TERMITES IN MENTONE
Are termites in Mentone? They sure are. Recently we received a call from a distressed client who had found termites on his property in Mentone. Termites found anywhere on a property is always a cause for concern so we immediately made our way to Mentone for a visual termite inspection. Haydn, the property owner, found the termites while he was preparing to dig a trench in his backyard. He had lifted some pavers in the spot where the trench was to be dug and to his shock, found termites travelling underneath these pavers.
We instructed Haydn to cease what he was doing and not disturb these destructive insects any further. If they feel threatened, termites will retreat to the nest. This makes it far more difficult to treat as the nest will almost always be located underground. When we arrived we first inspected the house for the presence of termites. This inspection is always conducted according to Australian Standard 4349.3.
Fortunately the home was found to be free of these ‘silent destroyers’. A thorough inspection of the front and rear yard was then conducted. The presence of large trees and tree stumps are an area of high risk, as a nest can often be constructed in the base. Drill holes can be made around the circumference and should reach the centre. If termites are present, they will soon come out to investigate.
In this instance the nest could not be located. However, after lifting several pavers in the backyard we found a myriad of trails directly underneath. All these trails were occupied by foraging termites.
These termites were in search of a sustainable found source but had yet to locate the home. Locating live termites makes treatment far easier. To treat these live termites we have several options.
1) Spray them directly with termiticide liquid; or
2) Install bait stations.
We discussed these options thoroughly and decided that we would select option 1. Now we had to decide whether to use:
1) A repellent termiticide (such as Biflex containing bifenthrin); or
2) A non-repellent termiticide (such as Termidor containing fipronil).
Repellents are fast acting and detectable to the target. Non-repellents are slow acting and non-detectable. In this instance we decided upon option 2, the use of a non-repellent. We used Termidor as it has a unique ‘transfer effect’. Termites are social and interact with others within their colony. Any termite sprayed directly with Termidor will not be aware of its presence and will continue to interact with others. This activity will inadvertently allow for the transfer of the chemical to others.
In effect, these insects will contribute to their own demise without even knowing it. Eventually the chemical will be returned to the colony where it will be passed onto the queen. The queen will soon die and the colony will be wiped out.
We then lifted each paver one at a time and sprayed the soil and sand mixture with Termidor. Live termites were also directly sprayed. We then placed the pavers back down. Haydn then agreed not to conduct any further activity outdoors for a period of 2 weeks. We then returned after this 2 week period and inspected underneath the pavers. The end result was that all live termites were now gone. While we will never know what had happened, we believe the termites had returned to the colony, spread the chemical to all the inhabitants and wiped themselves out.
The next process we faced was to put a protective barrier around the entire perimeter of the home. This consisted of trenching and drilling and injecting termiticide. This was a successful outcome for Haydn and his family and we are very glad that we could help.
For any pest control enquiry please contact us on 1300 665 573 or submit an enquiry via our Contact Us page.