It is essential for the white ant pest controller to properly identify the species of white ant found in a property. Some species of white ants prefer living and will not attack dry seasoned timbers in a building, whilst others can be are highly destructive to such buildings in a short amount of time.
Coptotermes
acinaciformis
Commonly found throughout Australia - particularly in urban areas or where
eucalypt gum trees are highly prevalent.
Destructive Nature - Coptotermes acinaciformis are
highly destructive to buildings and other timber structures. They are the
most widely distributed and destructive timber pest in Australia, accounting
for more than 70% of the serious damage to buildings in Australia. A single
colony may consist of more than one million white ants. A most voracious
timber pest ... one to be taken seriously.
Nest Location - Coptotermes acinaciformis are a very secretive white
ant species; they build their nest out of sight, often within the base of
eucalyptus or other susceptible trees, or completely under the ground; often
within an enclosed patio or under concrete on ground flooring which is ideal
for moisture retention, temperature and humidity control within the white
ant colony's central nest. Coptotermes acinaciformis can also construct
subsidiary White-ant nests away from the main colony nest. A subsidiary
White-ant nest can be contained in a wall cavity of a building where there
is a reliable moisture source, for example, from a leaking shower recess
or faulty guttering or rusted down pipes.
Mastotermes darwiniensis
Area of Distribution - Commonly found in tropical Queensland,
Northern Territory and Western Australia - generally north of the tropic
of Capricorn.
Destructive nature - Mastotermes darwiniensis is
one of the world's most destructive white ant 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 ringbarking
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 white ants in the world - they occur only in
Australia - a white ant to be feared.
Nest location - Mastotermes darwiniensis 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 along period of time without
contact to the original nest.
Schedorhinotermes
intermedius
Area of Distribution - Commonly found in eastern NSW and south eastern
Queensland - particularly along the entire coast-line, the Great Dividing
Range and adjoining slopes.
Identification - this species tends to "gouge" the affected timber and has
a fetish around nails used in construction. When you first find them, you
will often see a major soldier (6mm in body length) and a minor soldier
(4mm in body length).
Destructive Nature - Schedorhinotermes intermedius are highly destructive
to buildings and other timber structures. If mostly major (larger) soldiers
are sighted, then they will most likely be a large colony with the potential
to cause severe and rapid damage to structural timbers of a building or
other timber structures.
Nest Location - Schedorhinotermes intermedius commonly
build their nest in tree stumps, in the root crown of the living, dead
and debilitated trees, under houses or within enclosed patios or other
areas where timber has been buried or stored in contact with the soil.
Coptotermes
frenchi
Area of Distribution - Commonly found throughout NSW, ACT, Victoria and
south eastern South Australia; particularly in urban areas, where buildings
are constructed of softwood or oregon timber framing. This species is
responsible for most of the timber pest damage to buildings in the ACT
region.
Destructive Nature - Coptotermes frenchi can cause
severe damage to buildings and other wooden structures. It is common for
this species to devour timber framing leaving only a thin veneer. This
species is the most shy of the destructive species; they will retreat from
a location immediately (for the time being) if disturbed.
Nest Location - Coptotermes frenchi most often build their nest in
the root crown or lower trunk area of living trees, particularly eucalypts.
They may also build their nest as a mound in the dryer areas.
Nasutitermes
exitiosus
Area of Distribution - 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.
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.
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.
Coptotermes
lacteus
Area of Distribution - Commonly found in eastern NSW, the ACT, and the
south eastern areas of Queensland including Brisbane and coastal region
to Rockhampton - particularly prevalent along the entire coast-line, along
the Great Dividing Range and western slopes.
Destructive Nature - Coptotermes lacteus attacks
stumps, dead trees, timber fences, poles and other timber structures that
are in contact with the soil, being softened by weathering or decay. These
white ants are also known to attack such timber in damp sub-floor areas.
Nest Location - this white ant species, most often builds it's nest as a
mound up to 2m above ground level, with hard clay walls, so control is easily
effected once located by knocking the top off and insecticide treatment
of the nest.
Nasutitermes
walkeri
Area of Distribution - Commonly found in eastern NSW and south eastern
Queensland - particularly prevalent in the coastal and mountain regions
along the entire eastern side of NSW.
Destructive Nature - Nasutitermes walkeri can be destructive
to damp timbers often a serious problem where the sub-floor of a building is
damp and ventilation is poor with resulting wood decay or fungal growth.
Nest Location - Nasutitermes walkeri build their nest in trees on
the main trunk or in the fork of a large branch.
Heterotermes
ferox
Area of Distribution - Commonly found throughout NSW, the ACT, Victoria,
and southern parts of South Australia and Western Australia - particularly
in urban areas or where eucalypt gum trees are highly prevalent.
Destructive Nature - Heterotermes ferox are be
destructive to damp timbers and are usually found attacking fences, poles
and other timber structures subject to wood decay from weathering or from
being in contact with the soil. This species is often confused with the
more aggressive and destructive Coptotermes acinaciformis species.
Correct identification is essential.
Nest Location - Heterotermes ferox often build their colony nest
next to stumps, logs, or other timber in direct contact with the soil where
some wood decay or rotting is prevalent.
Dampwood
white ants - form small independent nests which often attack sick or dead
trees, decaying stumps or mouldy timber in the ground; they are seldom found
in dry timbers in buildings.
Drywood
white ants - occur mostly in tropical areas, where the atmospheric humidity
is constantly above 75 percent. The introduced and highly destructive West
Indian drywood white ant, 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.
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As noted above, white-ants constantly groom and feed each other. A valuable technique for the white-ant pest controller is to instal and monitor a White-ants baiting system next to any live activity found in and around the premises where White-ants are foraging, is most likely to occur. Subsequent inspections (preferably monthly) may reveal dead or sick worker white-ants, they change colour to a mottle look, and spread of the White-ants bait to other white-ants leading to elimination of the colony.
termite control
