Termites feed on cellulose in the form of living or dead plant tissue, such as timber, grass and man-made products like paper and cardboard. They live in colonies consisting of a the primary pair (queen & king) assisted by a large number of workers together with fewer soldiers which defend the colony from predators.

Most pest species in Australia are subterranean termites and need contact with the soil and moisture. 

Their nests may be visible as a mound, or be concealed underground, in damp timber or in a tree. From the nest, workers make subterranean tunnels, sometimes more than 50m long, to remote feeding sources. Where buildings are attacked there may be more than one entry point. 

Timbers vary in their susceptibility to attack, but those that are susceptible include both soft and hardwoods. Infested timber is often hollowed out.

The Queen

The Queen termite creates the colony by laying eggs and tending to the colony until enough workers and nymphs are produced to care for the colony. The queen termite is an egg laying machine; her body is enormous compared to her off-spring, around 3.0 cm or more, she can live more than 25 years and produce more that 1,000 eggs a day.

The King

Workers

Soldiers

Reproductives

The “alates”(winged reproductives) are commonly seen when they swarm on a hot humid summer evening often before and after a storm; they have eyes; are poor fliers but are swept along by the wind; they land, drop their wings,and attract a mate by a pheromone chemical signal. If you find swarming termites, it is a sure DANGER sign that a large termite colony nest is close by and thorough inspection of the property by a termite control expert is essential.

Coptotermes acinaciformis

Nasutitermes

A common species that nests in 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’).

Commonly found throughout NSW, ACT, Victoria and the southern areas of Queensland and Western Australia – particularly in urban areas or where eucalypt gum trees are highly prevalent.

Nest Location – Nasutitermes exitiosus build a mound nest which protrudes 30cm to 75cm above the ground. Control can be as easy as knocking the top off the nest and a follow up insecticide treatment inside the nest.

Destructive Nature – Nasutitermes exitiosus are destructive to buildings and other timber structures. Sometimes severe damage may occur, but not so commonly as the other species listed above.

Schedorhinotermes

Mastotermes darwiniensis

Commonly found in tropical Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia – generally north of the tropic of Capricorn.

Mastotermes darwiniens is the largest subterranean termite species in Australia and the most destructive Australian species within its range of occurrence.

Nest location – they build their nest (secretively) totally below the soil surface; or in the trunks and root crowns of trees and stumps. Once a nest is mature (over 100,000 or much higher) they can “split off” to form other nests over a wide ranging area.

These sub nests are formed constantly and can sustain life for alongperiod of time without contact to the original nest.

Destructive nature – Mastotermes darwiniensis is one of the world’s most destructive termite species, often causing severe damage to houses, buildings, bridges, posts, poles, and many other plant and animal products. It is also an agricultural pest, responsible for ring barking and killing living trees, shrubs, fruit, vegetable crops, sugarcane and rubber trees. It is reported to attack rubber tyres on tractors and cause damage to leather, hide, plastic or lead-sheathed cables, bitumen, bagged salt, flour, glass and various metals. Mastotermes darwiniensis is the most ancient of all the termites in the world – they occur only in Australia – a termite to be feared.

Neotermes insularis

TYPE. Dampwood

Commonly called “ring-ant” after the concentric rings of damage in trees

This species occur along the eastern coast of Australia, VIC, NSW, QLD and across the north to Darwin.

This Termite is a serious pest of forests.

Serious damage to trees mainly Eucalypts

Small colonies found in branches and trunks of trees, (often-in softer growth rings) limits the utilization of the timber.

Drywood termites

Occur mostly in tropical areas, where the atmospheric humidity is constantly above 75 percent. The introduced and highly destructive West Indian drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis, is rarely located in NSW, once in Sydney in the early 1980’s. Specialist eradication procedures involve wrapping the entire building in plastic and using methyl bromide fumigation.Characteristic dry faecal pellets found in workings with excavations smooth and without wet faecal stains.

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, can survive in quite dry conditions, and is easily transported. If it is found, it should be reported to the relevant government authority. It has been found in Brisbane and Sydney, as well as other areas on several occasions.

• Homeowners should have regular (inspections ) of all accessible timber and potential termite entry points.
• Evergreen Pest Management are able to advise on the frequency of inspections. If termite damage is found in the home, don’t panic.
• Do not disturb the termites by using household sprays or removing infested wood.
• There is no immediate threat to the house, so take time to investigate the size and nature of the problem as well as all the available options.

Damage to house frames may be expensive and need costly repairs; in the worst cases the house may be condemned. Subterranean termites are estimated to cost Australia $80-100 million a year in structural damage and associated pest management.

• Materials such as firewood should not be stored against the building for long periods.
• Built-up gardens and shrubs should not be planted too close to the perimeter of the building, obstructing the weep holes or creating insufficient slab edge exposure.
• Fix any moisture problems such as leaking pipes, shower recesses, leaking hot water service outlets, leaking sprinklers too close to the building, inadequate drainage or drains not connected to the stormwater.
• Ensure there is adequate subfloor ventilation.
• Remove untreated timbers that are in close proximity to the building.
• Construct retaining walls, fences etc with termite resistant materials. 
  Timber pergolas, verandahs and steps should not be in contact with the ground.
• Do not plant trees, shrubs and climbers against a building, tree stumps and hardwood sleeper walls are potential sources of building infestations. If the building is on a slab, avoid piling soil or timber against external walls. If the floor is on stumps or brick piers, inspect the “ant” caps regularly for breaches, and make sure no flooring timbers are in contact with the ground.

• Termite entry can occur at the slab edge, through cracks, joints and imperfections in the concrete or around service pipes.
• Places to look for termite mud tubes (tubes built from dirt and other materials) or termite damage include piers or stumps, subfloor area, foundations, skirting boards, architraves, cornices, mouldings and roof timbers.
• Watch out for these mud tubes in and around your house.
• Other things to watch out for are soft floor boards, bulging, staining or rippling of painted timbers. Termite damaged wood has a hollowed out sound when tapped, which will often indicate termite damage. Bits of dried mud and frass may fall from joints in walls when tapped, which can also indicate termite damage.
• Some species of termites can make a “clicking” noise which is usually heard at night time.

If termites are present on a property the eradication of the colony is helpful in reducing the chance of further damage to the building. We have a range of options available today to monitor the presence of termites and to eradicate them.

Evergreen Pest Management have available a number of non-chemical baiting programs, and low toxic products available.
Read more about  TERMIDOR TERMITE TREATMENT  and  NEMESIS TERMITE BAIT SYSTEMS)

Although the coastal belt and northern parts of the country are generally regarded as the highest-risk areas for subterranean termite infestation, species which damage timber-in-service occur throughout mainland Australia. In practice, any structure containing wood is at risk of subterranean termite infestation – whether in the business heart of a city, in the suburbs or out in the country – unless protective measures are taken.