Killing termites in Sydney

Killing termites in Sydney and other towns and cities around New South Wales has become much more simple in the last few years with the advent of termite  baiting and  monitoring systems.

In essence a termite monitoring system is put in place to detect termites before they manage to attack a building. Once the termites are in the monitoring system then it is up to us to introduce a bait toxicant, which will ensure the eventual elimination of the termites.

The time taken to eliminate termites can vary substantially from colony to colony. Some of the variables are,

1 species of termite

2 size of the colony

3 distance to the colony from the bait site

4 time of year

With the most common species of termite in Sydney, that is, Coptotermes species, if the termites are fed the bait starting in spring, then we will often have colony elimination within 2 months. Some other species can take up to 12 months.

Occasionally we will see that it is necessary to use a different type of treatment because of the amount of time that it takes to colony elimination. Whenever we use a baiting system however, we find that we have colony elimination 100% of the time. Therefore whilst sometimes it can take a little longer than other methods it is generally the best method to use.

A monitoring system comprises only a few basic components. Arguably the most important part of the monitoring system is the inground station and the timber insert that sits within it. The inground station is made of a durable plastic which is buried in the ground with its top flush with the soil. A lockable lid is on top which when removed will reveal the timber insert. The timber insert is a specially designed piece of Eucalyptus Regnans which has been cut to have a large surface area. The timber inserts are highly palatable to termites.

The in ground monitoring stations are placed in the ground around 3 m apart. Once the stations are installed, regular inspections of them must be undertaken. When termites are noticed within the stations the bait toxicant can be added and colony elimination will start again.

Once colony elimination has been achieved timbers in the station are renewed and the monitoring inspections start once again.

Termites in trees in Sydney

Because there are many national parks and bushland areas in and around Sydney the prevalence of termites that like to nest in trees is very high. It is a misconception held by the general public and also some members of the pest control community that termites that live in trees do not attack homes. This could not be further from the truth. In fact for the termites to live in the trees they must 1st excavate enough room inside the tree for their entire colony, this in itself should surely be enough evidence that termites eat timber. Houses are made from timber. 2+2=4
The termites that cause the most damage in the Sydney basin are a species that almost always lives inside of a tree. This species, Coptotermes are very prevalent. There is another species which is also known to nest on and sometimes in, trees, and that is Nasutitermes Walkeri, and these are the termite nests that you might see high up in a tree, they build large round or oval shaped mud nests. These nests are only half of the actual termite Colony with the other half of the colony being in a separate area underground. These termites to, can cause great deals of damage and have been known to damage a house to the point that it needs to be demolished.
If you have trees around or near to your property then it pays to have them checked when you have your annual termite inspection.

What does a Termite sound like?

Termites communicate with the use of pheromones, Termites also have the ability to communicate with sound. Particularly when there has been an incursion into the colony by ants or there has been damaged sustained to their workings, the soldier termites will whack their head against the timber resulting in a clicking sound. have a listen to the sound on this video.

What do termites sound like?

Termites do not have the ability to make sound as humans do for communication. Termites communicate via pheromones most of the time. Occasionally when termites are disturbed, for instance when a piece of timber that they are working inside collapses and distorts opening up the workings to our atmosphere the soldier termites rapidly run to the open area to defend the colony from potential predators.
The instant that this disturbance has happened, the soldier termites start to bang their heads against the timber making a clicking or tapping type of sound, this sound is repeated by all of the soldiers that are within earshot and very rapidly the message that there is a disturbance or an incursion into the colony gets back to the Queen.
The sound that the termites may have varies depending upon the area within which they are working, often because the timber is hollow, the sound is amplified and is quite drummy. When the timber within which they are working has been extensively damaged and has little structural integrity left the sound is often quieter.
People will often hear termites when the termites are working in the wall next to the bed. It can be quiet enough overnight that the sounds of biting can be heard. This is quite rare but does happen on occasions.
Click here to hear what termites sound like.

Termite baiting in Sydney

Termite baiting is certainly proving to be an outstanding leader in the field of termite colony elimination. When it comes to eliminating a termite colony there are few choices really.
The choice of a system to protect your home is very important as not all systems are designed to work in all homes. Much research should go into which system best suits your particular home. A professional can usually sum this up in next to no time, so if you have a technician that you trust take his advice. There is a lot more behind termite control products than the layman might think.

