I am ALWAYS the FIRST one to apologize for being mistaken or wrong. Today I
discovered the whole informational thing about the Formosian Subterranian
termite thanks to a trip to UT Agriculture and also the news coverage on our
ABC affiliate. I apologize for posting this after Spunkie (who is a WOMAN,
by the way, not a man, who used to come to this newsgroup for years long
before me until she couldn't keep up with the flames and hateful remarks
towards her innocent comments) sent it to me from Michigan from someone who
sent it to her whom she trusted. Usually I SNOPE.com it first, and if it
comes up "untrue" I copy and paste and send it to her and to my "daughter"
person who also sends me these urban myths.

HOWEVER........the remark made about the trusting of our g'bment doing what
is RIGHT and knowing how EFFICIENT they are about NOT doing the right thing,
I take all of this "we're fumigating everything before it leaves" thing with
a block of salt. The only mulch I will use, if I used it at all will be the
older mulch I know is the older mulch at my local Lowes. I used to work
there. they don't rotate stock. And I usually don't use mulch. If I get
the urge, Squire says when all is done with the proceedures concerning his
mom's house, he's BUYING me my own chipper shredder, a kick ass electrici
chain saw, some compost bins, and retaining blocks and all the bags of
topsoil my heart desires. I've told him to prepare for a pallet
load.........LOL

but seriously, if I need mulch, I'll use the local chipper truck's mulch.
they're more than willing to dump the day's grindings if I ask them.

again, I'm SORRY I posted this before I snoped it out first. a half tank of
gas later from running around UT and trying to get answers I FINALLY heard a
more comprehensive coverage tonight on our news. I almost felt a fool, only
thing is, I posted it because I am concerned and remember the damage the
long nosed Asian beetle has done so far and she hasn't gotten started yet.
and SHE came into the ports on wood shavings from Beijing and three years
ago had made it to Chicago..........and the fire ants that hitched a ride on
the rootballs of plants that are now as close to me as Sevierville,
Tennessee which is about 20 miles away.......................

I've said enough. a continuing post of spring madness and fairy doings is
forthcoming before the words drain out of me thru my ears.........
madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee where the temps are going to be 26o tonight
and by weekend, 74o!

Your heart was in the right place. You responded to a potential problem
that may have effected all of us. I for one appreciate your taking the
action.

Dwayne


"madgardener" wrote in message
...
I am ALWAYS the FIRST one to apologize for being mistaken or wrong. Today
I discovered the whole informational thing about the Formosian Subterranian
termite thanks to a trip to UT Agriculture and also the news coverage on
our ABC affiliate. I apologize for posting this after Spunkie (who is a
WOMAN, by the way, not a man, who used to come to this newsgroup for years
long before me until she couldn't keep up with the flames and hateful
remarks towards her innocent comments) sent it to me from Michigan from
someone who sent it to her whom she trusted. Usually I SNOPE.com it first,
and if it comes up "untrue" I copy and paste and send it to her and to my
"daughter" person who also sends me these urban myths.

HOWEVER........the remark made about the trusting of our g'bment doing
what is RIGHT and knowing how EFFICIENT they are about NOT doing the right
thing, I take all of this "we're fumigating everything before it leaves"
thing with a block of salt. The only mulch I will use, if I used it at
all will be the older mulch I know is the older mulch at my local Lowes.
I used to work there. they don't rotate stock. And I usually don't use
mulch. If I get the urge, Squire says when all is done with the
proceedures concerning his mom's house, he's BUYING me my own chipper
shredder, a kick ass electrici chain saw, some compost bins, and retaining
blocks and all the bags of topsoil my heart desires. I've told him to
prepare for a pallet load.........LOL

but seriously, if I need mulch, I'll use the local chipper truck's mulch.
they're more than willing to dump the day's grindings if I ask them.

again, I'm SORRY I posted this before I snoped it out first. a half tank
of gas later from running around UT and trying to get answers I FINALLY
heard a more comprehensive coverage tonight on our news. I almost felt a
fool, only thing is, I posted it because I am concerned and remember the
damage the long nosed Asian beetle has done so far and she hasn't gotten
started yet. and SHE came into the ports on wood shavings from Beijing and
three years ago had made it to Chicago..........and the fire ants that
hitched a ride on the rootballs of plants that are now as close to me as
Sevierville, Tennessee which is about 20 miles away.......................

