Insect Infestations

[J Patrick Draine]

On Sunday, May 4, 2003, at 12:26  AM, Blaine Hebert wrote:

> Has anyone on the list had any experiences or anecdotes about piano
> infestations?
>
> I am an experienced technician, but also an entomologist and am
> interested in stories, on the list or off, regarding insects in and
> around piano wood or felt and how they were (or weren't) treated.
>
> Blaine Hebert

You would have had  a good time at the PTG regional conference hosted 
by the Boston Chapter this weekend. Vernon Douglas, from Bermuda, gave 
a class on the challenges of "Tuning in the Tropics", and battles with 
termites is a major part of the story. Doshie Powers gave her 
experiences while "Tuning With The Enemy"; she's been to Cuba a number 
of times with the Tuners' Brigade. Many Cuban pianos have been ravaged 
by termites, and the Boston Chapter has heard numerous anecdotes from 
Doshie, David Stanwood, and Ben Truehaft (sp?), about efforts to cope 
with the problem.

Patrick