Hello, and welcome to my blog! My name is Dee, and I hate pests. I have struggled with many pests in my home, but contrary to popular misconception, these pests have been bigger than mice or cockroaches or ants. Rather, I have had squirrels in the attic and various marsupials living under my porch. This blog is devoted to getting rid of the larger animals. It contains everything I have learned about removing and deterring these creatures. If you hate pests but want to focus on the larger pests, you have come to the right place. Please explore my blog and enjoy!
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Although most termite damage is associated with your home, problems can still arise if a colony appears in a tree in your garden. But what should you do if you discover termites in one of your trees? Read on to find out more.
Termites in trees – friend or foe?
The first thing to note here is that not every species of tree-dwelling termite found in Australia is structurally destructive as far as your home is concerned. In fact, some species, for example, the Nasutitermes termite, provide food and shelter for many Australian native creatures and don't venture into people's homes at all. It's therefore very important, on discovering termites living in one of your trees, that you contact your local pest control contractor straight away, in order to have the species identified.
The most destructive order of tree dwelling termites is the Coptotermes species. These insects can survive in the ground beneath a tree stump for decades before emerging to form a new colony that could settle in another tree or in the wooden structures in your house. Another undesirable termite species is the Schedorhinotermes. These pests will happily set up colonies undetected deep underground, feeding on the mulch that's left following stump grinding. They will readily migrate to form colonies in the retaining walls of your house or in other wooden structures in and around your home.
What action should you take?
Even if the species of termites in your tree is identified as one that is non-invasive and harmless to property, you should still consider having the tree cut down, especially if it is large and growing close to buildings or fencing. Termites feed on the heartwood of the tree and the roots, causing invisible damage to a tree that outwardly appears healthy. This means that the tree is left weakened and unstable, and could unexpectedly fall during high winds, inflicting damage on property or people.
If the termites are identified as a species that could potentially invade your home, you should have the tree should be cut down and burned. However, the stump should be left in situ. This is because it's possible that the actual termite colony is based in the ground beneath the tree stump and was just feeding on the tree. In this case, your pest control contractor will treat the colony within the stump with termiticide to kill-off the insects.
Post-treatment, you will be advised to leave the stump in place rather than digging it up. This is because immature termites may still be living deep in the ground beneath the tree, and any future activity will become evident immediately around the tree stump as the newly mature termites begin to feed on the wood. Leaving the stump where it is will give you a good monitoring tool for termite activity in the future.
In conclusion
Even though many species of tree-dwelling termites are non-destructive as far as your home is concerned, they can still cause fatal damage to your trees. It's important that you contact your local pest control company to have the termite species identified. They will then advise you on the best course of action to take.
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