For parents who are keen on grammar school as their preferred option for the education of their child at age 11, it can be a dilemma knowing if tutoring them for the 11 plus entry tests is the right option to go down. It also poses questions such as how children can be assisted with preparation through study at home, if tutoring is not a realistic or preferred option and when to start this process of preparation, to ensure that the child is enthused and engaged with the process, not bored and un-motivated when the test day arrives.
Here are a few pieces of advice for parents regarding if, how and when to prepare for the 11 plus.
What format do the Buckinghamshire 11+ tests take?
Your child will take two verbal reasoning tests each of 50 minutes, with each one containing 80 questions. Each question carries 1 mark.
The tests are in multiple choice format containing 21 question types which are all covered at least once across the two papers. The children need to mark one or two answers from a choice of five or six options, depending on the question type. The answer sheets bear a resemblance to lottery number forms and are completed by striking through the appropriate answer box with a pencil.
The child’s highest score in the two tests is called the verbal reasoning test score (VRTS) and children must sit both tests for the score to be valid. The verbal reasoning questions do not relate to national curriculum subject study, rather they are focussed on testing the child’s ability to think through and solve problems through using words, letters and sometimes numbers. The tests also aim to challenge the child’s ability to work fast and accurately under time pressure. Use of rough paper is not permitted while taking the tests.
The bench mark score which children need to achieve is 121 or more in at least one test. If they have attained this score or higher, they have qualified for a grammar school place. About 30% of children usually get a VRTS score of 121 or higher. If your child scores 121 or higher, this does not however guarantee a place at a grammar school. Your child’s school allocation will also depend on the order of preferences when you applied for a secondary school and the schools’ own admission rules.
What will the primary or independent prep school do to prepare my child for the 11 plus?
Bucks County Council provides a familiarization pack for the tests which contains a work book with examples of all types of question and three practice tests of 80 questions. Primary schools will start their limited familiarization lessons with children in the summer term of year 5 and the children will sit the three practice familiarization tests when they return to school in the September of year 6.
The 11 plus test is designed to test a child’s ‘untapped’ potential and it is therefore frowned upon for Buckinghamshire primary schools to do any preparation work with children, in addition to the familiarization above. With the explosion of tutoring companies and resources aimed at practice and learning techniques for parents to give their child a helping hand to ‘pass’ the test, it is difficult to say that those children who now ‘pass’ the test are necessarily those with the ‘natural’ academic ability and potential.
Every parent should ask themselves, before going down the route of tutoring for the 11 plus, is grammar school the right option for my child? If they just scrape in because they have been tutored and done practice tests since they were age 9, are they really going to thrive in a grammar school environment, where they may very well become a little fish in a very big pond and could well be in sets 5 or 6 for a range of subjects? Ask yourself what this might do to their confidence and hence academic progress?
If your child is in a school outside Buckinghamshire, the familiarization pack will be mailed to you at home after registration to sit the tests. Independent Schools will follow their own programme of preparation and practice for the tests, so it is best to ask your individual school.
When should I start to assist my child to prepare for the 11 plus and how can I do this?
The types of questions in the Buckinghamshire 11+ test fall into three broad categories:
Those that require vocabulary skills.
Those that require mental maths skills.
Those that require the ability to identify, copy and complete patterns and codes.
The vocabulary skills and mental maths skills need to be built up over a period of time and are not just a matter of practising technique, but the third category of questions, which relates to patterns and codes, can be taught and practised nearer to the time of the test.
Years 3 and 4
A wide vocabulary and accurate spelling are essential for Verbal Reasoning papers. There is no need to let your child know at this stage that the 11 plus lies ahead, but you can do a great deal to assist them in preparing at this stage, without their knowing this is what you are doing. Always keep it fun!
Reading widely is essential for the development of vocabulary, so make sure that your child spends time each week with their head in a book. Make sure they read a diverse range of books of different types including non-fiction as these will use different vocabulary. It is sometimes best to set a regular time for this within their routine, so it does not get forgotten, for example for 30 minutes before lights out at bedtime. Discuss what they are reading with them, ask them about the story and listen to them read. Comprehension of words is equally important so ask them questions about what they are reading and check that they have understood the words. Make sure they know to stop and ask you about the meaning if they come across a word that they do not understand.
Practice the spelling of words. There are many ways to make this fun by bringing spelling games into your family routine. There are frequently trick questions on Verbal Reasoning papers where a child can be fooled by a variation in the spelling of two words that sound the same. One notorious example from a well-known practice paper is “Wales” and “whales”. Any child who is not aware of the accurate spelling of both words, and is also not secure in knowing that proper nouns (such as the names of countries) are always capitalised can fall foul of such tricks.
You could try the spellathon website. In aid of Mencap, this site has lots of fun activities to practice spelling culminating in the global spelling championships in March 2012. http://www.spellathon.net
Practice times tables up to 12 to get your child used to numbers, basic operations with numbers and their relationships to one another. Setting a few time-based challenges at this stage can be fun and will help them to get used to not having all the time in the world to complete homework tasks.
This is when you should start to think about a plan of activity to build towards the 11 plus test at the start of year 6. If you plan to work with your child at home, try to remember the following:
Start to do some work at home using 11 plus resources. Sit with them at first, to show that you are interested in what they are doing and they have your support and attention.
Praise them for effort as well as for attaining good marks. It is very important to maintain their confidence and interest in the activity.
Make sure that you ‘mark’ or test what they have done, to make sure you are not reinforcing incorrect work or missing a lack of understanding of certain types of question.
Keep an eye on timing as it is no good them getting all of the questions correct if it takes 2 hours to complete what they will have to do in 50 mins in the real test.
Spend some time on examination techniques such as passing on questions that they find too challenging, to allow time to get to the end of the test without missing out on questions they can answer. They can always go back if they have time.
Try to listen to your child read for at least 20 minutes a day. Choose books in addition to what they are reading at school and perhaps devote a bit more time to this at the weekends. Don’t let them skim read, make sure they are not avoiding words they do not understand and encourage them to ask you the meaning whenever this occurs.
What are the objectives of 11 plus preparation activity?
To familiarise your child with the 21 types of question likely to occur in the tests.
To teach your child the techniques necessary to identify and to answer the questions, type by type.
To maximise your child’s test speed and marks by way of timed practice exercises.
To motivate and encourage your child by recording scores achieved, so they can see the progress they are making and hence develop confidence.
Taking all of this into account parents should be able to put together a schedule of planned activity which focuses on:
Practice identifying question types
Guiding your child through the techniques
Setting and marking timed practice exercises
Getting your child used to working in an examination environment, under test conditions and delivering correct answers under time pressures
Completing a personal record table of scores.
