Timbor insecticide & wood preservative

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I've gotten a number of questions this week about the insecticide Timbor. Rather than answer individual e-mails I decided to post a new 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.

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