The thing about buying or owning a house is that often it is the problems which cannot easily be seen that can usually become the most problematic. With over 300 species of termites in Australia, we have our fair share of critters that can cause damage to your property, with 30 of these species being one of the biggest concerns for property owners causing large amounts of damage to homes and business’ especially in coastal areas like Wollongong.
When dealing with termites you not only need to act quickly, you also need an expert who knows what they are doing as the speed at which an infestation can take place is devastating.
A highly trained expert will be able to inspect and perform treatments that will quickly identify, eradicate or defend against an infestation providing protection to your home, business and most importantly your family.
What are Termites?
Termites are highly social, wood-eating insects often called “white ants” however, are not actually related to the ant family. They belong to the order Isoptera which is more closely related to the cockroach although are a highly adapted version.
Termites may be very varied in colour, size and even shape with some being almost white in colour to others being dark brown. Most however, have a pale brown to white body with a darker head. There is no separation or waist between their thorax and abdomen and they have a very thin skin which causes them to be vulnerable to drying out. Due to this, they tend to enjoy humid or damp environments such as underneath houses that may have poorly ventilated sub-floor.
It is very rare to see termites out in the open as they hate light and dry heat so tend to be well hidden inside timbers leaving a veneer on the surface whilst completely gutting the insides of the timber. If you suspect that maybe this is a concern at your property get a termite inspection done without delay.
Termites, due to their social nature build large nests where their colonies can house several million insects with many different castes (jobs) within each colony.
Castes are responsible for different jobs within each colony, all being an integral part of the nest’s infrastructure.
The most common castes being;
- Workers; responsible for food gathering, tending to the young and queen and maintaining the nest and tunnels. Usually lighter or white in colour due to their thin skin which is prone to drying out, they are blind without wings and do not usually leave the confines of wooden structures and nest.
- Soldiers; The defenders of the colony are usually slightly larger in size than the workers however they have darker heads and large biting mandibles or long noses.
- Reproductives or “Alates” are responsible for future colonies, becoming kings and queens of future nests, undertaking colonising flights ensuring the future colonies survival. Much darker in colour than other casts, they have more durable bodies to allow them to leave the nest without quickly drying out.
Mature adult Alates have two pairs of equal-sized wings allowing them to scout new territory easily. They drop these wings before making a small mating chamber in a new location to start a new colony.
Where do Termites usually make their homes?
There are 3 main types of nests that termites make these are:
- In soil or mounds
- Nests situated in posts or on telegraph poles
- Tree nests connected to an internal cavity within the tree and can be present in your home within the walls, skirting, architraves or pillars.
If you suspect or are concerned about termites at your property get a termite inspection done without delay.
Termites FAQ
Yes, a pre-purchase pest inspection report is available and advised when looking to purchase a property. The inspection will need to be arranged with the real estate agent before auction/ sale and a comprehensive inspection report with all findings and recommendations will be mailed or emailed to you. This is a very wise decision to make as it could literally save you thousands and the heartache of finding your new investment.
It is usually best to wait until full eradication of the termite nest is confirmed by the treating technician. This can in some cases not be recommended to disturb timbers for up to 6 months. Your technician will be able to advise what will be best in your properties situation.
It is optimal to have your property inspected a minimum of once every 12 months by a licensed and reputable pest management company.
In some cases where the nest can be located with absolute certainty it may only take one treatment to eradicate the entire colony. However, a technician will need to re inspect and if termite activity is still found more treatments will be required until eradication has been confirmed.
A termite treatment has no set time as each property will require individual treatment solutions dependant on size of the infestation and property however will be split into 2 phases.
The first phase -Colony eradication treatment: will take 2-3 hours depending on the requirements of your property where we will first treat the colony with a chemical, dust or foam treatment and then tailor a system to deter and help prevent future infestations.
The second phase- Baiting and termite interception: Most properties will need a baiting system to intercept any termites foraging for new possible food sources, like your home.
These systems are environmentally safe, so safe in fact that the baits are less toxic to the environment and humans than table salt while being highly effective at eradicating termites
The whole process of eradication can take up to 6 weeks in places with a very.
It is important not to disturb any insects that you suspect to be termites, do not spray with any insecticides or remove affected timbers as this will not control.
Often there is very little visible evidence showing the presence of termites. Termites eat timber cellulose and wood timbers from the inside out causing little to no visible damage externally even though the structure of the timber can be completely compromised. You may notice wrinkled looking skirting boards or door frames or even find a floor board weakened and brittle.
It is important to have a qualified and accredited pest technician perform a thorough inspection to assess if termites are present and provide a full report and solutions for any infestation that may be present.
“White ant” is just a common colloquial term for Termite. There is no difference between the two.
TERMITE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
There are different ways to prevent and treat termites. Some of these treatment and prevention methods are listed below:
Chemical Termite Barriers
Chemical Aggregation systems use liquid termicides to create a replenishable termite barrier around your property.
This option is a good option to prevent foraging termites from gaining concealed access to your home or business and will require some drilling, then the holes are injected with liquid termiticide which can last up to 10 years dependant on soil conditions and climate.
It is most effective when teamed with yearly termite inspections ensuring that your property has the best protection possible.
Exterra System
The Exterra System detects, prevents and treats termites.
This system is designed to work with existing homes and business without having to cut out large trenches or use toxic chemicals.
It works to attract termites which then take the bait (bait that is less toxic than table salt to humans) back to the colony where the colony then begins to die off until they are completely eradicated.
How it works:
1. EXTERRA starts in the ground…
The first step of using EXTERRA is to install In-ground Stations around your property where termites are likely to be foraging for food. The Stations contain eucalypt timber interceptors that numerous, independent, studies have shown are the termites preferred food source.
2. or under the concrete…
If your property is surrounded by concrete, then the special EXTERRA In-concrete Station is used. This has a stainless steel cap that seals flush with the pathway.
3. …and inside your home FOR QUICK RESULTS.
EXTERRA Above-ground Stations are the preferred approach when termites are already in your home. REQUIEM Termite Bait is placed in the safe and sealed Station when it is installed. Above-ground Stations speed up the process of colony elimination. After the termite colony is eliminated, the Above-ground Stations are removed.
4. When the termites are intercepted…
Termites are easily detected in the EXTERRA Stations. The unique (patented) design of the EXTERRA Station allows for termites to be seen without disturbing them. This is very important. And the termites are not disturbed when the REQUIEM Termite Bait is added either.
5. …and now the REQUIEM Termite Bait goes to work.
REQUIEM Termite Bait is added without disturbing the termites. This is vital to achieve quick and consistent results. REQUIEM is highly palatable to termites and they readily consume it in preference to timber. In fact, local studies show that once termites start feeding on REQUIEM they stop feeding on the timbers in your home! REQUIEM is also non-toxic to you and your pets.
6. Termites can’t resist REQUIEM, leading to the colony’s quick demise.
The termites feed on the REQUIEM and take it back to the colony where it is fed slowly throughout the entire colony. Since the termites die gradually, they do not associate the colony’s demise with the consumption of REQUIEM. This ensures that the entire colony is eliminated.
7. The colony is eliminated.
Any remaining REQUIEM is removed. Fresh timber interceptors are placed in the In-ground Stations, and the Above-ground Stations are removed. To protect you against the constant threat from new termite colonies or other established colonies, the EXTERRA System works on an ongoing process of ‘Peace of Mind’ monitoring, baiting and eliminating.