Rewarding progress and success. Keep it fun!


Nutritional Guidelines for Teens
Caloric requirements are only the starting point for healthy diets. The quality of one's diet is at least as important as the quantity. In order for parents to provide teens the knowledge and information they need to make healthy food choices, parents themselves must become somewhat familiar with the basics of good nutrition.
Food provides human beings with the essential nutrients that are needed to sustain life. The essential nutrients for humans are: proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, minerals and vitamins, and water. Foods that are high in these essential nutrients are considered high quality foods or nutrient dense. These essential nutrients serve three primary functions: 1) to provide the body energy, 2) to promote the body's healthy growth and development, and 3) to regulate the body's functioning. However, only proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and oils, meet the first function; i.e., to provide the body energy (fuel) via the provision of calories. There are both high quality, healthy sources of these energy-providing nutrients, and low quality, unhealthy sources of these nutrients. In order to develop and maintain optimal health, the majority of food in one's diet should come from these high quality sources of nutrients. Thus, not only do adolescents need to eat the right amount of food, but they also need to eat foods which contain the right type of nutrients, and in the right proportions. Although these dietary principles apply to everyone, dietary considerations are particularly important for adolescents due to rapid physical growth that occurs during this developmental period.
The first type of energy-providing essential nutrients is protein. Proteins are nutrients that build and repair body tissue and are particularly important for the development of muscle mass in growing bodies. However, proteins have other important functions including brain development and brain functioning. In general, youth need between 5 to 7 ounces of protein a day, depending upon their overall daily caloric need. There are both animal and plant sources of proteins. Healthy, high quality animal sources of proteins include: fish, eggs, and lean meats low in saturated fats such as chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of beef and pork. Some dairy products are also good sources of protein such as reduced-fat cheeses (1 to 2 ounces). Plants can also provide high-quality, economical sources of proteins. Legumes (beans) are a good source of protein such as kidney beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), peanuts (a legume, not a nut), white beans, black beans, as well as soybeans and soy products such as tofu, to name but a few. Nuts and seeds (particularly lentils and quinoa) are other good sources of plant protein. However, it may be surprising what a one-ounce portion of protein actually looks like. One egg, one tablespoon of peanut butter, ¼ cup of cooked beans, and ½ ounce of nuts all equal one ounce of protein. Teens can learn to estimate their serving sizes without actually weighing their food. For instance, a three-ounce portion of meat is approximately the same size as a deck of playing cards.
Carbohydrates are the second type of energy-providing essential nutrients and the most efficient form in this regard. Carbohydrates meet the body's immediate need for fuel to perform many functions such as moving, thinking, and learning to name but a few. In recent years, carbohydrates have earned an undeserved, bad reputation. Without carbohydrates the human body will eventually consume its own muscles to produce the energy it needs and if allowed to continued, we would die. Healthy high-quality carbohydrates are found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Grains are the most calorie dense form of carbohydrates followed by fruits, and then vegetables. While everyone needs some carbohydrates to have enough energy to fuel the body, carbohydrates are not all created equal. For instance, sugar, carrots, and whole wheat bread are all carbohydrates. However, whole wheat bread and carrots are vastly superior to sugar because they contain other vital nutrients and fiber; i.e., they are nutrient dense. Therefore everyone needs to make smart choices about which carbohydrates to eat.
In general, teens need between 5 and 10 ounces of grains each day, depending on their overall caloric needs. In general, one ounce of bread is one slice of bread; one cup of breakfast cereal; or ½ cup of rice, pasta, or cooked cereal. The majority of adolescents' grain intake should be whole grains. Whole grain food products are a higher quality source of grains than refined, processed grains because whole grains provide more fiber and contain other essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals). While not technically a nutrient, fiber is important because it enables the body to metabolize carbohydrates more slowly so youth will feel full longer and will have more steady, even supply of energy. The process of refining grains removes the outer shell or bran from the grain, thus reducing or eliminating the natural fiber. Processed, refined grains include foods like white rice, white bread, white pastas, and many cold breakfast cereals made from refined grains. High quality, healthy whole grains include whole-wheat and other whole grain breads, whole-wheat pastas, oatmeal (not instant), barley, and long-grain brown rice.
Fruits and vegetables are another high quality source of carbohydrates that are nutrient dense; i.e., they contain many essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals), and are a good source of fiber. Unfortunately, few youth get enough fresh produce in their daily diet, especially vegetables. Only 13.8% of high school youth report eating the recommended amount of vegetables daily (Eaton, Kann, Kinchen, et al., 2010). In general, youth need 2 to 4 cups of vegetables daily. A one-cup serving of vegetables is about the same as one cup cooked or raw vegetables, 1 cup of vegetable juice, or 2 cups of leafy raw greens. Teens should try to eat a wide variety of colors and types of vegetables to ensure they get all the nutrients they need. As a general guideline, the darker or more vibrant the color, the more nutrients it contains. Dark green and orange vegetables such as spinach, kale, sweet potatoes, and carrots are all good picks. As well, vegetables should be eaten raw or lightly steamed whenever possible because excessive heat can destroy many of the essential nutrients found in vegetables. Fresh or frozen vegetables are usually a better choice than canned vegetables because heat during the canning process can destroy essential nutrients.
Like vegetables, fruits are a high quality source of carbohydrates that are nutrient dense but they are also more calorie dense. In general, teens need 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups of fruit a day, and only 33.9% of your report consuming enough fruit daily (Eaton, Kann, Kinchen, et al., 2010). One cup of fruit equals roughly one cup fresh fruit, one cup canned fruit, 1 cup 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup dried fruit. The brighter-colored fruits tend to have more nutritional value. Strawberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, and oranges are all wonderful sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fresh fruits also have fiber that can be absent from fruit juices or other processed fruit products. As well, fruit juice products, canned fruits, and dried fruits often contain added sugar which offers little nutritional value.
Fats and oils are the third type of energy-providing essential nutrients and the most calorie dense form. Fats are essential because certain vitamins are fat-soluble meaning they can only be absorbed and transported in the body via fat molecules. Fats also help to protect our immune system, help to maintain a proper body temperature, and help to maintain healthy cellular functioning. Because fats are so calorie dense, only a small amount is needed for optimal health. Adolescences need approximately 5-10 teaspoons a day, depending on their overall caloric needs. Like carbohydrates and proteins, there are high-quality, healthy fat choices, and low-quality, unhealthy choices. Saturated fats (found primarily in animal sources of proteins), and trans fat (found in many packaged food products such as crackers, cookies, cakes) are generally considered unhealthy and should be limited or avoided altogether. Healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) are those fats that promote neurological and cardiovascular health. These healthy fats are found fish, particularly wild salmon; vegetable oils, particularly olive and canola oils; and nuts and seeds.
