Termites Information Pest Control Eltham, South Morang, Templestowe, Doreen, Greensborough
Termites are not ants. Termites have highly developed social organisation, which, in many ways, resembles that of the ants and bees. All known species live in colonies, numbering from a few hundred to many millions.
In each colony there is a division of labour with several distinct cartes each specialising in a particular activity. The great majority of termites in Australia live in the soil. They depend on the soil and its associate moisture content for survival. Those species that live in the soil, are known as subterranean termites, and usually do not attack sound dry wood preferring damp, damaged timber.
A few species are capable of attacking, seasoned wood out of contact with the ground and are known as "dry wood" termites. Drywood termites are mostly confined to the coastal regions.
Termites diet consists mostly of cellulose, which is obtained from a variety of sources such as living trees, seasoned timber, books, grasses etc.
Termites attack untreated wood and usually by the time their work is visible, the timber is virtually eaten away.
Subterranean termites gain entry in homes and buildings in a number of ways e.g.
- By constructing mud tubes over concrete stumps
- By tunneling up the centre pipe of wooden stumps constructing mud tubes from the soil to the flooring within cavity walls
- Through hairline cracks which appear in concrete slabs around plumbing and electrical conduits
