termites?

phoebe · #1 01-23-2006, 06:37 PM

I posted this on a home repair site and haven't heard a word, so I thought I'd turn to my talented and experienced friends here at CT

We found these neat little piles on our kitchen window sill. Please tell me they aren't signs of termites.

Carpenter ant, um, stuff? Obsessive-Compulsive tiny pestoids?

At least please make them something that won't require tenting the house and boarding the cats (and us).

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...r/108_0872.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...r/108_0869.jpg

Andrew563 · #2 01-24-2006, 12:57 AM

I have no idea what that is, they are neat little piles though. From what I do understand, if you have termites that far up in your house,you have serious problems. I would advise you to call a pest control company. i used one called eden here in washington state. They were pretty good. good luck.

chrose · #3 01-24-2006, 09:15 AM

Phoebe, I posed the question to several architects and engineers. One answer was wood booring beetles, and the other and more likely culprit it appears is Bat Guano. Look up....see anything?
Here are some links to pictures of the stuff. Looks possible to me.

Quote:

Bat guano is usually small, dry, oval pellets. Guano collects under roost sites (where they sleep during the day), so you often see bat guano in small piles.

panini · #4 01-24-2006, 10:49 AM

phoebe,
We had something like I'm seeing in your pics. It was on my sons sill in his bedroom. Could not figure out where it came from.

We cleaned and did not see it back the next week. I'm kind of like you

So I call a company with a beagle. He went right to it. They were carpenter ants. The experience wasn't bad though. They treated the area,no tenting,no smell. We had a small tree removed by our foundation and the underground roots attracted them. I had the stump removed. I have the beagle come back each year.
Definately call someone. Our exterminator said that we had gotten rid of them before they swarm. He also said that termites eat wood and digest. The fire ants eat and spit it out. They still do damage!
I hope for you, they're bats. I'm sure you can talk them into moving.
Happy Hunting
pan

phoebe · #5 01-24-2006, 04:01 PM

Thank you all for your input (and moral support

). Chrose, I wish it WERE bats! But, if I get a second choice, I hope it's as simple as pan's solution.
This is a rental house, so, yes, we don't have to foot the bill. However, we keep worrying that the landlord will decide the house is more trouble (we just had a rather expensive plumbing bill) than it's worth and sell it

. Also, I'm like my cats; I hate anything interfering with my routines.

Oh well. Looks like we need to call our landlord. But maybe I'll offer the bat theory first.

Mezzaluna · #6 01-24-2006, 04:05 PM

Please tell me I didn't stumble on the most revolting food thread again!

panini · #7 01-24-2006, 04:47 PM

Bats are very tidy eaters

Phoebe,
I have to tell ya. My neighbor had the carp. ants after us. He went to the local home depot, got the right stuff and treated his attic in the area with great sucess.

cakerookie · #8 01-24-2006, 05:18 PM

Be honest. It looks like rat poop to me. But then what do I know.

chrose · #9 01-24-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cakerookie

Be honest. It looks like rat poop to me. But then what do I know.

From an engineer friend at work:

Quote:

If it has a salty taste and musky aroma, it would be Bat ****

If it tastes like spicy curry, with a hint of lime, it might be mouse droppings

Andrew563 · #10 01-24-2006, 10:01 PM

How in gods name would anyone know what either one tasted like?

castironchef · #11 01-25-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrose

Phoebe, I posed the question to several architects and engineers. One answer was wood booring beetles, and the other and more likely culprit it appears is Bat Guano.

You may have Keenan Wynn hanging in your house! (From my all-time favorite movie, Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned To Stop Worryring And Love The Bomb.)

cakerookie · #12 01-25-2006, 04:36 AM

Mezzaluna I think you have stumbled on the most revolting food thread after all. I did not know this stuff was a delicacy. CH glad to hear from you its been a while.

phoebe · #13 01-25-2006, 09:22 AM

OK, let me see if I've got this right. I should put off calling the exterminator folks until you guys come over and lick my window sill?

Well, you'll have to wait a bit for that particular taste treat. I was grossed out enough that, after I took the photos, I had David wipe the stuff up (I know, I know, but I was grossed out even BEFORE you guys started contributing images that will be difficult to erase from my brain pan

). We're waiting to see if the piles (ugh) return.