You may recall at the beginning of this section we mentioned that vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients along with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and water. In a healthy, varied, and balanced diet, grains, fruits, and vegetables provide these vitamins and minerals. However, calcium is a mineral that deserves special mention because it is particularly important for adolescents to receive adequate amounts of calcium. During these years of rapid growth and development, the body needs calcium to build strong bones and teeth. As well, teenage bones and the bones of young adults still absorb calcium like a sponge. An adequate amount of calcium during these critical periods is believed to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. On average, teens need 1300 milligrams of calcium each day, which equates to about 3 cups of dairy products. Dairy products are a very good source of calcium but also contain high levels of unhealthy, saturated fats. Therefore, dairy products should be fat-free or reduced-fat products. One cup of dairy equals one cup of milk, one cup of yogurt, 1.5 ounces of natural cheese, or 2 ounces of processed cheese. One ounce of cheese is about the same size as four playing dice. While dairy products are perhaps the most common way to get adequate calcium there are also plant-based sources of calcium particularly broccoli, spinach, almonds, figs, oranges, and papaya.
The last and perhaps most critical of the essential nutrients is water. The blood, muscles, lungs and brain contain a lot of water. In fact, it is estimated our bodies are composed of approximately 70% water and we will die much more quickly without water than we would without food. Water transports nutrients, protects the joints and organs, is necessary for the elimination of waste, and helps to maintain core body temperature. Teens should be drinking water throughout the day. However, many youth receive the water they need in the form of sweet drinks such as juice, soda pop, so-called sports drinks, or other sweet beverages. By decreasing their consumption of plain, healthy water they increase their consumption of unhealthy amounts of sodium (salt) and sugars in all its various forms (sugar, corn syrup, fructose, etc). In order to encourage your teen to get enough water, it should be convenient and readily available. It is often simpler to pop open a nice cold can of soda, than to get a glass, fill it with ice, and then fill it with water. A glass of water is also not particularly portable. A healthy and environmentally-friendly option is to buy several plastic water bottles with caps and to re-fill them with tap or filtered water and store them in the refrigerator. These bottles can be carried to school, to sports practice, or consumed on-the-run. As we will see in the next section, the key to making healthy choices is often as simple as making healthy options convenient and readily available.


Controlling Rats and Mice in Swine Facilities
Publish Date: April 4, 2012
Rats and mice can be a major economic threat around swine facilities. They consume and contaminate feed and cause feed losses through the gnawing of holes in feed sacks and wooden bins. They also have been implicated in maintaining or spreading diseases.
An Overview of Rodent Control for Commercial Pork Production Operations
Publish Date: June 3, 2006
The house mouse (Mus musculus), Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), and roof rat (Rattus rattus) are common pests in and around livestock and farm facilities. Overall, the house mouse is the primary rodent pest for most confined farrow-to-finish operations. Norway rats and roof rats may affect both confinement operations as well outdoor operations such as hoop facilities, and pasture lot operations. Roof rats occupy the coastal areas of Washington, Oregon, and California, as well as a larger area along the Gulf and Atlantic Coast states from Texas east to Maryland. Roof rats are not established in the mid-western states.


Detail from an Offering Scene
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
On View: Old Kingdom to 18th Dynasty, Egyptian Galleries, 3rd Floor
Originally this relief fragment belonged to a depiction of an offering bearer carrying three pintail ducks to the king. Amunemhat I used many Old Kingdom royal reliefs in the construction of his pyramid complex at Lisht, so it is sometimes difficult to distinguish reliefs made during his reign from original Old Kingdom works. Certain details of this exquisite fragment— particularly the elegant sweep of the duck’s wing and the unnatural bend of the servant’s fingers—suggest a Middle Kingdom date.
ca. 1938-1909 B.C.E. or earlier
Dynasty 12, or earlier
18 1/16 x 9 3/16 in., 24.4 lb. (45.8 x 23.3 cm, 11.07kg) (show scale)
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
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Detail from an Offering Scene, ca. 1938-1909 B.C.E. or earlier. Limestone, pigment, 18 1/16 x 9 3/16 in., 24.4 lb. (45.8 x 23.3 cm, 11.07kg). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 52.130.2. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 52.130.2_version4_PS9.jpg)
overall, 52.130.2_version4_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015
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Fragment of limestone tomb relief. At left, portion of standing male servant holding in extended hands three pintail ducks. Below, cage or container with four geese. Fine workmanship.
Condition: Broken into two pieces. Upper right surface gouged. Slight remains of brown and yellow paint on bodies of birds; fragments of red paint on man’s body.
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Forest Peoples Programme E-Newsletter July 2011
The challenge of climate change has injected new energy – and funding – into forest policy-making. Ever since the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed the need to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), there have been sustained calls by indigenous peoples and concerned NGOs, that forest peoples’ rights must be secured as part of this initiative. Texts agreed in Cancun accept that REDD must respect human rights and ensure the effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, and funders must ‘safeguard’ these principles and ensure countries observe their international obligations. A new funder of REDD schemes, the Global Environment Facility has been persuaded to take more time developing its new safeguard policies to ensure consistency with these obligations.
Most of the articles in this newsletter focus on the battle to put these commitments into practice. In Peru, voluntary REDD schemes in Madre de Dios and San Martin are proliferating without adequately taking rights into consideration. Indigenous peoples insist that their rights to their forests must be secured first before areas are allocated to conservation schemes, otherwise they will be excluded. A guest article from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation sets out their concerns with a similar challenge in Canada. In Cameroon, a study by FPP and partners shows that protected areas linked with REDD funding have been designed without adequate consultation. Although both the World Bank and WWF protest that it is too early to make this charge, we contend that prior engagement with and consent from rights-holders is required by international law. Indeed, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples notes that ‘low-carbon development strategies’, such as dam-building programmes in Costa Rica, by avoiding meaningful consultation and adequate impact studies, are seriously compromising indigenous peoples’ rights and undermining their right to self-determination. In Peru, sustained advocacy by indigenous organisations has secured commitments from the government and the World Bank to provide additional readiness funds to address land tenure issues.
Building up the capacity of local communities and indigenous peoples to engage in these policy debates is a crucial part of this work. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we are working with local partners in Equateur Province to raise awareness about rights and REDD. In Uganda, DRC and Rwanda, FPP is helping Batwa communities to make 3-dimensional maps of their forest lands to show what these forests, from which Batwa have been excluded by protected areas, mean to them. Participatory map-making helps knit together communities and demonstrates to younger generations the value and relevance of the traditional knowledge of their elders. FPP and partners are now working with the IUCN to establish a new approach, dubbed the ‘Whakatane Mechanism’, to ensure protected areas respect indigenous peoples’ rights. We announce also an upcoming workshop on Gender and Land Tenure in Africa, taking place in Cameroon, to review how national land tenure laws need revising to meet each country’s international human rights obligations.