• Baiting, feeding a palatable substance to the termites that they will willingly transport back to the colony and share it as a food source.
• Dusting, introducing by stealth a toxic dust that will adhere to the bodies of termites and inadvertently be transported to the colony where members of the colony may come into contact with the toxicant as they groom each other thereby possibly ingesting the dust.
• Nematodes, an extremely small creature that can be introduced into the termite workings where it can then try to do what nematodes do, and enter the termite and cause death by eating the gut and other parts of the termite.

Baiting termites has become a %100 positive solution for controlling termites in Sydney. When the system is installed correctly and maintained in the correct way there are no failures.

Hundreds of termites dead and alive in a bait station

This photograph of a termite bait station was taken after the termites had been feeding on the bait for eight weeks. In the top right hand corner of the station you can see masses of termites huddled together, these termites are all very near death as they have consumed plenty of the toxicant designed to eliminate the colony.
In the bottom left corner when you look closely you will find that many of the termites here are dead and there is a "pile" of termite heads that have been "dumped after the rest of the colony cannibilised them.

How to exterminate termites in Sydney

How do you exterminate termites?
Really the science behind termite extermination is very complex, for the layman a simplified explanation follows.
Termites have a complex colony structure (not unlike bees) where there is a King and Queen who are looked after by a multitude of members of the colony which is made up mostly of worker termites and then soldier termites.
The queen is arguably the most valuable member of the colony, and her job really only involves constantly laying eggs. A Queen termite can lay up to two thousand eggs a day. The Queen is very large when compared to the other members of the colony and needs twenty four hour care.
The worker termites are the ones that do the destructive damage to our homes, eating vast amounts of timber from within the structure. The workers transport the timber back to the colony and share it with the other members including the Queen. The workers are also responsible for foraging for new food sources, extending the nest, grooming each other and ensuring that there is enough moisture to keep the colony healthy.
The soldier termites as their name infers are the protectors of the colony ensuring that marauding ants and other insects are kept away and generally guarding the entrances and feeding sites.
So after that introduction to how a termite colony functions, how do we kill the colony?

There are several ways

1. Direct destruction of the colony. If you know where the colony is and can be sure that the Queen can be located, then destroying the colony by breaking it open and applying a permethrin based pesticide will kill the inhabitants. Be sure to kill the Queen because if she is missed then the colony will be rebuilt.
2. Apply a bait product to the termite activity, the termites will share it amongst the entire colony and eventually die. This process can take some significant time however is very worthwhile as it achieves success %100 of the time.
3. Apply a termite dust which will be inadvertently taken back to the colony by those termites who come into contact with it. This method can work well but the pitfall is that there is usually no evidence as to whether colony extermination has been achieved.

The advice is still to seek professional help whenever you believe that you may have located termites and to ensure that you have a professional carry out a termite inspection each twelve months.

What is a termite inspection?

Termite inspections can be carried out in many ways.
Australian standard 4349.3 is the standard that we must work to when carrying out a prior to purchase inspection.
Australian standard 3660.2 is the inspection standard that we must work to when inspecting an existing home.
Unskilled or untrained operators in pest control may well be inspecting to no standard at all.
It is worthwhile to invest in a copy of the relevant Australian standard. This will ensure that you can keep an eye on any work that is being carried out at your home. A proper inspection will include checking all high risk areas around the yard, under the house, if access is available, through each room inside the house, and right through the roof void.
The signs are that termites around are generally not obvious to the average home owner. When an expert is carrying out a termite inspection it is rare to site the actual insect. termites travel in mud shelter tubes or within timber that they are damaging. We have a series of termite inspection videos available to view on www.pestec.com.au. When you need a termite inspection carried out hire an expert, it is too easy and costly to make mistakes where termites are concerned.
watch the video here

Termite inspection in Sydney 1

Part 1 of a series of videos that shows what happens when a termite inspection is carried out. All of the footage shown here has been captured by Pestec technicians in the course of their daily routines. The images are easy to collect as termites are found on multiple occasions each and every day.
This particular footage deals with some of the areas around the outside of a home that termites find easy to feed upon, nest in and use as "staging points" for their attack on the home.
These examples could happen in any home on the eastern seaboard of Australia, and anecdothttp://www.pestec.com.au/ally happens to up to 20,000 homes across Sydney each and every year.

Termite inspections are a necessity in Sydney

A termite inspection is a standard part of home maintenance. By ensuring that regular inspections of your home are undertaken you not be faced with crippling damage bills for the repairs that are needed when termites attack.
Termites can consume huge quantities of timber particularly in summer when they are at their most active. Science has proven that Coptotermes spp termites have the ability to consume up to 1.5kg of timber per day. Often the timber is consumed without the homeowner having any indication that the destruction is happening right under their noses.
By carrying out regular maintenance small signs that termite attack is present can be noted by an expert in the field and recommendations to eliminate the colony can be put in place. A termite inspection is the integral part of any termite control programme, without it most homeowners are just presiding over a home that has a decreasing value over time.One piece of advice, inspect, inspect, inspect.
To ensure that your investment is not eroding, take action now, inspect, treat, prevent, inspect and repeat.

