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Termites!

submarine_dbk - 11-24-2012 at 08:33 AM

Can anyone recommend a good and trusted pest control company in the Mulege, Sta. Rosalia or Loreto area? Seems with all the rain in the Chivato area in the last few months, the termites have gone wild and we need to look at some serious treatment for subterranean and possibly drywood varieties. We are not presently at the house, so we are still trying to assess the situation from afar and may need to explore tented fumigation to knock down the current infestation in addition to longer term treatment, so it would be good to know of anyone offering those services as well.

Thanks!

monoloco - 11-24-2012 at 08:52 AM

The only way to get rid of termites once they are in wood is to put a tent over the structure and gas it, any other treatment will only slow them down temporarily. To my knowledge no one in Baja offers this treatment, the only alternative is to replace the affected wood and treat the ground to deter future infestations. Also consider using a more termite resistant wood when you replace the infested timber, pino and alder are very prone to infestation, a better choice is parota, caoba, or cedro macho.

Leo - 11-24-2012 at 09:01 AM

That's good info to have, Monoclo. I have to replace some doors, posts perhaps in the future. We are using a reputable (expensive) fumigator from La PAz for over 3 years now and still problems show up in new areas.
this morning I noticed even termite tracks far out in the backyard on 2 rocks. Didn't know they would go after those as well. Could show you a picture if it was not so damn difficult to get one posted.

monoloco - 11-24-2012 at 09:20 AM

For palapa posts, it's better to use local wood like palo zorillo or ocote, which are very resistant to termites, than pine. Also attach the posts to concrete piers with steel brackets instead of burying the ends in the ground.

Russ - 11-24-2012 at 09:47 AM

Talk to Harry. He had a whole house (inside) done a few years ago. Never heard of tents down here but they would be popular. I use a 1 gallon sprayer and try to spray every 6 months but still find there sign too often. Good luck!

desertcpl - 11-24-2012 at 09:53 AM

Subterranean Termites

this is what we have here in the desert ( Yuma)
we had an infestion several years ago, and the only way to treat them was drilling holes around and into the foundation and injecting insecticide. since this I have keep a 5 gallon can of insecticide here at the house and when I see there little trails I treat that spot.
when we lived in San Deigo the termites was a differnt type, a flying insect
and the only way to treat it was with a tent over the structure

capt. mike - 11-24-2012 at 10:00 AM

only termidor works for subterranean types.
my next house will be block and no wood. it is bad in the desert.

submarine_dbk - 11-24-2012 at 10:12 AM

Thanks for everyone's replies thus far.

Monoloco and Russ - please check your U2U.

I've done a lot of research on treatments and am aware of what can be done with Termidor (and others), Boracare, baits/traps, foams, sprays and fumigation. What I really need is someone qualified to do the treatments for me and avoid a trip down to do the work myself. Any contacts would be greatly appreciated (feel free to U2U if you prefer).

The good news is is none of the wood is structural. Bad news is we really love our cabinets and kitchen counters and hope they aren't so damaged that they will require outright replacement.

monoloco - 11-24-2012 at 10:33 AM

In my experience it is impossible to get rid of them once they are in the wood, I have even tried drilling small holes and directly injecting pentachloraphenol directly into the interior of the wood. The best thing to do if they are in your cabinets is to try and replace the affected parts before they spread. The most problematic area in houses here seem to be door frames, especially when the bottom of the frame is below the finished floor level. When building a home, make sure that the door frames are installed after the tile, not before, and treat the bottoms of the frame with penta before installation. The important thing is to address the problem early because they will spread. It's a lot cheaper to replace a door frame than a whole door.

J.P. - 11-24-2012 at 03:38 PM

There is a company in Ensenada that tent's they did my next door neiehbors house and it's a big house.

Cypress - 11-24-2012 at 04:18 PM

All you have to do is kill 'em.

