"Dave Poole" wrote in message
...
Whilst termites aren't exactly public enemy no. 1 here in the UK, this
thread reminds me of the immense concern caused by termite
infestations in properties in north Devon a few years back. It
shouldn't happen here because of our relatively cool climate.
However, with each summer proving to be marginally warmer than the
previous and almost every winter showing an increase in mean minimum
temperatures, termites will become a problem sooner or later. And a
serious one at that.

I'm not sure how effective the control program was, but there's no
certainty that they haven't managed to spread quietly. No
conventional insecticides available to the general public are
effective and even though the original colonies may have been
eradicated, there's a fair chance that more colonies will develop.
So, for the milder coastal regions at least, termites aren't or
shouldn't be a laughing matter.

As to folks from the US or anywhere else joining in is concerned, I'm
all for it. But, gardening problems in other countries are generally
outside the area of expertise for folks here and for us, pests like
gophers and raccoons do not exist. Even the significant variation in
climate types mean that cultivation techniques often differ by a huge
degree. There are vague similarities with the Pacific North West,
Tasmania and South Island, New Zealand, but that's as far as it goes.
Anyone joining in needs to understand this ... and a tiny minority of
folks here need to understand that unwelcoming attitudes towards
others serve no-one any good at all.

Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November

Happy to say the termites have been officially declared eradicated on our
local news a week or two back :~)
and as an aside I don't care where anyone is posting from so long as they
make it clear (makes any suggestions pointless otherwise)

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)