Termites. The name makes the bravest souls fear. But what are termites? Termites are tiny insects that get their nutrients from an organic fiber known as cellulose and found mainly in wood. While wood is the main source of termite nutrition, they also eat other materials such as paper, drywall and plastic, making our homes a perfect breeding ground for these pests.
Termites can therefore significantly damage the structure of a house or building and your furniture and often go undetected until serious damage has already occurred. Every year, around 100,000 Australian households are attacked by termite infestation, which can lead to costly repairs.
In recent years, the number of termite cases in Melbourne, Australia, among professionals has increased significantly. The boom in new land releases, along with the associated new real estate, has been reported to be the cause of the increase in termites in Melbourne. As natural landscapes are discarded to make room for these new living spaces, animals and insects, including termites, are driven out of their home and into what comes closest to their natural habitat – your drywall! This can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage to your home that is often not covered by insurance companies. An industry survey conducted in recent years has shown that one-third of Victoria homes that are not termite-protected are affected by these tiny wood pests. The most common areas for termite infestation are built-up urban communities, especially those with established rubber trees nearby.
While land has clearly been a reason for termite activity in Melbourne to increase in recent years, another reason can be attributed to the removal of long-lasting soil chemicals such as organochlorine such as “DDT” that were banned in 1995. A necessary step to protect both health and the environment of man as well. This measure, combined with the increase in softwood timber, automatic irrigation systems, wood landscape design and the increased use of mulch, is accumulating for what Melbourneers are experiencing today.
If you notice termites that you own, it is best not to disturb them, even if your instinct tells you otherwise. When you try to remove the termites yourself, you usually light a move of the termites to another location – often within your home! This makes it even more difficult to remove them in the long run. It is therefore important to ask experts for advice on how to proceed.
So if you are in Melbourne and you are in the middle of an epic fight with your own termites, Statewide Pest Control Melbourne is the perfect solution to not only win the fight but also the war and regain your home from these invaders!
