Termites in the V Berth?

[SV Someday Came]

Hello

Apparently I have termites in the overhead plywood in my v berth. Chartering people around the marina seem to think this is not too big of deal -- and not to worry. I am worried. Should I spot treat the wood? Or would it be best to replace the plywood. How does one get rid of termites? I have seen a few on the floor in the head. They are very small -- winged, thin elongated bodies, reddish, 1/4-1/2 inch long. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Michael

[Alan Wheeler]

I don't know what sort of wood destroying creatures you have in your part of the woods, but I seriously sugget you remove the affected wood ASAP or even sooner and treat anything around the area. I would check other area's as well. From what I have heard, those little fellows can devour wood real quick.

[donradcliffe]

Don't mess around--call in the cavalry! Termites can ruin even fiberglass boats. Get a local exterminator down to inspect and treat the problem.

[drh1965]

Are you sure those are termites? I can't think of a way termites could survive in a boat. They cannot be exposed to air from what I understand. They nest deep in the ground and create tubes to reach food sources (i.e. wood). The critters that do the damage are tiny, white, crawling insects. Did you see any of them in the wood?

I know that occasionally the winged males swarm but the presence of the males isn't supposed to indicate an infestation (although, I'd kill those ASAP as well).

But, if you have them... don't mess around. I could imagine them destroying a cored hull or deck in a big hurry!

[rtbates]

What drh1965 said. I bet you have ants. Several species eat wood. Bomb the boat, and quick. We had wood eating ants virtually eat out the inside of a 12x6 redwood beam.

[Mike Banks]

These are not termites, which as stated tunnel through the ground from a nest elsewhere to feed. They are known as shipyard beetles, pinhhole borers, tropical bores, asian opinhole borers or just as powder-post borers. They occur naturally in many parts of the world and since quarantine is slack the asian variety is now prevalent in the US and Australia, where native varieties have always existed.

They infect the wood after it is sawn or when stored and can remain in there munching starches for years. They emerge as adults, mate and lay eggs which hatch in a few days and continue the cycle. They enter through the end grain of the timber or through earlier holes. Killing them at any stage when in the timber is not easy--the timber protects them from most insecticides.

Usually the pinholes are tiny and some recommend injecting insecticide dissolved in kerosine into these holes under as high a pressure as one can manage by whatever means. The older insecticides such as DDT were ideal--now banned--so one will have to find another. One has to pump all of the holes one can find. Removing the infected wood asap is always a good idea--but meanwhile killing as many of them as one can will stop some of them migrating into sound timber.

[senormechanico]

To quote another board, "Pictures or it didn't happen."

Seriously, I'd sure like to see what these critters look like.

Every year about this time, the Pacific Northwest has flying insects which fit your description. I (and everyone I know) always thought they were termites.

Photos here >

termites photos

Steve B.

[Pblais]

the Pacific Northwest has flying insects which fit your description. I (and everyone I know) always thought they were termites.

Nope. Termites can't fly. They prefer to walk. Does not matter these bugs can do damage too.

[Ex-Calif]

More about termites than you probably care to know. Good in that the various species and geographic habitats are explained. Comparisons to ants are made as well.

About Destructive Termites in California

[Alan Wheeler]

Termites in the V Birth..... Klingons off the starboard bow, hmmmm.
Oh don't mind me. Just the meds kicking in.

[GordMay]

Both male and female termite swarmers (breeders) fly from the original colony, to establish a new colony. Because they are weak fliers; wind currents usually carry those that travel any distance.

[Mike Banks]

Termites do fly--just once. Most that one sees flying about are males--usually about half an inch long. Females are a bit larger. Once they find a female they lose the wings. They mate with females and die--the females go underground to begin a new colony. New workers hatch and begin to harvest timber particles and use it to grow fungus--the food termites live on. It takes a lot of wood powder to grow a little of this fungus--which is why they do so much damage to buildings.

Not usually found in boats though.

Shipyard beetles and other pinhole borers can be from a couple of millimetres to about a centimetre in length. They almost always get into a boat initially via the timber used to construct it, usually up the end grain from saw cuts. They infect it quickly--either at the mill or when transported or stored. Dipping timber as it comes from the saw in insecticide is the only way to keep the timber safe--for a while.

Although many larger borers exist, they usually attack dead wood in forests. Some of the grubs are very large and used for food by some native people--most of the larger sized beetle larvae are not ship destroyers.

If you have a serious infestation, getting rid of the little critters is not going to be easy. Remove as much contaminated wood as one can EARLY. The hole is where the critter came out--the ones still in there are invisible as yet. With a stethoscope one can hear the little buggers rasping away, which is always a sign of an infestation..

If the boat is small one could put it into a cold store and freeze it for a few hours, or perhaps put it into a large timber kiln and raise the temperature to about seventy degrees celsius for a few hours--not quite enough to strip the paint but enough to kill them.

If the vessel is large--remove the infected wood before they can spread too far. Spray any adults you see flying or crawling around--tiny red, black or brown beetles which look a bit like flour weevils.

Lotsa luck!!

[DWT]

Termites in the boat........ Yes, been there, done that!
Down here in Florida our termites fly, once a year in the spring they sworm and that is when you see them. Just read an artical about the other kind of termite that are up north and they are now in Key West everywhere, it is a real problem. Those suckers came down with the people who moved down there and now the whole Island is infested... go figure!
I tried to spot kill those little suckers in my boat and I think I heard them laughing at me so, when I had the boat up on the hard for a complete overhaul inside and out, got a hold of a exterminator, had two of them look at it. This was approx. 4 years ago and for a 30' monohull, price was $266 to $450. You can guess which one I took.
About three days total time to do it . They came and taped with sheets of plastic all of the hatched and holes, filled her up with a gas and left it for a day, third day they came back and striped off the plastic and....... no more termites.
Now you do not need to pull it out of the water to do this... well, my boat you could of do it in the water.
So if your boat has termite, look for the droppings and it is easy to idenify, just look at it with a magnifying glass, it looks square. ( No jokes about this guys!)
So was your boat ever down south or to Florida. It some times take awhile for them to show up.
Been a Building Contractor in Florida for approx. 25 years and been in a lot a number of homes and well, we got lots of termite down here.... hope I was able to help you!

David
69 Morgan 30'
CaRolAnn

[SkiprJohn]

Termites fly and they do destroy boats here in Hawaii. I've had them aboard and know. There are other termites that prefer ground entry but some do fly. Get an exterminator and have them checked out. Tenting a boat is a lot cheaper than tenting a house so it should not cost much. If the exterminator can spot treat them then even better.

Good luck and don't delay.

Kind Regards,
JohnL

[Mike Banks]

I have just read up on the drywood termites--which are probably, along with the dampwood termites, the ones attacking boats!!

A new one to me. I have only to deal with subterranean varieties in the land of Oz--I sympathise with you in having borers as well as termites afloat.