And keep on killing 'em. Lizards find 'em very good to eat!!! :yes:

Bob H - 11-24-2012 at 05:11 PM

I read somewhere that termites do not eat through paint. Why not just put paint all over the wood structure during construction?

monoloco - 11-24-2012 at 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H
I read somewhere that termites do not eat through paint. Why not just put paint all over the wood structure during construction?

Not even close to true. I've seen wood that about the only thing left was the paint.

desertcpl - 11-24-2012 at 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H
I read somewhere that termites do not eat through paint. Why not just put paint all over the wood structure during construction?

Paint really... :no:

J.P. - 11-24-2012 at 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by desertcpl

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H
I read somewhere that termites do not eat through paint. Why not just put paint all over the wood structure during construction?

Paint really... :no:

I watched a Guy on this board build a house over the past years and he Painted every stick of wood that he put in the house before he used the wood. :yes:

Barry A. - 11-24-2012 at 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H
I read somewhere that termites do not eat through paint. Why not just put paint all over the wood structure during construction?

Not even close to true. I've seen wood that about the only thing left was the paint.

To me that is evidence that "termites don't eat thru paint". :light:

Pesky little wigglers, ain't they.

Barry

Bomberro - 11-25-2012 at 06:47 AM

We have used Termidor to get rid of termite attacks, works very well for both types. The beetles that like to infest palm wood eats Termidor for dessert, we tried for it for a long time. Borate is the only solution for these tiny critters. I had one 4x4 post full of termites, sprayed Termidor all over it, bored some holes and used a squirt bottle to inject, its been termite free for a couple of years, stuff works. Best to get a professional in to see what is eating your wood.

Bomberro - 11-25-2012 at 07:02 AM

A neighbor had termites get into his oak cabinets, they were the subterranean type with the tiny mud trail from the concrete. He was able to stop them by spot treatment with Termidor, it seems to be carried by them back into the nest and kills the whole group. To try to replace the face frames would have been a huge job, he found them early before they had totally destroyed the oak. We used chlordane powder under ours before install, I think this banned chemical lasts for ever.

El Jefe - 11-25-2012 at 08:01 AM

I treat areas where I see the little mud tubes starting with Spectracide termite and carpenter ant insecticide that I get in a gallon from Home Depot. Pretty mild smell, so not bad to use under cabinets in kitchen etc. I do it about every four months and it seems to keep the little buggers at bay. Especially important to treat before the hot season.

Now, if you already have damage to your cabinets, open up the area that has been eaten out with a screwdriver or other blade, vacuum out the residue (termite poop), and use car Bondo to fill the holes. Pack it in there with a putty knife, sand it smooth and re-paint. Our alder cabinets are stained, so Paula used her acrillic art paint to approximate the finish over the bondo area. You wouldn't notice unless I pointed it out to you. So far the termites have not acquired a taste for Bondo.

capt. mike - 11-25-2012 at 09:13 AM

termidor has a dry powder injection tool for direct input to visible trails in cabinets, works well. i use a licensed applicator as part of my annual warranty i pay for. they take it back to the nest and it kills all.

submarine_dbk - 11-25-2012 at 10:55 AM

Thanks El Jefe,

We'll find out more next week how much damage has been done and the bondo idea might come in handy.

Quote:

Originally posted by El Jefe
I treat areas where I see the little mud tubes starting with Spectracide termite and carpenter ant insecticide that I get in a gallon from Home Depot. Pretty mild smell, so not bad to use under cabinets in kitchen etc. I do it about every four months and it seems to keep the little buggers at bay. Especially important to treat before the hot season.

Now, if you already have damage to your cabinets, open up the area that has been eaten out with a screwdriver or other blade, vacuum out the residue (termite poop), and use car Bondo to fill the holes. Pack it in there with a putty knife, sand it smooth and re-paint. Our alder cabinets are stained, so Paula used her acrillic art paint to approximate the finish over the bondo area. You wouldn't notice unless I pointed it out to you. So far the termites have not acquired a taste for Bondo.

submarine_dbk - 11-25-2012 at 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capt. mike
termidor has a dry powder injection tool for direct input to visible trails in cabinets, works well. i use a licensed applicator as part of my annual warranty i pay for. they take it back to the nest and it kills all.