I've said enough. a continuing post of spring madness and fairy doings is
forthcoming before the words drain out of me thru my ears.........
madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee where the temps are going to be 26o tonight
and by weekend, 74o!

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...
Your heart was in the right place. You responded to a potential problem
that may have effected all of us. I for one appreciate your taking the
action.

Dwayne

thank you Dwayne. As it turns out, there is good reason not to completely
believe what they're saying to us about the potential for contaminated
mulch. But I'm keeping my mouth shut and waiting for the people who LIVE
down there and are AWARE to keep us informed. I'm up here in Tennessee, and
I know I won't be buying cheaply priced mulch just to be safe. Off to play
in the yard..........
maddie

madgardener wrote:

"Dwayne" wrote in message
...

Your heart was in the right place. You responded to a potential problem
that may have effected all of us. I for one appreciate your taking the
action.

Dwayne


thank you Dwayne. As it turns out, there is good reason not to completely
believe what they're saying to us about the potential for contaminated
mulch. But I'm keeping my mouth shut and waiting for the people who LIVE
down there and are AWARE to keep us informed. I'm up here in Tennessee, and
I know I won't be buying cheaply priced mulch just to be safe. Off to play
in the yard..........
maddie


Well, here you go. I live in SW Louisiana, about 35 miles from the Texas
border. More than 1.1 million trees were blown down by Rita in SE TX and
SW LA. Most of those in residential areas were gathered up by FEMA
contractors and ground up. The remains were then hauled off some place
we're not aware of. Probably 50% of the oak and other hardwood trees in
my area were infested with Formosan termites. I know for a fact that two
of mine were as I saw them when we cut out and ground the stumps. It's
been that way for years and we all spend lots of money trying to keep
them out of our houses.

We mostly buy pine or cypress bark mulch that is taken during logging
operations. The city here does compost stuff they grind up, smaller
limbs, etc. and I have used that on my property but it's not harboring
termites of any persuasion.

I'm not positive but have heard that the Formosan's will only live in a
warm climate. Basically I wouldn't risk it as the only way to get rid of
the Formosa termites that I know of is to tent your house and pump
really poisonous gas into it for a few days. HTH

George

"madgardener" wrote:

But I'm keeping my mouth shut and waiting for the people who LIVE
down there and are AWARE to keep us informed. I'm up here in Tennessee, and
I know I won't be buying cheaply priced mulch just to be safe. Off to play
in the yard..........

Acording to the USDA:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/...asivepest.html

Before Katrina the Formosan subterranean termite was Louisiana's most
destructive insect, causing as much as $500 million in economic losses
in the state and $1 billion nationwide per year.

Acording to the LSU Ag center: http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/termites/

A quarantine was put in place banning removal of wood or cellulose
material unless it is fumigated or treated for Formosan subterranean
termites and is approved for movement in the Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita affected parishes of Louisiana on October 3, 2005.

Mississippi had a quarantine in effect prior to the recent hurricanes on
"All cellulose material that has been in contact with soil":
http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/n_librar...pdf/reg_plantp
est_rule40.pdf

It is certainly possible that some Katrina wood debris has crossed the
state lines through the negligence or unscrupulousness of private
individuals. Some politicians may be unscrupulous also.

The extension office in Ohio made the statement:
http://extension.osu.edu/~news/story.php?id=3544

The exotic Formosan subterranean termite has been widely distributed via
commerce. It is established in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas,
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and
Tennessee. It is found in other states along the Gulf Coast that have
not imposed a quarantine on the movement of wood. Hence, movement of
this species is possible.

Kansas State University made the statement:
http://www.oznet.k-state.edu/news/topstory.asp

In theory, Formosan termites cant survive outside the south 33.5
degrees latitude is close to their limit. The problem is, if they can
get indoors where its warm and they find a source of water, they can
survive anywhere that has wood, because they dont need soil, Upham said.

Many extension offices including Penn State have decided the problem is
not worth mentioning.

