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Re: termites, OT?


  • To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
  • Subject: Re: termites, OT?
  • From: Richard Knoppow <dickburk@ix.netcom.com>
  • Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:34:12 -0800
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Judy Seigel" <jseigel@panix.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2008 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: termites, OT?



Bob, I rarely bet less than a million dollars, but I'd bet at least 75 cents those are NOT termite holes, but worm holes. I've had some experience with termites, and they don't leave neat little holes, they leave a chewed up mess. We had some under the floor boards when we bought this house, and it looked like sawdust heaven.

Besides which, termites don't just crawl somewhere, and suddenly dig in. They get wherever they're going through mud tunnels, that is, leave a trail-- and mess. It's possible of course that in Barbados the termites perform differently, but, I'd bet at least 50 cents that those are worm holes. I'm trying to think now of the extremely clever painter, or alt photographer, who faked old illuminations down to his hand-tooled worm holes... Someone on this list is bound to remember, because I think we talked about them here...

In any event, FWIW, I mention that the treatment for the termites infesting house, yard and cellar, including the large beam holding up the house (as I may have already noted) was perimeter drilling with chlordane, when you could still use residual chemicals. (Outlawed now.)

BUT.... worms are something else. My guess (a layperson's guess, you understand) is that if you turn every page and search carefully, and see no signs of eggs, empty skins, whatever, they've done gone on to the next album, but look carefully, brush any dust or debris you see, and charge extra for the worm holes. However, if you possibly can, check with a paper restorer... or maybe even google "poison for bookworms" -- or like that.

Anyway, termites don't make neat holes, they make shreds, at least in houses & fences...

J.

FWIW, I've had experience with similar holes and eaten areas from silverfish. They are enormously destrtructive but will not eat certain kinds of paper or bindings. If you have silverfish you will probably see them, they look like little monster movie monsters. There are powders you can scatter to get rid of them, I don't know how effective any of them are and they are probably all toxic.

--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com