MULCH ALERT

Please note: I guess I jumped the gun on this one.
Please see: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/termites.asp
(Thanks Terry)


I just received this from my daughter in Houston and thought it important.
After looking up Formosan Termites on Google it got my attention.

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Subject: FW: mulch alert
I just got this from a friend at NASA.
This advisory came from a company here in Houston.)
Please read the message below:
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If you use mulch around your house be very careful about buying mulch this year. After the Hurricane in New Orleans many trees were blown over. These trees were then turned into mulch and the state is trying to get rid of tons and tons of this mulch to any state or company who will come and haul it away. So it will be showing up in Home Depot and Lowes at dirt cheap prices with one huge problem; Formosan Termites will be the bonus in many of those bags. New Orleans is one of the few areas in the country were the Formosan Termites has gotten a strong hold and most of the trees blown
down were already badly infested with those termites. Now we may have the worst case of transporting a problem to all parts of the country that we have ever had. These termites can eat a house in no time at all and we have no good control against them, so tell your friends that own homes to avoid cheap mulch and know were it came from.
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Please heed if you use mulch during the year.
Know WHERE the product comes from and do NOT buy the CHEAP mulch at a "special price" - or you may be inviting some Southern visitors to your dwelling!
At this time, we don't know how far throughout the USA this "special" mulch will be distributed - just be aware.




This message was edited Mar 5, 2006 5:29 PM

This message was edited Mar 5, 2006 5:31 PM

This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 1:47 PM

This was in our local paper:

Termite rumor just that -- a rumor
Area residents should be on the lookout for a species of termite that has wreaked devastation across areas of Louisiana already hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. News spreading like wildfire that a destructive structural pest is hitching a ride in mulch beyond the Louisiana borders of hurricane-impacted areas is simply a rumor, says an Ohio State University Extension urban entomologist. Susan Jones has been inundated with calls from the general public regarding concerns that termite-infested mulch (specifically of the Formosan subterranean termite) and other wood waste products are being transported from Louisiana parishes affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus, is a highly destructive, voracious pest that can cause serious damage to homes and other structures. "No Formosan subterranean termites have been identified in Ohio from hurricane-impacted areas," said Jones. "A quarantine has been in place since October that forbids hurricane-impacted parishes in Louisiana to transport mulch, wood, or any other kind of wood waste outside their area. This material is being put into landfills." Nonetheless, the exotic Formosan subterranean termite has been widely distributed via commerce. It is established in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. It is found in other states along the Gulf Coast that have not imposed a quarantine on the movement of wood. Hence, movement of this species is possible. Furthermore, isolated groups of termites can survive and produce new reproductives, or offspring. "These neotenic reproductives are sexually mature, and they serve as replacement reproductives for the termite queen and king," she said. Despite the rumors, Jones said that the information is a good reminder to homeowners to be aware of the potential spread of termites (native and exotic species) in landscaping timbers and mulch, particularly if these items have had previous contact with the soil. Subterranean termites nest in the soil, which provides an environment that satisfies termites' high moisture requirements. "Mulch is a good food source for termites. Any species of termite, not just the Formosan subterranean termite, will feed on hardwood and softwood mulch," said Jones. "It's always a good idea to check mulch for termites when it is purchased." For more information on termites and how to reduce risk of infestation, log on to http://ohioline.osu.edu and refer to Bulletin 1209 and Fact Sheet HYG-2092C-00.
3/8

Never underestimate the power of the almighty buck. There will be people out there who are chipping and trying to sell loads. Those entities that are law abiding will comply with the ban... those who are interested in making a buck at all costs will not. I suspect untreated mulch will end up somewhere.

Yeah, I agree,
Here's a link to LSU agriculture

Efforts under way to prevent spread of Formosan subterranean termites in mulch from Louisiana following hurricanes Katrina and Rita

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/environment/insects/Termites/formosan_termites/Efforts+under+way+to+prevent+spread+of+Formosan+subterranean+termites+in+mulch+from+Louisiana+follow.htm

I especially like the word "effort" so its not just a rumor but perhaps a semi-truth?

I think the title of the news article I posted isn't accurate, really, once you read the article.