Getting forest peoples’ rights effectively recognised and protected requires mobilisation and advocacy at all levels from the very local to the most global. We go forwards energised by the vigour in this shared endeavour.
Marcus Colchester, Director, Forest Peoples Programme
Read more content like this
- Forest and Nature for Society (FONASO) programme announced 8-10 PhD positions- deadline November 1st 2011
- Job vacancies: Forest Peoples Programme is recruiting for 2 job vacancies
- Forest Peoples Programme (FPP)
- EMPLOYMENT: ODI Programme Officer- Climate, Environment and Forests Programme
- Questionnaire by UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples- Deadline 1 May 2011


Precious and coveted jewelry items, which have become the object of a prosperous and profitable industry today, pearls are, above all, nature’s creations. Nothing could have existed – neither the jewelry, nor the metaphors involving the pearl, nor the millions of dollars – if the natural process had not existed first: some species of mollusks acquired, during evolution, the ability to isolate a foreign object, penetrated their body, by surrounding it with layers of mother of pearl and thus rendering it harmless. Does it sound boring? Not at all, it’s all so fascinating. The result of this normal physiological defense process is the magnificent composition called a pearl.
The genesis of a pearl begins with a banal – and unpleasant – fact. One day, a fragment of foreign organic matter or a parasite reaches the body of the mollusk; or an accidental injury causes a tissue fragment in the lining to reach another part of the body. Tired of this intruder, of which it can’t get rid of easily (it’s not just like some pebble that gets stuck in a shoe), the mollusk has learned, over time (hundreds of millions of years to be more precise) a proper method to mitigate the disturbing sensation: it covers the foreign object with layers and layers of a smooth, calcareous matter, thus isolating it and rendering it harmful, transforming it into an inert, rounded, less irritating formation for soft tissues and which, even if it can’t be eliminated, at least it’s easier to bear.
Most mollusks possess this defense mechanism so that most can produce calcareous formations of different shapes, which can be considered pearls in a very broad sense of the term. Most of them have no commercial value – they are small limestone formations without an attractive appearance, without gloss, and they are of interest only to scientists or collectors, as curiosities of nature.
What we call a “pearl” as jewelry – silky and glossy formations – are produced by a small number of bivalve mollusks (“oysters”, as they are popularly called) that have the particularity of secreting a material with a special structure, which also forms inside the shell: the mother of pearl. The same material is used by the oyster to insulate the irritating foreign objects, thus protecting the pearl.
What is pearl farming?
Pearl farming can be defined as the industry responsible to produce pearls through the grafting of pearl oysters and thus producing cultured pearls. Cultured pearls make up almost all the pearls sold on the market today.
Just like any other type of culture, pearl farming depends on environmental conditions and luck. Sometimes pearl farmers can obtain a very good yield and sometimes they may lose all their oysters, or the quality of the harvested pearls is not as good as it should be to have a high commercial value. Severe storms, excessive heat, and water pollution are just some of the factors that can influence the result of a pearl oyster culture and unfortunately, farmers can’t avoid these risks even with all the prevention measures they take.
In the past, oysters were simply collected from the ocean and people used to look for pearls and finding a natural pearl rarely happened. Now, modern pearl farming involves farmers growing their oysters on special farms. The sperm and eggs of high-quality oysters are collected and so a new generation of oyster larvae is created. The larvae float freely in the water until they are a few weeks old and they attached themselves to collectors. Collectors are used because, in the wild, oysters attach themselves to rocks or other formations during their growing phase.
The larvae are then moved into a controlled environment where they grow until they turn into baby oysters and are tended until they are 1-2 years old and they can be nucleated. The nucleation process differs depending on the type of oysters. Saltwater oysters are nucleated by using a bead made from mother of pearl surrounded by some mantle tissue from a donor oyster. The bead is placed in the gonad. Freshwater oysters are usually nucleated without using a bead. The mantle tissue is placed in the mantle of the gonad and the process can be done on both sizes. Freshwater oysters can produce up to 24-32 pearls per culturing cycle.
After nucleating, some oysters may reject the implanted foreign object and can even die. However, most of them will recover after the procedure and start forming the pearl.
Eco-friendly pearl farming
Because of the rudimentary practices used in the past for pearl harvesting, some mollusk species came to the point of being extinct. The over-exploitation of oysters and mollusks stocks was very damaging for the marine life. For example, the so-called “pearl rush” that happened during the 19th century on the Mississippi River led to a decreasing of the oyster stock near to extinction. Millions of oysters were killed during the process not only because of the hunt for pearls but also because the shells were used to make buttons and other decorative objects.
Therefore, an eco-friendly approach was necessary. Pearl farming has developed as a stand-alone industry, in which pearl oysters are specially grown for harvesting pearls and the harvesting process itself is done with much more care. Also, instead of simply disposing of the oysters after harvesting, some farmers have found ways to make use of the meat of the oysters, which is usually consumed locally. Unfortunately, pearl oyster species are not in demand on the fresh oyster meat market so it’s difficult to find a purpose for the oysters that need to be sacrificed after harvesting, but it’s not impossible.
Eco-friendly pearl farming is possible where pristine and thriving ecosystems exist because the water quality is the main factor that influences the high pearl yield as it provides the oysters with the necessary nutrients for healthy growth. Unsustainable oyster stock densities harm the environment, so pearl farming needs to be done with good measure, depending on the environmental conditions. Otherwise, the marine life can be affected as much as it would be from pollution or human impact.
When good pearl farming practices are used, it can have a beneficial impact on the environment, even considering the biodiversity threats faced by the oceans and rivers on our planet. Pearl oyster farms contribute to the healthy development of many fish species, which can help sustain biodiversity and provide nutrients for the oysters. It’s a win-win situation both for the pearl farms and for marine life. Fish consume the encrusted organisms that are accumulated on the shells of the oysters and smaller fish can also use them as hiding places from other natural predators.
Not only the environmental impact can be a beneficial one, but pearl farming also has a positive impact on local economies. It provides job opportunities for locals and they will not need to rely so much on other activities such as fishing. Pearl farmers also need to take care of the environment where they grow their oysters whether they like it or not because a healthy environment is a key to harvesting high-quality pearls.
Natural pearls vs. fake pearls
A natural pearl is made up of concentric layers of aragonite, a form of calcium carbonate crystallized in the form of hexagonal plates, with a thickness of 0.5 microns, consolidated by thin layers of a protein called conchiolin.
