I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

Anthony Lisanti wrote:

I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

They're probably not termites. Termites mostly stay out of the sun and
build mud tubes to get where they want to go. I would vote for
carpenter ants or some type of boring beetle.

Sealer will likely have no effect on insects. If you're using
Thompson's Water Seal, it's just paraffin dissolved in naphtha, so
you're just applying a thin film of candle wax.

Replace the bad boards.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

Anthony Lisanti wrote:

I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Are you sure the damage was not in the board before installation?
Could be carpenter bees maybe. I had a section of fence nearly destroyed
by them.


Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it.

5 years ago means nothing. Termites can be back in a matter of weeks.
If you are live in a termite prone climate, you should have an
inspection every 1 to 2 years.


If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

Probably not much.
Kevin

Anthony Lisanti wrote:

I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?




Pressure treated? Any bare wood stuck into the ground will get
termites, just takes longer
with PT. Use a sharp tool to pick at the mushy wood - if there are
termites, you should
be able to see them when you dig out the damaged wood - they avoid
daylight, so if you
open up their tunnels they will crawl deeper to get away from light.
Usually look like
little cream-colored worms about 1/4" long.

Another post says you will have mud tubes if there are termites - partly
right, but only
subterranean termites build mud tubes and only to get from soil to wood,
such as across
a foundation or crawlspace wall.

Kevin Ricks wrote:

Anthony Lisanti wrote:


I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.


Are you sure the damage was not in the board before installation?
Could be carpenter bees maybe. I had a section of fence nearly
destroyed by them.

Carpenter bees usually have a much larger and very regular, round hole.
Termite
holes, for kicking out waste, are about 1/16".



Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it.

Treating the structure would have nothing at all to do with whether
there are termites
in the soil - assume that there are always termites in soil, just as
there are ants and
earthworms. Sealing up the structure, keeping wood painted and in good
repair,
caulking all plumb/elect openings, wood at least 6" above grade,
landscaping clear
of wood structural elements do a lot to keep termies out.


5 years ago means nothing. Termites can be back in a matter of weeks.
If you are live in a termite prone climate, you should have an
inspection every 1 to 2 years.


If there is wood, there are termites.

If I finish sealing the

rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

Probably not much.
Kevin

"Anthony Lisanti" wrote in message
...


I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?


What kind of wood are we talking about?

Anthony Lisanti wrote in
:



I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?



Another vote for what kind of wood? I'm thinking either the critters were
so starved they were willing to commit suicide or you gave them a banquet
of untreated S/P/F.

On Nov 6, 6:58*am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. * They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. * It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? * I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. *If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any bugs that actually eat solid wood.

We're talking pine wood. Usually I have an exterminator check and
spry twice a year for spiders, ants, termites and everything else. I
don't know what it could be. Plus it's starting to get cold here in
North part of NJ. It's not much damage, but I honestly am clueless to
when the damage occurred. I haven't noticed until I started the
treatment.




On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:55:53 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:

On Nov 6, 6:58*am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. * They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. * It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? * I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. *If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any bugs that actually eat solid wood.

On Nov 7, 6:22*am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
We're talking pine wood. *Usually I have an exterminator check and
spry twice a year for spiders, ants, termites and everything else. *I
don't know what it could be. *Plus it's starting to get cold here in
North part of NJ. *It's not much damage, but I honestly am clueless to
when the damage occurred. *I haven't noticed until I started the
treatment.

On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:55:53 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:



On Nov 6, 6:58*am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. * They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. * It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? * I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. *If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any *bugs that actually eat solid wood.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like you are using some really crappy wood. Also the twice a
year spraying is probably a total waste. I suggest get your home
treated with Termador for termites, use pressure treated wood for the
fence, and use boric acid and physical barrieres for any residual
insects you may have in your house.

Jimmie

"JIMMIE" wrote in message
...
On Nov 7, 6:22 am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
We're talking pine wood. Usually I have an exterminator check and
spry twice a year for spiders, ants, termites and everything else. I
don't know what it could be. Plus it's starting to get cold here in
North part of NJ. It's not much damage, but I honestly am clueless to
when the damage occurred. I haven't noticed until I started the
treatment.

On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:55:53 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:



On Nov 6, 6:58 am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any bugs that actually eat solid wood.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Sounds like you are using some really crappy wood. Also the twice a
year spraying is probably a total waste. I suggest get your home
treated with Termador for termites, use pressure treated wood for the
fence, and use boric acid and physical barrieres for any residual
insects you may have in your house.



I second that. A poor grade of wood was my first thought when I read the
original post. It seems to me that there are better choices for a wood
fence than untreated pine. I hope it is not in direct contact with the
earth.

Anthony Lisanti wrote:

We're talking pine wood. Usually I have an exterminator check and
spry twice a year for spiders, ants, termites and everything else. I
don't know what it could be. Plus it's starting to get cold here in
North part of NJ. It's not much damage, but I honestly am clueless to
when the damage occurred. I haven't noticed until I started the
treatment.





Bare wood on soil = termite food. Some woods, like redwood, are more
termite resistant
but bare pine is asking for rot and termites. Even pressure treated
will eventually be attacked.
With something like p.t., I would add a barrier to the posts that are in
the ground.

On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:55:53 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:



On Nov 6, 6:58 am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:


I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?


if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any bugs that actually eat solid wood.

Anthony Lisanti wrote in
:

We're talking pine wood. Usually I have an exterminator check and
spry twice a year for spiders, ants, termites and everything else. I
don't know what it could be. Plus it's starting to get cold here in
North part of NJ. It's not much damage, but I honestly am clueless to
when the damage occurred. I haven't noticed until I started the
treatment.




On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:55:53 -0800 (PST), z
wrote:

On Nov 6, 6:58*am, Anthony Lisanti wrote:
I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago.
I just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed
one part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. *
They appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. * It's on a very small
part of the fence.

Is this termites or what? * I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. *If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?

if the wood rottted first, all kinds of innocuous scavenger type
beetles will happily do you the favor of removing it for you without
needing any bugs that actually eat solid wood.


You mean just plain untreated pine?!!! So someone decided
PT/Redwood/Cedar was too expensive for this much fencing. You've
basically set up a no free food stop.

It's on a very small part of the fence.

The food business is a tough one but once the word is out it will
thrive. Your fence is attracting the critters and if it's touching the
ground you're advertising as well.

Bring in some fire ants. They won't allow the termites around. To them,
I think termites taste like chicken wings.

Turns out it was carpenter ants. They're inactive this time of year,
but will need attention come spring.

Thanks for all the WONDERFUL ideas. You guys are so brilliant.


On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:09:41 -0600, wrote:

On Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:58:31 -0500, Anthony Lisanti
wrote:



I just installed a new wood fence on my property about 6 months ago. I
just got around to treating it with water seal, and I've noticed one
part the wood seems mushy with little holes, here and there. They
appear to be oval shape on a 45' angle. It's on a very small part of
the fence.

Is this termites or what? I can only assume it is, since the house
was treated 5 years ago before I bought it. If I finish sealing the
rest of the fence, would the treatment deter these things?


Fire always gets rid of termites. Soak the fence with gasoline and
set it on fire. Once it's completely burned, the termites will be
gone.