Termites are one of Australia’s most destructive pests. As social insects, they live in colonies and breed rapidly. In fact, one termite colony can number in the millions. Commonly referred to as ‘white ants’, termites are actually more closely related to cockroaches. While these pests vary in size, shape and colour, all termite types feed on wood and can cause costly damage to your property.
Over 100,000 Australian properties suffer from termite attacks every year. Left untreated, termites can cause major structural damage to your home or business and cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. If you want to control and prevent these pests from invading your property, you should invest in professional termite treatment.
Termites are common pests in Australia and ingest cellulose-based materials. They are nasty critters that generally feed on the wooden parts of your property. Wood is a common structural element found in most properties, and is a material found in many garden features too. Termites can cause significant structural damage that is costly to repair. The timely identification of termites is crucial to minimising damage and keeping costs low.
There are many species of termites. The specie of termite helps us understand the termite’s feeding habits. This provides insight into the termite’s feeding preferences and the types of materials it is likely to infest. Not all termites are destructive. The three categories of destructive termites are: subterranean, drywood and dampwood.
The most common type of termite is the subterranean termite, which is often pale white in colour. These termites are commonly known as ‘white ants’. They require a source of moisture to survive and enjoy eating through wooden materials that are moist and wet. They thrive when a property has wooden stumps submerged in soil and earth. The termites will tunnel their way through the earth to reach various parts of the stumps that are surrounded by moist conditions.
The termites will form tubes using soil, wood, faeces and saliva to protect their nests and travel paths. These shelter tubes or mud tubes are common signs of a termite infestation. Formation of these tubes are more prevalent during humid and tropical conditions where the environment is warm, wet and moist. In these conditions, the likelihood of termites foraging to find cellulose-based materials is high.
As the name suggests, these termites live inside dry wooden materials. They typically infest softwood and hardwood materials and are commonly not found near wet or moist environments. The wood provides all the moisture that the termite requires to survive. This type of termite is usually found feeding on the structure and wooden elements of your property such as the flooring, door jambs, window frames and skirting boards. Since drywood termites require a high level of humidity to survive, make sure all parts of your property are appropriately ventilated to keep humidity levels low.
This type of termite feeds on decaying and rotten wooden substances. For example, a decaying tree stump, rotting wooden floorboards or infested garden structures are common homes for this type of termite. Like drywood termites, they live completely inside the wooden material so it may take many months or even years to discover their presence. Colonies are generally small, and swarming may occur over several months. To treat these termites, it is best to remove the source of moisture, safely dispose the rotting or decaying material, and to treat the surrounding area to kill any larvae.
Swarming termites known as Alates are known for having wings. The role of the swarming termites is to fly to new locations to expand their colony and presence respectively. Often the swarming members of a termite colony are confused with moths because they fly around in search for a new home to reproduce and develop a colony. It is important to keep a look out for these pests and engage a professional pest controller at the first sighting to ensure appropriate and adequate treatment is applied before the new colony establishes.
It is common in Australia for home insurance policies to not cover damage caused by termites. Since termites are a part of nature and present throughout Australia, it pays to be vigilant. Never leave any sighting of termites unattended because it is best to have the area inspected and treated even if the infestation is small to prevent the situation becoming worse.
Termites often do not make their presence known immediately or in the short-term. Usually, it becomes apparent that termites are present because of visible damage to your property. This awareness occurs at a later stage after the termites have devoured most of the wooden parts of your home. It is important to inspect your property on a regular basis to ensure termites are not around. Especially when your property is located in moist, humid or tropical conditions, the prevalence of termites will be high.
Here is a list of common signs of termite infestation.
If you suspect termites are active around your property, we can help. At Amazon Pest Control Services, we provide affordable, reliable and safe termite treatment in Sydney. With over 25 years’ experience in pest control, we have the expertise to fix your termite problems for good.
The CSIRO says that one in three properties will be affected by termites. If a colony attacks your home or business, anything made of wood is likely to get damaged, and insurance rarely covers these damages. Termites can attack structural timbers such as joists, bearers, roofing support timbers, wooden floors, skirting boards, Door Frames, window frames, timber cabinet, picture rails, wardrobes, timber stud walls behind gyprock, timber posts and fences, cardboard boxes, books, stored paintings, bookshelves etc the list goes on and on.
You should contact a professional pest control company and book a termite inspection if you notice any of these signs around your property:
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