I am working on a text that includes a section on insect pests and wood. The text is written but I don’t have any suitable images of some of the insects I’ve described. Termites insects I’m seeking images of, and I have tried contacting the owners of images I’ve found on the internet but, so far, without success in seeking permission to use any of those images. Termites are not native to the UK where I live, so I can’t even go seeking them out with my camera to hand.
I wonder if anyone out there has any suitable images they would be willing to let me use what’s called ‘non-exclusively’? I would of course credit the photographer and mention their help in the acknowledgement section of my manuscript which is intended for publication and sale.
The termites, and perhaps examples of the damage they cause, that I’m hoping to find images of are:
- Subterranean termites, eg Formosan or examples of Reticulitermes, most likely found around the US Gulf coast.
- Drywood termites, eg West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes primus).
- Dampwood Termites, eg Neotermes castaneus, one of the Florida dampwood species.
I also would be very happy to find out that somebody has high quality photographs of carpenter bees and/or carpenter wasps that they would be happy to let me use.
I do realise that my request may not result in anything suitable coming along as the subject is a bit out of the way for a furniture making forum, but I thought I’d ask anyway; you just never know who might look in here and happen to have exactly what I’m looking for, and I will be very happy if my difficulty could be resolved. Slainte.
Replies
Have you considered contacting one of the building materials trade associations to see what they might have available? Just a thought.
Richard,
It should be possible to find stock photography of the termites you seek. However, you'd probably have to pay for their use. I don't know if that is in your budget or not..
Zolton
If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
No expert on this subject but I think you will be more likely to find the subterranean termite all through the eastern US but not southern as they have a different termite. Why don't you try a university entomology department. You may need to contact one in the area that these termites exist. Some of these folks go all out to help you.
I suggest contacting an entomologist who researches termites- many University entomology departments or state extension services have such people.
Otherwise a quick web search I did a few weeks ago on this very subject led me to many great photos- those you would likely have to pay for.
J
Thanks for the responses guys. I have been writing to scientists (entomologists) at universities, so far without success. Posting here was a bit of a long shot.
Tinkerer, subterranean termites are present on the US Gulf Coast. When I lived in Houston we lost a cherry tree to one of the Reticulitermes genera, and Formosan termites have been imported into the area. I wish now I'd taken a few photographs of the little b*ggers when I found them, ha, ha.
I have in the past had great success with getting permission to use images for various subjects from the copyright owner, but I do seem to be struggling a bit to get permission for various insect images. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Richard,
Do you have an agricultural experiment station around you? We have them here, are run by the state and are a wealth of help and information.
Peter, we do have similar places here in the UK that I've recently contacted. They may be able to help and one organisation in particular is looking through their picture archives for me. They are looking for things like common furniture beetle, death watch beetle, powder post beetle, etc. They are unlikely to have images of termites though as there are none native tothis country. Slainte. richardjonesfurniture.com
I wonder if we are considering the same subterranean termite. I can't imagine them attacking a live tree. For as common as they are here, they would destroy whole forests. I think the wife has put the entomology books away - far away so I can't look them up. They would be almost sixty years old anyway so a new breed could have developed since then.
Tinker, it's possible that we are talking about different species. Certainly there were termites in the cherry tree in our back yard in Houston. They killed it because the destroyed the cambium layer as they fed on the sap in the sapwood and phloem; their mud tubes also extended into the wooden house structure and into the garden shed, both of which were not in contact with soil but set on concrete slabs. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Richard
We have a lot of termites here in Phoenix, subteranean type that require mud encasements to travel up into wood and structures. Right behind my house in the desert you can see a stick that will look likes mud. Poke it and it is hollow.
I was just at a clients house last week and we were removing an old playground set made of redwood. The bottom legs were tunneled and I had 20 or so of the little buggers crawling around. Sadly I did not take a photo. This is a pretty common occurance here, and should not be hard to get you some shots.
Not sure of what type of photos you need, closeups of the insect, in situ photos. More importantly what time frame?
Morgan
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Morgan, I'd be grateful to see good high resolution shots of those termites you come across (quite regularly apparently) and the damage they cause. A good close up of a worker and a soldier would be great, as would images of any other types you find in the colony, eg, alates and even a queen if you come across one of those bloated egg laying factories. A picture of a mud tube(s), and an example of damage to wood, all would be appreciated. If you are able to identify the species that would be extremely helpful too.
My time frame is, I hope from your point of view, not too pressing. The text is written and I've nearly finished writing the rest of the book, but there is a lot of tidying up to do before I send the manuscript off to publishers that have shown interest in my project. I'd guess that if images were available by the end of the year or early January that would work out very well.
