RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

Did you know that termites cause up to $2 billion in damage per year! Here's more interesting termite facts!

• Termites are actually present in about 70% parts of the world, and its population outnumbers human beings on a ratio of ten to one.
• Termite colonies can reach up several millions of termites and most properties have multiple colonies on them.
• Contrary to popular belief, wood which has been pressure treated is not immune to termite attack; termites will enter pressure-treated wood through cut ends and cracks, and will also build tunnels over the surface.
• Termites build the largest nests of any insect.
• Termites can feed off wood as well as off paper and paper products such as books, insulation and parts of swimming pools, including a pool's liner and filtration system.
• Every termite colony has a social system. The queen and king termites are at the top of the colony, and their roles are to help the colony reproduce.
• Termite royalty is unique in the insect world because they can live for several decades. Queens can live 50 years under the right conditions.
• Termites have lived on Earth for approximately 250 million years.
• In addition to having a queen and king, termite colonies also have soldiers with bulbous heads and big jaws to protect the colony. Worker termites perform other functions such as taking care of the queen and gathering food.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA 

It was an all you can eat buffet at the bank. An army of termites munched through 10 million rupees ($222,000) in currency notes stored in a steel chest at a bank, police in northern India said Friday.

The bank manager discovered the damage when he opened the reinforced room in an old bank building on Wednesday, police officer Navneet Rana told The Associated Press.

"It's a matter of investigation how termites attacked bundles of currency notes stacked in a steel chest," he said. The money was put in the chest in January.

The termites had damaged bank furniture and documents in the past.

The police have registered a case of negligence against bank officials in Barabanki, a town 20 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Lucknow, the Uttar Pradesh state capital. In India, police register a case before opening an investigation.

Source = Yahoo News

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA 

Termites May Help Solve Fuel Crisis

One of the peskiest household pests, while disastrous to homes, could prove to be a boon for cars, according to a Purdue University study.

Mike Scharf, the Chair in Molecular Physiology and Urban Entomology, said his laboratory has discovered a cocktail of enzymes from the guts of termites that may be better at getting around the barriers that inhibit fuel production from woody biomass. The Scharf Laboratory found that enzymes in termite guts are instrumental in the insects' ability to break down the wood they eat.

The findings, published in the early online version of the journal PLoS One, are the first to measure the sugar output from enzymes created by the termites themselves and the output from symbionts, small protozoa that live in termite guts and aid in digestion of woody material.

"For the most part, people have overlooked the host termite as a source of enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuels. For a long time it was thought that the symbionts were solely responsible for digestion," Scharf said. "Certainly the symbionts do a lot, but what we've shown is that the host produces enzymes that work in synergy with the enzymes produced by those symbionts. When you combine the functions of the host enzymes with the symbionts, it's like one plus one equals four."

Scharf and his research partners separated the termite guts, testing portions that did and did not contain symbionts on sawdust to measure the sugars created.

Once the enzymes were identified, Scharf and his team worked with Chesapeake Perl, a protein production company in Maryland, to create synthetic versions. The genes responsible for creating the enzymes were inserted into a virus and fed to caterpillars, which then produce large amounts of the enzymes. Tests showed that the synthetic versions of the host termite enzymes also were very effective at releasing sugar from the biomass.

They found that the three synthetic enzymes function on different parts of the biomass.

Two enzymes are responsible for the release of glucose and pentose, two different sugars. The other enzyme breaks down lignin, the rigid compound that makes up plant cell walls.

Lignin is one of the most significant barriers that blocks the access to sugars contained in biomass. Scharf said it's possible that the enzymes derived from termites and their symbionts, as well as synthetic versions, could be more effective at removing that lignin barrier.

Sugars from plant material are essential to creating biofuels. Those sugars are fermented to make products such as ethanol.

"We've found a cocktail of enzymes that create sugars from wood," Scharf said. "We were also able to see for the first time that the host and the symbionts can synergistically produce these sugars."

Next, Scharf said his laboratory and collaborators would work on identifying the symbiont enzymes that could be combined with termite enzymes to release the greatest amount of sugars from woody material. Combining those enzymes would increase the amount of biofuel that should be available from biomass.

