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 #2212905


Jharding
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 Removing bugs from stump

I want to add an old stump that I’ve had to my argus enclosure. I’ve noticed that there are little holes with wood shavings coming out of them all over the stump. Are these termites? How could I exterminate them? The stump is way to big to submerse it in anything that would kill all bugs. Can I tent with bleach or something like that?

Thanks for your help.



04/04/11  02:58pm

 #2212910


Nile/water monitors
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   Message To: Jharding   In reference to Message Id: 2212905


 Removing bugs from stump

Quote:

little holes with wood shavings coming out of them all over the stump. Are these termites?

Termites or even carpenter ants? Any way you treat the stump to remove the insects will have to penetrate deep into the stump. Heating the stump for many hours will kill both insects and if you find its the carpenter ants you could take a tablespoon full of honey, mix in a pinch of 20 mule team Borax laundry detergent and place it near the holes, they will feed it to the queen, she will die and the remaining ants will leave. Or go for a walk on the beach, river banks and look for a cool piece of drift wood to replace the log with?
04/04/11  04:41pm

 #2212923


Crocdoc
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   Message To: Nile/water monitors   In reference to Message Id: 2212910


 Removing bugs from stump

If they are individual holes with sawdust coming it, the culprit is most likely wood borers, which are the larvae of longhorn beetles. Anything you’re likely to use to get rid of the insects will probably be more harmful to the monitor than the insects themselves. Put the stump in the enclosure - when the beetles emerge the monitors will get a bit of extra protein.

Ants and termites have nests, so there would either be thousands of them in the stump or trails leading to a nest elsewhere.
04/04/11  05:45pm

 #2212931


Krusty
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   Message To: Crocdoc   In reference to Message Id: 2212923


 Removing bugs from stump

You obviously live in a hot climate with the ornamental Sago/Palm thing in the background. Wrap the whole log up in a black plastic garbage bag and leave it on hot asphault for a week - greenhouse the stump. You will likely bake the insects to death with heat and kill all or a majority off. Chemicals bad idea with wood as it soaks in.
04/04/11  06:16pm

 #2212997


Mikes Monitors!
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   Message To: Jharding   In reference to Message Id: 2212905


 Removing bugs from stump

J
I use crocdoc’s method and have for years, just throw it in your enclosure.
There are lots of treats for your Monitors in there.

I like Krusty’s idea too.
Mike
04/05/11  09:09am

 #2213001


Crocdoc
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   Message To: Mikes Monitors!   In reference to Message Id: 2212997


 Removing bugs from stump

I’ve put hollow logs out in the open in direct sun to get rid of ants, but hadn’t wrapped them in black plastic, which is a great idea.

The palm tree looks like a Canary Island date palm - they’re reasonably cold tolerant, so it’s not necessarily extremely hot where you are this early in spring and I think the black plastic would be a great idea for speeding up the process.



04/05/11  09:43am

 #2213018


Jharding
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   Message To: Crocdoc   In reference to Message Id: 2213001


 Removing bugs from stump

I’m in southern california, so we are having somewhat hot days in the 70s. I’ll try the greenhouse idea. I’m almost done with mounting the logs in the enclosure and I might not even have room for the stump with the way things unfolded. I just wanted it for a hot side hide, but I have other options.

Also, the winner is the one who guessed canary island date palm. Its fairly new, as they get very tall and have a very wide trunk for palms.

Thanks!
04/05/11  11:45am

 #2213074


Crocdoc
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   Message To: Jharding   In reference to Message Id: 2213018


 Removing bugs from stump

The funny thing is, I was going to guess you were in California, too, for I can’t recall having seen that particular palm many other places in the US.



04/05/11  05:19pm


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