Termites

[SAW]

Yeah Goonie, water is critical as the use it to create a unique humid climate.
They love under slabs so I hope the builder had good barriers in place around the slab.
Elevated is easy to check as they absolutely need the mud tunnel to stop light and create their preferred climate. They don’t wander around in light or outside their preferred and created environment (like how you all strive to create on in a tent). Look for mud tubes going up your footings.
Tap you walls like a termite inspector for dummy hollow sounds (light hammer etc). Often a timber wall looks perfect but is really just a thin layer like paper after being eaten.
They love pine, Oregon, dress Timbers (jambs, windows, door frames, dress pieces like between wall and floor).
They’ll come through the slab in expansion joints.
You can make detection places using cardboard based traps so research organic termite control.
I’ve chased them for 3 years in my sisters federation house in Sydney. Found the nest eventually in the compost heap. They’d go full suicide mission eating and dying in masses to get through waterproof flooring (was toxic to them) in a bathroom to consume the Oregon wall studs.
They are controlled in my place but I still find them within 10m of the structure at times, they are an environmental constant up here.
Boxes of newspapers are a good example of a trap, well more like a detection point.

 

[Goonie Goat]

Yeah Goonie, water is critical as the use it to create a unique humid climate.
They love under slabs so I hope the builder had good barriers in place around the slab.
Elevated is easy to check as they absolutely need the mud tunnel to stop light and create their preferred climate. They don’t wander around in light or outside their preferred and created environment (like how you all strive to create on in a tent). Look for mud tubes going up your footings.
Tap you walls like a termite inspector for dummy hollow sounds (light hammer etc).
They love pine, Oregon, dress Timbers (jambs, windows, door frames, dress pieces like between wall and floor).
They’ll come through the slab in expansion joints.
You can make detection places using cardboard based traps so research organic termite control.
I’ve chased them for 3 years in my sisters federation house in Sydney. Found the nest eventually in the compost heap. They’d go full suicide mission eating and dying in masses to get through waterproof flooring (was toxic to them) in a bathroom to consume the Oregon wall studs.
They are controlled in my place but I still find them within 10m of the structure at times, they are an environmental constant up here.
Boxes of newspapers are a good example of a trap, well more like a detection point.

I've done some more digging in other areas today, I have found wet rot but no signs of termites yet, now I have to confront the neighbour about this issue as there's also a bush tobacco plant and other weed which have turned into small trees now, rails and posts completely rotted around these trees which are protruding into the roof/guttering, and are right next to my shitter and shower, ceramic pipes smelling like musty soil.

 

[Goonie Goat]

Just thought I'd post an update,

Caught the neighbours outside today and confronted them, told them there was a nest of termites and that we needed to do something about it.

Luckily got to talk to the blokes misses first before he came out, which worked out fucking perfect, as soon as I mentioned termites she was onboard with my plans.

Gonna fuck the trees off first, spray the fence line and house with SC200 Fipronyl and sprinkle the granules over the top for the icing on the cake and then piss the fence off hopefully in a few weeks.

Got 2.5kg of the fipronyl granules with 2 bottles of the heavy duty sc200, $350 all up with postage.

Don't give a shit what fence they want to get just want this termite infested shit gone for my peace of mind.

I still think I'll call in a specialist a few months down the track to look under the house just to be 100% sure it's alright.

Got the chainsaw file out and sharpened the fuck out of my chain till it sliced me fingers, god I can't fucking wait to cut this shit down. @Indy @afghan bob @SAW

Thanks a lot for all the advice, especially Indy for saving me a good chunk of cash

 

[Indy]

I still think I'll call in a specialist a few months down the track to look under the house just to be 100% sure it's alright.

Not a bad way to go still. It wouldn't hurt to get them to put a barrier down around the house, and watch 'n learn how they do it, then get the gear and do it yourself thereafter. Probably cost around 3k for a cash job on average to put a barrier down, if you drill the holes.

If they've got to drill through concrete, be sure they do it every 200mm apart. It used to be 300mm, but the regulations have since changed.

