Scientific Pest Management conducted annual termite inspections to a Holiday Home in Northern NSW. The house had a history of termite activity in the garage and fence of the property. SPM conducted the annual termite inspection and detected active termites in the front garden in some hardwood landscape sleepers. SPM recommended the sleepers be replaced with termite treated sleepers, once the old sleepers were removed the owner was to contact SPM to provide another inspection of the affected area.

The owner replaced the sleepers with termite treated sleepers however he did not contact SPM to provide a follow up inspection. When the sleepers were replaced active termites were found by the owner who treated the infestation with household aerosol spray. Aerosol spray will kill the sighted active termites however it will have no impact on the nest.

Eleven months followed with the holiday house vacant for the last three months. When the owner returned for a holiday he walked into then bedroom, switched on the light to reveal termites active behind a glass framed picture on the wall. The picture below shows the activity:

Mud packing and live activity of Termites in wall and on picture.

The owner contacted Scientific Pest Management who were on site that afternoon. SPM immediately conducted an inspection and located the following sub-nests:

A sub-nest underneath the house. That's a lot of activity!

Another sub-nest in the Bearers and Joist

The photos speak for themsevles . There was a nest concealed under ground beneath the foundation wall 1m from the old sleeper wall. When the owner disturbed them he took away the food source, the termites went in search of food – up the foundation wall along through the bearer and joists, up the wall studs through the gyprock and into the paiting on the wall. They also destroyed some roofing battens and trussers.

A termidor dusting and barrier treatment was completed at a cost of $3,800 however the major costs were the cost of structal repairs. An inexpensive termite inspection undertaken by Scientific Pest Management would have removed the likelihood of the infestation moving into the main structure.

If you have not had a Termite Inspection in the past twelve months (12) then it’s time to give Scientific Pest Management a call.

LOCATION – CALLALA BAY NSW

SPECIES – COPTOTERMES ACINACIFORMIS “Copto”

SPM received a call to treat an active termite nest at a domestic home in Callala Bay. Peter McIntyre Nowra Branch Manager and SPM’s resident Termite expert was first on the scene. The owners had just purchased the property and moved in about 2 weeks ago. A pre-purchase timber pest inspection was carried out by another company about a month previous. Upon arrival Peter requested a copy of the report to read through to asses the situation. The

The infestation - wood pile has been mud packed by the Termites

report stated that there were no active termites in the house however they did find active termites in the wood pile in the rear north eastern corner of the back yard. The report also stated a further invasive inspection of the wood pile is strongly recommended. It also claimed the buyers to contact the vendor; the new owner’s solicitor did not read the entire report and did not pass on this recommendation to the new owners. The sale went through and the new owners were now responsible for the treatment of the termite infestation and subsequent costs. These costs should have been a condition of sale with the previous owners.

SITUATION

Peter from SPM drills the nest

TREATMENT

The wood pile could have been removed by physical methods; however there was a risk that the nursery section of the nest may be underground so it was decided to destroy the colony by chemical methods. SPM drilled several holes into the nest with a large auger to penetrate into the depths of the nest. Then 20litres of “TERMIDOR” liquid was injected via the holes. SPM then returned in 21 days to confirm the colony had been destroyed.  The house has a Termimesh physical barrier installed during construction and the report stated that there were no bridges or breaches of the barrier, as such a termite management proposal was not required for the house and 6 monthly inspections were strongly recommended.

HISTORY

While SPM were packing up after treatment the next door neighbor came over to see what all the fuss was about. The neighbor informed Peter she had attacks from termites twice in the last 5 years and had spent over $10,000 in 2 treatments from 2 different pest control companies, also 4 other houses which surround the property also had attacks from termites in the last 5 years. All the surrounding neighbors had suspected the termites had come from the wood pile as it was very large over 10 ton and had been there for 9 years. The old owner was collecting green timber from across the road new development estate and had been collecting it for years. After receiving all the information on the history of the wood pile we are 100% sure that the colony would have started from a colonizing flight. Its takes 3 to 5 years for a colonizing flight started colony to build up numbers before they are a potential threat to buildings and all the surrounding houses were attacked 5 years after the wood pile started.

Peter from SPM injects the nest with Termiticide

LESSONS LEARNT FROM THIS CASE STUDY

Ensure all parties read the termite report in its entirety including your solicitor and pass the buck back to the vendor before you settle on the sale of the house.

Do not store more than enough fire wood than you will use in one winter season and keep it off the ground and away from your most precious investment, and your neighbors.