What Is a Termite (White Ant)?

Termites are quite common in Australia, and they can easily become a pest if you don’t deal with this infestation as quickly as possible. Thankfully, there are a variety of options to handle termites, and we are here to assist with that. But before you go ahead and try to exterminate these, you should consider learning more about them.

Understanding what are termites

Termites are actually social insects. Despite the fact that they are similar to ants, they are actually closely related to cockroaches. What a lot of people know about them is that they eat wood and they tend to destroy it. In fact, in Australia alone they generate damages of up to 1 billion.

What termite species can you find in Australia?

There are a multiple termite species in Australia. Subterranean termites are the most common ones. Then there are the drywood termites, which tend to live in a single piece of wood, even in furniture at times. They get water from the wood, so they are the termites that live in areas with high humidity levels. And then we have the dampwood termites. These only infest damp wood. They go into things like decaying trees, which is something to keep in mind.

How do you spot a termite infestation?

One of the obvious signs of a termite infestation is the fact that you can find timber damage. On top of that, you can also find mud sometimes, these are actually termite excrements which look in a very similar fashion to mud. The same thing can be said if you have issues opening or closing windows or doors. If they work until recently and all of a sudden there’s a problem, that can be a sign you are dealing with a termite infestation. Which is exactly what you want to focus on.

What can you do if you’re dealing with a termite infestation?

The best thing to do is to call an exterminator. Termites can be quite problematic and if you leave the infestation the way it is, that can lead to significant damage to your home. It’s extremely important to find the right way of dealing with a termite problem as fast as possible. If you don’t, then that can have a significant impact and it’s going to be quite the issue. Which is why addressing the termite problem and even having a yearly termite inspection can be very helpful!