Termites in Mulch Pile, Should I Remove from Wood Fence?
My arborist took down our tree and then left all the wood chips. Along with wood chips from our tree, there were wood chips and debris from other trees in their truck so they ended up dropping a HUGE pile of mulch. We spread it in beds about 40 feet from our house, but we also spread it along our side yard against our wood fence. At one point as we got deeper into scooping the mulch pile, I noticed termites.
Now we have some concerns and questions. Do we need to remove all the mulch we set next to the wood fence? I don't want to treat the mulch with a harmful pesticide. Do we let the mulch pile dry out over time before using it or should we scrap the whole pile?
FWIW we are in San Antonio, Texas; we are on a slab foundation; and I've read that the termites may not last long once they are separated from their queen. I've also read that termites don't love mulch - the wood chips aren't substantial enough for them.