Termites only eat dead wood. They'll eat dead wood out of the heart
of a tree leaving it as a tube but that doesn't kill the tree and can
make it stronger - a tube is stronger than a rod. This does not apply
to a palm but there is a lot of dead material in any palm tree and
they may be cleaning it up. They are unlikely to kill a living tree
but as their habits are so variable from species to species, I can't
be certain about that.
It is unlikely that their hive/nest is up there - around here they
usually have a nest in something like an old stump and then invade
neighboring structures. Not all attack houses by any means. I found
an infested stump in my garden once and they never bothered the
house. But they can travel fair distances.
The way we protect houses around here is to use bait traps. These are
usually containers or boxes full of suitable feed laced with a
poison. You sink them into the ground near the access points of a
house and the critters attack them, carrying back the poisoned
foodstock to the nest. There should be something like that available
from a local pest control outlet if you feel the need to be certain
about the safety of the tree.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 10/10/2007, at 4:59 AM, Geilfuss Charles wrote:
> After Chuck had such good luck with his nutsedge
> problem (at
> least garnering information), I'm seeking advice from the OM hive mind
> about a possible treatment for termites in a living tree. I have a 20'
> Palmetto Tree (Sabal Palm) on my property located well away from my
> house that has become infested with termites. They have formed classic
> dirt-covered tubes up the trunk and disappear into the crown. The tree
> still looks healthy and I would like to save it (so don't just tell me
> to dig it up and burn it). Since it would cost me $300-400 to
> replace it
> I'm willing to spend a bit to save it. Is anyone aware of an
> insecticide
> effective on termites that won't kill my tree?
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