Has anyone ever seen a situation where insects (carpenter ants, termites etc,) have been able to chew through polyethylene (say 6-mil) sheet? Dupont says Tyvek is not a good insect barrier and suggested wire screen for over my ICF exterior. Poly is MUUUCH cheaper – has anyone witnessed this personally or does anyone have any suggestions. There are ants galore on the building lot and the ICF polysyrene foam has been described as being an “insect superhighway” – a situation which I hope to minimize somehow.
Thanks- Brian.
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I have seen roaches bite through food wrap plastic to get to goodies inside. Formosan termites will tunnel through concrete to get at wood.
I have also seen a carpenter wasp bite off a piece of jacket material from romex. Darndest thing. Left a small bean shaped hole, about 3/32" x 1/8", with the paper filler visible. It seemed a singular occurrence because I was back two months later adding a circuit and no more holes were visible. Why a wasp would do this is a mystery. Any behavioral entomologists out there?
Considering all this I would think that thin plastics will give you very little protection. The use of metals or poisoning the food would be my approach. There may be some paint or paint additive that could be used.