Thanks Mike,

I llike this idea and depending on what we find, might try this. There are also a number of expanding foams and areosols we can use for spot treatments and to address voids (like under the bottom cabinets where there is an inch or two of space). These treatments are undetectable to the termites and they also carry back to the colony to share.

www.domyownpestcontrol.com
www.doyourownpestcontrol.com

have pretty much all the modern treatments and bait systems that can be used without a license (such as fumigation with vikane).

Again thanks to all for your responses and help.

shari - 11-25-2012 at 11:03 AM

a trick they use here is painting on used motor oil or deisel on wood before you build with it.

submarine_dbk - 11-25-2012 at 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shari
a trick they use here is painting on used motor oil or deisel on wood before you build with it.

Hi Shari,

Thanks for the tip. We had all the exterior wood treated this way and know problems that we know of (fingers crossed).

Cypress - 11-25-2012 at 11:49 AM

They have a hard time digesting creosote! Gives 'em a tummy ache! :yes:

wessongroup - 11-25-2012 at 12:05 PM

If near SD county, check with local Pest Control companies

Used to know some, that went down to the Baja, way back in the 80's --- they might be helpful --- overall a great bunch -- check with Lloyd Pest Control, a first class business or used to be, think the owner that I knew has passed

As for "treatment" -- "clean out" with "fumigation, then put up a "barrier" beneath and surrounding the structures with something like this -- or other registered economic poisons for subsurface and dry-woods can be found at the EPA -- on line

Had checked into treatment when down looking at property --- those critters will eat your HOUSE and that is no joke --- and found a company who did structrual pest control work --- but, was out of TJ

http://www.cdms.net/ldat/ld24S003.pdf

They were using methyl bromide for fumigation -- not Vikane®

A gee, whizz --- HUD used to require 8 gallons Chloradane per liner foot as a pretreat for stem wall, pretreat slabs was about the same rate -- nothing going to show for a long time --- as a matter of fact --- it was suggested that the soil in some HUD approved housing tracts be classified as hazardous waste, when other uses were found for the land

If one could find Chloradane --- use your imagination, as for fumigation, any farming around that use methyl bromide ---

This is NOT a recommendation, rather a discussion of Structural Pest Control and the means and materials which have been and/or maybe be used currently

Pescador - 11-25-2012 at 01:35 PM

Okay, in Santa Rosalia, there is a licensed treatment specialist that has the Killer Pest Control franchise. He is very good with termite treatment and would be worth having a consultation if nothing else.

Fernando Ricardo Diaz Trujillo
152-1179
located on the main highway, across from the train , just north of Immigration.

The most effective treatment I have ever seen was with someone who was a new builder in our area and he laid in a network of 1/2 tubing with holes drilled every 12 inches. The largest span between tubes was 24 inches. He can insert termite treatment under pressure with this system, that is under his foundation. He has absolutely no termites whatsoever and treats approximately every 5 years.

submarine_dbk - 11-25-2012 at 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
Okay, in Santa Rosalia, there is a licensed treatment specialist that has the Killer Pest Control franchise. He is very good with termite treatment and would be worth having a consultation if nothing else.

Fernando Ricardo Diaz Trujillo
152-1179
located on the main highway, across from the train , just north of Immigration.

The most effective treatment I have ever seen was with someone who was a new builder in our area and he laid in a network of 1/2 tubing with holes drilled every 12 inches. The largest span between tubes was 24 inches. He can insert termite treatment under pressure with this system, that is under his foundation. He has absolutely no termites whatsoever and treats approximately every 5 years.

Thanks Pescador. Will be giving them a call tomorrow.