FAQ

First, do not panic. Although termites can cause severe damage, they work slowly. Your house will not collapse overnight.  If you find termites, don’t disturb them!  This helps with identification of the species. They are easily disturbed and may leave the area. Termites which have been undisturbed can be treated with Termidor Dust to eliminate the colony from your home.

The main differences between ants and termites are that ants have a clearly defined head, thorax and abdomen with constrictions between them ( like wasps) while termites are broadly joined between the thorax and abdomen. In other words, ants have a narrow or pinched waist and termites do not. The front and hind wings of termites are approximately equal in size while the hind wings of ants are much smaller than their front wings.

Many houses have remained termite free for years while some new houses get termites in just a few months. Our business has treated hundreds of  buildings under five years old that have been infested with termites. If your house has a termite infestation shortly after it has been built it could be due to many reasons such as construction techniques, landscaping, plants and shrubs, moisture leaks and renovations.  You are required to have at least annual inspections carried out in your new home or your warranty is Void and your builder will not take responsibility for the damage. How long since your home was properly inspected?

No, there is no correlation between the two. While both will favour similar habitats, such as mulch beds, wood piles, etc., they are mortal enemies of one another, and finding one does not mean that the other is soon to follow.

Very easily. All they need is a tiny gap in the brick work or around services such as electricity and water pipes. They may enter directly from the soil, or they may build airtight tubes leading from their colony in the soil to the wood of your house. A house is a large target to a termite.

Termite baits are an old technology for termite control with new products being released from time to time. They all rely on termites finding and entering plastic pots buried in the gardens ( Monitoring Stations ) up to 4 or maximum 6 metres apart to feed on timber inside the pots, then having the special growth regulators applied to the stations. Then it’s hit or miss whether termites feed on the products selected. If installed, monitored and maintained correctly, baits can be used as another tool to control termites. Whether or not they work better than liquid treatments to soil, will be debated by pest control firms.

What is certain is that baits will cost more than traditional Barrier Treatments and you won’t get the peace of mind provided by products such as Termidor. Liquid treatments to soil are used to kill termites quickly and to create a barrier to prevent entry or re-entry into a structure. Liquid termiticides give quicker results, than baits, even when compared with the newer non-repellent termiticides that are available. Baits on the other hand, can take from a few months to 1 or 2 years to control termites. It depends on how long it takes the termites to find the bait stations. Some advantages for bait technology are they can be installed in a short amount of time, its less intrusive, they may be your only choice for homes with construction issues and if you want a limited amount of pesticide applied in or around your home, baits might be your control method of choice.

Any source of cellulose would be attractive to termites. Damp conditions under layers of mulch are ideal habitat for termites. Landscape mulch, preferably Cypress Mulch should be used sparingly and care should be taken not to place mulch against wood siding, weep holes or slab edges