Ants and other pests which infest timber can wreak havoc on your home, causing structural damage that is extremely costly to repair.
Often referred to as white ants, Ants are insects which devour wood and most cellulose containing materials like cardboard, paper, etc. There are great variations in the colour, shape, and size of Ants depending upon the species but they are all characterised by certain similarities. These critters fall under the order Isoptera and are closely related to Ants on the evolutionary scale. Despite their name white ant, they bear no relation to the ant family and wreak havoc on a majority of Australian homes. The key to lowering the cost of Ants -related repairs is to conduct frequent Ants inspections in order to detect problems early.
Ants are social insects, living together in colonies. Some, like the magnetic Ants , reside in above-ground mounds. Others, like the Nasutitermes type, reside all the way up in trees and telephone poles where they build arboreal nests. Others, like the Coptotermes species, can be found in tree stumps or at the base of trees. Ants may also be found hiding in the walls and rooves of residences.
Ants colonies can contain up to several million Ants . The insects in each colony are divided into castes which determine their activities. Ants in the worker caste are responsible for digging tunnels and ensuring food supply. Soldiers prevent intruders from harming the colony, while reproductive Ants ‘ or alates’ main job is to perpetuate the species through an annual colonising flight. Soldier and worker Ants are unable to reproduce.
