasible for your project though.
Bruce, coonass, The only thing I've ever encountered for home use is Borate compounds. Maybe there isn't anything else. I suspect that the various commercial products like Tim-Bor etc. are all the same chemically. We're looking into the cost of shipping some Borate compound to the site in Angola, which is expensive but it pales in comparison to the total costs of this project. In the meantime I was wondering if maybe there isn't some truly demonic way to commit termite genocide...thanks,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Generally, termites prefer a ground to structure connection. Wouldn't putting a building on solid concrete pilings (as they do in seashore areas) help?
Yes, I've heard that all wood should be at least 20" away from soil. The first model house is right on the beach, sitting on a concrete slab of some 10,000 sq.ft. Apparently, the critters will come up through any cracks in the concrete, and there are bound to be many.Thanks for your thoughts,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
From my understanding, termites shun the light. At least the American varieties I've encountered.
Therefore they construct mud "tunnels" to connect their in-earth nests with the wooden dinner. A home, raised on concrete, will require them to build the tunnels on the surface of the concrete where they are readily visible and easy to destroy. The critters must return to the earth for moisture so without the tunnels they can't really infest.
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Frosty,I've heard the same. But the assumption that they would be coming from outside the house perimeter is a shaky one. This is a huge building (by most standards) sitting on a concrete slab of some 10,000 sq.ft. It incorporates 3 separate pools, one of them running right through the entry hall. There are bound to be innumerable cracks that would give them access from anywhere underneath without leaving visible evidence. No?David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
Yes, cracks in a concrete slab foundation are a problem, even with the more well-behaved termites that we have here in North America. It's common to use metal flashing between the concrete and any wood. By extending the metal out a few inches, you create a barrier that the termites are reluctant to cross.
Do you have examples of local termite-damaged structures that you can refer to? Defeating termites requires an understanding of their behavior, and any suggestions that we might give could easily be invalidated by the differences between our termites and yours.
-Steve
You could go one step further and attach a pair of jumper cables and a car battery to the flashing. Then you could fry any brave termites which try to cross.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Very cool.
Is this the part when I get to use the oil and salt?
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
"Is this the part when I get to use the oil and salt?" Too funny! I hope for your sake they're not what we call "dry wood termites" which are the ones that don't need ground to wood contact in order to invade. I had to fumigate for those puppies many years ago. Sheesh!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Might I suggest a good extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground sea salt?Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
Maybe a pet Aardvark?
I work for a pest-control company in the US and the first thing you need to do is talk to a professional in that area about pre treating the ground with a termicide.( a pretreat only places a barrier between the termites and the structure it won''t kill the colonies in the area) I've seen shelter tubes in 10,000 plus sq ft(monolithic slab) auditorium go straight up a plywood cabinet straight to a violin case and make trash out of it. They can build shelter tubes straight out of the ground without going up a foundation wall. All that said even the termicides last only a few years before they degrade. Oil and salt sound like a good preventative measure if the ecology buffs allow it but there again I would talk to someone from the region. With all the money you're spending I would hate to see it destroyed in a few years.Good luck.
Why would an ecology buff have a problem with cooking termites in oil and eating them with a little salt? PETA may have a problem with it though."There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."
-- Daniel Webster
Personally we favor some hot sauce down here in Phoenix. The spicier the better. They should squirm first when applying it directly. When the wiggle stops they are ready.
Seriously, I would follow Nellie's advice from S. Africa. Probably some crazy Brit (sorry paddy) left over there who has a secret stash of some more potent varieties of termaticides. Yep that is a word. Seek and Destroy. Termidor is OK, but Clordane really really worked, but it does have some nasty side effects.
Here in Phoenix, we have companies that provide underground injection systems. The have drip ports, much like agricultural drip systems around the perimeter of the slab, plus at all points of slab penetration, ie sewer lines, water lines, AC, electrical etc. Check out this patent site.http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6782655/description.html
The best houses here use steel framing so the structure is not a problem, but the sheet rock can have the paper munched in a hurry. Since you have wood framing coming and the slab is poured you can't do either.
