Termites, In Las Palmas Gran Canaria

[STILL AFLOAT]

I have, during many years of travelling, allways managed to keep my boat free of Cockroaches.
I never entertained the thought, that now being moored up, in the Canaries, due to aging parents & frequent flights to Europe, that the boat would ever be attacked by termites.
Unfortunately, I am finding discarded wings, and piles of those poop pellets, that the experts, apparently call " Frazz "
Yes, I can buy spray cans, of anti termite stuff, it doesnt smell of anything !
It has a needle nozzle , so, you use a small drill to get into the tunnels, then insert the nozzle , and spray away.
The warnings are written so small, I didnt bother buying a magnifying glass, to read the label
As said, the stuff does not give off any smell.
These last few days I have been experiencing debillitating bouts of dizzyness !
Finally, I went out & bought a magnifying glass !
In the tiny print, on the can, it clearly says
Breathing the fumes, will cause Vertigo !
Yes , It Does !
So, Rather than poisoning myself, a bit at a time, does anyone with a boat, in the Canaries, know of a company, that can treat a boat, for termites ?
Anywhere I have looked on the web, it has been for houses, where the house has to be tented in plastic.
Then flooded with VIKANE gas for at least 4 days
God only knows, how much a boat could cost
Obviously during treatment, you have to get a room in a hotel, for you and your pets & plants.
However, the vikane gas, does not leave any residue
so you do not have to remove plates etc, for the treatment

I read the last bit on an american site for gassing termites in houses in the USA.

Anyone tried gassing their boats , in the Canaries ?
Cheers
Still Afloat.

 

[rivonia]

We used BORIC ACID. This is a fine white powder. Sprinkle it in every nook and crevice. Pour it it along all back of shelfs in all cupboards. No smell. Can still live on board. Can be purchased in most chemist shops. Good luck.

 

[sarabande]

would an ant-eater be of any use ? It's an organic solution....

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

Ha ! Thanks !
Firstly, the Boric Acid stuff, works on Roaches, not Termites,.
Termites fly on to your boat, just like ants.
Then they break their wings off, and chew their way, into your wood.

No, An anteater would do no good, because the termites are moving along a 4mm ply sheet.
An anteater tongue is about 10 mm.

Any serious answers ?
Surely I cannot be the only boat, in the whole of the Canaries, that got hit by termites ?
Or, are owners trying to pretend , it does not happen ?

 

[TQA]

Relatively easy to make a boat a boat gas tight.

Then introduce the lethal gas. [ Sulfuryl fluoride ]

Leave for several days then vent thoroughly.

 

[affinite]

I agree with TQA.
I doubt that a house could be sealed any more effectively than a boat (with all ducts and hatches shut) so why not talk to a local house termite exterminator?
No experience - just a thought ...
Good luck

 

[macd]

Firstly, the Boric Acid stuff, works on Roaches, not Termites.

Boric acid is a vigorous dessicant. It'll work an anything that ingests it. I doubt many critters will deliberately eat it: cockroaches do so unintentionally in the process of grooming (unless it's mixed with something they like). Whether it would have any effect on termites if just sprinkled around, I've no idea. They may ingest it if the wood is coated with boric acid solution and allowed to dry, but I've no notion of what that might do to the wood (if anything).

P.S. From Wiki:
Boric acid was first registered in the US as an insecticide in 1948 for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects

 

[rivonia]

Ha ! Thanks !
Firstly, the Boric Acid stuff, works on Roaches, not Termites,.
Termites fly on to your boat, just like ants.
Then they break their wings off, and chew their way, into your wood.

No, An anteater would do no good, because the termites are moving along a 4mm ply sheet.
An anteater tongue is about 10 mm.

Any serious answers ?
Surely I cannot be the only boat, in the whole of the Canaries, that got hit by termites ?
Or, are owners trying to pretend , it does not happen ?

The Boric Acid killed the termites on our yacht. Up to you.

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

Relatively easy to make a boat a boat gas tight.

Then introduce the lethal gas. [ Sulfuryl fluoride ]

Leave for several days then vent thoroughly.

Yes, I know from my years of sailing around the Caribbean, things are more readily available, there, than in the over regulated Europe ! Just mentioning Antacid tablets .
Ask for Zantac in Venezuela, and they normally have 500 mg
In the UK , over the counter you can only buy 75 mg.
And so it is, with Termite killing gasses, yes, perhaps in the Carrib you can get the good stuff, irrespective of it being Termite killer, or Anti fouling.
Unfortunately, now , even the Canaries follows the EU rules. So, despite your : Whale Soup Recipe !
NO, Its NOT Simple, in any way !
So I guess, the next step is Rentokill, or their Spanish equivalent.
Cheers
S A

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

Sorry, I do not know how you used your boric acid. OK if all your cubpboards etc had a layer over the wood, then perhaps mebbe it would have worked.
I, in the Canaries, never knew, they had: flying, dry wood termites
So I might have replaced the roach hotels frequently, but never ever , thought about termites.
Until I discovered the piles of termite poop called frazz by the so called xperts.

You might have deterred termites, by spreading the Boric Acid.
I am not a speciaist.
Perhaps you were just lucky

However, putting Boric Acid, on top of the wood, that they are already inside, does no good what so ever !
They do not , pop out of the wood for a quick snack, once they get inside, they are inside, for life.
July - August time, the flyers, leave the nest, just like flying ants. they land somewhere suitable, use their legs to break the wings off, then bore into the first available softwood, then make a nest lay eggs etc.
So, Going by everything I have read on google: Yes You have been Lucky !
And I hope you continue to be so !

SORRY, I have just re read the stuff and I have left out the most important part, that they are spreading, from an area behind the fuel tank, that is practically impossible to get to, apart from cutting a hole in the hull.

 

[vyv_cox]

http://www.cockroachkiller.co.uk/insecticidal-smoke-bombs-twin-pack-10-p.asp

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

The Boric Acid killed the termites on our yacht. Up to you.

OK, I do not know how you did it !
I did google Boric Acid & Termites !
Yes, you are right !
If I mix Boric Acid, with Ethylene Glycol , and work out some way to inject the mix, into the termite tunnels, It will work, apparently.
However, as I admit ;
I somehow neglected to say, they emanate from an inaccessible part of the boat !
I would have to remove the engine, to be able to remove the fuel tanks, etc etc .
So, actually it would be easier , cutting out, the side of the boat
However, I am not prepared to do that.
Sorry.
Now I have to talk to the different companies, in Las Palmas, about sealing the boat, & filling it with gas
Which means finding an hotel for at least 5 days, before the pest company remove the airtight sealing, and ventilate the boat, with powerful fans.
I will update this, along the way !

 

[Gallant Spirit]

Hi We are in Lanzarote and get a lot of ants around outside our boat been looking for ideas and came across one yesterday, take popcorn kernals and grind them down leave a pile where the ants are then they will disappear apparently, heading back down soon so will be giving it a try