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TYPES OF TERMITES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

TYPES OF TERMITES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

TYPES OF TERMITES IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

 

With one in five homes experiencing extensive structural damage from termites, they are a notorious pest in South Australia.

However, while there are over 300 species of termites in Australia, only a small number are responsible for the destruction that causes an average of $10,000 to fix.

We’ve put together this Hivemind article to give you a simple rundown on the termites that could be infesting your home or business, and how to manage them.

What questions will this article answer?

Why is identifying the type of termite important in an outbreak?

Although there are over 300 species of termites known to Australia, there are only a few that are known to cause significant damage to buildings, timber and other cellulose-rich products.

As different species have their own nesting and feeding behaviours, knowing exactly which termite is responsible for the infestation can help your pest technician to come up with an effective approach to treat the problem for good.

Depending on their role in the colony, termites from the same nest can vary in appearance. For example, if you see winged termites or swarmers, this could mean that the colony is spreading to other locations so your property may be at risk of multiple attacks.

Subterranean termites

Considered the most destructive termite species in all of Australia, subterranean termites must have a moisture source to survive. As their name suggests, their preferred nesting environment is underground in soil, but they can thrive anywhere, as long as there is moisture around.

Subterranean termites are yellow to dark brown in colour and range from 1/8 to 1 inch in length.

They make brown coloured shelter or mud tubes to protect themselves when they are foraging away from their nest. These are made from soil, droppings, saliva and wood.

You’ll find them nesting in trees and dead stumps, as well as wooden poles where the timber has been buried as they favour rotten wood that is easier to digest.

Dampwood termites

Known as “rotten wood” termites, dampwood termite colonies are generally small and don’t cause extensive structural damage like drywood, and therefore tend to be considered a more minor pest than other termite species.

Dampwood termites are mainly found in areas with high moisture content and decaying wood, especially timber that is stored outside. This includes such as tree stumps and logs, as well as buildings and fences that remain in contact with soil.

They tend to be larger in size compared to other termite species, ranging from 1/2 an inch to 5/8 inch in length, with creamy white to brown coloured bodies.

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What types of termites do you find within colonies?

Although different termite species can look similar, those within the same colony can look quite different, depending on their role .

Queen

Responsible for laying eggs to populate the colony, Queen termites can grow up to 4 inches long, and live for 25-50 years. They can darken in colour over time from a pale yellow-brown to black. Queens are usually a rare sighting because they live deep underground to remain protected from predators.

King

Between 4-6mm in size, King termites become darker coloured as they mature, and have wings. Like Queens, Kings are responsible for reproduction, but they also help care for young termites in the early stages of the colony before there are enough workers to take over.

Workers

Making up over 90% of the colony, termite workers are around 4-6mm long and creamy white coloured. As their name suggests, they are responsible for gathering food, making tunnels, caring for other termites and maintaining the nest.

Soldiers

Responsible for defending the colony against predators, soldier termites are equipped with either large jaws or snouts. With darker heads and beige coloured bodies, they can grow between 5-6.5mm long.

Alates

With the role of eventually flying away to begin a new colony elsewhere, these reproductive termites are also known as swarmers. They range between 1/4 to 1/2 an inch long and are dark grey to black in colour. Their wings are either brown or grey coloured.

How to prevent a termite outbreak

No matter the species of termite, there are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of termites invading your home or business.

Firstly, we recommend having termite inspections at least once a year to detect the earliest signs of termite activity. At Allstate, our licensed termite inspectors are always fully equipped to provide comprehensive termite assessments to residential, commercial and industrial properties.

As high moisture levels can attract termites, it’s worthwhile checking for any leaks in your roof, pipes and drains. Also remember to look for condensation in your heating and cooling systems. Fixing these problems early can make a big difference in reducing your risk of a termite infestation.

We also recommend regular yard maintenance to remove old tree stumps and trimming back shrubs and tree branches that are growing against the walls of your building. Store piles of wood and timber in a dry area away from your home and repair damaged wooden furniture with sealed and treated wood.

Learn more about termite inspections here.

Don’t delay your termite inspection contact Allstate today

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Professional termite treatment

It’s important to exterminate termites at the first sign of an infestation. At Allstate, our effective termite prevention and prevention options are covered by comprehensive warranties, guaranteeing that you and your family have long-lasting protection.

