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Overview |
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Inspections |
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F.A.Q.'s |
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Termite Damage |
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Video's |
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Subterranean Termites in Australia |
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Life History and Habits |
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Termite Species |
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Habits and Damage |
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We use and Recommend Nemesis Termite
Monitoring and Intervention System |
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Termite is the
common name of a
group of
chemically
complex insects
that live in
communities as
ants do. They
have long been
known as white
ants however
this is not
entirely
accurate for
termites are
like ants only
in their habits
of living
together and
that they are
small in size.
Actually
termites are
more closely
related to
cockroaches and
grasshoppers.
Their mouth parts, antennae, thick waists, primitive
wings and other features resemble those of
cockroaches. Termites are found almost all
over Australia. Some termites build huge mounds of
bits of soil mixed with wood saliva. These nests may
be 6 metres high. The inside of the mound is divided
into various chambers and galleries. In the centre
is a closed cell where the queen is kept. The
queens’ body goes under extraordinary change. Her
body swells up to hold thousands of eggs. The queen
lays the eggs at the rate of several thousand a day.
Studies in the U.S. have revealed
that termites cause as much property damage each year as
fire does.
Termites digest wood , paper , and
other material containing cellulose, with aid of
protozoain their bodies. They do much damage in
tunnelling through the wood work of houses destroy books
and furniture , and do great damage by tunnelling
through fence posts, trees, timbers of wooden buildings,
bridges ,trestles , and other structures. In houses they
eat , cloth furniture, books and paper.
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A termite inspection is an inspection
of the building and property including roof void,
sub-floor, internal and external timbers, and trees and
fences within the property boundaries.
It deals with the detection or
non-detection of live termite activity, and evidence of
termite damage, and includes details of areas of risk.
A pre-purchase inspection should be
carried out before a property is purchased, and is an
inspection of the building and property including roof
void, sub-floor, internal and external timbers, and
trees and fences within the property boundaries.
It deals with the detection or non-detection of live
termite activity, borer activity, timber decay, chemical
delignification, and evidence of damage caused by these
pests and includes details of areas of risk. |
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 Everything looks OK, how do I know if I have termites?
 You may
not see any signs of termites until it's too late. The
only way you can be really sure you don't have termites
is to have an annual Timber Pest Inspection by a
qualified timber pest inspector.
What's
the first step?
The
first step is a thorough, detailed, systematic
inspection of your home.
How
long does it take?
Depending on the site, the first inspection for timber
pests will take between 1 and 1.5 hours
Will I
get value for money?
What is
your home worth? Can you afford to not give your home a
yearly safety check. It's a critical part of maintaining
your home. Contact our office for a free phone/email
quotation.
Will I
have to leave the house during the inspection?
Not
usually. Most work can be undertaken with you at home.
I'm
building a new house, or extending my current house.
What should I do to keep termites out of my new home?
There
are many options available for minimizing the risk of
termite entry into your new home or renovation. It will
depend largely on the construction of your property and
we will recommend the best options for your specific
circumstance. The methods that we recommend may include
physical barriers, chemical barriers and combinations to
ensure that you have the best protection available.
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Termites are the
only members of
the insect order
Isoptera. They
are commonly
known as “White
Ants”.
However termites
are not even
closely related
to ants. Ants
have eyes, a
constricted
waist and dark
bodies, whereas
most worker and
solder termites
are blind, have
no constriction
and are creamy
in colour.
There are more
than 300 species
found in
Australia but
only about 30
could be
considered to be
pests of timber
in service. Of
these, the
subterranean
termites are the
most
significant,
with about 12
species being
serious pests.
The termite diet
is centred
around
cellulose-based
materials.
These can
include the
timber used in
constructing
buildings but
could also
include
furniture, paper
materials and
fabrics. These
termites can
also damage
non-cellulose
materials such
as polystyrene
and plasterboard
or the plastic
coatings on
electrical
wiring. |
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Alates |
| Termites are social insects and live
in colonies containing a number of different castes.
Each caste has a different form and function from the
others; each is vital to the viability of the colony.
In general terms the life history of all the
economically important subterranean species is similar. |
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On a warm, humid evening large numbers of winged
male and female termites, the “alates” or
“primary reproductives”, are released by the
colony. A small number survive the flight, drop
their two parts distinctive, equal sized wings,
pair off, mate, and if they can find a suitable
location, start a new colony.
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The Queen |
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As the other castes take over
the running of the colony the young queen of
most species becomes “physogastric” – her
abdomen distends to many times its original size
and she becomes an egg laying machine, laying up
to 1000 eggs per day. She is confined to her
royal chamber, tended and fed by the workers and
regularly fertilised by the male reproductive.
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| Nursery |
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The eggs are removed from the
royal chamber and transferred to a nursery by
the workers. Here the brood (the eggs and
nymphs) develop into the other castes that the
colony requires for development and survival;
workers, soldiers and primary or secondary
reproductives.
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Social Workers |
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Soldiers and workers are
blind and sterile termites. The workers carry
out the work of the colony and are responsible
for gathering the food the colony needs. In most
species, the heads of the soldiers are uniquely
armoured and equipped to allow them to defend
the colony against attack, notably ants.