Termite inspection in sydney

Termites in Sydney have been the focus of my business life for the last 20 years. I have been able to experience many different species of termites in vastly different situations through Greater Sydney. One theme has consistently shone through. I don't usually have panic stricken calls from people who have made it their business to properly maintain their home. The calls I get are from panic stricken people who often don't even know what a termite inspection is.
It is no wonder that many of these people suffer great psychological and financial damage when they finally discover by default that termites have decided to make a meal of their homes. Prevention is better than cure, yes I know we cannot all have a Chrystal ball, however when the scientists from the CSIRO have stated repeatedly that all of the Eastern seaboard of Australia is at high risk of termite attack it is up to us the public to take some heed. These warnings are not given lightly.
There are some simple steps to take to ensure that either your home is protected from termites.

1. Carry out regular termite inspections.
2. Carry out the recommendations contained in your inspection report.
3. Ensure that you have some form of termite prevention in place.
4. Make sure you have regular termite inspections.
   

Termite inspection in Macarthur

http://www.pestec.com.au/
Termite inspections are as important in Macarthur as elsewhere in Australia. The CSIRO says that homes on the Eastern seaboard of Australia are at high risk of termite attack. Sydney, Wollongong and the Southern Highlands including areas such as Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale all have homes that are equally at risk.The Macarthur area takes in Camden, Narellan and Oran Park along with other suburbs and Campbelltown being on its outskirts.Camden and Narellan are known to have a termite species that is more prevalent locally than elsewhere, that species is Nasutitermes spp. Nasutitermes are found in many areas but high numbers exist in Macarthur. Specialist treatment is required for this species of termite as several different brands of termite control pesticide have been proven to have failed to gain control of them.An appropriate prevention system must be put in place when it is established that Nasutitermes are present. A baiting system is good defence, as is a chemical treated zone when the construction method allows for it.Regular termite inspections are a must for ensuring ongoing control of all termites but particularly Nasutitermes.
For detailed footage about termite inspections see http://www.pestec.com.au/termite-inspection-video-series

Options for termite (white ant) inspection in Sydney

In general all homes should have a visual timber pest inspection carried out at least every twelve months. A visual inspection is simply an inspection that does not include such things as lifting carpets, moving large furniture or insulation to better enable the inspection. what it does include is the checking of the yard and exterior of the property, underneath (if access available) through each room of the house and finally through the roof void.When carrying out a visual inspection a competent termite control technician will be able to determine if there is a need for further tests or an invasive inspection.Often when carrying out a visual inspection, a technician will find some conditions that give rise to suspicion that termites exist in the are but cannot prove it. During a visual inspection a moisture meter may be used. A moisture meter will detect the presence of moisture in such materials as gyproc and timber. Often when termites are present a high level of moisture will also be present.A thermal imaging camera can be used for special circumstances where non invasive investigation is preferred. A thermal camera detects infra red radiation from the top 1/1000 of an inch of the surface that the camera is being pointed at. Termites use damp mud in their workings and this can show up as a different thermal signature when viewed through the. Thermal camera.Invasive inspection is often a last resort method of determining whether termites are extent. Invasive inspection may include lifting carpets and vinyl, removal of some trimming timbers and even cutting areas of gyproc to reveal the timber wall studs.There is a place in pest management for all of the above however in general the place to start is with a visual inspection. After carefully choosing a termite control company you must then be able to be confident in following the recommendations made by the technician.

Termite inspections in Sydney

Termite inspections are absolutely imperative to ensure that termite incursion does not happen. There is no method of termite treatment that will work without termite inspections being carried out. In Australia we have standards of workmanship that are often dictated by a series of documents named Australian Standards. The Australian standards for termite control, point out that whenever you have installed a termite management system you must have a termite inspection carried out each twelve months or more regularly where the risk is higher.
A termite inspection when carried out properly must include very close inspection of the following.

• The exterior of the property
• The under floor (sub floor) area 
• The interior
• The roof void

All of these areas need to be inspected thoroughly and in conjunction with each other. To inspect a part of a house only gives a part of a picture. The Australian standard is a very good read when you need to know how best to  inspect or what you should expect from a termite inspector.

Remember CHEAP = NASTY

Do not skimp you will get what you pay for!

