TERMITES
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Termites are quite commonly called “white ants,” especially here in Australia, however they are not actually related to ants – instead, they are part of the cockroach family Blattodea.
Termites tend to feed on dead plant material known as Cellulose, generally in the form of decaying tree stumps, leaf litter, grass and wood. There are many known termite species (approximately 2500), and as pests, they can be of great economic significance due to the fact they can cause considerable structural damage to homes and buildings, but not all termite species will pose a threat to your home and belongings, as a matter of fact there is only about 5 species of subterranean termites that we regularly encounter in homes in this part of Cairns, North Queensland. 
Of those species that we consider a pest of timber in Cairns, there is a huge difference in severity of damage between which species you may have in your home or on your property. Some species will only cause superficial damage and take many months to cause even the slightest of issues and other species of termites will cause quite severe damage without you even being aware of their presence in your home. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to have regular timber pest inspections done to your house and property to help prevent possible future termite issues in your Cairns homes.
We also deal with Drywood termites as a pest regularly in Cairns, these termites don’t require the same moisture levels as subterranean termites do and can live comfortably inside your homes without having to head back to the ground for their moisture like subterranean termites. Finding fecal pellets beside or below timber can generally indicate you have a Drywood termite problem in your home.
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Signs of Termite Attack
Some of the early signs that you may notice when you have a termite problem in or around your home is distinct mud trails going up your walls, piers, trees, fence palings or slab edges. This is often the first thing noticed by customers. There is however a species of ant known as the Coastal Brown ant that also makes mud trails and we quite regularly get calls from customers saying they’re noticing all this mud, frass and dirt around their skirting boards and mud trails on their external walls. The mud trails from Coastal Brown ants are very brittle and will collapse quite easily if touched, while termite mud trails can be quite firm. 
Another sign of termite damage to your home is the bubbling effect on a wall or timber surface, if you look at a wall or timber surface on an angle you may notice that it looks like it’s bubbling or not smooth like it once was and after touching it your finger goes right through the surface you’ll know you have a termite problem. It’s quite common for a home owner to discover they have a termite problem after their vacuum cleaner breaks through their timber skirting boards while doing the housework, or they lean on a wall only for their hand to go through that wall.
If you suspect you may have a Termite problem in or around your home, feel free to contact us at Pest Off Solutions.
We specialize in Termite treatments, Termite baiting & monitoring and Termite inspections. One of the best measures in reducing your risk of termite attack is to have regular Timber pest inspections done by a professional termite inspector. We will provide a report that advises you on ways to help secure your property from possible termite attack. |
Read this Blog for some tips to help prevent Termites in your home.