A Guide to Termites and Termite Treatments

by

F. John De Costa

B.App.Sci.(Hons.), G.Dip.Man., Dip.Fin.Services., AIMM

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Biology

      2.1 Terminology and Scope

      2.2 Anatomy

      2.3 Foraging for Food and Water

2.4 Feeding and Digestion   

2.5 Colony Organisation

      2.6 Nesting Habits

      2.7 Identification

3. Facts and Fiction

      3.1 The Myths

      3.2 The Facts

4. Inspection

5. Treatment Options

      5.1 Colony Eradication

      5.2 Managing the Risk of Infestation

5.2.1 Chemical Soil Barriers

5.2.2 Physical Barriers

5.2.3 Baiting

5.2.4 Building Maintenance Practice

6.0 What to do when you find termites

7.0 Links to Reference Material

8.0 About this Site

1. Introduction:

Don’t panic…..the termites are not going to make your house fall down any time soon, and no, you are not about to be financially ruined. Please take a deep breath, relax a little and read on.

 I guess you have found this web site, because you have found termites, or termite damage, in your home or garden.  This web site is designed to inform you, not to sell you, a particular company or product. The contents of this article are specific to Australia.

 The information is presented in a textbook type format. Using the table of contents you can jump ahead to the sections that are of the most interest to you. However I would encourage you to read the text through, at least once, from start to finish.

 Knowledge is power. Your termite problem is urgent, but a few days gathering information will save you countless nights of lost sleep worrying about termites. Also this knowledge will save you thousands of dollars because you will be less likely to become a victim of the unethical termite treatment salesman.

 In the following sections I will explain to you the biology of termites and help you to understand the facts and fiction about termites.  I will also outline all the common treatment options available in Australia including infestation detection, colony eradication, barrier treatments and baiting programs.

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