About Termites
Termites are often referred to as “white ants”, however, they are not even closely related to ants. In fact termites are closer related to cockroaches than ants. There are more than 300 termite species in Australia, but only 10% of these could be considered to be of concern to the homeowner. However, they are a hidden enemy and despite their size, termites can cause greater damage to dwellings than fires, storms, and floods combined.
Termites are highly social insects that form a colony. A colony consists of a single or multiple queens (laying up to 1000 eggs a day ), alates or primary reproductives (future kings and queens getting ready to form new colonies), soldiers (to defend the colony), workers (to feed the colony), eggs and young (to keep the colony multiplying). A colony may consist of up to several million individual termites.
A termites diet is based upon cellulose. Timber, especially seasoned timber, is a perfect source of this cellulose. Termites then forage from their colony or nest in search of this food source to consume and carry back to feed the remaining colony. These termites may travel through the soil for more than 100m radius from the nest. Termites are then able to build shelter tubes or “mud leads” up non timber surfaces to gain access to this timber if necessary. This “mudding” protects the termites from attack and helps them maintain their environment. Because of this, evidence of termite activity is often concealed and discreet.
Termites and Us
Here are some statistics about termites:
Termites cause in excess of $100 million worth of building damage to homes throughout Australia each year!
One in two “slab on ground” homes will experience a termite infestation! And one in five homes in Australia is treated for termite damage at some stage of its life- around 130,000 homes each year!
These are scary facts, especially when our homes are often our major assets and house insurance does not cover termite attacks. The problem with termites is their undetected entry. You will rarely, if ever, witness termites walk around on the surface. They enter your home below ground level and start munching on your house frame completely concealed, leaving no visible evidence until significant damage is done.
What Can You Do?
The first step in prevention is to be on alert for termites. Have your licensed pest manager perform thorough inspections on your home and surroundings at least every 12 months. Most people are not aware they have termites until they see a swarm or come across damage during construction.
Termite infestations are usually discovered by accident. Termites travel in what is called “mud leads” and keep themselves concealed between walls, in roof and subfloor voids, and sometimes in furniture. Signs of termites may include:
- Mud tubes
- Discoloured, flaking or bubbling paint
- Soft spots in the wall or door/window frames
- Swollen timbers
- Electrical connection problems
- Small piles of dirt, often hidden in the corners of cupboards.
If you find termites in your home please do not disturb them any further. Termites have a habit of retreating if disturbed, only to re-enter at another point of the house. And the more termites your pest manager can treat, the quicker and greater chance of gaining control of the entire termite colony, regardless of where it is. So, if you find signs of active termites, contact your termite manager as soon as possible.
Do your homework and ask questions before engaging a termite manager. Not all pest controllers are qualified or experienced enough to treat and inspect for termites. Laguna Pest Control is not only more than qualified and experienced to treat and inspect for termites, we train other pest managers to gain their qualifications and experience.
In addition, follow these tips:
- Keep all subfloor areas clean, dry, and well ventilated where possible.
- Fix up leaking plumbing eg; downpipes, gutters, and taps. Ensure that there is good drainage around the house.
- Do not build up any soil, mulch or garden beds against the house.
- Do not store timber or wood-based materials under or against the house.
What Can We Do?
Laguna pest control can perform inspections of your home and surroundings in accordance with the Australian Standards 3660.2-2000 and 4349.3-1998.
These inspections detect and identify:
- Whether or not any active termites can be found
- Any evidence of previous infestations and treatments
- Any high-risk areas and/or conducive conditions
- Any areas where termite activity may be concealed
- Any moisture issues
- Any ventilation issues
- Any drainage issues
- Any evidence of other timber pests, such as borers and fungal decay (wood rot)
The idea behind annual Termite Inspections is to not only detect termite activity before any significant damage is caused, but also to educate you to reduce the risk of a possible termite attack. Once this inspection is completed, options for a termite management plan may be discussed if required. There are different types of Termite Management Systems, and Laguna Pest Control will discuss each of these in detail with you, and form a plan that best suits you and your home.
A major component of a termite management plan is a termite barrier. Laguna pest control is accredited to install a range of both physical and chemical barriers. A termite barrier is your best investment against a termite attack. A termite monitoring and baiting system can be an alternative where a barrier is not practical. However “baiting” systems do not directly protect your house against termite attacks, therefore a continuous barrier should always be your first choice, especially with the effectiveness and low toxicity of today’s chemicals. Laguna Pest Control can discuss the positives and negatives of both barrier and baiting systems with you.
What to Expect After the Treatment?
Although no Termite Management System is 100% foolproof, you can rest at ease knowing that if you have engaged Laguna Pest Control, you have engaged with a termite manager that has the skill and experience to back up any work done.
So much so, that we stake our reputation on it!
Termite Inspections
Laguna pest control can perform inspections of your home and surroundings in accordance with the Australian Standards 3660.2-2000 and 4349.3-1998.
Termite Inspection – 3 Month Assurance Warranty
If active termites are found in your home within 3 months of our inspection, Laguna Pest Control will eradicate the termites FREE OF CHARGE. Laguna Pest Control is dedicated to protecting your home and giving you peace of mind.
Treatment of Active Termites
DO NOT PANIC if you find termites! Laguna Pest Control is fully qualified and experienced to eradicate live termites from your home.
If you have found termites it is likely that they have been there for some time and they will not cause significant amounts of damage in a few days. If you have already disturbed the termites, please do not disturb them any further. We are still able to provide recommendations on suitable treatment options.
We will need to perform a Termite Inspection to assess why you have termites and where they are getting in. We need to rule out termite infestations in other areas of your home. Finding termites is a good thing, as you can now take steps to eradicate them. Just imagine the damage they would continue to cause if you had not found them.
It is sometimes hard to quote on treatment of active termites over the phone. A professional pest manager will need to assess the situation before giving you an exact indication on cost of treatment. It’s a bit like asking a mechanic to tell you whats wrong with your car over the phone and asking how much to fix it without even looking at it. Treating active termites is not a quick fix. Laguna Pest Control is happy to answer as many questions that we can over the phone but we will insist that we perform a full inspection of your home or an assessment of the active termites.
Termite Management Systems
There are many termite management options, all have advantages and drawbacks.
We at Laguna Pest Control can discuss each of these in detail with you and put together a termite management plan that best suits you and your home.
A major component of a termite management plan is a termite management system. Laguna pest control is accredited to install a range of both physical and chemical management systems. A termite management system is your best investment against termite attacks.
A termite monitoring and baiting system can be an alternative where a barrier is not practical. However “baiting” systems do not directly protect your house against termite attacks therefore a continuous barrier should always be your first choice, especially with the effectiveness and low toxicity of today’s chemicals. Laguna Pest Control can discuss the positives and negatives of both barrier and baiting systems with you.
Laguna Pest Control specialises in:
- Chemical Termite Management Systems
- Trelona Advance Termite Baiting Systems
- Sentricon Always Active Termite Baiting Systems
- Exterra Termite Interception Baiting Systems.
For detailed information about the available options, follow the links below:
