Do you have a white ants problem?

“White ant” is just a common word for termite.

The misconception could derive from the fact that there are many different species of termite, some of which are lighter colored than others. Another thing that could lead to the confusion is that termites have different classes within each species, such as the worker termites, the soldier termites, and the queen. The worker termites take on a lighter color before they are adults, and even after they mature, they can still be lighter in color if they have been eating things that are light in color. It is when termites consume darker colored materials such as wood from your house that they become the sort of tannish brown color that people are most familiar with. While it may not matter so much what you call it, white ants are a real pest and great care should be taken to avoid becoming infested with termites, as well as getting rid of them if they rear their ugly heads in your home.

So, to help out with this goal in mind, here are three easy ways to wipe these guys out for good. Read More

Having a Problem with White Ants?

With more than 3000 species of ants living in Australia, it’s hardly surprising that we encounter them so often. However, while regular ants are easy to get rid of, finding white ants in your garden or house is a much more serious issue. White ants (also known as termites) are a major threat to Australian homeowners and are known to infest up to 200,000 homes throughout Australia every year. As they can cause thousands of dollars of damage, they must be dealt with promptly.

If you’re not sure whether you have white ants, here are the signs you should look out for.

How do White Ants & Regular Ants Differ?

Regular ants are easy to identify. They have long, dark coloured bodies with clear segments and their heads are topped with long, thin antennae. You’ll find them both indoors and outdoors, always close to a food source and they love human food!

White ants in Australia are shorter and fatter – their bodies don’t have any clear segments and they are usually an amber or sandy colour. They don’t have eyes and their thick antennae sit on large head segments. Unlike regular ants, they live inside wood structures and you’re unlikely to see them during the day. However, you may hear them munching on their favourite food – wood!

You won’t see white ants near your food or rubbish and, as they prefer to nest inside wood, you’re unlikely to find a nest in your home. Unfortunately, their love of wood means that they can cause considerable damage to your home.

For this reason, it’s important to recognise the signs of a white ants infestation.

How to Tell Whether You Have a White Ants’ Problem

Regular ants and white ants share many similarities and so this can make it more difficult to identify whether you have a white ants’ issue.

They’re both nest builders. However, while regular ants prefer to build theirs in your garden, white ants will build their nests in or around wood – their favourite places being inside timber frameworks or in trees.
They both live in colonies. Regular ants live together in one large colony and often relocate to be near food sources. White ants live in smaller colonies comprising of multiple nests and locations. If you are unlucky enough to find one white ants’ nest – unfortunately there will be more.
They both have swarmers. These are ants with wings which are sent out to establish new ant colonies. As swarmers shed their wings, you may find traces along your skirting boards or on windowsills.
They both leave debris: All ants leave behind faeces and on first inspection, it can look the same. White ants’ faeces will be found in many different locations.

The only way to be entirely sure that you have a white ants’ infestation is to call in your local pest control specialists to evaluate the situation. Read Less

1) Nematodes

Nematodes are a pest themselves but can be used effectively against white ants.

Nematodes are a tiny microscopic creature which naturally occurs in soils all around the world. They are considered the most abundant multi-celled animal in existence on planet earth. It just so happens that nematodes feed on many undesirable creatures, and white ants are not an exception. Dispersing nematodes in termite affected areas is considered one of the most natural and exceptional ways to rid yourself of pesky termites. Nematodes can be bought in packages at various garden supply stores. The only problem with nematodes is there’s no real way to ensure their effectiveness and no way to tell if you’ve actively created a barrier for your home. They are also known to be pests themselves as they also eat many plants people like to have in their gardens like strawberries and cucumbers.

2) Hit em where it hurts: their food supply

White ants in the soil after digging up roots under a home.

White Ants feed on all sorts of things but are commonly known for feeding on wood and plant roots. Removing roots that grow under your house or destroying any wood or mulch piles in the area can help control their numbers as well as provide them with less incentive to show up at your house in the first place. As it is with many bugs of this nature, they are interested mostly if not entirely in food. Therefore, if you give them no food, they will take their business elsewhere.

3) Flood em out

White ants or Termites often build their colonies underground.

Flooding white ants isn’t the most practical solution but it is a natural one.

This gives them the advantage of being hidden from the giants of the surface but give those of us with large cerebral cortexes and opposable thumbs the opportunity to use nature to our advantage by flooding their colonies, effectively drowning them. Holes are drilled into the ground around the parameter of the affected area and water is injected to flood the ground and soils. If done correctly, the termites will be unable to survive, ridding you of their nasty presence. The only thing is if done incorrectly, the colony won’t just survive but they will thrive in their new damp environment as dampness helps them to survive. Ultimately, for serious or extreme infestations of termites, it’s a good idea to call in a professional. Sure, professional help costs money, but then again, so does repairing structure damage to your house from letting a termite infestation go out of control. White Ants/Termites are fierce, but we humans are even more fierce, so stand strong and win the battle against the pesky white ants!

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Contact Your Local Pest Control Team to Wipe Out White Ants From Your Property

If you think that white ants may be overrunning your property, get in touch with the team here at Dentec Pest Management by calling us on 6887 2825 or completing our online form. Based in Dubbo, New South Wales, we’re your local experts in identifying and controlling white ants.

3 Quick Easy Ways To Wipe Out White Ants