1300 767 741

Mon-Thursday 8.30am – 5pm
Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm
Enquiries & bookings

Not all termite are bad for homeowners. But you need to know when they are bad!

“Most of them are quite safe,” science teacher and conservationist Greg Smith told 891 ABC Adelaide‘s Weekends program.

“There are only really a handful that are dangerous to human structures.”

Mr Smith said throughout South Australia’s Mount Lofty Ranges there were two main types of termites — mound-building termites and subterranean termites.

The good termites

“The mound builders actually eat grass — so they are not a real problem at all,” Mr Smith said.

He said the mound-building termites were a vital part of the ecosystem.

“Some bird species eat termites and won’t breed at all without them,” Mr Smith said.

Bird breeders actively harvest termites to feed their animals during breeding seasons but leave the mounds intact.

“We don’t destroy the mounds when we see them, we just take a section of it out and then cover it back up,” Mr Smith said.

The heath goanna (Varanus rosenbergi) lays its eggs in termite mounds.

The goanna is classified as vulnerable in South Australia by the environment department, with several areas now listing them as endangered.

“They are almost extinct in the [Adelaide] Hills,” Mr Smith said.

The bad termites

“The subterranean ones will travel underground for up to 200 metres, into a new food source, which may be your house,” Mr Smith said.

In suburbia he said the average residential block was about 10 metres wide, which would give a termite nest up to 20 houses in its range.

Mr Smith said people wanting to rid a home block of termites needed to be aware of the longevity of chemicals if used.

“Anything that can kill something is not going to do us any favours in the long run.”

“It might kill an insect in a few minutes, but I always worry about the long-term affects on ourselves.”

Mr Smith recommended home users check which type of termite nest they have discovered before attempting to destroy it.

If it was a breed that was a threat to buildings, he suggested owners check the contents and warnings of poisons before using them around homes.

FREE news and BONUS guide

 

Join our newsletter for free tips on how to identify and resolve hidden house problems before they become costly.

As a bonus get instant access to “What real estate agents don’t tell you”, our guide to negotiating a better deal on property.

We only send you relevant content and never share your details

I met with Brendan on-site for a verbal debrief, and he was great – easy to speak with, and he was great at explaining things to me in a non-technical way. He’s given us a couple of things to think about, but that’s exactly what you guys are there to do.

Chris & Pam, Canberra

“You saved us buying a dud home with more issues that we would expect from a new build. You have opened our eyes and armed us with more knowledge for the future. Thank you!”

Glen, ACT Buyer

Contact us.

Property Works Pty Ltd Trading As Surety Property ABN 81 097 333 849
Call for a quote 7 days a week

Social.

Menu Title

Contact us

  • Enquiry and/or booking form

    Thanks for your interest in what we do. We promise to respond to you within 24 business hours. If you don’t receive a response from us within 24 business hours it means that something may have gone wrong in the cyber world. Please don’t hesitate to call us on 1300 767 741 to follow us up as your enquiry is important to us. Your information remains confidential and is never shared with a third party.

     

  • I want to...

  • (No payment details are required to complete this form)
  • The Inspection I'm interested in is...

  • Are you a

  • My details so you can get back to me quickly...

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.