Termite inspections are crucial

Termite inspections are a crucial part of the termite management systems built in to every home.even 100 years ago the termite management systems designed into a house were designed in such a way that without human interaction (inspection) they would fail.
An inspection is necessary to enable all functions in termite management

• Prevention
• Detection 
• Elimination

Without the initial inspection all of these functions can only blindly be carried out. For a homeowner to believe that they are adequately able to carry out an inspection is a pipe dream. Experienced pest control technicians struggle with termite inspection. It is truly a specialist field. In Sydney, termite inspections are carried out by many levels of technician. It takes only one week to become qualified to carry out termite inspection and treatment, there is no requirement for experience.

Cheap inspections are very readily available, avoid cheap like the plague. There is only one word that fits perfectly with cheap and that, is Nasty. It takes time to carry out a proper termite inspection and the time will vary dependent upon the size of the home and the complexity of its construction.

Ensure that you research any termite inspection or control company and see to it that they are appropriately skilled, qualified, licensed, insured and that the person who proves he is all of the preceding will be the one carrying out the work. For good measure if you require that anyone that you employ is a member of the AEPMA (the relevant industry association) and Pestcert (a body created to raise industry standards) then you will be well on your way to choosing a quality company.

Termite extermination in Sydney

Exterminating termites in Australia is known as termite control. Extermination is an often used word coming out of the USA which is not incorrect but little used in this country. Where we use the term termite control, termite extermination is fine to be inserted.
Now that we have got that out of the way, killing termites is a serious business. When termites are accessing your home by some out of the way subterranean route, no one can afford to try and carry out control measures themselves, it is too easy to mess up and the cost of messing up can be extreme termite damage to your home. Termite control should be left to the professionals and should always be carried out with the following in mind.

1. A termite inspection is necesary to enable the termite expert to be able to fully assess the situation and recommend the appropriate solution.
2. Termite colony control measures must be undertaken when live termites are found. It is of no use to carry out a preventative type treatment when the termites are still actively working in the building. It just does not work.
3. Preventative measures must be undertaken when colony control has been achieved, this may take the form of a chemical treated zone around the home or a "greener" monitoring system placed around the home. either way continual ongoing maintenance must be undertaken to ensure that a re-infestation cannot occur.

How to kill termites in Sydney

How to kill termites in Sydney? Termites are simple creatures to kill. Almost anything will kill a termite including hot water. Killing a termite is not really the answer to stopping termites eating your home.
Keeping termites away on a long term basis is the result to aim for. Many of the products available to consumers will definitely kill termites, but will not keep them away.

1. There are essentially two ways to keep termites away from your home Use a product that you either feed to the termites or they inadvertently pick up and take back to their nest destroying the entire colony. Which means that this colony can never attack your home again.
2. Use a product that is applied to the soil to either a repel the termites from near your home or b allow the termites to move through the product becoming affected by it and eventually dieing Which method is best is a personal choice.

The choice must also take into account that every building is different and there are different species of termites that will react differently to each product.Ensure that you have a skilled technician that knows about all of the products available and can make sensible recommendations for your particular situation.

Killing termites in Sydney

How do you kill termites?
There are three methods of killing termites that are available today. Two of these methods are tried and tested, have science to back them up and are the best choice. The other method goes outside the pesticide label (the law) and the Australian for termite control AS3660.2
The methods are

1. Baiting the termites to achieve colony elimination.
2. Dusting the termites to achieve colony elimination.
3. application of a liquid termiticide.

Here is a link to a video with a quick demonstration of how baiting works.

I will continue this post over the next few days.

Termites could be more prevalent this winter than ever

The weather in Sydney over summer has been much cooler and wetter than any other year in the last ten. For termites this can mean several things.

The summer months are usually when termites consume the greater portion of their food source than at other times of the year. Not having the warmer weather which can allow that, the termites may well be forced into higher than normal feeding patterns before winter as they need to increase their levels of stored foods for the cold times in winter when it is very difficult for them to forage.

Lower than average temperatures may see termites starting to become used to a smaller "harvest" and force them in to a situation where the "harvesting" will continue all year round.

One thing is absolutely certain, termites will not die out because of this small "blip" on our weather radar, they will prepare for the worst as all insects and creatures have the instinct to do.

One of the factors from all of this is that if termites need to find warmer areas then they will forage to do so. One such warmer area that exists at every second house is a hot water cylinder located on the ground or on a concrete slab on the ground. The radiated heat lost from the hot water system into the concrete and then the ground is just what the doctor ordered for termites, a consistent heat source available 24/7. Moving their colony under the hot water system could be a very efficient move for the termites. Of course right near every hot water system is a large food source, Wow how lucky can a termite get?