Naturally formed pearls, following the accidental penetration of a foreign object into the shell of the oysters, are rarely found, hence the exorbitant prices for which they are traded.
In the 20th century, when the foundations of industrial-type production were laid, the pearl market was flooded with cultured pearls, much cheaper than the “wild” ones. Pearl farming is based on a combination between human intervention and the natural process of depositing the layers of mother of pearl around a foreign object, the human intervention consisting in the introduction into the soft tissues of the oyster of that foreign body.
Cultured pearls, even if produced in large quantities, are not, however, easy to obtain. Oysters need years to make a pearl – the more years, the bigger the pearl. Only about 5% of the cultured pearls are of high quality, having almost perfect sphericity and iridescent gloss that make them suitable for use in the luxury jewelry industry. Natural pearls can be distinguished from those of culture by X-ray examination.
Large quantities of pearl imitations, made by technological processes, not grown in mussels, circulate on the market. Some are made of other natural materials (such as pieces of mother of pearl from shells and sanded as spherical beads); others, such as the so-called Majorica pearls, are glass spheres covered with several layers of oriental essence – a mixture that contains, among other things, fish scales that give the glossy appearance, in an attempt to mimic the appearance of true pearls.
A small number of oyster species produce pearls of commercial value and are therefore grown on pearl farms:
- Marine species of the genus Pinctada – approximately 6 commonly exploited species; they live in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, in the warm regions of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans.
- Species of the genus Pteria, also marine – a pearl shell usually produces a single pearl at a time.
- Freshwater oyster species of the genus Hyriopsis (in Asia) and Amblema (in North America); in these species, a single shell can produce several pearls at once – even over 20.
Another species historically known for the beautiful pearls it produces (and from which it also received its scientific name) is Margaritifera margaritifera, a freshwater shell from Europe and North America, unfortunately, threatened with extinction and becoming today the object of some protection programs.
Different species produce pearls of different shades – from white to yellow-gold (in the Philippines), from pink to dark-gray, very expensive, known as “Tahitian black pearls”.
Obtaining pearls through pearl farming
Currently, cultured pearls are obtained, in broad lines, by two processes: one that uses only tissue fragments inserted in the oyster, often obtaining pearls of irregular shape; another in which, next to the tissue fragment, a small round bead is inserted, around which the oyster will deposit the mother of pearl, the result being a pearl closer to the spherical shape – the most precious in the jewelry industry.
Occasionally, beads of another form are used, which the oysters cover with mother of pearl, resulting in cultured pearls with more unusual patterns.
Pearl farms exist especially in Asian countries, both for freshwater and “sea” pearls.
The nucleated oysters are raised in water, using some nets. After 2-5 years from nucleating – depending on the species and the type of pearls pursued – they are removed and taken to the harvesting room. Here they are carefully “operated” by removing the pearls, and then the surviving oysters can be sown again and put back into the water, for a new production cycle.
The method has a very good yield, unlike the primitive method used for centuries to harvest natural pearls. Millions of oysters gathered from the sea were brutally opened, with knives (and thus killed), to find a pearl – which rarely happened.
Pearls obtained from marine pearl farms, raised in lagoons or bays, are more expensive than freshwater ones, for an objective reason: a marine pearl shell can be seeded with only a single piece of tissue (which triggers the formation process), attached to a small polished sphere, made of oyster shells will, therefore, produce a single pearl.
In contrast, freshwater pearl oysters are more productive: multiple seeding will result in the formation of more pearls in the same shell. Approximately 90% of the pearls marketed today are cultured pearls, the market is dominated by freshwater pearls obtained in China.
The most valuable pearls come from the Bahrain area and the Persian Gulf, but high-quality pearls are also obtained from the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific, and more specifically: India, Australia, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, and Venezuela.
One of the largest producers of natural cultured pearls is Japan. The first cultured pearls were obtained in 1898, but they were only patented in 1907 by two Japanese, Mikimoto Kokichi and Tokichi Nishikawa. Interestingly, the two made these discoveries simultaneously, but without knowing of each other or knowing the works that each develops.
There are also natural freshwater pearls, produced inside the oysters that live in North Europe, North America or China. The most valuable freshwater pearls come from the United States and were discovered by English colonists. These were worn by the natives of the Ohio, Mississippi and Tennessee regions. Some of these pearls were so perfect that they could easily be mistaken for Asian saltwater pearls.
Not only oysters make pearls
Although the most popular, appreciated and marketed pearls are those produced by the aforementioned oysters, there are still some species of mollusks – this time snails – that produce less common pearls, rarely used, but which have aesthetic and even commercial value, for those who know how to value them.
The pearls of these snails are not, in general, pearls, but they have a very special appearance – they are made of porcelain, with a fine gloss and in delicate colors – pastel shades of yellow, pink or orange.
And as we live in a world passionate about records, you may want to know which is the biggest pearl found so far. Well, for a long time it was a huge white pearl (but without a glossy shine, more porcelain-like) “born” from a huge oyster (of the species Tridacna gigas) and weighing 6.4 kilograms.
It was found in the US, being the private property of several people, the descendants of those who bought it from the heirs of its first American owner – a certain Wilburn Cobb, who in his turn brought it from the Philippines in 1939 and died in 1979.
The pearl – known as “Lao Tzu’s pearl” – has a captivating legend, that it was raised in China and reached this size because over 2,500 years, it has been successfully transferred from one oyster to another. There are some claims that the legends were just stories created by Cobb and the pearl wasn’t even a “real” pearl after all.
However, that record was broken by a pearl found on the coast of Palawan Island, in the Philippines by a local fisherman. The pearl weighs almost 34 kilograms and was valued in 2016 at 100 million US dollars.
It has no value to a jeweler – who could wear such a thing? – but it’s nonetheless extremely precious and it is an impressive testimony of what nature can do, in terms of oysters and pearls.


Medic students use robot for hands-on childbirth practice
The robot can be programmed to experience a range of delivery scenarios
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Connecticut college paramedic students are getting hands-on experience delivering babies with the help of a robot.
The New Hampshire Register reported students in the program at the University of New Haven have been working with Victoria, an electronically advanced robot that can be programmed to present the students with a range of childbirth scenarios.
Victoria Gaumard, made by Gaumard Scientific of Miami, can be operated by instructors from a computer in a separate room. The robot is equipped with fake amniotic fluid, blood and a baby that can be set to be born normally, breech or in other less common presentations. It also provides students with a traumatic episiotomy and can be programmed to respond to drug injections and epidurals.
“She’s as realistic as you can get at this time,” said William Seward, a paramedic and EMT with West Shore, a member of the UNH faculty and a simulation technician.
