i6o First Report on Economic Zoology. 



Torinitaria of the arboreal species are also found on the roofs of houses, 

 stables, etc. The nests occur both above and below ground. Methods 

 of cstenniiiation must therefore depend on the species causing destruction. 



Methods of Peevention and Remedies. 



As the White Ants nearly always work under cover, the damage they 

 do is often not detected until too late. It is therefore necessary to protect 

 objects from being attacked. This can be done (1) by making ground 

 wood-work either obnoxious, poisonous or inaccessible to the Ants ; (2) by 

 lessening the number of Termites by poisoning and destruction of their 

 nests. 



Making Ground Wood-work Obnoxious and Poisonous 

 TO Termites. 



Steeping posts, poles, timbers of houses, etc., \\\ various smelling 

 substances has met with more or less success. 



Use of Creosote. — In India creosote was used by the Government for 

 treating all the railway sleepers before they were laid. 



In the outskirts of Columbia great damage has been done by White 

 Ants (T. Jfavipes) to board fences : " The chief damage is done where the 

 boards meet on the posts. It is particularly noticeable where a batten is 

 nailed on at a joint. Professor Atkinson states that tar poured on 

 between the posts and the boards soon after building the fence will act as 

 a preventive." * 



Experiments conducted with wood-boring insects and creosote-soaked 

 posts has not invariably met with success with Termites or other insects 

 after the wood has been " planted " some time. It cannot therefore be 

 recommended for telegraph poles, etc., that are being destroyed in the 

 Sudan. 



Use of Arsenioi/s Soda.— Of. more lasting effect is steeping the parts of 

 poles, etc., that are placed below ground in arsenious soda dissolved in 

 mineral oil. 



Protection of Telegraph Poles and Buildings. — Telegraph poles might 

 easily be protected by having the part buried either embedded in cement 

 or encased in zinc or tin. The metal should be painted with non-corrosive 

 paint. Cement casing would be best, as the tin would probably corrode 

 rapidly unless carefully painted, and the least hole w^ould let the pests into 

 the wood. Zinc casing has been employed for foundation wood-work in 

 buildings with success, the zinc passing up the timbers out of the ground 

 and then bent over (Fig. 17, 2) so as to prevent the ants crawling upwards. 

 Complete dryness in buildings is also essential in regard to checking some 

 species of White Ants. All floors of houses in the districts where White 

 Ants are destructive should be made of concrete (or raised well above 

 ground, as shown in Fig. 17, 3). No furniture should be allowed to 

 stand against a wall. Where wooden floors are essential, the furniturr 

 may be protected by standing the legs in small tins with paraffin oil in 

 them. 



* "Insect Life," I. 35B. 



