The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-06-15
TERMITES TAKE
HEAVY TOLL IN
BUILDING LOSS
Reilly Corporation Produces
Preparation Which
CombatS Ants.

The termite menace in the United
States, which until recently has
been only vaguely appreciated ex-
cept in a few sections OF the coun-
try, is today recognized as sig
nificant economic problem.
1t is conservatively estimated that
ignoring the ravages of these wood
eating insects is costing home and
property owners more than $50,000,-
coo a year. Termites are found in
destructive and ever-increasing
quantities in practically every state.
The damage in Indiana is estimated
at more than 100000 a year.
In discussing the termite problem
officials of the Reilly Tar and Chem
ical Corp. explain that it arises out
of mans attempts to change the or
derby processes of nature by pre-
serving wood, for his own use, over
considerable periods of time.
The termite is one of natures
agents for breaking down and re-
storing dead wood tissue to the soil
and air. With the destruction of
the forest and their natural food
supply. the termites have had to
look elsewhere for food, and have
attacked man-made wooden struc-
lures. AS they multiply very rapidly
and occupy the available food sup
ply wherever they find it, the ter
mite problem is a continuing one,
and the only effective means of con-
troll is the scientific treatment OF
buildings already infested and pro-
phylactic treatment for these not
yet infested.
Protection Assured
Reilly chemists, who for five years
have been cooperating with the
Termite Investigation Committee in
studying the habits of termites and
seeking effective means for their
control, have developed a product
that assures complete protection
against ternites. This product,
Reilly Transparent Penetrating
Creosote, when properly applied, not
only kills the termites already pres
ent, but also prevents future infes-
tation. If termintes have not yet
infected a building, or if the lum-
Der is not yet infested with fungi,
treatment with Reilly Transparent
Penetrating Creosote will protect it
against attack from both. Distinc-
tive advantages of the Reilly prod
uct are the rapidity with which it
penetrates deeply into the wood,
and the fact that wood treated with
it remains practically unchanged in
color and it's surface is not oily.
The wood may be painted soon
after treatment is completed, and
as the treatment serves to a degree
as filler, a saving of paint results
because less is required to cover
given surface.
Easier to Detect Now
While termites carry on their
work of destruction "a hours a day
the year around, they are easier to
discover at this season of the year,
according to Reilly officials, because
the colonizers, or winged reproduce
tives, may be seen swarming within
or about wooden structures seeking
a location for a new colony.
The worker terr1ite never comes
out into the open, but remains hid
den within the wood. If the winged
termite is seen, it is almost a GER
tainty that the worker termite is
also present. utSide of these fly
ing coionizers, which are often mis-
takenly called flying ants" the
termites give very little indication
of their presence, and are seldom
discovered until after serious dam
age has been done, because they
rarely break through the outer sur
face of the timber in which they
are working, and when they do, they
Immediately patch up the break so
perfectly it can hardly be discerned.
Free inspection of property for
termites is offered through the
Reilly Corp, whose home Offices and
research laboratories are located in
Indianapolis.