Timbor insecticide & wood preservative

-

I get many questions about the insecticide Timbor. Rather than answer individual e-mails I decided to post a page at our 'Bugs site about using Timbor for structural pests and to add a link here on the blog.

Timbor is made from sodium borate crystals (borax). Borates have many industrial uses in addition to their use as insecticides and fungicides. Borate-based insecticides have been around for a long time. They act mostly as stomach poisons, which means they must be eaten to be effective, as opposed to contact insecticides which are absorbed through the insect's cuticle.

In recent years a number of new borate products have been introduced as wood preservatives for dry-rot fungi and for structural pests like termites, carpenter ants and wood destroying beetles.

Some products are liquids that contain a glycol base which is believed to help the borate penetrate further into wood fibers. Other products, like Timbor, are supplied as nearly pure borate powders which can be used dry or mixed with water.

For more information about Timbor take a look at is this article: [Timbor]. The only real drawback to the borate insecticides is that they are water soluble so should only be used in relatively dry situations.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What are these BIG black ants in my house?

-
Image
carpenter ant In early spring or late winter people often encounter these large black ants in homes. These big ants are different than the more common small, brown "nuisance ants" that plague kitchens. The big ants are called carpenter ants ( Camponotus spp .) and unlike their smaller cousins, nest above ground in cavities. Nest building and cavity expansion by these large, powerful ants can cause damage if nests occur in our homes. Most of the ants you find in homes are small, less than 1/4", and brown. There are several species of small brown ants that can nest in our home's walls or nearby soil and enter homes in search of food and water (see House Ants for identification and control). Nuisance ants are just that, a nuisance. They won't damage your home and pose no health threat of any kind.  There's another ant, however, that occasionally is found in homes that is much bigger (1/4"-5/8"), darker in color, nests in the walls, floors and c...
Read more

Tiny, Yellow or Black, Bugs That Bite

-
Image
a thrips next to a leaf vein Have you every felt a sharp pinch while outside during summer only to find a tiny, yellow or black, sliver-like bug when you investigate the bite? These bites are from a tiny insect called a thrips (the name is always plural; one thrips, many thrips). Thrips normally feed on plants with very sharp, knife-like mouthparts but some are predators of other small insects or mites. If they happen to land on us they can bite causing a sharp, stabbing pain. The bites are annoying but completely harmless and are more common in mid- to late summer. Unfortunately, insect repellents don't work against thrips. Continue reading to discover ways to avoid thrips bites at our 'Bugs website . drawing showing feathery wings Thrips can be important plant pests where they damage leaves and in some cases even infect plants with a virus. Greenhouse growers in particular often treat their crops with insecticide to prevent thrips damage. ___________ ...
Read more

More Mysterious Bites at Night - After Moving Into New House

-
Image
The question below represents a number of similar questions we've gotten about "bites" that mysteriously appear in the morning. In this case, the bites started shortly after moving into a newly built home.  Question: What's Causing the Itchy "Bites" - After Moving Into New House? itchy "bites" "We recently built a new home from the ground up. The process took a little over a year but we finally moved in this past October (2009). Not long after we moved (maybe a month?) I started to experience mysterious bites mostly along my thigh area down my leg to my ankle or foot (see photo). These were happening at some point in the night and every night because I am certain they were not there the previous day.  We immediately thought bed bugs since our mattress was stored in a garage during the build, wrapped in fabric but not plastic. We instantly got rid of the mattress, thoroughly cleaned the entire bedroom and home, then continued to sleep on ...
Read more