The U.S. Department of Energy and Chesapeake Perl funded the research.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termites Cause $120M Damage to GTA Homes Yearly

They may be tiny, but they cause huge problems for homeowners.

Termites cause an estimated $120 million in property damage annually in the Toronto area alone, inflicting serious structural damage to homes and dropping neighborhood property values by up to 25%, according to the Canadian Concrete Masonry Producers Association.

"The reality is that termites are aggressive and difficult to prevent," says Paul Hargest, president of the CCMPA. "And while masonry alone won't eliminate them, it can help act as a barrier by minimizing the home's wood-soil contact — a key point of entry for termites. It also makes the house overall a less attractive food source and helps keep it structurally sound."

Termites are indigenous only to British Columbia, but their resilience has enabled them to thrive in areas like Toronto. They were introduced to the city in 1938 via cargo from the U.S.; today, infestation estimates for the GTA are as high as 10%, estimates the association.

The CCMPA is concerned by Canada’s building codes, which are currently under review to allow for six story structures made of wood. In addition to being a food source for termites, such structures also bring with them greater risks related to hazards such as fire, Hargest said.

George Williams
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termite Guts Could Lead to Bio-fuel Production

Different enzymes found in the digestive systems of termites could overcome current obstacles associated with creating fuel from wood biomass

Purdue University researchers have discovered that enzymes found in a termite's digestive system could aid in biofuel production from woody biomass.

Mike Scharf, study leader and O. Wayne Rollins/Orkin Chair in Molecular Physiology and Urban Entomology, and a team of Purdue University researchers, have found that different enzymes found in the guts of termites could overcome current obstacles associated with creating fuel from wood biomass.

Scharf and his team decided to investigate termites since they eat wood, and the wood is obviously digested within these insects. The team measured the sugar output from enzymes that are created by the termites as well as output from symbionts, which are tiny protozoa that reside within termites that help digest wood. For a long time, scientists thought symbionts were the only ones responsible for digestion until the Purdue team further investigated enzymes created by the termite host.

Termite digestive systems were separated and tested based on sections that contained and did not contain symbionts on sawdust "to measure the sugars created." The team found the different enzymes, and worked to create synthetic versions with Chesapeake Perl, which is a company that produces proteins. The genes, which created the enzymes, were placed into a virus and given to caterpillars to eat, and increased amount of the enzymes were produced.

The researchers found that the synthetic versions were capable of releasing sugar from the biomass, and also discovered that the three synthetic enzymes work on different areas of the biomass. Two of the enzymes release two different sugars -- glucose and pentose -- while the third enzyme breaks down lignin, which is a compound that makes up plant walls and is one of the toughest barriers that prevents the access to sugars in biomass.

"For the most part, people have overlooked the host termite as a source of enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuels," said Scharf. "For a long time it was thought that the symbionts were solely responsible for digestion. Certainly the symbionts do a lot, but what we've shown is that the host produces enzymes that work in synergy with the enzymes produced by those symbionts. When you combine the functions of the host enzymes with the symbionts, it's like one plus one equals four."

Accessing the sugar from plants is vital for the production of biofuels since these sugars are fermented to make ethanol. This new enzyme cocktail will allow these sugars to be created from wood, hence represents a step closer to alternative fuel production.

The next step is to find symbiont enzymes that can be mixed with termite enzymes to produce larger amounts of sugar from wood.

This study was published in PLoS One.

George Williams
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Many people ask why we use termite monitors around people's homes, this video is a great example of why.

As you can see, termites were found on the monitors before they got to the home.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termites, Rotting Take Down Power Poles

New York City firefighters said 60 homes lost power when termites and rotting caused five utility poles to collapse.

Electricity provider Con Ed said the poles were taken out by a truck Tuesday, but firefighters said they had no evidence to support the truck claim and the poles showed signs of termites and dry rot, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

Residents said the poles had been showing signs of rotting for months and they had repeatedly complained to Con Ed.

No injuries were reported but one car was smashed by a pole. Power was restored to the neighborhood Tuesday night.

