Coptos & Schedos Timber Construction Munchers
The Australian home-owner is chiefly concerned with two termite species.
Known as Coptos and Schedos, they are avid munchers of timber constructions, but their natural habitat takes the form of a nest built usually in a decaying tree or tree stump. Because we cannot depend on finding all the nests that threaten our property, we devote a lot of effort to baiting foraging termites that then carry the termite bait back to their nests and destroy them.
But that doesn’t mean that when we can identify a termite nest, we shouldn’t take the opportunity to destroy it – apart from anything else, it’s much cheaper!
It takes a nest 3-5 years for a termite nest to become significant, and a typical garden may contain many of them, so achieving complete eradication requires patience and a certain amount of vigilance.
Here’s how to deal with termites colonising trees in this way, usually at a cost of $50 or less.
Termites in Trees
Trees which are visibly moribund are of obvious interest, but many trees become hollow long before this stage and you should view any large, mature tree as being susceptible to termite colonization.
You can check for termite activity in suspect trees by drilling into the trunk at about shoulder height, using a 15-20mm auger bit. Angle the bit slightly downwards so that it can be used later to deliver pesticide if termites are found. If and when resistance to the auger drops suddenly, it means you have broken into the pipe. You can now carefully withdraw the auger and examine its threads, to see if termites have attached to it. If they are not, but you still suspect termite activity, insert a blade of grass into the hole, leave it there for half an hour and then withdraw it to see if termites are attacking it – they we see it as invasive.
These detection methods are not foolproof, but if termites are present they will certainly repair your auger hole with their cellulose mud, so within 24 hours you will know whether your suspicions were justified.
Once you have detected termite activity, you can treat it with chlorpyrifos, bifenthrin or permethrin. These are readily available from your local hardware store under various brand names – however, the active ingredient should be prominently displayed on the label, which will also contain instructions for use, dilution and safety.
Re-open the drill hole if it has been repaired. Using a funnel, plastic tube and watering can/bucket, pour at least 20-30 litres of the solution down into the tree.
Termites in Stumps
It’s usually easy to see if a stump is harbouring termites, just by driving a crowbar down its centre. If the stump yields easily, inspect the home for termites. If the stump is sufficiently fragile, it should be removed entirely. If not, pour 30-40 litres of insecticidal solution into the stump. Volume is more important than concentration – you want to really soak the whole nest, right to the bottom.