The baby can be programmed to cover various scenarios as well.
“We can program the baby to not cry when it comes out, to not breathe so it can be an emergent situation,” said Seward.
Logan Marsh, a junior and an EMT who has witnessed a birth in the field, said dealing with Victoria is a little different than in real-life.
“It was significantly quieter. There’s a lot more going on,” Marsh said.
Paul Clini, a faculty member and paramedic, said Victoria gives students the opportunity to learn in a realistic situation without endangering a patient if they make mistakes.
“Oftentimes it’s a test for them to see how they do on their own without any instructor involvement,” said Clini. “We can critique it with them.”
David Tauber, EMS education coordinator, said the students spend half of their non-classroom time with various robots.
“These manikins have brought the training we give our students above and beyond anything we had in our classes,” said Seward.
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PART G - DEVELOPING THE COMBINED OBSTACLES OVERLAY
For this step in the IPB process, a map is no longer needed. Terrain factors have
been lifted off a map and developed further. A map substitute has been created.
The remaining uncolored areas represent where a force can move, shoot, and
The combined obstacles overlay combines all weather and terrain induced obstacles
to permit more detailed analysis.
Combined Obstacles Overlay.
The overlay integrates all obstacles into one display. This simplifies analysis of
avenues of approach and MCs. All obstacles are cross-hatched and the blank areas
are where forces can move.
The effect of weather on mobility cannot be ignored.
The combined obstacles
overlay reflects average weather/terrain conditions.
Obstacles canalize cross-
Excessive precipitation will affect soil density, river stages, and visibility.
Normal SLO-GO conditions might be connected to NO-GO conditions which would affect


Water pipes left over from disappeared houses in Washaway Beach, Washington state. If you count carefully you can see that 4 rows of houses have disappeared.
Photo: Orrin Pilkey
- Low tides and high tides
- Spring tides and neap tides
- Storm surges
- Climate change and sea levels
- How is sea level rise measured?
Low tides and high tides
Most people are familiar with the terms low tide and high tide and know that the reference is to where the water is on the beach, either low or high. Water levels change as the result of the gravitational pull of the moon and sun on the oceans’ waters. When an ocean is directly underneath the moon, the water will mound up under the gravitational pull of the moon. On the opposite side of the planet, the ocean’s surface also will bulge as a result of the combination of less lunar gravity plus the rotational force of the earth. These two bulges are the high tides, and in between where the water is correspondingly depressed the tides are low.
The moon will pass any point once every 24 hours and 50 minutes, which causes that point to experience two high tides and two low tides each day. Since the moon passes with that extra 50 minutes every day, the timing of the tides at any beach will shift by an hour or so every day. Daily changes in sea level are caused by the lunar tides. In North Carolina, the difference between high and low tide levels hovers around three feet. In other parts of the world the tides may differ by as little as one foot to as much as 40 feet. In Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, winds affect water level more than lunar tides.
Spring tides and neap tides
The moon and sun pass the earth in different positions throughout the year. For this reason, the height of the local tides changes from time to time. The maximums are called spring tides, when the tidal range on a beach is the greatest. This maximum happens when the moon is either full or new. The minimum or neap tide occurs when the moon is in its first or third quarters. The spring tide at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, is typically six feet and the neap tide is two feet. Depending on the orientation and position of a shoreline, it may experience different numbers and heights of tides. In many parts of the world, the tides are semidiurnal, meaning there are two high tides of approximately the same height and two low tides of roughly the same height each day.
Sea level changes over the short term in a variety of ways. Storms blowing ashore cause the level of the sea to rise for hours at a time or winds blowing offshore may cause the level of the sea to temporarily drop. Seasonal wind patterns (i.e., winter/summer differences) or changes related to El Niño can cause rises or falls in sea level that last several months. The most spectacular short-term rises in sea level occur during big storms. The high water levels caused by a storm are called storm surges, which is known to raise the shoreline water levels of some areas over 20 feet! Such a rise is the result of the combined effects of low atmospheric pressure, mounding due to the circular wind and surface currents moving about the center of the storm, and the piling up of water as it is pushed from the deep ocean into shallow nearshore waters. Storm surge carries sand (and buildings) landward as it comes ashore, and sweeps the same seaward on its ebb as the storm moves away and the wind reverses direction.
Climate change and sea levels
Over the last 3 million years, sea level around the world has repeatedly risen and fallen by over 300 feet. When ice covers the extreme northern and southern portions of the continents, sea level is low, and when glaciers and ice caps melt, sea level is high. North Carolina’s coastline has been as far out as the edge of the continental shelf during low sea level, and over 75 miles inland from the present coastline during periods of high sea level. The last low sea level was around 18,000 years ago. The continental glaciers then melted and sea level approached its present position around 5,000 years ago. Throughout that time span, beaches were always present along the landward retreating shoreline.
Sea level has continued to rise very slowly over the last 5000 years. In part, this was because the weight of the water on the continental shelf (formerly high and dry) is causing coastal land to sink. About 100 years ago the rate of rise accelerated as the result of a number of coinciding events probably related to the Greenhouse Effect although it is important to note that the connection of global warming and the greenhouse effect is still controversial. There is however no question that global warming is occurring. Global warming is increasing the temperature of the oceans. Warmer water expands and takes up more space than cooler water, so the present rise in sea level is partially due to warmer water. Global warming also is melting mountain glaciers all over the world and adding water to the ocean. These processes lead to higher sea levels. When sea level rises, the beach must adjust by shifting landward and slightly upward.
How is sea level rise measured?
Tide gauges provide the best record of sea level as it fluctuates daily, annually, and over decades and centuries. From the longest viewpoint and as an example, sea level along the North Carolina shore in the United States is rising at about one to one and one half feet per century. This number is obtained by taking the average level of the sea surface each year as determined by tide gauges. This rate may not be an impressive number, but considering that the slope of the Coastal Plains (the mainland behind the beaches) there averages around a one foot increase in elevation for every 2000 feet of horizontal distance (1/2000), a one-foot-per-century sea level rise becomes very significant. In theory each foot of rise should push the regional shoreline back an average of 2000 feet (Fig. 1.5). But it’s never quite that simple. Other factors influence the sea level rise such as storm surges, high and low tides, and wind.
Figure 1.5. Relation between sea-level rise and the gentle slope of the coastal plain, showing why a rise of one-and-a-half feet per century (the rate in North Carolina) is very significant. The average slope of the lower coastal plain here is 1:2,000 (for every one foot in elevation there is a two-thousand-foot horizontal distance), which means that, in theory at least, for every one foot of sea-level rise there should be two thousand feet of shoreline retreat. (Adapted from Pilkey et al., The North Carolina Shore and Its Barrier Islands . Drawing: Amber Taylor


Eastern Subterranean Termites: workers and soldier
Termites are unique insects. Unlike most other insects, they feed on wood and live in large colonies. This ability to consume wood makes them among the most important structural insect pests in the Northwest.1 There is no question that the thought of thousands of hungry insects consuming the structure of your house is frightening. Fortunately, you can take pesticide-free steps to help prevent termite damage to your house. If you already have an infestation, take time to make an informed decision about how to proceed.