High resolution, digitally, means 300 dpi, about 1600 or more pixels on the long edge of the picture, and ideally in TIFF format which is suitable for publisher's printing needs, although high resolution JPEGs at 300 dpi will also work.
If I use images that other people take I credit the photographer and acknowledge their help in the acknowledgements section. I am not in a position to offer much in the way of payment. I also have to get permission in writing from the owner of the copyright of the image to use their work in my work. I have a form of words available that can be used by the owners of the copyrighted images that give me 'non-exclusive' rights to use those images for the purposes I am using them for, ie, for publication in printed books, journals, etc, on the internet, and for educational material I might create for students I teach. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Richard, I will see what I can 'Dig' up here. Have a couple of remodel jobs starting and that is often the best place.
I have never really paid attention to the little buggers in detail. Usually see fat white ones in the wood munching away, and have no idea if they are workers or soldiers, or the difference between. Have to do some reading up on them.
Queens as I understand from the pest guys are hard to find. They are often deep in the ground and well protected. That we may not get our hands on, but some of the pest companies here may have a pic or two as well.
We do get a huge flight in the spring time, literally clouds of them flying around looking for new places to set up shop. Much like flying ants and they are easy to identify. Not likely to get a picture of those until spring though, but we might get lucky.
High res photos are no issue. I shoot 12 meg photos of everything and I shoot everyday on my job sites. I can shoot RAW images for you and save in Photoshop as Tiff for you as well. I generally don't do that for construction shots. I have a macro lens as well and that might be interesting.
Payment or recognition is not required. I use the non exclusive photo rights all the time as well. I will send you what I can, and you are welcome to it. Something new to learn for me, and some interesting photos for my clients as well. What is interesting here is we find trees that have been damaged can get munched as well. I removed a citrus last week that had developed a hollow spot and retained moisture. That seemed to have decayed all the way down to the soil and the termites gained access. The tree was in poor health, 50 yr old citrus are at the tail end of the life span, and it was easy pickings. Great set of tunnels and just 3 inches of sound wood around the outer trunk.
Just about anything that is wood and contacts the ground is fair game here, so all the one legged pirates sleep with their legs up!
Later Morgan <!----><!----><!---->
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Thank you Morgan. I look forward to seeing what you might come across and photograph. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Richard ,
Try an Exterminator bug away kind of business , maybe on the Web .
regards dusty,boxmaker
I've tried about three of those guys dusty, so far without success. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Turn over any fallen log around here during the summer and you'll find loads of them. I think they may go underground at this time of year, not sure. I'll poke around before the end of the week and snap some pics if I find any. I'm not sure what type these are but they're about 1/2" long with translucent bodies.
Pete
Any images included in U.S. Government publications are copyright free, I would expect that there are a lot of termite photos in literature from the Forest Products Laboratory and other agencies.
Shop Manager for FWW Magazine, 1998 to 2007
John, thanks for that. I'll check those potential sources again. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Probably not the species you're looking for, but here are a few pictures of the locals (New England):
Edited 11/29/2009 8:47 pm ET by PeteBradley
Pete, termite1 look like they might be soldiers, and termite2 could be workers with a soldier up there in the middle.
Do you know the species, and if you do, do you have the original image in high resolution? It's quite possible I might be able to use one of those images, particularly if you know the species. Of course, as before, I would credit the photographer and acknowledge the help if I find an image that I can use. Slainte. richardjonesfurniture.com
Not an entomologist, but my web search combined with the location suggests that they are the Eastern subterranean termite (reticulitermes Flavipes). I have a terraced vegetable garden with walls made from rough-sawn pine from the sawmill, and I get about 2-3 years out of the boards before the termites have tunneled them to a shell. They seem to like hardwoods even better.You're more than welcome to the full res pictures, I can put them on the web for you to download.Pete
Many thanks Pete. I'll look forward to that. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Wish you had said something earlier. With the weather turning cold, the carpenter bees in my shed are not active and getting a good picture not likely. IF you can wait till spring, I can help with those pests.
Dan I see no problem with waiting until spring, if you are willing to let me use a good image or two. I'm still tidying up the last section of the book; then I have to get it off to a publisher and see if they decide to publish. That all takes time, so spring doesn't seem far away. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
Oakay,when they start moving, I will take some good pictures and send them on to you.DanC
Many thanks Dan. I'll look forward to that. Credit and acknowledgemet will be extended, the same offer as to others that are so kindly helping me. Slainte.richardjonesfurniture.com
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