Termite Barrier

Category: Agriculture

Reference Number: 00019

Description

An environmentally acceptable barrier against subterranean termites has been developed and is now available for use. The barrier is formed by placing a four inch layer of a granular material between the building and the ground. A minimum of 60% of the granules in the barrier must have at least one dimension measuring between 1.7 to 2.4 millimeters. The granules should be very hard and dense. Granules with these characteristics form a barrier which the termites cannot move, cannot chew through and cannot penetrate. The granules, in Hawai’i, are currently being manufactured from basalt (BTB). Basalt has almost ideal characteristics for this type of use.

Applications

For new construction, a continuous barrier is placed on the ground and the concrete slab is poured over the barrier. The termite barrier can be used in existing buildings by digging trenches around the building and backfilling the trenches with BTB. This process can also be used around individual posts and piers.

Main Advantages

The new method is a cheap and permanent alternative to chemical treatment. It does not require retreatments. The basaltic termite barrier (BTB) was developed to prevent Formosan subterranean termite infestations but can also prevent other subterranean termites from penetrating the barrier. BTB and other related barriers are safe, effective, permanent, environmentally-friendly alternatives to toxic chemical termiticides.

Inventor(s)

Minoru Tamashiro
Entomology

Contact Information

For licensing information, please contact OTTED at otted@hawaii.edu

For all other inquiries, please write to:

Office of Technology Transfer & Economic Development
University of Hawai’i
2800 Woodlawn Drive, Suite 280
Honolulu, HI 96822