Have you recently spotted tiny, white insects in a cluster creeping around a tree in your garden? Be very careful as you may be dealing with termites. These little insects can eat through enough of a tree that it becomes unable to support itself and topples. It is important to be mindful of the amount of damage an uncontrolled termite colony can cause to trees and any surrounding wood features. If you have a garden, you never want something as preventable as an unchecked termite colony to eat through and make the move into your house.
Since trees are usually their favourite colony site and their usual starting point, checking them regularly is the best way of ensuring that there isn’t a nascent termite colony waiting to grow. The following areas are some of the best places to being your checks to ensure a healthy, flourishing garden:
The Base of The Tree
Many termites leave small holes or piles of wood shavings from where they have entered the wood. The best place to look for them is the base of the tree. Use a shovel and dig a bit around the base of the tree because termites usually take shelter just under the soil line.
Termite Tubes
Termites often travel under the surface, making tunnels and mud tubes from the entry point to the food source to avoid being exposed. In trees, these tunnels will usually show up on the surface, having the diameter of a pencil, and standing out from the bark of a tree.
Flying Insects
Few people know this but some termites can fly, and it can help to look at the occasional flying insect to check if it is a termite. Flying termites, also called alates, emerge from the nest to reproduce and settle new colonies. While inspecting termite damage in a tree, try and keep an eye out for holes that could be their passageways. You should call termites control professionals to seek their help in getting rid of them if you find any way immediately.
Signs Of Termite Infestation
Termite infestation are extremely active in Singapore throughout the year due to the excessive humidity. Poor ventilation, leaking pipes, and gaps in the exterior of a building all enhance the risk of termite infestation. Here are six common signs of termite infestations:
Read More >> 5 Easy-To-Spot Signs Your Home Might Have Termites
How to Prevent Termites from Destroying Trees?
1. Termites can be prevented by applying some termiticide or termite chemicals in the soil around the tree. These products are absorbed by the roots and move up through the tree to kill the termites present inside it.
2. The infested trees can also be treated by making holes into the termite galleries and applying termiticides directly into the galleries. The termite chemicals should be spread throughout the damaged part of the tree for better results.
3. The damaged tree can also be treated with some special wraps. It keeps fungi and insects out of the tree. Some injured trees can be toughened with supports or cables. However, sometimes the damage is so severe that it becomes necessary to remove it from the garden areas.
4. If you see any termites on trees, kill them instantly to prevent them from spreading to other areas. This is even truer if the infected tree is near your home as the termites might enter your home.
5. Of all the treatments, the most important thing to do is to constantly monitor an infestation and regularly apply termiticides. It might seem time-consuming and tedious but more than any other quick fixes, it is the most effective way to control an invasion of termites.
If left alone, termites can grow into large colonies, causing untold damage first to your garden and then to your house. Therefore, it is essential that you attempt to stunt their growth before the infestation grows out of control.
Read More >> Why is Termite Pest Control so Important in Singapore?
Conclusion
If your efforts seem ineffective and/or the colony seems to be growing and the damage spreading, it is essential you get in touch with professionals to aid you in your efforts. Since Singapore is a hub for pest and termites control companies, you can get in touch with companies offering pest control in Singapore over a call and breathe easier in a termite-free environment.
ORIGIN’s Termite Elimination Team offers several termite control and treatment methods to detect, locate and eradicate termites at different stations.