Regular termite inspection can ensure that your home has less conducive conditions for termites as the years pass rather than unknowingly letting these conditions build up over time and putting your home at risk of termite attack

Termites nesting in trees stumps and in cavities

Many species of termites live in and eat trees.
It stands to reason of course, termites eat timber, so trees are pretty fair game. Termites however do not eat live timber. The only parts of trees that termites eat are the heartwood which is already dead, (and the heartwood may in fact be contained in a very large area of the internals of the tree not just the trunk but also the branches and roots) and large areas of bark on the outer layers of the trunk which are probably ready to be shed by the tree.
The photo of a tree trunk here has a large deposit of a tan coloured substance in the centre. The substance is in fact a mixture of termite faeces and soil from the area around the tree that termites have put in place around a wounded area of the tree which of course was dead wood. Once the termites had covered the dead wood over they then ate it. This type of "mudding" found on the exterior of a tree is often indicative that a termite nest exists inside.
Once termites have eaten a portion of a trees' heartwood there will be a cavity left. A cavity inside a tree is a very suitable place for termites to nest as there are few predators that have access to it, there is only a short distance to a food source which is probably increasing in size, and if the termites use their heads they will be able tap into the trees moisture gathering abilities and really make life easy.

Thermal imaging in termite control sydney

Thermal imaging is used in termite control to detect termites on a very regular basis. Not all homes will lend themselves to thermal imaging however a competent termite inspector will be able to recommend the best course of action. Thermal imaging detects infra red radiation from the top 1/1000 of an inch of the surface that the camera is being pointed at. When termites are present there will usually be some thermal irregularity pointing to that fact. Because a thermal camera is only reading infra red radiation, it is not solely going to detect termites, any irregularity in infra red radiation will show up. This is the reason that a thermal inspection should only be carried out with a visual inspection and by a competent termite control technician. The representation on the screen of the thermal camera must be interpreted by the technician who can judge whether there is in fact a termite presence or whether some further tests may need to be carried out.

I have taken some video to demonstrate in an extreme case what may be seen with a thermal imaging camera. In this video is a home that did not need to have thermal imaging carried out to locate the termites but by having it done we were able to locate the centre of the termite colony and treat directly into it. Go to this page on Termite thermal imaging and scroll down to see the video.

Termites can and often do nest in Trees

Termites live in a community where there are several castes that all live together and each termite relies upon others for its very existence. They are similar to many other communal species of insect in their need for shelter, food and water. Today I will discuss shelter, a site to house the entire colony. Depending upon the age of the colony they may need a cavity the size of a football or they may need one much larger. A mature Coptotermes spp termite nest can contain up to two million residents, not all of them will be at home at any one time as they are 24 hour shift workers, but this will still demand a large area in which to house those termites carrying out duties such as looking after the young, tending and protecting the Queen, and those that are distributing food.
Often an area of around .5 of a cubic metre is found to be the area that the colony is inhabiting.
All Termite colonies start from a humble beginning of just two residents, the King and Queen, at the start they do not require a very large home but as their colony grows they must provide a larger premises or risk not being able to keep a healthy colony. Initially the colony may be housed at the base of a small tree, underground and not taking up much space. As the colony grows the workers can start to hollow out the heartwood of the tree which is in fact dead timber. The heart wood is a perfect food source and as the termites excavate it they are in fact able to extend the colony to fit into the space.
Trees are by no means the only place that termites can nest, they will be opportunistic and nest in any area resembling a hollow tree. This may be a small area such as a wall cavity of a house, or a large area such as the sub floor area of a fully enclosed patio. As long as the termites are able to ensure that they will be able to keep high humidity, are relatively safe from marauding ants and other creatures and are within striking distance of food.

Termite control

Termite control has been undergoing significant changes in Australia since 1995 when Organochlorine pesticides were taken off the market. Initially organophosphate pesticides were used as replacements with varied results as many technicians received no training on the very different way that these pesticides needed to be installed. Then over the last ten years several different termiticides have been released onto the market, all with proven performance when applied properly, the biggest downfall of all of these products is that there is room for applicator error. If the product is applied in any way incorrectly it will not do the claimed job and no manufacturer will warrant that. In the last five to ten years a new and different approach has been having success in controlling termites. Baiting systems have been implemented for controlling colonies of termites and monitoring systems have been successfully intercepting termites before they reach homes. These methods are low toxic, long term, 100% gauranteed and are certainly leading the choices in intelligent termite control.

