Termites or White Ants are insects that can destroy any wooden structure.
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera
If you think you might have termites in your home you will need to act fast as early detection is essential to protect your property.
It is imperative that you DO NOT:
- Do not touch or move the termites,
- Do not touch or move their workings,
- Do not spray or pour any chemicals on the termites,
- Do not spray or pour any chemicals on their workings, Do not remove any timber or affected wood
The longer you leave it the more damage that will occur.
For a Termite Inspection you will need to contact Knockout Pest Control by Rentokil. You can call our service team on 1300 858 140. or you can send us an email by using the Contact Form by clicking here >
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (see taxonomy below), but are now accepted as the infraorder Isoptera, of the cockroach order Blattodea.[1][2] While termites are commonly known, especially in Australia, as “white ants,” they are not closely related to the ants.
Like ants, and some bees and wasps — all of which are placed in the separate order Hymenoptera — termites divide labor among castes, produce overlapping generations and take care of young collectively. Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species (about 3,106 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.
As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. Termites communicate during a variety of behavioral activities with signals.[3] Colonies use decentralised, self-organised systems of activity guided by swarm intelligence which exploit food sources and environments unavailable to any single insect acting alone. A typical colony contains nymphs (semimature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both sexes, sometimes containing several egg-laying queens.
There are two Common types of Termites
Worker Termites
Worker termites undertake the labors of foraging, food storage, brood and nest maintenance, and some defense duties in certain species. Workers are the main caste in the colony for the digestion of cellulose in food and are the most likely to be found in infested wood. This is achieved in one of two ways.
Soldier Termites
The soldier caste has anatomical and behavioural specializations, providing strength and armour which are primarily useful against ant attack. The proportion of soldiers within a colony varies both within and among species. Many soldiers have jaws so enlarged, they cannot feed themselves, but instead, like juveniles, are fed by workers.