The targets of the Internet hysteria, Lowes and Home Depot apparently
have yet to publish rebuttals to these vicious rumors. The greatest
danger would be in bulk mulch in areas near the disaster, not in bagged
mulch from national chains.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6

Stephen Henning wrote:
"madgardener" wrote:


But I'm keeping my mouth shut and waiting for the people who LIVE
down there and are AWARE to keep us informed. I'm up here in Tennessee, and
I know I won't be buying cheaply priced mulch just to be safe. Off to play
in the yard..........


Acording to the USDA:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/...asivepest.html

Before Katrina the Formosan subterranean termite was Louisiana's most
destructive insect, causing as much as $500 million in economic losses
in the state and $1 billion nationwide per year.

Acording to the LSU Ag center: http://www.agctr.lsu.edu/termites/

A quarantine was put in place banning removal of wood or cellulose
material unless it is fumigated or treated for Formosan subterranean
termites and is approved for movement in the Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita affected parishes of Louisiana on October 3, 2005.

Mississippi had a quarantine in effect prior to the recent hurricanes on
"All cellulose material that has been in contact with soil":
http://www.mdac.state.ms.us/n_librar...pdf/reg_plantp
est_rule40.pdf

It is certainly possible that some Katrina wood debris has crossed the
state lines through the negligence or unscrupulousness of private
individuals. Some politicians may be unscrupulous also.

Wow! What an understatement as concerns Louisiana. We generally tell
people we have the "finest politicians money can buy." A former
governor, his son, and at least two former insurance commissioners are
currently in the federal prison system for taking monetary rewards for
favors offered.

As far as the unscupulousness of private individuals there are a number
of citizens of Louisiana who have been bilked of their money by
"contractores" who were hired to repair hurricane damage and the latest
scam is conmen calling folks up and pretending to be from FEMA. They
want your social security number, your bank name and account numbers,
and your electronic funds routing number so they can "send you some
government money." I may be old but I ain't stupid. VBG

The extension office in Ohio made the statement:
http://extension.osu.edu/~news/story.php?id=3544

The exotic Formosan subterranean termite has been widely distributed via
commerce. It is established in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas,
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and
Tennessee. It is found in other states along the Gulf Coast that have
not imposed a quarantine on the movement of wood. Hence, movement of
this species is possible.

Kansas State University made the statement:
http://www.oznet.k-state.edu/news/topstory.asp

In theory, Formosan termites cant survive outside the south 33.5
degrees latitude is close to their limit. The problem is, if they can
get indoors where its warm and they find a source of water, they can
survive anywhere that has wood, because they dont need soil, Upham said.

Many extension offices including Penn State have decided the problem is
not worth mentioning.

The targets of the Internet hysteria, Lowes and Home Depot apparently
have yet to publish rebuttals to these vicious rumors. The greatest
danger would be in bulk mulch in areas near the disaster, not in bagged
mulch from national chains.

Very good post Stephen.

George

In article , says...

snip

You know Maddie, I have to wonder just how a termite queen the
only one that can lay eggs AFAINO could survive after being fed
through a machine the chews wood up into little pieces.

I mean she's gotta be one tough bitch.

Bill

Bill wrote:

You know Maddie, I have to wonder just how a termite queen

Others can turn into queens when the queen dies.

--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman

Stephen Henning wrote:

Bill wrote:


You know Maddie, I have to wonder just how a termite queen


Others can turn into queens when the queen dies.


You are right but as has been mentioned, Termites would not survive the
heating and bagging process.
--
Bill R. (Ohio Valley, U.S.A)

Gardening Since 1969

For pictures of my garden flowers visit http://members.iglou.com/brosen

Remove NO_WEEDS_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

In article ,
says...
Bill wrote:

You know Maddie, I have to wonder just how a termite queen

Others can turn into queens when the queen dies.



And that makes them impervious to a schredding machine?

Bill

In article ,
says...
And that makes them impervious to a schredding machine?

Bill


As mentioned it is a shredding machine, not a squashing machine. A small
piece of mulch is many times larger than a termite so they can go
through the process unharmed.
--
Lar

Oh, if only Noah would of been a bit more wise,
he surely would of swatted those two flies.

to email....get rid of the BUGS