I'm in the process of putting a double barrier down around the perimeter here on the main house. Intial one (that's already done) drilled around the edge of the brickwork/footings. Then I'm yet to lay a second one off the edge of the concrete verandahs using a system called a termite replenishment system Term-X. I've already got the kit, just need to lay it down.

That said, a double barrier is still not a perfect system because statistically 80% of infestation enter around ground level. The other 20% via the ones that take flight on the occasional hot humid early evenings, after some good rain during the day. Those nights when they swarm around the the property. It's lights off, and I keep a wet active barrier (Vista SC200) at the base of the brickwork for the first couple of hours of the evening. It doesn't happen often here. But it can occur 2-3 nights a year during the Summer months.

EDIT: Picture of a barrier around the perimeter of the brickwork/footings drilled through concrete slab.



EDIT 2: While I'm rambling.. If you do need to sink a series of holes down through concrete. Don't piss around with your normal drill that has a hammer function, whilst using normal concrete drill bits. You'll be there all day doing it, and flog out your drill 'n bits doing so. Spend a bit of money and get a Rotary Hammer Drill and use these Quad Tip Drill Bits. It goes through concrete like butter. I bought a shitty Ozito one for a $100, and two 12mm Drill bits for $50. Best investment in recent times..

 

[afghan bob]

Our house done the same as Indy
Drilled through concrete slab, mind u 400 mm deep
This guy does contract work for all real estates so knows his stuff
U can’t be blasé with these little farks they will eat u out of house and home

 

[Goonie Goat]

Not a bad way to go still. It wouldn't hurt to get them to put a barrier down around the house, and watch 'n learn how they do it, then get the gear and do it yourself thereafter. Probably cost around 3k for a cash job on average to put a barrier down, if you drill the holes.

If they've got to drill through concrete, be sure they do it every 200mm apart. It used to be 300mm, but the regulations have since changed.

I'm in the process of putting a double barrier down around the perimeter here on the main house. Intial one (that's already done) drilled around the edge of the brickwork/footings. Then I'm yet to lay a second one off the edge of the concrete verandahs using a system called a termite replenishment system Term-X. I've already got the kit, just need to lay it down.

That said, a double barrier is still not a perfect system because statistically 80% of infestation enter around ground level. The other 20% via the ones that take flight on the occasional hot humid early evenings, after some good rain during the day. Those nights when they swarm around the the property. It's lights off, and I keep a wet active barrier (Vista SC200) at the base of the brickwork for the first couple of hours of the evening. It doesn't happen often here. But it can occur 2-3 nights a year during the Summer months.

EDIT: Picture of a barrier around the perimeter of the brickwork/footings drilled through concrete slab.

View attachment 56144

EDIT 2: While I'm rambling.. If you do need to sink a series of holes down through concrete. Don't piss around with your normal drill that has a hammer function, whilst using normal concrete drill bits. You'll be there all day doing it, and flog out your drill 'n bits doing so. Spend a bit of money and get a Rotary Hammer Drill and use these Quad Tip Drill Bits. It goes through concrete like butter. I bought a shitty Ozito one for a $100, and two 12mm Drill bits for $50. Best investment in recent times..

Didn't know termites could be such a pain under concrete even... I'm gonna get under the house and check shit out as best as I can..

I am hopeful that these termites are just up in the back fence for now. Glad I found them when I did..

 

[Mellow oldfark]

https://www.rentokil.com/au/blog/species/termite-species

 

[Goonie Goat]

Another update on the termites.

Went over to the neighbours house and noticed there was loads of wood just sitting on the ground all sogged up and I just knew it would be crawling with termites.

We moved a few rotting beams, railings and palings and then I saw the cunts where the wood met the soil, pointed it out to them and basically told them we have to now treat the houses like its a full blown infestation, which they agreed to.

So I got the neighbours tree cut down which was surprisingly hard to do, being lodged beneath concrete which ended up being a real cunt of a job to get at. Couldn't leave the stump as the new fence will have to go over it so tried digging it back and cutting below ground level.