Termite (white ant) control or inspection which is most important?

So what is what here? Is Termite treatment in a preventative way, or termite inspection, which is the best way to go for my home?

A termite treatment when carried out to the most precise label directions will not stop termites from entering the protected building. Termite treatments are designed to stop undetected termite access, in other words to make sure that when termites do enter a structure that they do so in such a way as to be able to be detected during inspection.

Termite inspections are carried out with the knowledge that termites will generally find the deepest darkest recesses to enter a structure. Many times the first signs of termite entry will be found between two bricks in the sub floor area of a home. Often this entry point will be under a bathroom or laundry where there is a leaky pipe which is supplying the termites with a moisture source. The gap between two bricks is pretty small, often ten mm or less so when taking in to account what size a house is, compared to what it is we are looking for, it bears great similarity to searching for a needle in a hay stack!

When chemical termite control has been carried out correctly, termites are far less likely to be able to take advantage of the hidden deep dark recesses and be much more easily found.

So inspection or treatment? Ideally both! That will give you long term protection from termites, and early detection when or if they do enter. If there is some reason that makes treatment out of reach,then have regular termite inspections and learn what the signs of termite incursion are so that you can also do intermittent checks yourself. This photograph shows a very well developed termite "lead" a mud shelter tube that termites build so that they can cross areas like this brick wall without having to enter our atmosphere. Even an inexperienced person should be able to find evidence this substantial however mostly what we are looking for is only pencil thin.

Termite control in Sydney using Nemesis termite baiting and monitoring

The Nemesis termite baiting and monitoring system is being widely used in Sydney. The reason for Nemesis being so widely used now is mainly down to its success rate. At Pestec we have a 100% success rate of gaining colony elimination when using the Nemesis termite baiting and monitoring system. This success can be attributed to many factors both within Pestec and in the manufacture of the bait and the rest of the system. Pestec has well documented procedures that ensure that all of our technicians follow the same process at all times when baiting. Consistency when first installing and then when replacing bait is imperative so that the termites continue to consume the bait once feeding has started. Ensuring that the bait is always mixed with the same amount of water is also a key to its success. Nemesis bait is produced under very strict conditions where the risk of contamination is minimised. The Nemesis in ground stations are a very well designed monitoring station that appears to be able to intercept termites more regularly than any other system.

Summer has come late for termites in sydney

Temperatures in Sydney have stayed reasonably warm for this time of year and it appears that termites are enjoying what little summer they can. Termites are much more active in warmer months and this year is no exception. Whilst Sydney had a cooler than normal summer, Autumn has been quite warm so far and termites are being found by homeowners in almost alarming numbers. The best way to ensure that you do not suffer from termite attack is to have an annual termite inspection carried out. This will ensure that if termites do attack your home that you will suffer only small amounts of damage. A termite inspection carried out by an appropriately qualified person will cover all areas of our home, the exterior, the sub floor area, the interior , and the roof void. It is only after all of this that an expert will know whether your home has been attacked by termites or not. When you find that your home has not been attacked, do not rest easy, think about future preventative measures

Which Termite Control Product is Best? Is Sydney Different?

Termite treatment methods must vary from state to state and from area to area. Many Termiticides will have varying lengths of life and effectiveness dependent upon the soil type which they are introduced to. Very high alkaline soils have been proven to reduce the life and effectiveness of Chlorpyrifos based pesticides by up to five times. Very sandy soils are not at all good for the installation of chemical soil barriers as the molecules of the active ingredient find it difficult to bond to the sand particles, much more organic matter is needed in the soil for successful treatment and control. Clay soils present their own problems with it being very difficult to keep the pesticide from all running to a low point without evenly soaking in, and occasionally when good bonding to the soil has occurred a termite control treatment can be completely compromised if the clay dries out and does what clay does in dry conditions, and opens up, with large cracks which effectively give pathways through the treated areas.

There are some homes where these types of treatments are useful and can be the ideal termite control method, however they are few and far between. Ensure that you fully research all termite control methods before embarking on a method that may just be fruitless. Always take colony control measures first, this means killing the termite colony that is affecting your home. There are several approved methods of colony elimination including introduction of a termiticide dust to the termite workings, direct destruction of the colony and baiting

Termite Control Measures and the Home Owner

Termite control is not something that can be delegated to a pest control company and then forgotten about, you need to take responsibility for your own space. Leaving firewood stored against your home like in this photograph is an open invitation for termites.
Termites will forage around underground looking for what to them is a food source,and trying to find that food whilst keeping out of our environment. This means that they will be very secretive attacking timbers from below where you cannot see them until it is often too late. Often there are Water sources around homes that provide the termites with all of the moisture that they need. Moisture is a very important commodity to termites as they need very high humidity levels to survive. It is your responsibility as a homeowner to ensure that these high risk factors are minimised around your home.