Source = UPI

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termites Close Holy Name Church

Termite damage in the foundation beams combined with some masonry deterioration in the Holy Name of Jesus Church has caused it to close temporarily.

Contractors hired to do a renovation project found structural problems in the chapel of the church this week. Concerned about the attached main church, they also inspected that and also found foundation problems.

"When we looked into the basement area ... we realized the masonry has started to deteriorate because of age and termite damage was there as well," Rev. David M. Darcy, pastor of the church. "With the structural stress on the main beams, we determined this was not a safe environment."

The church building was constructed in 1857, 21 years after the parish was dedicated as the first in the Springfield area. It has a dirt floor in the basement with brick masonry pillars, he said.

The church had termite problems in the past, which had looked like it had been treated at one time before Darcy became pastor. He is unsure if the pests returned.

The church had been inspected two years ago when the Office of Pastoral Planning was reviewing all diocesan buildings as part of its work to determine which churches should be merged or closed. No major problems were found at the time, Darcy said.

"In the last two years there has been significant change that caused us to say there are safety concerns," he said.

It takes years for termites to damage a beam enough to cause problems with its structural integrity, said Bob Russell, entomologist with American Pest Solutions, a family business which has been in Springfield since 1913.

"It would depend on the size of the colony and the amount of moisture in the soil. There are a lot of factors," he said.

A dirt basement, which typically has higher humidity, is an environment which termites like, Russell said.

The beams could also be compromised by the powder post beetle, which is a common problem for very old buildings. The church was built when logs were used in construction that were not treated to kill any insects inside, and beetles would sometimes come in with the logs.

Darcy said a thorough inspection of the church is being done. Engineers are expected report the extent of the damage and give a cost estimate of the repairs next week.

All services are now being moved to the Assumption of the Blessed Mary Church on Springfield Street.

When diocese closed churches in Chicopee it merged Assumption of the Blessed Mary Church with Holy Name. That meant the unused church became the official property of the Holy Name parish, Darcy said.

The Assumption Church, on Springfield Street, has been used from time-to-time by Holyoke Catholic High School so it is not a problem to re-open it, he said.

In total there are seven buildings on the property. Other buildings on the property have been inspected, including those used for the Holy Name School, and no problems were found, Darcy said.

Source: Masslive

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termites' Food Selection Ability Studied

Australian scientists have discovered termites can identify what sort of material their food is made of without having to actually touch the food source.

The finding by researchers at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization and the University of New South Wales could provide improvements in termite control.

The scientists found that when offered a choice of normal wooden blocks and specially designed blocks made of wood and other materials, the termites always preferred the blocks containing the most wood, even when they could not touch or see the other materials.

The researchers said the ability to differentiate between food sources is based on the vibrations of the food the termites are eating, although the exact mechanism for that ability has not yet been determined.

"If we understand how they use vibrations to assess their food, we might be able to exploit this to manipulate their feeding habits, and address the very significant problem of termite damage in buildings and other structures," said lead investigator Ra Inta.

Source = API News

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA

Termites helped destroy New Orleans dikes?

U.S. scientists say they've discovered evidence termites might have been to blame for the failure of some New Orleans dikes during Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana State University Professor Gregg Henderson says he discovered Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki) in the floodwall seams of some New Orleans dikes five years before Katrina struck.

After the dikes were breached in 2005, Henderson and colleague Alan Morgan inspected 100 seams for evidence of termites where major floodwall breaks had occurred.

They said they discovered 70 percent of the seams in the city's London Avenue Canal, which experienced two major breaks during Katrina, showed evidence of insect attack, as did 27 percent of seams inspected in the walls of the 17th Street Canal.

Henderson said the termites might have contributed to the destruction of the levees in New Orleans by digging networks of tunnels, which can weaken the levee system.

"I believe the termites pose a continuing danger that requires immediate attention," Henderson wrote, suggesting New Orleans' 350 miles of levees and floodwalls should be surveyed for termite damage.

George Williams,
General Manager - Staff Entomologist

Pest Control, RI, Pest Control, MA