Termite in Trees: Is My House at Risk?
Termites in trees are a homeowner’s nightmare, especially if trees are within the vicinity of the property. Several termite species such as subterranean termites which are exotic to Australia are often found in trees, stumps of trees and landscaping sleepers left in the ground. Unfortunately, once a termite colony is established, this can be a year-round problem. The colony usually grows most during warm weather, and a single colony can contain up to 250,000 termites.
Termites eats dead cellulose and finding them in live trees indicates that part of the tree is already dead. It could be the cambium layer, which is the part of the trunk that’s still growing. The cambium cell layer produces new bark and new wood in response to cell-growth stimulating hormones called “auxins,” which are produced by leaf buds at the ends of branches. If this layer is damaged, this is a safety issue as the tree has a risk of falling during adverse weather conditions such as heavy storms and depending on where it lands, it could damage your home, a neighbour’s home, someone’s car, or even a person. In addition to a dead tree, you could be facing legal or liability issues.
The right treatment might save your tree, or it might need to be removed. Treating or removing it can help prevent termites from spreading from the tree to your home.
Another thing to consider is that sick trees, infested with termites, become weaker. This makes a termite-infested tree a serious hazard.
If you suspect a termite infestation in your trees or have any questions regarding detecting termites for your home or business premises, contact our team at Effective Building & Consultancy on (02) 9613 3353 for a thorough inspection, properly diagnose the problem and then determine the best solution for getting rid of the colony. Whether termites are in your trees or in your home, Effective Building & Consultancy can take care of the problem with additional measures to prevent future infestations.