How to Know if my Tree has Termites – Signs of Termites
Termites. They’re very small and yet they can cause so much havoc for homeowners. A lot of people are affected by termites in not only their home, but their trees as well. Identifying them is very important for trying to prepare yourself for an invasion. Even though termites may be in your trees, as soon as they finish there, they may very want to move on to your home next. For this reason we’ve decided to dedicate a blog on the signs of termites – ‘how to know if my tree has termites’.
Even though termites generally prefer to feed upon dead wood, trees are still a very popular option for them. When termites invade a tree, they will eat it from the centre out. When they do this, it causes the tree to die and become incredibly weak. As the tree is hollowed out, branches may fall at any given time. This will then lead to the tree having the potential to fall also.
How to know if my tree has termites – Signs of Termites
Check the base
Move around some of the dirt at the base of the tree and look for clusters of termites. A lot of the time, they can be identified just below the soil line.
Inspect the bark
If you look below the bark, try to see if you can find tunnels or mud tubes. This is very common for termites. They tend to make tunnels so that they can travel between the food and nest without being affected by the weather. The tunnels are almost the same diameter as a pencil so you should be able to spot them ok.
Look around for flying termites
When a termite is wanting to grow its colony, it’ll look for a new spot to fly to. These types of termites are called alates. Alates that are being harboured in trees will look to escape through pruning scars or areas of the tree that have been removed or cut off.
If you’ve discovered that termites infest your trees, it’ll be a good idea to start treating your home for termites. You can also treat the tree to help kill-off the termites. Having the tree removed will be good for safety reasons also.
If you enjoyed reading this blog, feel free to read our other interesting Treeman Melbourne Blogs on tree facts and tips. You can see them HERE.
