An International Termite Field Test of Wood Treated with Insecticides in a Buffered Amine Oxide Carrier

Abstract

Abstract A buffered amine oxide carrier has shown promise to deeply penetrate dry lumber with insecticides for termite control without using pressure treatment. Pine sapwood from trees attacked by mountain pine beetle (MPB) has increased permeability. In this study, short lengths of heavily blue stained, post-MPB lodgepole pine lumber (Pinus contorta) were treated with the buffered amine oxide carrier to borate levels less than the retentions recommended for protection against attack by the Formosan subterranean termite (average, 0.5% mass/mass boric acid equivalent ), with and without the addition of organic insecticides. Additional samples were pressure treated with alkaline copper quaternary type D carbonate (ACQ-D) and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT). The boards were installed in field tests in Hawaii and Japan at sites with confirmed populations of Formosan subterranean termites. They were inspected after 2 and 5 years. Dip plus kiln-conditioning treatment with imidacloprid, permethrin plus im...