Sentricon® Always Active™

Laced with termiticide poison as well as a termite attractant, Sentricon® baiting rods are installed underground around the perimeter of your home. Termites that feed off the rods will then return to the colony and pass on the termiticide, eventually killing off the population. By targeting termites only, these baiting stations will not affect insects or wildlife, making them a safe and environmentally friendly option.

Premise

A liquid spray containing a powerful termiticide, we use Premise to treat large areas with known termite activity both quickly and effectively. This increases the opportunity for more termites to interact with the termiticide and speed up destruction of the colony.

Choose Allstate for safe and effective termite prevention

With many species of termites posing a risk to homes and businesses in South Australia, it’s essential to avoid the extensive damage and costly repair bills caused by termite activity.

Fortunately at Allstate, we offer regular comprehensive termite inspections conducted by licensed termite inspectors, and targeted treatment and preventative options to protect you and your family.

Family owned and operated, we have been providing pest control services to all suburbs of Adelaide since 1986. Available 24/7 for urgent enquiries, our technicians use modern and innovative pest management methods to help residential, commercial and industrial clients.

Our products and services are backed by competitive warranties, a 100% service guarantee and we also have payment plans available.

For more information on our termite control services, you can visit our termite control page .

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HOW TO SPOT VENOMOUS SPIDERS THIS SUMMER

HOW TO SPOT VENOMOUS SPIDERS THIS SUMMER

HOW TO PREVENT A FLEA INFESTATION IN YOUR HOME

 

Of the estimated 10,000 species of spiders living in Australia, only a few of them have harmful venomous bites – BUT they’re definitely spiders you want to avoid! Now that we’re in peak spider season, we’ve put together this guide to the more harmful creepy crawlies you might encounter, so that you and your family can enjoy the sunny weather in peace.

What questions will this article answer?

Why are deadly spiders a problem in summer?

Summer is the peak time for many insects to emerge from winter hibernation in order to reproduce and look for food. Hungry spiders are no exception.

With plenty of food sources around to support their mating season, you’ll tend to notice spiders around the place more often as they sneak indoors to escape the heat.

While there are an estimated 10,000 species of spiders living in Australia, most of them aren’t harmful to humans. Although they’ll most likely bite when they are disturbed, these bites aren’t usually venomous or painful. They might just leave a mild, itchy bump on the skin for a short time.

However, spiders with more potent venomous bites can cause more serious illness which requires immediate medical attention. The good news is that there are antivenom treatments readily available, so you should be fine if you see the doctor quickly.

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By Toby Hudson – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18357388

Redback spiders

Though they are notorious for their potent venous bites, redback spiders aren’t aggressive pests unless disturbed. They have a black body with a distinguishing red stripe on upper abdomen. Females grow up to 15mm long and males up to 5mm long.

They spin messy webs and prefer hiding in quieter places around your home, such as garages, mailboxes, sheds, under ledges and outdoor furniture. In your garden, they may be seen in branch hollows or tucked away in small crevices between rocks.

White tailed spiders

Known for their dark red to grey, cigar-shaped body with a characteristic white spot at the tip, white tail spiders are a nocturnal hunting spider. While they don’t spin webs to catch insects, instead, they hunt other spiders for food, such as daddy long legs, redback and black house spiders.

You’ll find them living beneath leaf litter and piles of vegetation in your garden, as well as underneath tree bark and rocks.

Males grow up to 12mm long and females up to 20mm long.

White-tail spiders belong to the Lampona genus. Image credit: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos (GFDL v1.2)

Manage deadly spiders fast!

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By fir0002flagstaffotos [at] gmail.comCanon 20D + Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 – Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=197252

Funnel web spiders

While not all species of funnel web spiders are known to be dangerous, several are renowned for their highly toxic and fast acting venom.

They are more commonly found in the Adelaide Hills; living underground in silk-lined burrows in moist, cool and sheltered habitats. You may find them in dense shrubs or under rocks, rotten logs or rot and borer holes in trees.

Funnel web spiders are usually black to brown coloured and front part of their body is glossy and covered with hairs. They’re known to grow up to 1-5 cm long.

Mouse spiders

Often confused with funnel web spiders, mouse spiders have a distinctive bulb-shaped head and jaw.

You’ll find them in burrows that can be more than 1m deep, so they are more reclusive than aggressive by nature.

They are mainly black or dark blue in colour but can have bright red or orange-red coloured jaws or around their eyes, as well as a light grey to white patch on top of their abdomen. Adult mouse spiders vary from 10-35mm in length.

