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TERMITES
Statistically,
3 out of 5 homes in Australia wiexperience
minimal or major white ant problems every
year. Maybe 1 in 2000 homes will catch fire.
Ask yourself, which is more at risk – fire
or white ants. Termites also cause more
damage than tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones
and windstorms combined. You can’t buy
termite insurance. The insurance risk is too
high.
It is estimated that termites cause more than
$900 million in damage in Australia every year.
The colony has a strict caste system and every
member has a clearly defined role to play.
THE
QUEEN
The Queen
Ant is the longest living insect known to man
with an average life span between ten and forty
years of age. Her reproduction rate is very high,
so is their mortality rate.
THE
KING
The King
Ant’s prime duty is to mate with the Queen and
generally help in the royal chamber.
THE SOLDIER
The
Soldier Ants are the protectors of the nest. They
fight any enemies that may attack the nest and
move to any emergency that the workers may
encounter, such as a tin capping on a stump of a
house. The Soldier will attack the capping by
injecting acid onto it. Eventually the capping
becomes paper thin, so that they are then able to
penetrate it with their mandibles. They also
guard the nest against any of its bearers who may
bring poison back to the nest. They do this by
killing the bearer or bearers.
THE
WORKER
The Worker
is the backbone of the society. These ants
actually attack the timber. The termite prefers
Karri and other soft wood over Jarrah. They will
also attack books and cardboard boxes because
paper is made of wood pulp. The worker will
attack jarrah flooring to reach karri in the
ceiling. They will also penetrate six inches of
concrete flooring.
THE
NYMPH
These are
the water carriers of the nest. White ants must
have moisture to survive. The nymph carries the
moisture to the workers in its body. On reaching
the workers the nymph rubs its body against the
workers, thus supplying it with the necessary
moisture.
REDBACK SPIDER
One of the most
poisonous spiders in Australia is the
Redback. They are black and usually have a
red stripe on their backs. The venom of a
Redback is very toxic and the bite is
extremely painful. They breed in tins, pots,
drums, rubbish, fence capping, old tyres and
garden sheds. If bitten, contact a doctor
immediately.
COCKROACHES
Few creatures
arouse such horror and revulsion as the
cockroach. Their presence does not indicate
dirty premises but they have a likig for
drains, sewers and grease traps. They skulk
in dark corners and tread from dirty places
onto food, leaving droppings and
filth.
FLEAS
Few insects are
more annoying. Their bites are very
irritating, and, what is worse, they can
spread disease. Both male and female fleas
are bloodsuckers and their bites can become
infected, particularly if scratched. Cat and
Dog fleas also feed on humans. Adult fleas
can survive for months without feeding at
all.
BED BUGS
The name alone
is enough to put anyone off. They can be
found under skirting boards, plaster and
behind wallpaper in the cleanest of houses.
Their most unpleasant characteristic is
their habit of invading beds and biting
sleepers. They do not generally carry
disease but they can make life very
uncomfortable.
SILVERFISH
These flat
nuisances do their most common damage in
books, clothing, carpets, preferring
vegetable fabrics such as cotton and linen
and the starchy bindings on books and paper,
including photographs. They live in roofing
cavities and under floors. Stop them before
they damage your expensive clothing.
CARPET BEETLES
Like moths,
carpet beetles prefer animal fibres. They
feed just as readily on such products as
fish and meat meal. They will also attack
grain and cereal products. Carpets and
clothes cost many hundreds of dollars, don’t
let them ruin these expensive items.
ANTS
There is
considerable confusion between termites and
ants because they have very similar social
systems. They both live in highly organised
colonies, have a Queen, King, workers and
soldiers. However, they are totally
different. Although regarded as pests rather
than dangers, they can transfer disease by
moving from dirty areas on to food. Sweet
foods are their favourite but meats,
insects, seeds, fruits even soiled clothes
will attract them.
GARDEN OR ORB–WEAVING SPIDER
The Garden
Spider builds an idealised orb–web hence its
other common name: Orb–weaving Spider. The
web may be constructed between bushes and
trees, across pathways or doors. (The spider
is usually to be found hiding nearby or
waiting on the web). Walking into the web
gives people a shock but fortunately the
spider is not dangerous. The spider is
usually only conspicuous during the summer
months. Bites have been recorded but have
not been serious.
BLACK HOUSE SPIDER
This spider
makes a matted web with a funnel in the
middle of it. For this reason the web is
occasionally mistaken for that of a Funnel
Web Spider. However, the appearance of the
spider and the location of the web is quite
different. The web is found around window
sills and door frames, on walls and leaves
and may also be found on trees or in
outbuildings. The bite may produce pain,
nausea and vomiting but is not fatal.
ST. ANDREW’S CROSS SPIDER
This is another
fairly large, beautiful spider. Its legs are
held in pairs to form a cross. It constructs
a large web in similar locations to the
Garden Spider and sits in the centre of this
web waiting for unsuspecting prey. Once
again, people get a shock if they walk into
the web but there is no danger from this
spider.