Chain ended up hitting the concrete and basically destroyed it, tried to give it a sharpen but it was worn past the rakers. So I ended up just sending it and putting my back into it, didn't care much about by then.. chain was just a cheap $14 Carlton 14 inch so figured it was worth destroying.

Today I chucked a new chain on and tore down half of the fence today, which was a bit of a mission but got there in the end.

Towards the end I hit a nest of the fuckers and they tried to bail but i unloaded a few cans of mortein on the cunts which was effective enough.

Noticed the mud tubing in the rails of the fence, they had built up inside the rails and had hollows where the nails originally were holding the palings on.

90% of them were in the rails, very few were in the ground which I think is good.

Going to put a barrier down with the Vista200. Decided to get a electric backpack sprayer and disposable tyvek coveralls, the elbow length gloves and a full face mask.

Now I need to trench the fence and the outsides of the house. Going to get under the house and really get a good look at what's going on down there.

I am pretty hopeful that i won't find any holes or mud tubes but I'm going to give it a good go over too underneath and trench it out with a hand mattock.

 

[SAW]

Good effort.
Might be too late, but excavate them gently to follow leads. Nests can be a long way away.
I’ve always been under the impression they move about shallowly underground.
If you find mud tunnels, put a little hole in it and look in a few or more hours. Active ones get repaired real quick.
It’s good news due to your proactiveness

 

[Billygoat]

Honestly mate, I think you’re over thinking it.

You will never get rid of termites. You just need to ensure they stay out of your house.

If you find them in the yard in fences or the like, leave them be and seek treatment advice. They ain’t gonna destroy ya house in a week… they are like filthy little sloth turtles. If ya find them in ya house they have likely been there a while…

 

[Goonie Goat]

Honestly mate, I think you’re over thinking it.

You will never get rid of termites. You just need to ensure they stay out of your house.

If you find them in the yard in fences or the like, leave them be and seek treatment advice. They ain’t gonna destroy ya house in a week… they are like filthy little sloth turtles. If ya find them in ya house they have likely been there a while…

Yeah just in the fence at the moment which is a relief..

Barrier will be well worth the money though I reckon. Yeah I'm not a termite lord but confident I can pull a few trench soaks off. I'm not paying $5000 for a pro to do it, but a few months down the road will happily pay somebody $300 for an inspection.

 

[Indy]

Yeah, the little fuckers can trigger a bit of paranoia, and make you overthink it. Just gotta collect your thoughts, and come up with a plan to keep the barstards at bay. In some areas they're always going to be active.

I’ve always been under the impression they move about shallowly underground.

Pretty well much what I've understood. A pesty I spoke to mentioned if you put your own barrier down, keep it no more than 75mm away from the building, preferably 50mm. Can't recall the depth, but I think he mentioned around 100mm deep in soil.

ive also read that if you're doing a trench for a barrier, dig it out around 150mm wide and 300mm deep, and either fill it with sand or mix a 50:50 sand/dirt ratio, so to get good saturation of the trench/barrier when you dump 50 litres to every 10 metre run. You don't have to get the solution down to 300mm deep. It should naturally get to that depth in reasonably loose sand/soil once applied.

If using Fipronil SC100, it's 6ml to every litre of water (600ml to 100L)
Or using Vista SC200, 3ml to every litre of water. (300ml to 100L)

But I tend to use a little more to be sure..

 

[Goonie Goat]

Vista SC200, 3ml to every litre of water. (300ml to 100L)

Fuck me, I bought 2 bottles and so did the neighbour, guess that's going to do the house 10 times over lmao

 

[Indy]

Just double check that though what I mentioned. Its just the figures I jotted down in my notes when talking to him, and the research I done myself.

 

[Indy]

In relation to barriers from the Termidor PDF..

Vertical Treated Zones
Vertical treated zones are designed to deter termites from gaining concealed horizontal access to a building or structure.
Apply at least 100 L of prepared spray per cubic metre of soil. Vertical treated zones should be a minimum of 150 mm
wide and applied to a depth 50 mm below the top of the footing. Where a horizontal treated zone is installed, the vertical
treated zone should be installed to be continuous with it. The most effective method of creating an even and continuous
treated zone is by trenching and treating the soil as it is back-filled. Soil injection equipment (rodding) must only be used
where trenching and treating the back-fill is not possible or practical.