Robertwhyteus, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

By Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE – Corsican Trapdoor Spider (Cteniza sauvagesi), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40076014

Trapdoor spiders

Famous for their silk-lined burrows which have a hinged lid at the entrance, trapdoor spiders like to hide up to 250mm deep underground, so you may only come across them if you’re digging through soil or moving around some rocks.

While they look similar to funnel web spiders, they are less venomous. They are yellow and reddish-brown coloured, shiny with a hairy coat, and grow between 1-4cm long.

Black house spiders

A common sight around the home, black house spiders spin fine, lacy webs in zig zag patterns that aren’t sticky. However, they do leave behind old sheets which become messy.

They grow up to 15mm long and are dark brown to black, with a textured velvet appearance.

Black house spiders prefer living in dry habitat areas and secluded locations such as window frames, gutters, eaves, bricks, garages, sheds and even toilets. Outdoors, you may come across them among rocks and underneath tree bark, or inside tree trunks and logs.

By fir0002flagstaffotos@gmail.com Canon 20D + Sigma 150mm f/2.8 – Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2850030

By Raphaël Poupon – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=83308049

Wolf spiders

A type of hunting spider that doesn’t spin webs, wolf spiders come out at night to hunt and prey on insects. You’ll find them living underground in burrows lined with silk, which may be covered by a lid or leaf litter.

Adult wolf spiders are usually mottled grey or brown coloured and are well known for their Union Jack-style pattern on their upper abdomen. They grow between 15-30mm in size. Female wolf spiders carry their young on their back.

How to prevent deadly spiders this summer

The best way to keep spiders away from your home or business is to seal off entry points, reduce the number of hiding spots and remove all potential food sources.

Regularly cleaning inside, such as sweeping, wiping and mopping can assist with removing insects that attract spiders, and clearing away cobwebs and spider eggs. Don’t forget to check behind the furniture, window corners and other less frequented areas.

We also recommend regular garden and yard maintenance, such as trimming back plants and trees that are growing close to your building to reduce access, as well as mowing lawns. Dispose of litter piles such as leaves and move wood piles away from your building. Keep compost and rubbish bins well secured. However, please take care to wear gloves when gardening in case you happen to disturb some deadly spiders!

You can also purchase insect repelling night light bulbs from your local hardware store.

Professional spider extermination

At Allstate, our spider removal technicians are highly trained to understand spider behaviour, so we’ll conduct a thorough assessment of the outbreak to work out the source.

From here, we’ll come up with a personalised treatment plan for you to make sure that the problem is properly resolved.

We normally use a combination of spider control insecticide, which is sprayed around the perimeters of your building, as well as spider control dust, which is applied in voids and cavities.

We understand the risks of dealing with deadly spiders, so we take great care to carry out our work safely.

You can rest assured that if you have children or pets that our treatments are non-toxic and approved for use by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.

Read more about spider control.

Choose Allstate for safe and effective spider prevention

Coming into summer, the last thing you need to worry about is deadly spiders lurking around when you just want to relax and enjoy outdoor activities.

That’s why at Allstate, we’re available 24/7 for urgent advice to all suburbs of Adelaide. No matter if you’re in a commercial, residential or industrial building, our fully equipped technicians are ready to assist with spider outbreaks of all sizes.

Since 1986, we have been providing pest control services with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and covered by competitive warranties. With payment plans now available, we can resolve all your spider problems quickly with our innovative, long-lasting treatments.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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On the road with Kiki – Episode 46

On the road with Kiki – Episode 46

 mao0231

On the road with Kiki – Episode 46

forktree project tim

Welcome back for another episode of On the Road with Kiki! In this series, we follow pest consultant Kristian as he assesses pest outbreaks in Adelaide homes and businesses.

The first job of the day is in St Peters, where the client believes that they have pesky possums in the roof. Another Allstate technician came out a few weeks ago and found some possum droppings and fur in the roof cavity. Kristian also spots multiple entry points, so he offers the client a quote to proof them off and install a one-way door to catch the possums.

The next client is after a termite assessment in the decking around the perimeter of their home. Kristian has a close look at the area of concern, and thinks that it’s actually wood rot, not termites, causing the damage. However, there is another spot where it looks like termites have established some mud tubes in the past. While it looks like previous termite activity, Kristian suggests a termite baiting system as a protective measure.

