Pace of Change is Accelerating

It seems that the pest control world is spinning faster than ever. When I first entered this field more than 50 years ago, the pace of change was so slow that exterminators had little difficulty adjusting to the subtle changes in market conditions that were occurring at the time. Then, in rapid succession, came the following changes: the introduction of DDT and chlordane, the development of pesticide resistance, the formation of EPA, a dramatic increase in state regulatory activity, and numerous new pesticides and tools.

Today, change is a fact of business life in the pest control industry. And that’s not even taking into account the introduction of new pest species throughout the United States that are creating additional challenges for pest management professionals. Let’s look at just two introduced species that are causing growing problems for PCOs — the white-footed ant and the Formosan subterranean termite.

THE LATEST CHALLENGES. Fast-moving commerce in a shrinking world has resulted in the introduction of an assortment of exotic plants and animals, including a number of troublesome structural pests. One of these immigrants is the tenacious white-footed ant, a growing problem in Florida. A mature colony of this multi-queen species breeds as fast as PCOs can kill them. Fortunately for the rest of the country, they are presently confined to Florida and Hawaii. (More data on their control will appear in next month’s issue of PCT.)

Another import, the Formosan subterranean termite, is now a pest in nine states: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and California. In my opinion, it is a Myth Conception that some of the neighboring states north and west will always be free of Formosan termites. According to Kumar Krishma and Frances Weesner, authors of Biology of Termites, the Formosan subterranean termite, while not native to cooler climates, can survive under the right set of circumstances. Dr. Michael Potter, a contributing editor to the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, adds that it is difficult to predict how widely distributed this termite will ultimately become, although he speculates that locations north of Memphis, Tenn., are probably too cool for permanent establishments.

Nonetheless, as every PCO knows, subterranean termites have been discovered in the most unexpected places. Colonies of the eastern subterranean termite have been known to flourish in heated basements in Canada and other northern climates. For this reason, while wide distribution is unlikely, there could be an occasional infestation by the Formosan subterranean termite in northern states where structures have warm basements all winter or radiant-heated floors. Also, this species is adept at building its nests above ground in insulated, heated structures if water is available.

Lest any readers be unaware of the problems they face if they fail to properly identify the Formosan termite, here are some facts I found from the article “Bug of the Quarter” by Dr. Ken Grace, University of Hawaii, in American Wood Preservative Association Newsline, April/May 1999:

• A mature colony produces up to 50,000 swarmers each spring. Even if only 1% of the population survives, the density of this termite in a particular area can build rapidly.
  
  
• The queen lives 20 years, depositing 300 to several thousand eggs daily.
  
  
• A mature colony typically contains several million workers, each worker living about five years.
  
  
• One Formosan termite colony in Louisiana was reported to contain 50 million termites. Dr. Eric Smith, in the NPCA Field Guide, states that a mature colony of 350,000 can eat 12 inches of a 2 by 4 in two days.
  
  

PRESSURE TREATING WOOD. Dr. Grace also writes that the Formosan termite sometimes requires a higher loading of preservatives in lumber and other wood products than is needed to control other termite species. Architects and builders specify pressure-treated wood where decay or wood-destroying organisms are a threat. Each wood member bears a stamp showing the amount and type of preservative. While most of these timbers are properly labeled, some may not contain enough preservative. I’ve seen too many railroad ties and other pressure-treated items that have become thoroughly decayed. One reason for this, I believe, is the way some of the timbers are pressure treated. Sometimes a charge of mixed species of timbers on a gondola is rolled into a pressure-treating cylinder to be treated with a preservative under vacuum and then pressure. The receptive species of wood receives more than is needed and the refractory species, such as coastal grade Douglas fir, gets too little. Unfortunately, all of the pieces are stamped with the average amount of retention, even though some of the timbers received more and some received less, making some of them more susceptible to Formosan termites.

As you can see, the pace of change is accelerating in the pest control industry. Keeping ahead of all these changes is a challenge, much like trying to keep ahead of population explosions of white-footed ants and Formosan subterranean termites.