Benefits of Termites
Subterranean termites are an important part of the world's ecosystems. Termites' recycling of wood and other plant material is crucial. Their soil tunnels help plant health by adding nutrients to the soil and making it more porous.2 This knowledge is probably not much consolation when termites are recycling parts of your house.
Signs of Subterranean Termite Infestation
Finding shelter tubes is a sure sign of past or current subterranean termite presence. Timely discovery of tubes on foundation walls, piers, sills or joists can help you head off further damage.1 Shelter tubes should be broken and removed when possible. This will interrupt termite access to your house. Broken shelter tubes will also allow ants to attack the colony.2
Swarms of winged termites emerging inside the home are a good indication of an infestation. Indoors, they do no harm and can be vacuumed up. Swarms emerging from the base of the foundation or adjoining porches and patios are also likely related to structural infestation.3
Preventing conditions such as rot in structural wood or wood in contact with soil can deter a termite attack.1 According to Washington State University, such steps can help to prevent structural infestations in many cases.1 Make your house unattractive to termites by following these recommendations:1,2
- Make sure no wooden parts of your house are in contact with soil.
- Underneath your house, any wood should be at least 12 inches above the soil.
- Remove tree stumps, stored lumber, fence posts, wood debris, and buried scrap wood near your home. Include your crawl space if you have one.
- Stack firewood so that it is not in contact with siding or other wood parts of your house.
- Repair leaky pipes and dripping faucets. Be careful not to overwater near your house.
- Make sure downspouts carry water away from your house.
- Check for stucco siding that touches the ground, a condition that makes buildings particularly susceptible to infestation.
- Create good ventilation for better moisture control under the house. Vents in foundation walls provide better air circulation in crawl spaces than those placed between joists. Keep vent screens clean. Trim shrubs that are blocking your foundation vents.
Sand grains of the correct size (called 16 grit; with a diameter of 0.06 to 0.1 inches) can be used as a termite barrier because termites are unable to dig through or move sand grains of that size. A field test in northern California showed that installing a sand barrier 18 inches wide and 3 inches deep in crawl spaces along the inside of the foundation wall effectively stopped termites. For long-term success, these researchers recommended careful installation of the barrier and regular monitoring.4 Other particle sizes (10 to 16 grit) may also be effective.2
Sand barriers have been used successfully under concrete slabs. They are installed during construction before the slab is poured.4
Stainless steel mesh can also be a successful termite barrier.5 These mesh barriers are installed during construction or remodeling and are currently commercially available in Florida, Texas, and Hawaii.6
When replacing lumber in structures, consider using wood that is more resistant to termite attack. For example, for wood used in the West, Douglas fir is more resistant to damage than hemlock or spruce. The University of California's termite factsheet presents a table of the relative resistance of lumber to termites.1
Least-Toxic Chemical Wood Treatments
Treated wood is often recommended for preventing termite damage. If you decide to use treated consider choosing borates, a chemical family that includes boric acid and borax. While wood treatments are toxic to termites and can discourage establishment of new colonies, regular inspection of the house is still needed because termites can reach untreated wood by constructing shelter tubes over treated surfaces.2
Pressure treated wood is usually recommended for use on foundations or on wood that is in soil contact. Wood treated with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (a borate) is the least-toxic choice among pressure treatments.2
Wood treatments may also be painted or sprayed on exposed wood underneath the house, assuming that there's crawl space access. Borate products, such as Bora-care, are the least-toxic choice.2 Bora-Care inhibits digestive enzymes, causing insects such as termites to starve. In a 2006 study by the Florida Department of Agriculture,7 Bora-Care’s efficacy was monitored for five years at 27 sites where termites were present. Only one of 27 structures (~4%) showed evidence of infestation within the 5 years following treatment with Bora-Care. While fumigation chemicals will dissipate after use, Bora-Care remains inside the wood to prevent future termite infestations.
No Need to Rush
You do not need to rush into a decision about how to deal with a subterranean termite infestation (unless your house is on the market.) Termite infestations develop over years and wood damage occurs slowly.8 Taking time to make an informed decision will not make a significant difference in the amount of damage.3
Making an Informed Decision
Most homeowners who find subterranean termite infestations opt to use a chemical treatment to protect their home, In addition to taking protective measures. The two basic chemical treatments — soil application and bait stations — differ dramatically in the amount of pesticides used. A soil treatment may use hundreds of gallons of liquid termiticide. By contrast, bait stations employ small amounts that are confined in bait stations.6
NCAP does not recommend using pesticides. If you feel that pesticide use is unavoidable, however, consider using termite baits that offer the advantage of using only small amounts of pesticide.
In either case, termite products should be applied by a pesticide control company. Interview companies about their experience and get references. Check for complaints with appropriate state agencies or business bureaus. Look for an established firm with experienced technicians.3
Chemical Control Methods
Understanding the basics of chemical treatments can help you make an informed choice. You can also learn about the toxicity of the chemicals to be used for termite control.
Fumigation chemicals can have lasting detrimental effects to people, especially those with compromised immune systems, pets, wildlife and the environment. After the fumigation process is completed, toxic gases get released into the air from the home. One of these gases, sulfuryl fluoride, contributes to climate change.
Liquid termiticides are applied to soil along the foundation, both outside and under the house, around supporting piers, and under concrete slabs. The goal is to have an uninterrupted barrier. Some barrier termiticides work by repelling termites, while other newer chemicals are toxic to termites, killing them as they tunnel through. Treatments are supposed to last five years. However, it can be difficult to create an unbroken barrier and termites can slip through very small, untreated gaps.3
Some pest control companies now have botanical oil options available for treating termites. D-limonene, a compound found in orange oil, is marketed as an effective treatment for drywood termites. Neem oil is used for subterranean termites to prevent molting and multiplying. Both would need to come in direct contact with or be ingested by the termites. No published scientific studies have yet been conducted on botanical oils and termites, so NCAP cannot speak to the effectiveness of botanical oils at this time. (Read more about orange oil and termites in the IPM Practitioner here.)