The last client of the day is having a bird issue. They seem to be getting inside the roof and nesting on the roof itself, but have thankfully left the solar panels alone for now. It looks like they’ve managed to pick at a roof tile to displace it to get inside. Kristian can also see that they’ve managed to chew through some boards and made nests between some pergola beams. He leaves the client with a quote to proof off the area, and that’s it for another day!

Established in 1986, Allstate has grown to become Adelaide’s biggest independent pest control company. Available 24/7 for urgent advice, our highly trained team services all suburbs of Adelaide. Whether you have a residential, commercial or industrial property, we have tailored pest solutions. As a local business, we’re keen to support other businesses and work towards creating a strong future for our community.

For long lasting and effective pest control, contact Allstate today.

Choose Allstate for safe, nontoxic treatments to

protect your home or business from pests today.

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On the road with Kiki – Episode 45

On the road with Kiki – Episode 45

 mao0231

On the road with Kiki – Episode 45

forktree project tim

Happy Wednesday! Welcome back for another episode of Out on the Road with Kiki, where we follow pest consultant Kristian as he visits homes and businesses across Adelaide to assess pest outbreaks.

The first client of the day is Fratelli Deli, a new sandwich bar in busy Prospect. They are needing some general pest management services. The owners are already an Allstate client through another business that they own. Kristian takes a look around and gives them a quote for a commercial pest management program, which they accept!

Then it’s off to Belair, where the client believes that they’re seeing doves nesting under their solar panels. Kristian climbs up to inspect and sees that it’s actually pigeons that have established some decent sized nests. He recommends doing a clean up of the affected area, removing all the nesting material and installing solar skirt proofing.

For the last job of the day, the client has a recurring possum issue. They’ve had another company over to try to proof the entry points previously. However, the client can once again hear the possums thumping around in the roof above the front bedrooms in the mornings and evenings. When Kristian takes a look up on the roof, he can see that the previous company did not properly proof off the area, so it will need to be fixed. Of course, they’ll also need to put in a cage catch the pesky possum so it can released back into the yard, where it belongs. And that’s it for another day with Kiki, until next time!

Family owned and operated since 1986, Allstate is now Adelaide’s largest independent pest control company. Servicing all suburbs of Adelaide and available 24/7 for urgent advice, our highly trained pest technicians are fully equipped to tackle pest outbreaks in residential, commercial and industrial properties. As a local business, we’re passionate about supporting other local businesses and work towards creating a brighter future for our community.

For reliable and safe pest control, contact Allstate today.

Choose Allstate for safe, nontoxic treatments to

protect your home or business from pests today.

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On the road with Kiki – Episode 43

On the road with Kiki – Episode 43

 mao0231

On the road with Kiki – Episode 43

forktree project tim

Thanks for joining us again for our latest episode of Out on the Road with Kiki. In this series, we follow pest consultant Kristian as he heads out to visit homes and businesses in Adelaide that are experiencing pest outbreaks.

Kristian starts his day off in sunny Seaford Meadows, where the owner suspects that they have a pigeon problem. While they do have solar panels, it appears that the pesky birds have found an even better place to roost and nest – under the pergola on the wooden support beams! As the owner mentioned that the birds are brown in colour, he suspects that it’s sparrows, and not pigeons. In either case, the birds definitely need to go, so he recommends some bird proofing to the pergola. Some flashing to seal off access to the wooden beams should do the trick.

The next client has requested a possum assessment, because they can hear some scratching and thudding coming from their roof. In fact, it gets so loud that they’re afraid that the ceiling may give way! Although there’s no hissing, Kristian notes that the property is surrounded by a lot of trees, which can provide great hiding spots for pests. After climbing up to the manhole, he can see there’s rodent droppings in the roof void, so he leaves the client with a quote for a rodent baiting service.

The last client of the day wants a quote for termite prevention at their newly purchased home. Kristian measures up outside and then gives the client a quote for a termite protection system.

Established in 1986, Allstate has now become Adelaide’s largest independent pest control provider. With a 24/7 availability for all urgent enquiries to every suburb of Adelaide, our technicians are fully equipped to resolve pest problems in residential, commercial and industrial settings. Being a local family owned and operated business, we are always keen to work with other local businesses to create a brighter future for our community.

Contact Allstate today for effective and long-lasting pest control.

Choose Allstate for safe, nontoxic treatments to

protect your home or business from pests today.

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