Subterranean Termite

Where it lives

Colonies live in the soil and reach timber through mud tubes built up walls and foundations. Attacks skirting boards, door frames, floor joists, buried timber and anything cellulose, including cardboard and paper.

Signs

• Mud tubes the width of a pencil running up walls, foundations and pillars
• Timber that sounds hollow when tapped but looks intact
• Swarms of dark winged insects in spring, or piles of discarded wings on sills
• Paint that blisters or ripples over affected timber
• Skirting and door frames that crumble under light pressure
• Floorboards or skirting that sound hollow but look perfectly sound

Risks

• Severe structural damage to timber, often extensive before discovery
• Very expensive repairs and possible loss of structural integrity
• Damage to stored documents, books and cardboard
• Rarely covered by standard building insurance

Prevention

• Keep soil and mulch away from timber and render at ground level
• Remove buried timber, formwork and tree stumps near the building
• Fix leaks and improve sub-floor ventilation
• Store firewood off the ground and away from the house
• Have an inspection before purchasing an older property
• Do not rely on a visual check alone in a rendered building, the mud tubes are often behind the render

Treatment

Termite control requires professional survey and a treatment plan: a soil-applied liquid barrier around the foundations, direct treatment of infested timber, and in-ground monitoring and baiting stations that transfer a growth regulator back to the colony. We monitor for at least twelve months and provide a written report suitable for property transactions.