Here along the Sunshine Coast, termites are a major problem. Every year they do millions of dollars worth of damage to property. Statistics show that approximately one third of unprotected buildings will face a termite attack. Despite the destruction they can cause, termites are fascinating little creatures. Let’s take a closer look at termites and some facts that you might find particularly interesting.
1. The Queen termite is the longest living insect on Earth!
In the insect world, length of life is usually very short. In some termite species, however, the Queen has been reported to live between 30-50 years. During that time, a mature Queen can produce up to 40,000 eggs per day! It’s no wonder that termite colonies can multiply so quickly and do so much damage.
2. The colony survives on regurgitated food.
The worker termites are the only ones that can actually digest wood. They use a symbiotic relationship with a special protozoa to do this. They will partly digest the food and then regurgitate the timber as a semi-liquid for the other termites to eat. Their excrete is also eaten to sustain the rest of the colony. This interesting feeding method can be used to our advantage. Termite treatments often rely on bait that the workers eat and then take back and transfer to the rest of the colony. If enough workers and the queen are killed, the collapse and death of the entire colony is a likely outcome.
3. Worker termites are completely blind.
Sone termites spend their entire life in complete darkness. They will often build their nests underground and then build mud tubes to their next food target. Even though the workers are blind, it is their job to forage for food. They do this by moving in a criss-cross fashion and are adept at finding enough food for the rest of the colony.
4. Termites are amazingly prolific!
Here in Australia, there are over 300 species of termites, but that is only a drop in the bucket to the 3,000 separate and unique species that exist worldwide. If you took the combined weight of all the termites on Earth, there would be 1,000 pounds of termites for every human being! In Australia, and especially here on the Sunshine Coast, the termite that does nearly 70% of the damage is the coptotermes acinaciformis. You do not want to have to deal with this bad boy.
5. Termites never sleep.
If you were already concerned about termites damaging your home, hearing that they may be eating away at it 24/7 surely won’t make you feel any better. Humans must sleep in order to recharge, but termites simply do not need sleep. They are programmed to work, eat, and reproduce constantly. Despite not ever sleeping, termites typically live a lot longer than most other insects. Kings, workers, and soldier termites can live 1-2 years. This only adds to their destructive nature.
There is no doubt that termites are interesting creatures, but that doesn’t change the fact that no homeowner wants to see them on their property! Our warm, humid climate puts our area at high risk for termite damage. If your home and property are not protected from termites, or you fear you might have a termite infestation, NOW is the time to act. Radar Pest Control is your go-to source for termite control. We use the best termite control methods that are both safe and effective. We target termites at the source to take care of the problem once and for all. Our monitoring procedures are top notch so that you won’t have to worry again. If you need termite control, give Radar Pest Control a chance to earn your business. We are the termite treatment experts!