In recent years revolutionary advances in the field of pest control, 

 particularly in the derelopment of synthetic or(7;anic insecticides and the 

 equi-ment for applying them, have opened possibilities for insect control 

 never before realized. The v:lue of these nev/ chemicals should be tested 

 for the protection of ,Tood by surface treatments, scakage, and the use of 

 the pressure- vacuum process. 



In the discussion that follows, it should be kept in mind that the various 

 groups of insects mentioned, as virell as the wood- rotting fun^i, reach their 

 optimum development urder conditions existing in shore environments. Ihis 

 is due mainly to the high jrelative humidity and heavy rainfall occurring 

 in such areas, and in warm climates to the prevalence of high temperatures, 



A brief discussion follows on the various groups of organisms and the 

 nature of their habits, distribution, and the destruction they cause. 



Termites 



Termites are the most destructive of all v/oodboring insects attacking 

 wood structures, Distributed the world over, Ihey have attracted a great 

 deal of attention and study by both scientist and layman. Thus, there is 

 a wealth of literature surrounding these interesting forms, some of it 

 truly scientific, but much of it erroneous and bordering on the fantastic. 



For many years termites were known as white ants, a misleading nomencla- 

 ture which -ersists to this day. Actually, they are not even remotely 

 related to ants nor are they necessarily vriiite. Rather, they are a pri- 

 mitive group of insects, related to the cockroach, and comprise a distinct 

 order of their o^.m. Hovrever, like ants, they are social insects living in 

 large colonies organized in a caste system, the castes usually consisting 

 of winged adults and wingless soldiers and workers. 



Although there are innumerable species of termites with wide variations 

 in character and habit, only two general types need be considered from an 

 Economic viewpoint — namely, the subterranean and dryiivood termites. 



Subterranean termites are so called because of their habit of maintaining 

 the aenter of their activities, the colony, below the soil. The castes 

 normally consist of dark-colored i-iringed adults and soft-bodied, v^hite or 

 cream-colored soldiers and workers. The normal activity of termites of 

 economic importance is that of consuming and decomposing cellulose m.ateria]s , 

 such as dying and dead plant life, back into organic constituents of the 

 soil, Hor/ever, if they are deprived of this and buildings occupy the site, 

 the termites are capable of infesting the structures either by direct entry 

 into readily accessible structural vifood, or, if the vjood is some distance 

 away, by means of earthen shelter tubes built over obstructions. Thus, by 

 means of these humidified and ventilated tubes, termites can progress from 

 their colony deep in the earth over brick, concrete, or masonry, or through 

 tiny cracks in these units, and even over treated \iood, until they reach 

 the untreated wood or other cellulose products they desire. '.■Jhile they 

 normally confine their activities to v/ood in the foundation structure, it 

 is not unusual for these insects to extend their activities into the second 



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