Webcam approach idea is to build a trap with bait that attracts them.
Such that one would not have to plaster an area with bushels of
webcams to effect a detector.

Regards, Dana.

 

Webcam approach idea is to build a trap with bait that attracts them.
Such that one would not have to plaster an area with bushels of
webcams to effect a detector.

Regards, Dana.

Termites have a whole house to munch on. What bait are you going to use that is going to attract them to the Webcam location?

 

I think "white ants" is another name for termites. So, it's detection of them within structures in particular that would be useful.

In that case a methane detector could be pressed into service?
http://www.ghgonline.org/methanetermite.htm

 

In that case a methane detector could be pressed into service?
http://www.ghgonline.org/methanetermite.htm

If you are detecting methane then it is probably too late. The idea is to get them before they dine on your home and not after.

 

Do termites pass gas? Are they flatulent? I know cockroaches can't pass gas - or so I've heard. If you feed baking soda to a cockroach they can't fart. So they explode. Or so I've heard. The story, not the explosions.

 

Termites have a whole house to munch on. What bait are you going to use that is going to attrack them to the Webcam location?

Google "termite bait"


Regards, Dana.

 

Do termites pass gas? Are they flatulent? I know cockroaches can't pass gas - or so I've heard. If you feed baking soda to a cockroach they can't fart. So they explode. Or so I've heard. The story, not the explosions.

They consume wood so they would have to produce methane.

 

Do termites pass gas? Are they flatulent? I know cockroaches can't pass gas - or so I've heard. If you feed baking soda to a cockroach they can't fart. So they explode. Or so I've heard. The story, not the explosions.

Ha ha, the mental picture of exploding cockroaches is quite funny, except that the females usually carry around 50 eggs that would be sprayed everywhere. When I was in Oahu, there were massive cockroaches running around in the shopping malls. I was told by a local, that if you put them on their back that they will suffocate due to the weight of their lungs not being able to inflate when upside down.
Whether this is true I don't know, but supposedly, they can also survive the radiation from a nuke.

 

Ha ha, the mental picture of exploding cockroaches is quite funny, except that the females usually carry around 50 eggs that would be sprayed everywhere. When I was in Oahu, there were massive cockroaches running around in the shopping malls. I was told by a local, that if you put them on their back that they will suffocate due to the weight of their lungs not being able to inflate when upside down.
Whether this is true I don't know, but supposedly, they can also survive the radiation from a nuke.

Pretty sure the lung one isn't true, since they don't have lungs:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2009-09-cockroaches.amp

Of course, that doesn't mean the upside down killing part isn't true. I often find that regional folk wisdom gets a reasonable number of outcomes right, but gets all the facts explaining cause and effect mechanisms wrong. In other words, they're often right about what will happen, even if they're totally wrong about why it will happen.

 

Pretty sure the lung one isn't true, since they don't have lungs:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/phys.org/news/2009-09-cockroaches.amp

Of course, that doesn't mean the upside down killing part isn't true. I often find that regional folk wisdom gets a reasonable number of outcomes right, but gets all the facts explaining cause and effect mechanisms wrong. In other words, they're often right about what will happen, even if they're totally wrong about why it will happen.

Wow, I never knew that they didn't have lungs, as you say, the locals don't know the reasons they die, just that they do. That's a myth I've repeated over the past 30 years! Oooops!

Now you have given me an idea, If white ants are termites, or whatever, maybe the T,S should go and see if he can find some indigenous people who live near them and know old ways of keeping the little devils at bay.
I know Aborigines have ancient knowledge on living in harmony with the planet, many of this is being investigated scientifically now.
Here in the U.K there are also many "old wives tales" that turn out to actually have a basis of truth. One being to hang fresh nettles by open windows to keep flies out. It worked for us when I was living in a farm house.

 

That's a myth I've repeated over the past 30 years!

So you're the one!!!

 

So you're the one!!!

Yep! Guilty as charged. But it did sound convincing when told to me. The guy was very "spiritual" living with his son Zachariah who "did not speak English" In a roadside shack with carved Totem poles outside. They sold carved Coco nuts as a means of raising a few dollars.

 

In a roadside shack with carved Totem poles outside. They sold carved Coco nuts as a means of raising a few dollars.

Sounds like the guy that started Breitbart news in his early days. Selling conspiracy theory's to the tourists.

 

Supposedly, they can also survive the radiation from a nuke.

I think the radiation thing is also a myth.

Now, if you had the time necessary and the speed to catch them and flip them on their backs - - - .

Termites producing methane. OK, maybe we can power our cars with them. Maybe THEY are the reason for climate change.

From what I've read, they make a rattling sound similar to rustling leaves when they're agitated. So if you can detect the sound of leaves in the wall when you agitate them - - - .

 

Google "termite bait"


Regards, Dana.

Why not just poison them instead of web caming them? And you would still need to set up a lot of web cams. One at each bait sake.

My guess is those stakes don't work. If they did you would not have exterminators.

 

Why not just poison them instead of web caming them? And you would still need to set up a lot of web cams. One at each bait sake.

My guess is those stakes don't work. If they did you would not have exterminators.

Time to call "Billy the Exterminator"

 

Those "white ants" are actually termites that cause damage by eating wood. So it takes a special type of poison to kill them. Their chewing noise can be loud enough for humans to hear but mostly it is much quieter. A tuned amplifier with an output level meter could be calibrated to be a detector, Bat monitor circuits do indeed serve a very similar purpose and a similar technology. And bat detector circuit information is available.

 

Why not just poison them instead of web caming them? And you would still need to set up a lot of web cams. One at each bait sake.

My guess is those stakes don't work. If they did you would not have exterminators.

"Why not poison", depends on what is TS goal, if get rid of them, sure, Nuc em.
But if a study first of nest origin, trying to locate it, maybe not, initially.

"Set up a lot of webcams", depends on what your goal is. And NOT being a termite expert,
do termites explore like ants. Meaning do they cover a lot of area in exploration such that
# webcams needed would be small, possibly as low as 1 ? Again, NOT a white termite expert.

"those stakes don't work" , NOT being a bait expert I would contact exterminators and see if they
use them. I do know from personal experience ant bait traps, some, not all, do in fact
work. From exterminator recommendation I would add.


Regards, Dana.

 

"Why not poison", depends on what is TS goal, if get rid of them, sure, Nuc em.
But if a study first of nest origin, trying to locate it, maybe not, initially.

"Set up a lot of webcams", depends on what your goal is. And NOT being a termite expert,
do termites explore like ants. Meaning do they cover a lot of area in exploration such that
# webcams needed would be small, possibly as low as 1 ? Again, NOT a white termite expert.

"those stakes don't work" , NOT being a bait expert I would contact exterminators and see if they
use them.


Regards, Dana.

Mostly termites are never seen, since they tunnel in the wood and build mud tunnels on the surface when they must cross spaces that they can't dig through. So you can have thousands of them and never see them. And they would not choose bait, since they only attack wood. so to kill them takes a contact poison or fire. It may be possible to electrocute them, but there would be a serious fire hazard with that process. Thus any sort of camera would not see anything unless it happened to catch some of them swarming in search of a new place to live. Liustening to the chewing sound is a good way to determine where to inject the poison.

 

This discusses one method to attack them during molting process
with bait.

https://www.orkin.com/termitecontrol/

And then there is detection of them trying to get to the wood.

Lifespan -

https://www.orkin.com/termites/life-cycle/

Regards, Dana.