Australian Termites

Who's at Risk?
Whether it's single brick, double brick, steel roof, steel frame, concrete floor, timber stumps, old or new... any home is susceptible to subterranean termites. And statistics show that one in three buildings will be affected by subterranean termite damage in its lifetime.*

Australia is home to some of the world's most destructive subterranean termites (also known as white ants, although not related to the ant family). Subterranean termites, the most common variety, usually live in colonies in the soil. Each colony is built around a king and queen, with the queen living up to 25 years. A mature colony's population generally runs into the millions. Termites are social insects, with all members of the colony working in harmony as one extremely efficient operation. Their role in searching out and processing dead and decaying timber is vital in natures scheme.

Unfortunately for our homes, they do not descriminate between dead or decaying timber and other cellulose-based building materials. Even electrical conduit is not exempt.

King and Queen	The Queen occupies a royal cell with the king. She may live up to 25 years, laying many thousands of eggs annually.
Supplementary	Supplementary Reproductives Act as replacements for the queen if she should die. Even if the queen is healthy, they may also product eggs to help increase colony size.
Winged Reproductive	Winged Reproductives You may have seen these termites when they swarm, usually in Spring, signalling a well developed colony. After shedding their wings, reproductives pair off, burrow into the soil and begin a new colony.
Workers	Workers Workers represent most of the termites in the colony. Blind and sterile, they forage for the colony's food. Most damage is caused by worker termites.
Soldiers	Soldiers With their armoured heads and strong jaws, soldiers protect the colony from enemies, most commonly ants.
Eggs and Nymphs	Eggs are cared for by workers during a two-week incubation period before passing intot he nymph stage. Nymphs mature into one of the four termite castes shown here

Subterranean Termites are random foragers and work twenty four hours-a-day, seven days-a-week and yes, even in Winter.

Subterranean Termites are very efficient in concealing their presence. They consume timbers from the inside out, leaving a paper-thin veneer of timber or timber product which is virtually undetectable until something gives way - why?

This is a defensive behaviour which protects the colony of basically blind subterranean termites from natural predators. It also assists in controlling the high humidity of their living environment.

*Source: According to estimates by Archicentre; the building advisory service of the Royal Institute of Australian Architects.