I would build a 4" block or concrete stem for all the walls, interior and exterior. This will keep your plate heights the same in the structure. Then place a sheet metal piece over the wall sections that that laps up and over the wall an inch or so. You can finish trim this with a tile or travertine stone. A termite can't pentrate the barrier but has to go around to get in. Should work fine and look nice on the inside. The outside is just a painted stem wall with a metal flashing. Next issue is the doorways, stepping up and over a 4" threashold will be inconvienent. You will need to extend the door down 4" or order a new door system. No wood threasholds. Or maybe both as a temp and permanent fix.
What type of walls are you shipping out? I worked on a lot of Saudi construction project in the 80's, so it is always interesting to see what nation ships what.
Morgan <!----><!----><!---->
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-------(*)/ (*) http://www.EarthArtLandscape.com
Morgan,It's a bit too late to change anything substantial on the first house. All the parts are there on site (on the beach in Angola) waiting for me...The foundation is a flat slab, but I've added sheet metal underneath all the mudsills around the perimeter. We'll have to do the best we can with chemical means, and perhaps the next units will have to be changed in specs.The walls - these are modular units which we prepared in the factory. Each wall unit is a frame made of 2x6's, 1.20m x 3.00m (about 4'x10'). The outer covering is an Australian product called Villaboard from James Hardie, with an acrylic stucco finish. The inside gets sheetrock on site.If I ever get there to assemble everything (there are lots of hold-ups) I'll post some photos. As far as the termites are concerned...like they say on Breaktime, "you can't see it from MY house!"regards,David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
David - Morgan is right on the money. Chlordane and Lindane have been banned in the US for quite a while because they're persistent in the environment, in some cases lasting 30 years or so.
But that's a US ban, and chlordane and its cousins are easily the most effective soil treatments for termites man has ever devised, and are probably still available in Africa. Given reasonable precautions (gloves, respirator), it can be applied with nothing more than a pump-up insect sprayer, and it requires no maintenance.
The US has no tolerance for risk (either environmental or health), so any chemical that is persistent in the environment is on the way out. Taking a longer view, however, might result in different conclusions in other parts of the world - i.e., is it worth contaminating the soil around a house a better outcome than homlessness? Put another way, is judicious application of DDT worth preventing several hundred local residents from dying of malaria? In a lot of developing countries, it is, which is why DDT is still used in many parts of the world.
You, and Steve, are correct, cracks in a slab will provide a great entry point. I had in mind a structure over a crawl-space so there would be an exposed vertical surface. Or, better yet, a structure raised on concrete columns.In one surface-slab office building we occupied in Western Michigan, they totally undermined about 10,000 sq. ft. of slab. They consumed the walls, I assume with great relish, leaving only the painted surface covering vast quantities of termite poop. We hired an exterminator who drilled a series of holes through the slab and injected, under pressure, a very lethal termiteicide. (That's a new word.)Good luck. At least you are aware of the problem BEFORE it is a problem. Eternal vigilance is necessary.I just remembered that we had discovered signs of termites at our home. We retained an exterminator and invested in an annual inspection as part of the contract. We later moved and on a revisit to the new owners discovered that an entire bedroom wall had collapsed unexpectedly. He confessed that he had let the insurance and annual inspection lapse.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
I could easily be wrong on this but I had understood that in the very southern part of the US, there is a termite that can walk in the back door walk up to the kitchen table and start chewing. To my understanding they don't even need a mud tube.
Hi,
Africa is full of termites. The one suggestion of Termidor would be a good solution. Best is to find a chemical company in Angola and get the correct product from them. Apply the product before putting up the building. Look for companies like Bayer, Syngenta. There should be a Bayer in Angola. There might be a Pest Control in Angola
I am from South Africa . We treat all premises before building with a long lasting product. Check with the chemical people for the correct product and application methods. Department of Agriculture in Angola should also be of help.
Good luck
Regards
Nollie
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