Cou
National Hazard
Posts: 958
Registered: 16-5-2013
Member Is Offline
Mood: Mad Scientist
|
|
I may have just discovered a way to kill termites...
Weirdest thing happened overnight. I was extracting acetylsalicylic acid from aspirin tablets. I dissolved 8 325mg tablets in about 20 mL of 99%
isopropyl alcohol, filtered out the binders and fillers for a pure acetylsalicylic acid solution, and left a cup on the windowsill for the isopropyl
alcohol to evaporate.
I came back the next day, and there were 20 dead termites floating in the cup! As well as a few termites walking around the area that weren't there
before. Do you think the isopropyl alcohol attracted the termites, due to its sweet smell, and the aspirin killed them?
[Edited on 7-4-2016 by Cou]
|
|
|
Fegie
Harmless
Posts: 17
Registered: 6-4-2016
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by Cou  | Weirdest thing happened overnight. I was extracting acetylsalicylic acid from aspirin tablets. I dissolved 8 325mg tablets in about 20 mL of 99%
isopropyl alcohol, filtered out the binders and fillers for a pure acetylsalicylic acid solution, and left a cup on the windowsill for the isopropyl
alcohol to evaporate.
I came back the next day, and there were 20 dead termites floating in the cup! As well as a few termites flying around the area that weren't there
before. Do you think the isopropyl alcohol attracted the termites, due to its sweet smell, and the aspirin killed them? |
Sounds like even termites die when you drink and take your morning meds you forgot to take...
|
|
|
100PercentChemistry
Hazard to Others
Posts: 117
Registered: 21-8-2015
Location: On the island of stability
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
I just use hairspray.
|
|
|
macckone
International Hazard
Posts: 2159
Registered: 1-3-2013
Location: Over a mile high
Member Is Offline
Mood: Electrical
|
|
If you have that many termites you probably want to get the house fumigated.
Formosa termites can eat an entire house in about three years and make it
structural unsound in months.
|
|
|
phlogiston
International Hazard
Posts: 1376
Registered: 26-4-2008
Location: Neon Thorium Erbium Lanthanum Neodymium Sulphur
Member Is Offline
Mood: pyrophoric
|
|
I once spilled a very small amount of lamp oil on a table. The next morning, there was a dense layer of small insects stuck in the layer of oil. All
the bugs where from the same species, so I am speculating that one of the components of the oil acts as a pheromone or resembles a marker of
‘food’ to that species.
-----
"If a rocket goes up, who cares where it comes down, that's not my concern said Wernher von Braun" - Tom Lehrer |
|
|
Mabus
Wiki Master
Posts: 238
Registered: 3-11-2013
Member Is Offline
Mood: Energetic
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by Cou | Weirdest thing happened overnight. I was extracting acetylsalicylic acid from aspirin tablets. I dissolved 8 325mg tablets in about 20 mL of 99%
isopropyl alcohol, filtered out the binders and fillers for a pure acetylsalicylic acid solution, and left a cup on the windowsill for the isopropyl
alcohol to evaporate.
I came back the next day, and there were 20 dead termites floating in the cup! As well as a few termites walking around the area that weren't there
before. Do you think the isopropyl alcohol attracted the termites, due to its sweet smell, and the aspirin killed them?
[Edited on 7-4-2016 by Cou] |
I'm pretty sure the isopropanol itself killed the termites. I remember like 10-12 years ago when made an insect collection, I used to kill bugs by
dumping them in a glass with rectified spirit, which killed them instantly. I don't think the aspirin has much effect on their death.
|
|
|
Texium
|
Thread Moved
8-4-2016 at 12:34 |
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
