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| Is this a dumb question? Is it a super obvious YES?!? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by rosiew 8 GA (rosemarywalsh@bellsouth.net) on Fri, Jun 8, 12 at 6:02
| Yep, super obvious. See them daily. No worries, just doing what comes naturally. |
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| Maybe, maybe not. The conditions created when wood chips are put down as mulch can create an environment that termites could exist in, cool and moist, but it is not an environment that would support a nest for very long. Termites may be in your wood chip mulch, just as Roly Polies, Sow Bugs, Centipedes, Millipedes, etc. will be and they would not be any more of a problem then the others, despite the horror stories commercial pest control companies use in their ads. |
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- Posted by toxcrusadr (My Page) on Fri, Jun 8, 12 at 10:19
| They can be in the wood that is shredded but it doesn't necessarily mean there's a viable colony. Do termites need a queen like bees to lay eggs? |
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- Posted by lisanti07028 z6NJ (My Page) on Fri, Jun 8, 12 at 12:50
| My understanding is that termites much prefer a big piece of wood - like your support beams - to chips. If you stir up your wood chips every so often when you're weeding or fertilizing, you shouldn't have any termite problems. Knock on wood, I haven't seen any and I've had wood chips for years (not the same wood chips, obviously). |
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| they are recyclers out in the garden, they will have a main nest not too far away so they create this offshoot nests to devour some organic matter then when finished or disturbed move on. just need to make sure you house etc.,. is properly protected so when they move on it is not to your house. not all termites of course are house eaters. len |
Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Fri, Jun 8, 12 at 18:55
| Kimmsr's answer is correct - maybe, maybe not. Mulch does not actively encourage termites (and contrary to common thought, wood mulches seldom, if ever, import live termites) but it can increase the ability of termites to survive where they are already established, by maintaining soil moisture and moderating soil temperatures. Do some research - lots of the extension offices publish site-specific recommendations/worksheets on termites or termites and mulch. There are some 2700+ species throughout the globe, so not all termites behave the same or feed on the same materials. And fear of termites is never a good reason NOT to mulch - the benefits far outweigh any drawbacks. Just follow common sense and keep wood mulches an appropriate distance away from any wood structures. |
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