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Coptotermes |
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Coptotermes acinaciformis is found throughout
mainland Australia and causes more damage to
property than any other species. It is
aggressive in its search for food and will
attack many items other than wood in its search
for cellulose materials. It will damage wall
lining boards, electrical wiring and even
personal possessions. Colonies often nest in
trees or stumps but can form nests without
ground contact.
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Nasutitermes
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There are several species of Nasutitermes which
may damage timber in service. Soldier termites
of these species are distinguished by their
pointed heads. Nasutitermes exitiosus usually
builds a low mound and is more common across
Southern Australia. Nasutitermes walkeri builds
part of its colony as a nest on the branch of a
tree; the rest is constructed in the ground
beneath it. This genus will mainly attack
hardwood such as that found in fences and timber
decking.
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Mastotermes |
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Mastotermes darwiniensis, the Giant Northern
Termite, is the most primitive of the
commercially significant species. It shows an
ability for sub-colonies to split from the main
colony and produce queens, without a mating
flight. Eventually a network of interconnecting
sub-colonies is established, which makes control
difficult. These large termites can devastate
buildings, bridges, poles, trees and crops such
as sugarcane. Mastotermes is found mainly north
of the Tropic of Capricorn.
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Schedorhinotermes |
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These termites can cause damage approaching the
severity caused by Coptotermes. They build
fragile nests in places such as old tree trumps,
in timber buried in the ground, in filled patios
and under fireplaces. The damage they cause is
distinctive. Although it can be severe it is
often patchy, with huge gouges taken out of
sound timber, particularly around nails in floor
boards or other timbers. Schedorhinotermes
colonies contain major and minor soldiers.
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Heterotermes |
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Heterotermes spp. Are a
significant structural pest through Queensland,
northern WA and the NT. It is only in southern
Australia where they are a minor nuisance. They
are generally considered to do little damage to
timber in service, restricting their attention
to weathered timber fences, decking and posts.
Occasionally they can cause superficial damage
to sound timber. |
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Termite Nest |
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Termites build a nest that contains the queen
and king, the nursery and a large proportion of
the soldiers and workers. Some species build a
hard-shelled mound above or partly below the
ground. Others build their nests in the trunk of
a tree or below ground in the root crown. A nest
can contain several million termites.
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Nesting Habits |
The nesting
habits of
subterranean
termites can be
described in two
basic groups:
1. Multi-site
nesters
(Heterotermes,
Schedorhinotermes,
Mastotermes)
2. Central-site
nesters
(Coptotermes,
Nasutitermes)
Multi-site
nesters utilise
many timber
sources for
nesting and they
can move quickly
to a new food
source. They are
able to
reproduce
quickly using “ergatoid”
or multiple
reproductive
forms so each
new timber
source located
becomes a
potential nest.
These species
can therefore
set up multiple
colonies within
the same house.
Central-site
nesters
generally have
one large queen
and a central
nest position.
The activity of
the colony is to
bring back food
to this nest.
They can infest
multiple timber
food sources but
cannot reproduce
within those
timbers. When a
moisture source
is available
within a house
structure,
central-site
nesters often
establish their
colony inside
the building
without any
ground contact.
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Foraging
behaviour |
Central-site
nesters show
definite
seasonal
variation with
their foraging
behaviour.
Generally,
foraging
activity is
greater in the
warmer months
and reduced in
cooler winter
periods. The
available
moisture can
also limit the
foraging
activity of
these species.
Generally
distant food
sources show
greater foraging
activity in
warmer periods
and food sources
close to the
nest are more
active in the
cooler months.
Multi-site
nesters do not
have the same
restrictions as
they can move
their nest to
adjacent food
sources. This
type of foraging
activity often
leads to
splitting of one
colony into
several distinct
colonies within
the same area.
The activity of
these species
quickly
multiplies in a
disturbed
environment such
as recently
cleared land or
fire damaged
property.
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Termite leads |
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Termites are
prone to
desiccation. All
significant
species that
attack buildings
construct a
system of sealed
leads that
connect the nest
to the food
sources.
Termites can
move safely from
the nest to the
food and back,
in an
environment that
will protect
them against
exposure to
atmospheric
conditions,
predators and
even pesticides.
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Damage to timber
and other
materials |
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Timber is the
main source of
cellulose sought
by the
commercially
important
species.
Sometimes other,
non cellulosic
materials are
damaged because
they are close
to feeding
activity.
Electrical
wiring, switches
and plug
fittings are
often attached
and severely
damaged by
termites. When
natural food
supplies such as
trees run out,
the termites
will turn to
timber in
service. Using
covered mud
tunnels to link
the food supply
to the nest,
termites will
work in timbers
that are hidden
in floor, wall
or ceiling
spaces and the
damage is often
not discovered
until structural
failure takes
place or the
termites reveal
themselves in
some way.
Termites can
cause extensive
damage and more
than one colony
may attack a
building at the
same time.
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In
order to
minimise the
extent of
termite damage
it is
recommended that
regular
inspections be
carried out by a
competent and
experienced
termite
inspector. |
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