With baits, plastic cylinders or stakes are installed in the ground at fixed intervals around the house and yard. Initially, wood is usually placed inside to attract foraging termites. Periodic inspections by the pest control company determine when termites are present. At that point, the wood is replaced with termiticide-laced cardboard or other attractive material. Bait stations may also be placed above ground over an active shelter tubes or directly over infested wood, drywall, etc. The chemical baits are slow-acting poisons that get taken back to the nest and passed along to other termites.7
Suppression of termite populations with baits can take longer than liquid treatments because of the time needed for termites to "find" the bait stations. This can vary widely by location for reasons that are not well understood.8 Adding extra stations can boost the likelihood of bait stations being found. Time of year can also affect success; termites are more active in spring through fall.
Baiting may be more expensive than conventional barrier treatments because of the need for monitoring and re-baiting, not just in the initial stages but also in subsequent years. However, baits have the potential to affect multiple nesting sites including those outside the house.3
Non-Chemical Methods that Don't Work
Subterranean termites cannot be controlled by extreme temperatures such as heating and freezing or by electrocution devices.2
Termites or Ants?
You may already suspect that you have termites in your house. You'll need to decide if the insects you've found are really termites. Termites and ants are often confused. Take a careful look at the antennae and "waist." Ants have elbowed antennae and narrow waists while termites have straight antennae and thick waists. Both ants and termites are occasionally winged, but termite wings are unique because the front and the hind wings are the same size.1
Next you'll need to decide which termite is causing your problem, because managing different termites requires different techniques.
Three groups of termites — dampwood, drywood, and subterranean — are found in the United States, and they share certain characteristics. They are social insects that sometimes live in extensive colonies. Different "castes," such as soldiers and workers, differ somewhat in size and appearance. Periodically, new queens and kings (reproductives) swarm out of an established nest, flying to find a new nesting site.2
Dampwood termites, are mostly found in the Pacific Northwest and California.2 They live in very moist wood (not soil), including beach houses located in cool humid areas. These large termites are 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. Winged reproductives can exceed 1 inch in length including the wings.1 Dampwood termites found in Florida are only incidental pests of structures.4
Drywood termites are found across the southernmost part of the Unites States as well as part way up both the east and west coasts.9 They nest entirely above ground and don't require soil contact or much moisture.2</sup They are visibly larger than subterranean termites.2
Eastern Subterranean Termites: winged reproductives
Subterranean termites are found throughout the United States (except Alaska), with the highest concentration found in the South.9 Subterranean termites are small. The grayish-white workers are 3/16 inch long. The winged reproductives are dark brown to brownish black and are about 3/8 inch long, including wings. The soldiers, with grayish white bodies, cream-colored heads, and black jaws, are about ¼ inch long.1
Subterranean termites require moist conditions and nest in or near the soil. They feed on wood that is in contact with soil or else they construct shelter tubes that extend from the soil to reach above ground wood. The tubes are made of soil mixed with bits of wood or other materials. These mud tubes help the termites stay moist and offer protection from predators.2
Swarms of winged reproductive termites may be seen on warm sunny days in the spring or fall after a rain. After settling on the ground, they shed their wings and then pair up to mate. Most don't survive long enough to establish a colony.3
The Living With Bugs website has a map of the United States showing areas of subterranean and drywood termite infestations.9
To minimize termite problems in your home, regular inspections are important. Hiring a qualified professional is probably advisable.2 If you choose to do it yourself, you'll need to inspect structural wood near your foundation and crawl space, if your house has one. Wear gloves, coveralls, and a hat. Use a sharp pick or screwdriver to test for damaged beams, joists, and sills. Wood damaged by subterranean termites may be dark or blistered and is easily punctured. Look for shelter tubes on foundation walls and other surfaces.1
For expert advice tailored to your pest or weed issues, check out our sliding scale Pest and Weed Management Consultation services.
- Antonelli, A.L. 2002. Termites: Biology, prevention, and control. Washington State Univ. Cooperative Extension. http://owic.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/termites.pdf
- Univ. of California. Agriculture and Natural Resources. 2001. Termites. Pest Notes Publ. 7415. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7415.html
- Potter, M. 2004. Termite control: Answers for homeowners. University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture. Entomology. http://www.ca.uky.edu/ENTOMOLOGY/entfacts/ef604.asp
- Lewis, V.R. et al. 1996. Field comparison of sand or insecticide barriers for control of Reticulitermes spp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) infestations in homes in northern California. Sociobiology 28(3):327-336.
- Kard, B. 1999. Mesh may fit in as a termite barrier. Pest Control (Feb.)
- Termimesh. Undated. Termimes - the company. http://www.termimesh.com
- Daiker, D.H., Ferguson Foos J. 2006. Termiticide efficacy review for Bora-Care wood treatment (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate). Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/31414/file/Efficacy%20Review%20Bora%20Care%203-03-06.pdf
- Potter, M 2004. Termite baits: A guide for homeowners. University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture. Entomology. http://www.ca.uky.edu/ENTOMOLOGY/entfacts/ef639.asp
- DeAngelis, J. 2009. Drywood termite (Kalotermitidae). LivinginwithBugs.com http://www.livingwithbugs.com/drywood_termite.html
- Scheffrahn, R.H. and Nan-Yao Su. 2007. Featured creatures: Florida dampwood termites. University of Florida Inst. Of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in369
This article was originally published as:
Cox, Caroline. 2004. Protecting your home from subterranean termite damage. Journal of Pesticide Reform 24(3):6-7. Revised 2009 by Kay Rumsey, botanical oil section and links updated in July 2017.


It took an unusual science teacher to see the pedagogic value in "roadkill,'' that eyesore for motorists.
It took "Dr. Splat.''
Brewster Bartlett, who's known by that name to his 9th-grade science class at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H., is the creator of the "Roadkill Monitoring Project,'' a science program that recently brought together 30 schools in seven New England states to study unlucky animal pedestrians.
Mr. Bartlett developed the science project together with teachers at Simmons College in Boston as a somewhat more thrilling alternative to a planned lesson on lichen measurement.
"I couldn't see the students doing that,'' Mr. Bartlett says.
Using his curriculum guide, several hundred students in grades 9 through 12 spent mid-April through mid-May scanning country roads for telltale signs of fur, animal remains, and tire marks.
The students dutifully recorded the remains of 1,600 animals, including more than 450 gray squirrels, hundreds of beavers, some raccoons, 10 moose, and several species of "URP,'' or "unidentified road pizza.''
While a computer at Simmons College kept track of the hard-won statistics, transmitted each week via a computer linkup, the students studied the habits of the deceased species they'd found. They also proposed theories to explain how the creatures met their untimely roadside fates, from the mating habits of birds, to mosquito-ridden moose, to victims of badly timed migrations.
Next year, Mr. Bartlett hopes to introduce the project to schools nationwide through the Internet computer network.--S.K.G.