Here we see examples of neglected houses being overrun by termites. Houses both big… and small!
Steel frames are no protection
Steel-framed homes certainly avoid the problem of termites attacking structural timber, but as termite professionals know, if there is timber present, termites will find it. Skirting boards, window frames and doors are commonly attacked in steel- framed homes.
Chris Schmid from Abolish Termite and Pest Management came across a ‘classic’ example where Coptotermes acinaciformis had entered a steel-framed home and went straight up to the second storey, where they had started feeding on some skirting board and a doll’s house (Figure 1). Mr Schmid thought this was “probably the smallest house I’ve had to treat!”
Figure 1: Coptotermes will attack even the smallest of houses
Tasty timber in Orange?
Craig Kramer from Eagle Eye Termite and Pest Control spotted this aerial termite tube in development, whilst inspecting an old building in Orange, NSW.
The different timber present gave rise to some interesting foraging patterns. “Fortunately for the clients, cypress pine was the dominant timber. [Demonstrating its termite resistant properties] the active leads literally weaved around the subfloor, only damaging the skirting and door frames which were Tasmanian oak.”
But Mr Kramer was most impressed with the “Coptos feat of engineering” (Figure 2). Formation of these freestanding mud tubes can occur through formation from the ground up or from structural timbers down to the soil, but how or why is a bit of a mystery.
A warning to property investors
Buying a property to rent out is not a ‘set and forget’ investment. At the very least the landlords should be having annual termite inspections to protect their investment. Often landlords find this out the hard way, as Rick McPherson of Premium Pest Control in Melbourne witnessed at a recent inspection. Despite a long-term tenant being in place, neither the tenants nor the property manager had raised what was a fairly obvious problem (Figures 3 and 4). “Unfortunately the house was trashed. The owners came in and couldn’t believe what they found – joists and bearers all gone. This is why houses need a yearly inspection for peace of mind.”
Figures 3 and 4
The benefits of a clear inspection zone
If only every house had a clear inspection zone. As Michael McDonald from Permakil Pest Control in Central Queensland observed, “A good, clear slab edge does work!” (Figure 5).
