Termite Facts

Although they are commonly called ‘white ants’, the resemblance to ants is superficial they are more closely related to cockroaches and date back more than 100 million years to the Cretaceous period and are grouped into the cockroach order Blattodea

With more than three hundred and fifty species of termites in Australia many species of termites feed on materials such as grass dead wood and plant debris and play a prominent part in the recycling of plant nutrients through the disintegration and decomposition of dead wood and plant debris

There are about 20 species that are of concern to building structures damaging timber-in-service some The risk of termite attack can vary according to where in Australia they are, some species are more aggressive than other, also older and larger colonies will have a greater impact than newly established colonies.

Termites don’t just attack timber framed houses steel and masonry houses have virtually the same chances of attack as timber thought less damage can be done the a home structurally they can also damage plasterboard, carpets, plastics, books, artwork, clothes, electrical insulation and timber joinery

 

During the warmer months termites are more active and most species produce winged reproductive king and queens that fly out from the central nest to establish new nests and colonies most will fail in their attempt though if the new king and queen find ideal conditions they can start building a new colony it usually takes at least 3 years for a new nest to grow to a size large enough to be capable of causing damage to buildings.

 

They can be grouped into three basic categories: Subterranean termites Dampwood termites Drywood  termites

 

The most destructive species are from the subterranean group they invade building from subterranean tunnels in the ground and can travel Up to 50m, a considerable distance from there central nest in search of food therefore can attack from beyond the property boundaries

They form a large central colony’s from 100 individuals to hundreds of thousand individuals the nest are maintained close to 100% humidity at 26 to 35 Celsius, a source of moisture the high humidity and even temperature are essential to their survival

the most widely distributed and destructive species in Australia is Coptotermes acinaciformes. It is distributed throughout the continent and uses tree stumps, living trees, spaces under buildings and even walls as nesting sites. From the nest site, any wooden structure within a 50-metre radius can be attacked via underground tunnels. Although they usually need contact with soil, some nests of this termite species have even been found several floors up in city buildings or on wooden boats

The Giant Termite (Mastotermes darwinensis) has the greatest potential for destruction. However, it is limited to the tropical areas of northern Australia. It attacks any wood in contact with the ground including shrubs and trees, as well as paper, leather, clothing and other materials. It is a large-bodied primitive species that usually forms small colonies and has no true worker caste.

A common species that’s found Sydney’s coastal bushland is Nasutitermes walkeri. It forms distinctive round ball-shaped nests that are especially abundant in the years following major bushfires (as it mainly nests in stressed trees). It can also damage fences, poles and wood on the ground, but it rarely attacks buildings. This species has the largest soldiers (up to 6 mm long) of the Nasutitermes genus, with the characteristic nasute head (tapering into a long ‘nose’). – See more at: http://australianmuseum.net.au/Termites-as-pests#sthash.01jzIOan.dpuf

Dampwood termites

The dampwood termite group are not considered significant pests of building though can damage weathered timbers in very damp and badly ventilated building conditions, and are not capable of sustaining damage in drier timer inside building,

They are considered eaters of deteriorating and dead trees. Some species require rotted wood species found in trees seldom have an extensive subterranean gallery and often have no contact with the ground depending on moisture from the tree or log

They do not form a large central colony but live in many small independent groups

Drywood termites

Drywood termites do not require any reliable source of water other than what they can obtain from the atmosphere humidly and the moisture content of the timber in which they occur.

They are found mostly in tropical northern Australian areas with humidity over 75% some species are able to exist in drier inland areas and have been found Sydney and Brisbane

They do not form a large central colony but live in many small independent groups that can make them difficult to detect

They are able to infest and destroy structural timbers, the Cryptoermes species and known to be a highly destructive termite

The introduced West Indian Dry-wood Termite (Cryptotermes brevis) is considered to be the world’s worst termite pest as it can eat even very small timber objects with few external signs of damage, can quickly take over from native termite species, and can survive in quite dry conditions, and is easily transported