Insect resistant geotextile

Abstract

The needlepunched nonwoven synthetic material prevents the insects from burrowing through by presenting the insects with overlapping, randomly placed fiber layers. The insects attack the ends of the fibers, going from fiber to fiber until they are trapped within the fabric layers. Water permeability is enabled while preventing insects from penetrating the material.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A needlepunched nonwoven synthetic material having random fiber positioning and irregular voids and producing sufficient weight and loft to prevent insects from penetrating said material while enabling site required moisture permeability.  
     
     
         2 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said nonwoven is air-laid.  
     
     
         3 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said material is carded.  
     
     
         4 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said material is needlepunched at about 550 punches per square inch.  
     
     
         5 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein fibers within said material are 1.5 denier polyester fibers, approximately 1½ inches in length.  
     
     
         6 . The nonwoven material of  claim 6  wherein said material is needled with a top punch needling process using lightweight felting needles.  
     
     
         7 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said fabric weight is at least about 2.5 ounces per square yard.  
     
     
         8 . The nonwoven material  claim 7  wherein said fabric is about 4 ounces per square yard.  
     
     
         9 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said nonwoven is air-laid.  
     
     
         10 . The nonwoven material of  claim 1  wherein said material is carded.  
     
     
         11 . A method of preventing insects from entering into a predetermined area using a fabric formed of an unfused, needlepunched, nonwoven synthetic material having randomly arranged fiber orientation creating irregular voids, said fibers having an average fiber diameter at least equal to the diameter easily accepted by said insect's mandibles and said randomly oriented jumbled fiber orientation creating voids being too small and discontinuous to permit penetration by said insects but sufficiently large for said nonwoven to be water permeable,  
       comprising the steps of: 
 a. covering the ground within a center area of said predetermined area with a first of said nonwoven material to form a ground side and a surface side to said material;  
 b. covering the ground surrounding said center area of said predetermined area with a second of said nonwoven material to form a peripheral portion of said predetermined area, said peripheral portion having a ground side and a surface side to said material and an outer periphery,  
 c. covering at least said peripheral portion of said predetermined area with at least six inches of a final material or structure,  
 said material thickness being sufficient to prevent said insects from penetrating said material and the distance from said periphery to said predetermined area is sufficient to prevent said insets from forming a colony at said ground side and traveling to said periphery to reach said surface side, thereby prevent insects from transporting food to said colony.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of using fibers having a length of about 1½ inches.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of using fibers having a denier of about 1.5.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said first of said nonwoven material used around said peripheral portion of said predetermined area has a weight per square yard greater than the weight per square yard of said second of said nonwoven material used within said center area of said predefined area  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein at least a portion of insects entering said voids become trapped therein and die from lack of water and food.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said inspects are prevented from penetrating said material from said ground side to said surface side.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said inspects are prevented from penetrating said material from said surface side to said ground side.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said first of said nonwoven material used around said peripheral portion of said predetermined area has a weight per square yard greater than the weight per square yard of said second of said nonwoven material used within said center area of said predefined area.  
     
     
         19 . A method of preventing insects from invading a foundation using a fabric formed of a needlepunched, nonwoven synthetic material having omnidirectional fiber orientation and irregular voids, said fibers having an average fiber diameter at least equal to the diameter easily accepted by the insect's mandibles and said voids being too small and too discontinuous to permit penetration by said insects but sufficiently large for said nonwoven to be water permeable,  
       comprising the steps of: 
 a. preparing the ground for said foundation, said foundation having a periphery;  
 b. covering said prepared ground with said nonwoven material to form a ground side, a foundation side and a periphery to said material;  
 a. constructing said foundation over said nonwoven material;  
 said fabric thickness being sufficient to prevent said insects from penetrating from said ground side to said foundation side of said material  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said periphery of said nonwoven material is greater than said periphery of said foundation, thereby enabling nonwoven material to cover at least a portion of said foundation sides.