Insects were here on earth long before humans. Termites, in particular, have a long history. Although their behavior and body structure are similar to ants', the termites did not evolve along the same line. In fact, termites evolved from the cockroach about 150 million years ago. Modern cockroaches are known to be one of the oldest and most successful insects on the earth. Perhaps this long legacy gives termites their astounding tenacity and adaptability. Unlike cockroaches, however, termites exhibit complex and rigid social interactions in a colony. Particular tasks are performed by individuals specialized for the purpose.
The typical termite colony is composed of members showing structural characteristics that scientists use to classify the termites. The four groups of termites, workers, soldiers, immature individuals, and reproductive each have particular roles in the colony. The workers, which are sterile, blind, and wingless, tend the eggs, feed the soldiers and the young, and maintain the nest. Protozoan living in the termites digestive tract convert wood to sugars that the termites can use for nourishment. Without these one celled animals, the termites would starve. Soldiers' sole purpose in life is to defend the colony against intruders. The variety of these defense mechanisms that have been evolved in different species will be discussed later. A young individual will develop into a winged reproductive, soldier, or a worker depending on the current needs of the colony. Reproductive obviously supply the colony with new individuals. Only one pair of active reproductive exists in a colony. The king and queen are usually sealed into a chamber where they are tended by workers. The queen also circulates different chemicals among the workers for stimulating the transformation of immature termites into soldiers, workers, or "secondary" reproductive - members who will develop wings and found new colonies. When a worker feeds the queen, the queen immediately knows if a particular group needs replenishing. For example, if a large number of soldiers were killed while repelling an enemy, the queen intercepts this information from the chemicals transferred from a worker. The queen then circulates a greater amount of "soldier chemical" in the colony by exuding the chemical from its body. Workers tending the queen take the chemical to other members and the young who will eventually develop into soldiers.
The defense mechanisms of termites have received a tremendous amount of attention from scientists. Soldiers rely on chemical as well as physical weapons. Some termite species bite their attacker and coat the wound with a toxic chemical that also prevents clotting. Other termites simply daub their aggressor with a built-in paint brush or inject the chemical directly. Another type of chemical warfare employed is squirting, in which the soldier termite uses its elongated "snout" to spray the enemy with toxin. The spray may also be a gluey substance that entangles the invader much like a fly is caught on flypaper. In certain species of termites, the galleries are constructed in such a way that the head of the soldiers can act as a plug, effectively cutting off an entrance for enemies.
Termites have a host of general and specific enemies. In Africa, the anteater may attack a large termite mound by burrowing into the mound with its large, clawed front paws. It then proceeds to lick up any exposed termites. The insects usually can survive the attack of the anteater, because this animal does not consume a great deal of individuals. The damage done to the mound is sometimes fatal, for marauding ants, termites' principal and most deadly enemy, can attack the colony. Because a particularly hungry anteater may open up whole sections of the mound, the termites have a greater area to defend, and worse, the queen may be exposed. Although termites have a tremendous chemical arsenal at their disposal, these insects are no match for a tribe of viscous ants in these extreme conditions. Much of the time, however, the termites can re-construct the nest before they are discovered, especially if the damage is not too extensive.
TERMITE DAMAGE
Based on normal feeding activity, it takes three to eight years to cause appreciable damage. There have been some predictions that, under ideal conditions, a termite colony of 60,000 workers may consume a one-foot length of 2" x 4" pine in 118 to 157 days.
OUR COMPANY TREATMENTS
Termites treatments have come a long way since the old days. Our company incorporates the old with the new, we use both barriers to insure the customer gets the protection that they require. We also incorporate a monitoring service after when have secured there house from any attack. The monitoring service is very effective in letting us know if there is any activity around the premises.
TERMITE MONITORING AND ERADICATION SYSTEMS
Complete Termite Systems Available
The
search has been on for quite some time to find the ultimate termite baiting
station and or system. The stations previously available have served their
purpose well, but there always seemed to be one or two disadvantages. Some were
too hard to install and others dried out or were simply made out of the wrong
type of timber.
To achieve an effective dusting treatment, there are a number of criteria that
need to be addressed:
The purpose of the bait box is to rapidly establish a large feeding group of
termites. When the termites discover the box, they quickly recruit large numbers
to the new food source. These Termites may be dosed with a slow acting poison.
Then the termites become the toxin delivery system, carrying it back to all
members of the colony. Termites share food, feed their young, regularly groom
one another and often. cannibalise their dead. A poison that takes the best part
of the day is best as the delay means it will be shared throughout the colony
before any termite is killed. With these criteria in mind and after consultation with industry professionals,
we believe that the answer to the Pest Manager's problems has been found. The
"Complete Termite Monitoring and Eradication Systems" .devices available in Australia.
These units have been based on the highly successful CSIRO bait box, which has
achieved success after success in a myriad of trials around the country.
Termites attacking the monitoring box This photo shows a monitoring box installed
FIGURE 2. A single colony of subterranean termites may contain millions of termites and cover a foraging distance of up to 300 ft (A). The conventional soil treatment beneath the structure provides barriers to exclude soil-borne termites from structures, but do not reduce termite populations (B). A monitoring/baiting program may be used to eliminate subterranean termite populations near structures (C).
Termite Damage Workers and Soldiers
Termite Leads Termite Damage