Ant/termite Problem On Trees

[jubby]

I have a type of Ant or Termite (think its an Ant - Small black one) that likes to build runs in clay up most of my trees. It then appears to lay eggs and the Lavva or young seem to like to eat the tree. Its not a really big problem , I've only lost a few trees and I tend to accept it but I've just gone round scrapping the little buggers and most of the bark off some of the trees and had a thought that maybe there's some sort of bird available that likes to feast on them. Unlikely I suppose but just thought I would ask if anyone has come across something on there travels

[Gary A]

My wife bought some chemical for a tank sprayer that controls the termites. They managed to kill two teak trees before she sprayed the trees. That was about two years ago.

Since it is just the trees around our house, I keep an eye on them. I take a stick and break their little tunnels that go up the tree. When I went back to the same tree, it was crawling with the big red leaf weaver ants. The big red ants were carrying off the termites and their eggs. There was also a small lizard who was gorging himself with termites and their eggs.

Since it is only a dozen trees or so, I decided not to spray them. I'll just keep my stick handy and knock the mud off the trees. It crumbles off quite easily.

[jubby]

Yeah, I tried the big stick approach this morning. got rid of all that pent up agression I don't seem to have much of these days . Got me thinking about the red weaver ants. Half the garden is infested with red and half with the little black barstewards. maybe I can try to mix them up and see what happens. Thanks Gary.

[jubby]

The Little Barstewards are not playing fare. They're into everything I'm going to have to reluctantly indulge in some chemical warfare.

Is there a particular brand name I need to look out for or do I just ask for Termite spray (in Thai ofcourse). Never Used any chemicals here yet but they've pushed me too Far

[Gary A]

The Little Barstewards are not playing fare. They're into everything I'm going to have to reluctantly indulge in some chemical warfare.

Is there a particular brand name I need to look out for or do I just ask for Termite spray (in Thai ofcourse). Never Used any chemicals here yet but they've pushed me too Far

The wife went to the local farm/garden store and told them what the problem was. They sold her a little brown bottle of something and told her how to mix it. It worked.

[drtreelove]

GaryA has the best approach for the termites running up the trees, knocking off the tunnels; weekly inspection of your trees are good for many reasons; and Don't pile up soil against the tree trunk like many locals do. For ants the following excerpts from other threads highlight the possibility of using boric acid bait.

http://www.infobridge.org/asp/documents/3547.pdf

http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/natural_enemies/predators/weaver_ant.html

http://www.livingwithbugs.com/ant_bait.html

http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/antbait267.shtml

krod boric

(กรดบอริก)

I got some boric acid from an Opthamologist in Chiangmai. My daughter had a sty and he prescribed the Boric acid.

I can't help with BKK, but here in Chiang Mai you can buy it cheaply in half kilo tubs from the small chemical supply shop on Suthep Road pretty much directly opposite the teaching hospital (on the left if you are heading up Suthep Road away from the moat).

BTW I make my own ant killer using Boric acid and it is amazingly effective - I've gone from inundated to NO ants inside my home. Love it!

The recipe I have used can be found at http://quantumrelativity.calsci.com/Recipes/AntDeath.html and has worked great for me. Their advice of simply leaving puddles on the floor for ants instead of using containers seems to work well for me: getting much easier uptake by the ants.

Edited November 24, 2009 by drtreelove

[jubby]

Thanks drtreelove,

The wifes brothers just finished spraying our trees with some nasty stuff. I told him to go and get some gloves and a mask this morning before I left him. when I got back at lunchtime he was covered in the stuff and no sign of gloves or a mask. I insisted he went for some , he came back with gloves a mask and a couple of bottles of Soda water to clear the shit out of his system apparently. I Don't really want to use it again unless I have to so I'll have a look at the alternatives later. Thanks for the links.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Hi,

Do you know how to fight termites in Condo ?

Any good pesticide ?

Thanks.

[jubby]

Most new build Housing seems to have some sort of system of pipes built into the foundations or something. It would appear they pump some sort of chemicals in there once per year. Don't know about a condo. Normal Ant/Termite powder and spray from your local supermarket perhaps.