Discovered White Ants On Backyard
I received an email from this gentleman who wants to identify the white ant that he discovered around a tree in his backyard.
Good Morning Ion
Thank you for a very informative web page, I downloaded your “how-to guide” a couple of days back. Firstly a little background. About twelve months ago I obtained some info on DIY termitraps from a CSIRO and a Qld Gov. website and consequently made and installed a number of DIY termitraps made of slotted PVC pipe, each trap 100 mm ID and 250 mm in length and the slots are about 5 mm wide, picture attached. Each termitrap has a number of pieces of Tasmanian Oak & some fluted cardboard in them & I have placed these as a precautionary measure around the perimeter of our home and inspect them an app. every three months. So far there has been no activity in them.
However, when cleaning up around a tree in our backyard a few days back I discovered white ant activity in a piece hardwood & have enclosed three photos of them in the hope that you can identify & advise. I have since placed the PVC termitrap, as pictured, as well as a small plastic bottomless box measuring 250 mm square and app. 90 mm deep
in close proximity of the tree. Each of these devices has some Tasmanian Oak and fluted cardboard in them.My next-door neighbour also has a tree, about six metres distant from our infected tree and until about three weeks ago there was a small and very old hardwood structure right against the tree & it was riddled with the same little fellows as pictured. The neighbours demolished the shed but there is still significant pieces of timber in and on the ground and termites as pictured are plentiful. My neighbours have given me the OK to access their yard and I have asked them to leave things as they are at the moment and to keep the Mortein well away! and not to further disturb anything, to which they have agreed. The neighbours do not show concern at the potential problem but I feel it in my best interest to see if I can, with your advise & bait product, eliminate them. I have little doubt that I will need to buy a pack of your bait, if not now, very soon, depending upon your thought on my situation.
Your advise & comments would be very much appreciated.
Yours faithfully
Hello,
You have been industrious!
The monitors you’ve built look pretty Schmick. The bottomless ones may work better; I also built in-ground monitors before I had the bright idea to build monitors to go on the ground where the termites scouts are scouting to find their next tucker.
Nasutes The Termite Soldiers
The good news is the termite soldiers in the photos are Nasutes. You can read about them in more detail on the website but in essence, although they will eat solid timber (and therefore houses) they always build a mound nest. It will either be coming up out of the ground or it will be up in the branches of a nearby tree. All the details of treating them are there on the website.
These photos show you what you are looking for. Once you’ve found and destroyed the offender don’t think it’s all over. Nasutes are not the only termite pest around Cardiff, Coptos and Schedos are also in the district and they do significant damage and don’t give you any indication of their presence with a mound. If your monitors are attacked by termites without the pointy heads (Nasutes) you will need to get some bait from us at that time.
Best wishes
– Ion
Hi Ion,
What a pleasure to deal with people who know what they are talking about and who not only respond to a query so quickly but also provide plentiful and meaningful easy to understand information. Thank you both so much. And thank you for identifying our infestation as Nasutes. Mind you, I wish the little blighters would develop an appetite for your bait!! I would feel a lot better if they were slowly eating their way into oblivion.
So far I have not been able to locate a mound & there is certainly no evidence of any mud piles up any of the nearby trees, but when the weather clears up I will recommence my ground search.
Again, thank you very much for your promptness & integrity in dealing with my query.
Kind regards,
I am interested in your termite DIY treatment as I have an old house that is impractical to fully protect/treat but have a couple of queries:-
– Do the baits have to be applied by a professional pest controller
– Do the baits have a Use-By date
– Is your baiting system endorsed by an Australian Government agency
– Are your products made in Australia
– Where is your base in Australia
I don’t usually buy on-line and need a bit of reassurance about the product and company I am dealing with.