Termite Treatment
White ant treatment

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Termite treatment options

After a termite inspection we will have a clearer picture of the type of termites on your property. Then we will offer you one or more termite treatment proposals for your consideration. The most common types of termite treatments are:

• Termite baiting and monitoring
• Chemical barriers
• Direct nest treatment
• Dusting and foaming

Our company specialises in the eradication of termites in existing homes - we are the people you can turn to when pre-construction barriers expire or when there has been a breach of an existing barrier.
Our company prides itself on using the lowest amount of chemical as possible while still remaining highly effective and for the majority of our clients, we would usually recommend a monitoring and baiting system (see below) over a chemical barrier if subterranean termites are located on your property.

Termite baiting & monitoring

Termite baiting systems are less invasive, more flexible and the only method registered in Australia for colony elimination. The treatment is specific to termites and the termite bait we use contains less than 1/4 of a gram of active ingredient making it less toxic than table salt!

We have been using the Exterra Termite Interception and Baiting System for many years now. Australia is the third largest user of the Exterra system behind the USA & Japan and our company which is based in Byron Bay is the largest local provider of the system in the far northern area of NSW from Ballina, out to Nimbin, as far north as Terranora and everywhere in between.

How does the Exterra termite system work?

The Exterra system exploits the biology of the termites to achieve total colony elimination.

Termites need to moult several times during their life cycle and this process is critical to the growth of the colony. The bait will inhibit this termite life-cycle process and when it comes time to moult the termites are unable to do so. The result is a gradual decline in worker termites to look after the colony. The termite queen who is being fed the bait by the termite workers, is rendered sterile in the process.

As we gain control of the colony, usually in around 2-4 weeks, we are able to observe the change in appearance and behaviour of the termites. As the soldier termites rely on the workers to feed them, they are the last caste to survive. Once we observe dead soldiers in the bait we can confirm colony elimination. Note that not every termite needs to feed on the bait as it will be shared throughout the colony through a process called trophallaxis.

If there are live termites in the house, we would place what we call an "above ground" station with bait right on top of the current activity to get the termites out of the structure faster.  We monitor and re-bait these "active" stations every 4 weeks until the activity ceases and we can declare 'colony elimination' which will include the elimination of the queen termite.  As mentioned above, baiting is the only registered method in Australia that can guarantee to kill the queen termite. After colony elimination is confirmed, the above ground stations are removed and then you can do the repair work needed.

The above process gets the termites out of the house and now we need to keep new, foraging termites out as your home will always be susceptible to another attack due to the tunnels already constructed by the previous termites.

Keeping the termites out of the house over the longer term involves placing termite monitoring and baiting stations flush to the ground every 4 metres around the exterior of the house as close to the drip line as possible.  The stations hold  interceptors (timber slats) and an ingredient that emits a small amount of CO2 (this mimics the conditions inside a termite nest and that of decaying timber) that the termites can't resist if they are foraging in the immediate area.  It must be stressed that these stations will not attract termites to your house, they are effective when termites are foraging within 2 metres of them.

We check and service these stations every 8 weeks and when we have intercepted termites we then place the bait in the station. We then go back to weekly feeding until the threat is neutralised. We then go back to 8 weekly checks.

A benefit of the Exterra Termite Interception and Baiting System is that it is flexible. If you decide to change a garden bed, lay some concrete etc, you only need to contact us and we will come out and rearrange the termite stations around the new work, this way the property can remain protected.

The Exterra system has been designed so it may remain around the property for the life of the building and we welcome any enquiries you may have about this type of protection. Please visit exterra.com.au for more information.

Chemical barrier termite treatments

For a chemical treatment, a trench is dug around the house deep enough to go to below the footings. Into this trench is pumped a chemical at the rate of 10 litres per lineal metre. If you have a concrete path abutting the building, it will need to be drilled and the chemical pumped into the drill holes to try and form a continuous barrier beneath the concrete.

As you can see, it is quite invasive and very dependent upon a continuous line of defense being performed.

Direct termite nest treatment

If we can locate the termite nest we are able to treat it directly. This usually only works with termites that have a nest in a tree as the Nasutitermes walkeri and N. graveolus termite species do (see right). Subterranean termite nests are very difficult to locate and if one is located it is difficult to tell if it is the one that is housing the termites that are attacking your house.

Dusting and Foaming

This is a method of termite control that can be used in certain situations but must be used in conjunction with either a chemical treatment on a monitoring and baiting system as it only deals with the activity in the home and is not registered for colony elimination so the termites can come right back in.

What do I do when I discover termites?

So, you've just discovered termites in your Northern Rivers home or on the grounds of your property - what should you do immediately?

If you have come across the termites yourself, it is best if possible to cover up the area where you've discovered the termites quickly and carefully so that the termites won't realise they have been discovered.

Unfortunately we've had people do some really crazy things hoping they can fix their termite problem themselves. They have tried to vacuum the termites out, fly-spray them, smashed the termite leads or even burned the timber that the termites have been feeding on.

These methods might shake the termites up for a bit however the queen termite will be in her nest up to 80 metres away producing more and more termites so the above efforts unfortunately will not solve the termite problem.

After covering the area over - please phone us and arrange for one of our fully qualified pest technicians to complete a full termite inspection to your home to determine the extent of any termite activity, the species of termite and other conducive conditions on your property. See more information about our termite inspection.

Please phone us or email us to make a booking for a termite inspection or for any other information you need in regard to termites or termite tracks or nests you have seen around your home or business.