Termites

Subterranean termites

• Usually live in the ground and need contact with the soil or some constant source of moisture.
• Move above-ground in enclosed mud galleries to infest houses and other buildings.

Drywood termites

• Do not require contact with the ground or soil moisture.
• Are capable of infesting a single piece of timber.
• Only require the moisture present in the timber, as the name 'drywood' suggests.
• Can infest a building through flight or the introduction of infested timber or furniture.
• Colonies are rather small (a few hundred individuals) when compared to subterranean termites.

Subterranean termites

• Active throughout Queensland:
  • Coptotermes acinaciformis
  • Schedorhinotermes spp.
• Confined to tropical northern Queensland and other areas of northern Australia:
  • Mastotermes darwiniensis.

Drywood termites

• Active throughout Queensland:
  • Cryptotermes brevis (West Indian drywood termite)
  • Cryptotermes primus (native drywood termite).
• Active in northern Queensland:
  • Cryptotermes cynocepalus
  • Cryptotermes domesticus
  • Cryptotermes dudleyi.

All types of timber but especially pine timbers.

Subterranean termites

About 10 native species damage timber-in-service in Queensland with C. acinaciformis the most economically important and widespread, and M. darwiniensis the most destructive.

The most damaging species are:

• Coptotermes acinaciformis
• Schedorhinotermes spp.
• Mastotermes darwiniensis.

Drywood termites

The introduced West Indian drywood termite, Cryptotermes brevis, is the world's most destructive drywood termite. It has caused considerable economic damage to timber homes in Queensland.

Other introduced species of drywood termite causing varying amounts of damage are:

• Cryptotermes cynocepalus
• Cryptotermes domesticus
• Cryptotermes dudleyi.

Read about subterranean termites in Queensland covering:

• colonies
• nests
• feeding habits and behaviour
• natural enemies
• distribution
• importance.

• How to recognise West Indian drywood termite including timber at risk and what to do.

• Read about subterranean termite infestation in buildings:
  • biology and damage
  • how they infest buildings
  • inspections
  • prevention
  • treating an active infestation.
• Read about subterranean termite baiting systems covering:
  • baiting concepts
  • termite aggregation
  • commercial baiting methods.