Termite control is a serious subject

Way to often I am hearing from the public that they believe that treating termites is simple, easy and that a back yarder can do it. Well all these claims are true, the unfortunate part is that killingthe termites is the easy part. Keeping termites away is the real problem.

Termites live in a complex colony often some distance from the building they are attacking. Ideally the colony can be located and destroyed, however in urban situations this is rarely possible.

I am often argued with by an inexperienced handymen armed with a can of termite killer from the local hardware store who is about to save the day by "spraying" the buggers. This can be catspastrophic, a product will not be registered to kill termites unless it works, however that product may well have an instruction list as long as your arm on the termiticide label. Unless the label is followed to the letter the application will probably not work.

The best thing in an urban situation is to be able to feed the termites a bait product that they freely take back to the colony and eliminate the entire colony.

Killing the termites at the feeding site is easy, hot water, wd 40, fly spray will all kill them, don't do it. Resist the urge to tamper with the termites and do your research into the best methods of control. Be prepared that proper termite control can cost $3-5K or occasionally more. Dont scrimp here, use an experienced team to get the job done right the first time. It will save you grief.

Termite or White Ant?

Are they termites or white ants?

White ants are actually termites, white ant is just the common name. Many people when quickly identifiying a mass of insects that have been disturbed, will often come up with White ants as the culprit. In the many years that I have been dealing with insect pests I have learnt that a quick id by an unqualified person, will often mistake common ants for termites.

Common Ants have nesting habits that ensure that above all the next generations are looked after first. When a nest of black ants are disturbed the ants will hurriedly pick up any eggs to protect them and find a new place to tend them. These eggs are very white and often around the same size as the ant that is carrying it. When the person who has disturbed the ants first sees a writhing mass of thousands of insects, often they have such a shock at seeing this unexpected insect life that the first reaction is to run and grab some spray to dispatch the invaders! At this point there is most often very little time spent in the identification of the pest however invariably the most common movement seen will be the ants that are rapidly moving the very white eggs to safety.

For a look at what termites really look like follow this link to a close up view of some termites

Termite control jobs in Sydney down over Summer 2012

The total number of termite treatments carried out by Pestec over this summer was down slightly to the previous three years. An interesting period is happening now where the total amount of termite treatments in Sydney for Pestec is up substatially for the small part of Autumn that we have had so far. If the trend continues in this way, then overall for the year the total number of termite treatments will again average out.
The cooler weather and rain over Summer in Sydney seems to have meant that homeowners have spent less time outdoors and therefore had less opportunity to find any termite issues that may be existing in their yards, sheds or fences before the termites make their way to the house.
At Pestec we fear that this will mean that many termite infestations in homes that may have been picked up during a "normal" summer will go un noticed until next summer. This will mean that the damage that is suffered from the termite attack will be much worse.
Homeowners that have an annual termite inspection will not suffer the same as those who do no preventative maintenance.
Prevention is better than cure.

Termites still going strong in Autumn in Sydney

We are into Autumn now in Sydney and the termite attacks that often start to wane at this time of year do not appear to be doing so this year. Pestec still is taking multiple reports of termites attacking homes each day! There are still several different species of termites doing the damage, mainly though the termites are Coptotermes spp, Schedorhinotermes spp and Nasutitermes spp termites. No matter which termite decides to attack your home significant damage can occur. The best security against termite attack is a monitoring system like the Nemesis Termite Monitoring System, further information and videos showing how this works can be found here.

Termite baiting can take time to kill the termites!

Termite baiting has proven to be a blessing for homeowners in Sydney.

Baiting for termites has significantly reduced the amounts of highly toxic pesticides that needs to be placed around homes and has also reduced the amount of damage that is done to install those pesticides.

One of the most common termite speies in the Sydney basin is Coptotermes spp these termites are attributed with causing the most damage of all termites in Sydney.

A ver good up side of having your home attacked by these termites is that they are the species that we deal with the most, and therefore we more about these termites and how they respond than any other termite spp.

On average Coptotermes spp termites will take ten weeks to eliminate the colony. The actual time taken to complete destruction of the colony is much closer to four weeks, however the technical definition of colony elimination includes two visits to check the stations, where there is no activity present. Visits are generally three to four weeks apart.

