Pest Problem

[Jay Knoll]

Hi everyone

Well back from our barge trip and settling in when we noticed some "powder" in the drawers of the new bathroom vanity I installed in the spring. After the jet lag eased off I started looking closer and discovered some small holes in the bottom of the drawers (three) in the plywood bottoms. I laminated formica on the top surfaces so can't see what is going on there, but each of the affected drawers has several small holes, about a 1/8" to 1/16" or smaller. I took them out to the garage and sprayed each hole with some Pyrethrum -- supposed to be super effective and thought I'd see if any more sawdust appears out there.

This ply sat in my garage for awhile -- I think I used a bunch of scraps for the drawer bottoms -- I can't remember buying more but at this point much of the remodel project is a blur.

Living in the south I'm worried about dry wood termites.

Anybody have any thoughts before I call the exterminators on Tuesday?

I took some pics but I am on dialup connection (don't ask, its another story where I've wasted at least 3 hours today with the cable company) so I'll upload them later when I have some more time.

Jay

Jay

[John Shuk]

Sounds like powder post beetles to me. Hopefully the pyrethrum works.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Ditto on the Powder post beetles.

I have been waging a losing war with them in my 250 year old damp (OK my cellar has it's own jungle climate with a 300 day rainy season) cellar.

I am getting pretty close to spraying the whole thing with Keroosene and motor oil saturating every stick of wood in there. That would probably work too. I wonder if it'd affect my insurance. Hmmm The fire marshal would never believe it. Not in a million years.

Well gee the reason your sniffers hit on accelerants everywhere is because I sprayed them everywhere. It's that simple. Ya see there were these stupid bugs - - - -


I am considering an treatment of water and borax followed by a Phenol microbicide and then spraying on a high penetrating epoxy everywhere. Then spraying a thick fast cure epoxy on top to close the air holes.

Total cost in materials: $3 - 4,000.00

[Jim King]

Living in the Amazon we have plemy of types of wood eating insects. Safest thing we have found for treating smaller peices in a solution of swimming pool chlorine and water. For bigger peices just brush it on.

[Jay Knoll]

Thanks guys, yes a google search confirms what you've told me. So I'll spray, and do the chlorine treatment as well.

Jay

[Jay Knoll]

Well guys, the spray didn't work, some more powder showed up,

So, more spray in the holes in the underside of the affected drawers, then filled them with quicksetting epoxy.

I covered the inside of the drawers with black formica when I built the bathroom vanity. So right now I've got them sitting out in the sun, black side up, maybe if I get the wood hot enough I can kill the little buggers? After about 30 min the black formica is VERY hot to the touch.

Just went through the garage scrap pile, found some evidence of infested wood (plywood) the same 1/4" stuff I used to build the drawers, that is all sitting out on the curb right now, along with a piece of cherry :mad: that was in the same area. There was some evidence of dead bugs in the pile, don't know what killed them.

Now I'm in major worry mode, wondering if there is an infestation in other stuff in there. I'm planning on getting some bug fumigation bombs and really loading up the garage, thinking of using 4 (it is a double car garage)

Any thoughts will be most appreciated

[Jim Becker]

You really need to deal with this as they will migrate. The sun is not going to get the thing hot enough for long enough to kill the eggs and live insects. You need very high temps, such as those in some kiln drying processes.

Borax solutions are often mentioned as a possible fix. "Bug bombs" will NOT work for these insects, especially the eggs.

[Jim Bell]

If the affected pieces will fit in the freezer leave them in there for a couple days.
Jim