A Termite-Riddled Boathouse Will Be Rebuilt With A $3.3 Million Donation

Most termite species require significant amounts of water in order to survive. In addition to abundant water sources, termites also require warm or hot environments. When you couple together these two biological requirements, you can understand why marinas make for perfect termite environments. Surprisingly, it is not uncommon to find termites infesting boats that are docked within marinas. Even marinas themselves, along with docks and boathouses, often become infested with termites. The abundance of wood and water make marinas an ideal choice for alates looking to establish new colonies.  Given this abundance of nourishing resources, it is no wonder why termite colonies reproduce rapidly in marine environments. Formosan subterranean termite colonies, which can be found along the Gulf Coast, can grow large enough to contain millions of individual termites. If you own a boat that is stored somewhere along the southeastern coast of the US, then you may be aware of the termite threat to wooden boats. Not too long ago a boathouse that is steeped in history began to crumble apart in response to long-lasting and widespread termite attacks. This boathouse is located on the Citadel campus in Charleston, South Carolina. Luckily, the boathouse is scheduled to be rebuilt thanks to a friendly donation made by a Citadel alumnus.

The Citadel is a military academy that trains future officers. For decades the campus contained a boathouse that had been located within a small waterbody that leads into the Ashley River. Cadets would often frequent the boathouse during their downtime. Even a former sitting president of the Citadel would stop by on occasion. Sadly, by 1970 maintenance of the boathouse ceased. Eventually termites claimed the boathouse. In response to the decades of termite infestation, the boathouse is now falling apart. Five years ago, one alumnus of the Citadel and his wife donated 3.3 million dollars to the construction of a new boathouse. The identities of the two generous donors recently came to light, and construction on a new boathouse will begin soon. Hopefully, the developers will remember to treat the soil with insecticides before beginning construction.

Do you think that the new boathouse will last despite the many termite colonies that have undoubtedly become well established in the area?