Whilst it takes time to eliminate the colony, research tells us that once termites start to feed on our bait they will stop feeding on timber and therefore stop timber damage. A very handy little side effect.

You will benefit greatly from having a termite baiting and monitoring system installed as once you have eliminated those termites currently attacking your home you will then be able to ensure that no further termite attacks can happen to your home. Check this video to see just how a monitoring system works. http://www.pestec.com.au/Nemesis-termite-baiting

Thermal imaging ever more important in termite detection

Thermal imaging is certainly not new technology, it's use in termite detection is now becoming "old technology" the gimmicks of thermal imaging have worn off and the real benefits of using the technology in well trained hands is being seen.

A Thermal camera that is properly rated for the task at hand, will find traces of termites where a standard inspection may miss them. For example, if a termite colony has taken up residence in a cavity wall of a house, there may be no signs of that infestation under the home or even in the roof void above that area, given that termite colonies produce quite a bit of heat, the colony will show up even if the walls are double brick.

Follow this link to see a photograph of a wall of a house where for successive years the pest controllers could not find where the termites were getting in. The termites in fact lived in the wall cavity on the second floor. http://www.pestec.com.au/technology

Thermal imaging is no "magic wand" but in many situations it is invaluable.

Termites respond well to advanced baiting techniques

The statistics do not lie. %100 of termite attacks that Pestec has treated with Termite bait have resulted in colony elimination. The average time to colony elimination varies with species of termite, time of year baiting starts and some other environmental factors, however the average time to colony elimination with Coptotermes spp termites is 9 weeks. Colony elimination actually has happened in shorter time than this in all cases as this figure includes a visit after termites have ceased to be sighted. This puts baiting in line with the time to elimination that other products such as dusts claim for elimination. www.pestec.com.au

Baiting means that the termite colony has been eliminated not that the house has been cut off from them, this means that the colony cannot possibly attack the home again unlike with repellant pesticides which when they wear off the termite colony will be bigger and stronger and able to re enter the home and cause more damage.

Shonky Pesties abound in Sydney

Today one of our technicians reported yet another shonky termite job being carried out in Sydney. We wish we could just get on with the serious business of treating termites and ensuring that homeowners can feel secure in the knowledge that they have taken all of the necesary steps to stop termites entering their homes. Obviously some unscrupulous shonks out there are just taking peoples money at a time when they feel very vulnerable.
Our technician reported a new customer who had their termite infestation treated one month ago, where he could find no sign of treatment. No sign of treatment! The customer had paid $2800 to a supposedly reputable company who guarantees their work! If only the customer could contact them.
Another reason to only employ companies who are members of the industry association and who hold proper insurance see our other posts. For a list of appropriate questions to ask pest control companies follow this link and fill in the form.
http://www.pestec.com.au/termite-control

Termites remain unaffected by continuous rain in Sydney

Sydney has had its' wettest summer on record. This however has helped termites out, not hindered them as you may think. When ground is waterlogged it is very difficult for termites to forage as they are continuously trying to build tunnels through pools of water, this can slow their foraging down somewhat.

The upside for termites is that when humidity is high they can openly forage above ground which would not normally happen as they can too easily dry out, dessicate and die. When ground is moist (not waterlogged) termites find tunneling and the shoring work they then must do to waterproof and strengthen their tunnels much easier.

What this means for the average homeowner is that more emphasis must be placed upon the prevention of termites than normal, as termites will find it much easier than normal to find new homes to feed upon and find easy entry points to the same.

To take action against termites is simple and should be started by a termite control specialist. In Sydney, Pestec is the choice for termite control, check out www.pestec.com.au/termite-control

What does a common termite in Sydney look like?

Not much that needs to be said about this video. Coptotermes species termites, a very damaging termite in Sydney and in fact all of the East coast of Australia. Sydney is home to quite a few different species of termite that are very voracious. The easiest way to tell the difference between an ant and a termite is to check how many body segments the insect has. Termites have two segments, a head and an abdomen, ants have three, a head, an abdomen, and a thorax. If you do have termites you will need some form of termite control. this may take one of several forms however the important thing is to do your research and ensure that you are employing a reputable company who has trained and qualified technicians

Termite baiting in Sydney

Termite baiting is still on top of the list of treatment options for long term termite control. Termites can be treated in many varied ways, with the best option for control being very much an individual choice.
We have quite a few different methods of termite control available very much dependent upon the construction methods used when the house or building was built.
Termite baiting however should be used as an initial colony control measure wherever possible as it has been proven to have a 100% success rate whereas other colony control measures do have failures.