LEAFLET No. 1
Control of Subterranean Termites in
Dwellings
ERMITES, often known as white ants, are found throughout
Alabama and cause considerable damage to dwellings in
every county in the State.
Termites live together in colonies similar to those of ants.
Each colony consists of workers, soldiers, males, and females.
Fertilized females, or queens, lay all the eggs in a colony. The
workers are milky-white to greyish-white, about one-fifth of an
inch long, and are wingless. The soldiers are similar to the
workers except that they have a yellowish-white abdomen and
a large, cylindrical, brown head with strong jaws developed into
pinchers. The males and virgin females are dark brown or
black, and have four transparent wings. The fertile queen has
a greatly distended abdomen and is wingless. The queens are
very rarely seen.
Termites feed upon wood, paper, cotton, and other materials
of like nature which contain cellulose.
There are two forms in Alabama; one lives in wood entirely
above ground and the other is a subterranean form which can-
not live unless it has contact with the soil. The latter form
causes most of the damage in Alabama and is the one treated
in this leaflet.
The Nature of the Damage Done by Termites
The subterranean termites work their way upward from the
ground into the walls of dwellings and other buildings. They
eat out the inside of timbers so that finally only the outer shell
remains. Buildings heavily infested with termites soon become
unsafe for use. These insects will 'ilso work in tables, book-
cases, and other heavy furniture, ente, g them where they rest
upon an infested floor.
Detection of the Presence of Termites
The following indications of the presence of termites should
be watched for:
(1) Swarms of what appear to be winged black ants emerge
from the woodwork usually in the spring and are often the first
indication that serious damage is being done. As termites usually
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
OF THE
ALABAMA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
M. J. FUNCHESS, Director
AUBURN
JULY 1934
w~ork withinE Nvool and ,-hun the light at all times, except for
swarming, they may he p~resent in a b)uildling for a considera ble
time without being detected. After a colonY becomes wxeli es-
tablished and has increased to a considerable size. sxm-arms of
xx inged miales and females emerge. These miate. hutnt outsut
able locations,. and form new colonies.
(2) The -weakening or c ollapse ot flooring or other wood-
work is otten an indication of the lpres,-ence of termite~s. This canl
otten be detected first b)y a wvarping or lblistering of the surface.
Upon examination, the small termites or "white ants" can be
found within their galleries in the wvoo(1 (Fig. 1)
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Prevention of Termite Injury to New Dwellings
In the construction of new dwellings, the following precau-
tions against termite attack should be considered:
(1) Clear the ground of all old wood, stumps, and roots be-
fore starting construction. These should be burned if they are
found to contain termites.
(2) If considerable numbers of termites are found in this
refuse wood, additional protection may be secured by drenching
the ground around and within the foundations with a one per
cent solution of sodium arsenite. Approximately 40 to 100 gal-
lons of solution per 100 square feet will be required. This ma-
terial is a violent poison and care must be taken to thoroughly
wash it off of one's skin after the application has been made.
Children and stock should not be allowed access to this poisoned
soil. The treatment will kill nearby plants and is often objec-
tionable for this reason.
(3) The top of the foundation of a building should be at
least one foot from the ground level. A greater distance is
desirable.
(4) All timbers, where possible, should be kept out of con-
tact with the soil, and should be placed upon solid masonry at
a distance of at least one foot above the soil.
(5) Additional protection may be secured by the use of a
continuous layer of copper sheeting between the foundation and
the sleepers. This sheeting should extend several inches on
each side of the foundation.
(6) All wooden floors should be at least two feet from the
soil, and adequate ventilation should be provided under the
house. At least two square feet of ventilation should be pro-
vided for every 25 feet of linear foundation.
(7) Where timbers must be placed on the soil, or very near
the soil, only those properly treated for protection against ter-
mites should be used. Timbers impregnated under pressure with
crude coal-tar creosote are recommended.
(8) A well-drained basement, under the entire house, is a
very good insurance against termite injury, especially if the
floor and sides are made of concrete.
(9) In the construction of concrete steps or porches, care
must be taken to completely seal these structures from all wood-
work. A layer of cement at least two inches thick should insu-
late all woodwork from the soil used in filling in porches.
(10) Adequate drainage should be provided around the
building.
Treatment for Termites in Old Buildings
Treatment of Damaged Timbers.-Where termite injury is
severe, the timbers will have to be replaced. Where possible,
all woodwork should be separated from the soil by concrete as
was indicated above. When this is not possible, timbers in or
near the soil must be treated. Hot coal-tar creosote painted on
with a brush will give protection for approximately three years;
when it is applied under pressure, for twenty or more years.
Use of Poisons for Termites in Old Timbers.-Fumigation or
the use of poisons is of no permanent value against subterranean
termites in dwellings. While a few are killed, the majority are
in the soil and are unaffected by these treatments.
The termites within the timbers may be killed and the injury
reduced temporarily by boring small holes into the insects' tun-
nels and saturating the wood with orthodichlorobenzene. This
acts as a fumigant and destroys the termites.
Good results may be obtained by the use of Paris green dust
if the wood is not too damp. Holes should be bored into the
termite tunnels and the dust forced in with a bellows or small
duster. As termites have a habit of licking each other, poison-
ing of large numbers of individuals often results from the dust
picked up on their feet.
It should be understood that while these treatments are
effective for short periods, permanent protection against dam-
age by the subterranean termites can be obtained only by proper
construction of buildings.
Killing Termites in the Soil.-Upon discovery of the point
where termites enter the ground, they may be killed by the ap-
plication of one ounce of paradichlorobenzene crystals per linear
foot of foundation. The material should be applied in a shallow
trench against the foundation and the dirt tightly packed over
the crystals. All termites in the surrounding soil will be killed
and this treatment will remain effective for approximately six
months. Paradichlorobenzene is harmless to human beings, but
will kill plants within a radius of several feet.
Drainage.-Injury very often occurs due to the timbers being
kept moist either by lack of adequate drainage around the house
or by leaky plumbing. These conditions must be corrected if
termite damage is to be avoided.
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY-ENTOMOLOGY