Trenching
Excavating a trench, treating the exposed trench, back filling and treating the back-fill is the preferred method of installing
a vertical treated zone. The trench needs to be a minimum of 150 mm wide and continue to at least 50 mm below the
top of the footing. Assuming a 150 mm wide trench with a 300 mm distance to the top of the footing, this would equate
to a 150 mm x 350 mm trench in which 5.25 L of prepared spray would be applied per lineal metre of trench. Any variation
of dimensions needs to be re-calculated on the basis of applying 100 L of prepared spray per cubic metre of soil.

Rodding through concrete
When applying a vertical treated zone underneath a concrete obstruction (eg. a path), a soil rod with a 3 or 4 way multi-
directional tip should be used. The rod should be rotated during application (90° for a 4-way tip and 120° for a 3-way
tip). The tip should be inserted down as close to the footing as possible to ensure a complete vertical treated zone.
Ensure that chemical is applied during insertion and withdrawal of the rod. As uneven distribution of termiticide is likely
when applying by this method under concrete, the application volume should be increased to 200 L spray solution per
cubic metre of soil. Rod spacing should not exceed 200 mm and application volume should be adjusted depending on
soil type (as indicated in the table below) and the depth of the footing. Assuming a 300 mm depth to the top of the
footing and 200 mm spaced holes, 2 L of prepared spray is to be applied per hole. Any variation of dimensions needs
to be re-calculated on the basis of applying 200 L of prepared spray per cubic metre of soil.

 

[Goonie Goat]

Assuming a 150 mm wide trench with a 300 mm distance to the top of the footing, this would equate
to a 150 mm x 350 mm trench in which 5.25 L of prepared spray would be applied per lineal metre of trench

So that's for termidor? So I would only need half the dose using Vista200, or should I make it strong (like termidor ml/L dosage) and just do 2.51L for a 1m drench?

The sprayer I ordered holds 20L so I don't want to keep having to fill it up if I can get away with it.

Forgot to mention today I also found a fuckload of carpenter ants along with the termites. I think they have some kind of symbiotic relationship with the termites

 

[Indy]

Yeah, with Vista SC200 use half the amount to the same volume of water. So 3ml of VSC200 to a litre of water. But still lay down 5.25L to a 1 metre run. If the said trench is 150mm by 350mm

Also, an interesting read in relation to ants. Termites do have some natural enemies but it's unlikely they will wipe out an entire colony of termites..

Do Ants Get Rid Of Termites Safe & Reliable Advice - Sunnystate

Do ants get rid of termites & stop termites from destroying a home, pest control advice to safe guard a home have an annual termite inspection.

sunnystate.com.au

 

[afghan bob]

Sorry mate, termite guy has been a no show yet, but definitely put the pump on him when he does
Sounds like u putting in a lot of effort though, hope it pays off
Word on termite talk show is don’t fark with Goonie

 

[Goonie Goat]

Sorry mate, termite guy has been a no show yet, but definitely put the pump on him when he does
Sounds like u putting in a lot of effort though, hope it pays off
Word on termite talk show is don’t fark with Goonie

Trying my hardest, around here it's one extreme to another. Neighbours are clueless for doing what they did but I'm sure they meant no harm.

I'm just lucky they were on board with my plans (fear mongering working at its finest).. funnily enough they said they had an inspector come in a while back and said it was all clear. My guess is their firewood stacked on the ground next to the fence started it all, but these carpenter ants did alot of damage before the termites showed up so that's on me I guess.

So apparently the Carpenter Ants get into the termite tunnels and end up abducting the termites,
Ants can't digest termites on their own, so they feed them to their larvae first. Once the ant larvae break down a termites carcass, workers and queens are able to consume the insects.

They know not to take too many termites either, knowing they'll wipe out their food source if they do. Smart little pricks

 

[Sedge]

Geez ,when I read the ants abduct the termites I had a mental picture of them holding down the termites while they fuck them to death,,sick cunts ,,but no they’re smarter than that ..lol.