Residents in Centre Wellington have been bugged by termites since the 1970s, so it was no surprise that when council had a chance to eliminate them, it jumped hard with both feet on the proposal.
Councillors were reacting to a report from Chief Building Official Bob Foster, who said he had hurriedly put together his research after learning about a process that might kill termites.
Foster told the committee of the whole in his report “Recently Tim Myles, PhD., the termite control officer for the City of Guelph, published his annual termite report.”
Foster said Myles “indicates positive results from their most recent efforts in their Trap-Treat-Release termite eradication program.”
Myles introduces zinc borate as an active ingredient in the treatment of trapped termites. They are then released in the area whence they were taken. He then compared the number of trapped termites before and after their release.
He found that after the treatment of the trapped termites, the catch rate was reduced by 67%. “Similarly, the total number of traps showing signs of active termites was down by 68% in the same period.”
Foster said in the report, “These are very promising results. Dr. Myles has indicated that if they continue to achieve the population suppression rates in 2011 and 2012 at the 2010 level they will be able to significantly reduce the overall termite population levels within the City of Guelph in the near term to eradication.”
Foster said Myles approached him about expanding those trials to Fergus and Elora, which have been plagued for years with termites in various parts of the towns. Foster said if Myles is to participate, he will have to obtain federal approval from the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency to extend his current authorization beyond Guelph.
To do that, Myles suggested it would be proper to document the extent and density of termites in Fergus and Elora, where the bugs are known to be. He is willing to install termite monitoring stations in known termite infestation areas – on township properties.
Foster said the traps would be located on township road allowances and parklands only. They would consist of a six inch roll of normal corrugated cardboard in a three-inch diameter PCV pipe. The traps would contain no pesticides or agents attractive to termites, and would be monitored by Myles and his staff over the summer and fall.
Once documented, the township would have a more accurate picture of the distribution and density of the termite population.
Foster said the township would have to cover those monitoring costs, about $9,500 this year.
Treasurer Wes Snarr said the township has $396,000 in contingency funds in its capital reserves, and he is comfortable the project could be funded from that.
Councillor Walt Visser said, “I think it’s a fantastic program. People want to see something that will end that problem.”
Foster said that currently in Canada, people use chemicals to repel termites, not kill them. “This would be a process that would attack them. It’s the best News I’ve heard about termites in 20 years.”
Councillor Kirk McElwain has also been looking into the problem. He said there are tests being done with three chemicals right now but they are designed to repel the bugs, not kill. He wondered if there is a company that is willing to make the zinc borate mixture that Myles is using.
Foster said that is a problem. In the United States, there is a bigger population to buy such chemicals, and more termite problems, so companies provide for that market. In Canada, there is not enough of a problem to make it worth their while, and some chemicals being used in the United States are not approved for use in Canada. But, he said, “Myles is going after the nest … If we knock them back … This will be the way to go.”
Councillor Steve VanLeeuwen asked where the most infested areas are.
Foster said termites used to be heavy in downtown Elora, but they have migrated over the years. He added that in Fergus, they are concentrated in the Forfar, Tower, and Hill Street areas.
VanLeeuwen said since council had just given its approval for a subdivision near those areas, it would make sense to attack the termites before it is built.
Foster agreed, and noted that in Elora builders treat lumber in their new homes to repel termites, but, he added, that is good for only two years.
He said that in a recent trap in Guelph, there had been 10,000 termites captured.
Council approved paying the costs to set up the monitoring station.
