CSIRO scientists
estimate that there are about 350 termite species in Australia. Most species
occur in the hotter parts of the country, with more than 100 species occurring
in the Top End of the Northern Territory. It’s been established that
the great majority of termites fall into one of four groups:
- Wood-eaters
- Soil-eaters
- Debris-feeders (which eat plant litter and dung)
- Harvesters (which cut down living grasses and herbs).
Only about half a dozen of the termites are serious pests to Sydney homes.
A survey of hundreds of houses in New South Wales in the 1980s showed that
about one in five houses had active wood-eating termites around or had had
a problem with termites in the past.
For Sydney property owners there are three species that particularly destructive
in Sydney metropolitan area and can cause many thousands of dollars in damage
to Sydney homes and property. There are other termite species that cause economic
damage but these are three of the most destructive. All can be identified by
its soldier caste, its size and nesting habits. All are subterranean, which
means they normally live below ground
Other common species which can cause moderate to extensive damage are:
- nasutitermes walkeri
- nasutitermes exitiosis
- heterotermes ferox
Other species of termites:
Dampwood species are also common to wet areas. 2 of these are:
- neotermes insularis
- porotermes adamsoni
Drywood species are rarely found. The main species being: