means will help protect against decay 

 as well as insect damage. 



Lumber properly pressure-treated 

 with preservatives probably is im- 

 mune to attack. In localities where 

 numerous buildings have become in- 

 fested, a surface coating of chemicals, 

 as described later, may be worth ap- 



plying as a preventive of crawl-space 

 infestations, though it will not guaran- 

 tee protection. 



Untreated, unfinished lumber stored 

 directly above the ground is often 

 damaged severely. Storing above a 

 solid floor is better. 



If I Find Damage, How Do I Control It? 



If the infestation is small and easy 

 to reach you may be able to control it 

 yourself by spraying or brushing the 

 wood with a deodorized kerosene, such 

 as deobase or ultrasene, that contains 

 either 2 percent chlordane, or 0.5 per- 

 cent lindane. Other light organic sol- 

 vents are suitable if their odor is not 

 objectionable. One gallon will cover at 

 least 100 square feet of wood surface. 



For widespread infestation in crawl 

 spaces, a power sprayer gives best re- 

 sults. Sprays should be coarse and 

 under only enough pressure to wet 

 the surface of the wood. A fine mist 

 is ineffective and may explode if 

 ignited. 



Be careful! Provide plenty of venti- 



lation, do not smoke, and shut off pilot 

 lights. 



Indoors, applications must be 

 limited to spot treatments, and safety 

 precautions are doubly important. The 

 finish should preferably be removed 

 from the wood, since it hampers pene- 

 tration and may be softened by the 

 solvent. If removal is impractical, 

 treat the wood but do not touch it 

 until it has dried for several hours. 

 When treating above a finished ceiling, 

 avoid using too much material, since 

 it may seep through and cause stains. 

 Similarity, the solutions should be ap- 

 plied sparingly on parquet floors, to 

 avoid dissolving the asphalt bonding 

 cement. 



Can I Treat At Any Time Of Year? 



Yes. The insects tend to be on or 

 near the surface during April to July, 

 and applications then kill a large pro- 

 portion at once. But treatments at 

 other times are adequate. 



Since the wood often contains 3 

 generations at the same time, and 



since the insecticide usually does not 

 penetrate the wood completely, fresh 

 holes and piles of boring dust may ap- 

 pear for 2 or 3 years. Nevertheless the 

 chemicals in the surface layer will kill 

 the emerging adults and reinfestations 

 will be prevented. 



Will These Treatments Control Severe Infestations? 



A widespread infestation of the 

 under parts of a house may not yield 

 to surface treatments. And if the floor- 



ing, subflooring, sills, or bottom plates 

 are damaged, the insects may have 

 spread into the walls. 



