SCIENCE SIFTINGS

New Zealand Tablet, 31 July 1919, Page 46

SCIENCE SIFTINGS

(By Volt.)

The Borer. Mr. A. 11. Cockayne, Government Biologist, has some interesting details on the wood borer in a recent issue of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture. The pest is known as Anobium- domesticum, and it is passionately fond of white pine and kauri, but will also attack other woods. Mr. Cockayne suggests how it may be dealt with, in both houses and furniture. He advises that, in the case of buildings the replacement of floorings and linings with red pine or black pine (matai) can be done at times. When infested material is removed it is best done in late autumn to early spring, and the timber removed should be destroyed as soon as possible. The joists, etc., should be sprayed with a solution of arsenate of lead, using it at the rate of lib to 28 gallons of water. In houses where only one or two boards are affected, I always recommend the removal of the affected timber rather than to attempt any direct control. If, however, the cost of doing so is prohibitive, the affected wood should be sprayed in November, December, and January three times with a mixture of benzine and creosote, using five parts of benzine to one of creosote, or a mixture of benzine and naphthalene, dissolving about the equivalent of two moth balls of naphthalene to every half-pint of benzine. Spraying with arsenical compounds is often recommended, but the habit of the beetle laying its eggs in old tunnels often makes this method unsatisfactory. The adult beetles appear to feed very little, and any poisonous spray must kill the larva; emerging from, the eggs rather than the mature insect. So far as furniture is concerned, a word of warning is necessary. In many cases furniture will be the means of introducing borer. Care should always be taken to see that furniture is sound before introduced into a house. Borer in chairs, tables, pianos, and other articles of furniture should be systematically treated. Benzine and creosote squirted into each hole with a small pipette, and then the entrance stopped with a pellet of soap, will be found the best treatment to adopt. Where the wood is extremely badly affected it will be best to get rid of the article rather than try to control the borer. A. very good method of dealing with the pest is to keep a sharp look-out for the appearance of any dust or frass being ejected from the holes. Whenever this occurs, the larvae are very easily reached with an application of benzine, and treatment directly such dust appears is often satisfactory, even when only once applied,