Are termites in the garden a problem?

Yes, is the short answer. If you notice signs of termites in or around your garden beds or actually see termites this can become a problem for many reasons:

• Risk of termites entering your home if it is not termite protected.
• Termites can eat through trees causing them to topple over.
• Small termite colonies can grow into larger colonies.
• Your neighbourhood and neighbours’ homes may also be affected.

How to get rid of termites in your garden

The best thing to do when you find live termites in your garden is to get a pest inspection:

• Do not try to remove the termites as you may disturb their colony, leading them to move. This could be moving to a spot closer to your house.

What do you do if you find termites in your garden?

There are many online articles that suggest DIY options. We firmly suggest getting in touch with us. There is nothing minor about termite damage and having termite treatment before there is a larger termite problem is a great way to stop a larger termite infestation from occurring. 

Precision Pest Control has been treating termites for more than 30 years and we would be happy to have a chat with you about controlling or eliminating the problem.

Tips for preventing termites from being in your garden

• Keep your garden tidy.
• It is best practice not to have your garden attached or against your house. Keep garden beds and mulches away from building walls.
• Keep firewood and rubbish away from your walls and away from your house as well.
• Source firewood from a reputable supplier and check for termites.
• Keep firewood elevated and never directly on soil.
• Use the right mulch or not at all. Some mulch is considered food for termites, such as bark mulch. These are just openly inviting termites to infest your property. Consider cypress mulch or pebbles.
• Fix any drips in your garden beds. Termites love moisture.
• Use termite treated materials to build your outdoor structures. Cypress timber treated pine, concrete, and so on.

Signs of termites in your garden

Think you may have termites in your garden but you’re not sure? Perhaps your neighbour had termites in their home or garden and you’re afraid. If you see any of the following, chances are you’re dealing with termites and you should get a termite inspection FAST:

• If you see little ‘white ants’ clustering around a tree or around wooden garden fences.
• Because termites travel under the surface, they make tunnels for the colony to travel through. These are called mud tubes or mud leads and are a sign of termites.
• Seeing ‘white ants’ or ‘flying ants’ around your garden.
• Sighting a termite nest or termite hill.