i6o First Repoi't on Econouiic Zoology. 



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

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

 of extermination must therefore depend on the species causing destruction. 



Methods of Prevention 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., in various smelling 

 substances has met a\ ith 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 (jT. flavqjes) to board fences : " The chief damage is done where the 

 boards meet on the posts. It is particularly noticeable Avhere 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 Arsenious 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 would 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 furniture 



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



them. 



* " Insect Life," I. 353. 



