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adrian
22nd May 2005, 04:23 PM
I was just turning a piece of wood that I got from next door and it was riddled with what I believe are termites. The holes in the wood were about 3mm or less and the bugs were about 5mm long and not much more than 1.5mm wide. They looked more like tiny witchedy grub but were more mobile. Unfortunately this lump of timber has been sitting on my timber deck for a few weeks so I hope the little suckers were happy with their present home.
I'd be curious to know whether anyone else has come across termites while turning.

echnidna
22nd May 2005, 04:33 PM
termites have legs so it sounds like you have grubs

Gumby
22nd May 2005, 05:35 PM
Termites are exactly as described.....white ants. They have a nest underground which can be hundreds of metres away. They bore tunnels inside the wood and must have contact with the ground to get back to the nest. If it's been moved and sitting on your deck and they are still there, then they aren't termites. They also won't spread to your deck that way. they have a swarming season and take to the air in great numbers. Then, two land together in the right spot, they start a new colony.

Ianab
22nd May 2005, 06:06 PM
Grubs like that should die off once the wood is dry. I'm guessing the wood was sitting on the ground and was pretty wet?
We come across huhu grubs and their smaller relatives when sawing logs that have been sitting on the ground for a while. (huhu looks like a witchety grub but turns into a beetle not a moth)

Cheers

Ian

Spindleshanks
25th May 2005, 02:52 PM
Suggest you go back to where you got the wood in the first place and have a look around. You certainly don't want the things in your house. They are probably not termites but it's best to be sure. I have lost around 20 trees to the pests (mastotermes) in the last year or so. On the other hand they do create some interesting designs in the wood. The mastos leave a pretty wide hole and the wood can be turned in the normal way. I turned a bowl from termite infested Gmelina a few years ago which has holes in the sides that I could not otherwise copy. Something different.

La truciolara
25th May 2005, 05:05 PM
I think a good picture might be better than many discussions to understand the difference between ants and termites
http://www.la-truciolara.com/forum.il-legno/termites.jpg

JackoH
26th May 2005, 10:04 AM
Our termites have wings on both sides - so they don't fly around in circles! :rolleyes:
LIVERPOOL!

La truciolara
26th May 2005, 06:00 PM
ours have none because the kids use to tear them appart. :D :D :D