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Gardening in Oz

termites

21 years ago

Would anyone be able to give advice? Our neighbours yard is overgrown with old tree stumps and bits and pieces falling off the house. We know it doesn't get the maintenance it needs because our widow neighbour tells us her son is lazy.

We understand she is an older lady but we are desperate.

The yard is full of white ants, and i suspect the house is too. We do not want the ants to come for dessert at our place.

Is there an authority we can report this to e.g. council etc? has anyone else had this problem.

P.S. we are not nasty people, just terrified of losing our house.

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Comments (6)

User
21 years ago
I don't really have an answer for you, but I think if you talk to the council about it, they may be able to do something, or else put you on the right path to find help.
Have you talked to your neighbour about the problem? Surely she wouldn't want the little critters invading her house either! Good luck....I know it is a real concern for you. The other option is to talk to a pest exterminator. But choose wisely, as there are some shonky operators out there.
Cheers,
Dee.
gardenlen
21 years ago
g'day ree ree,

apart from contacting the council which may or may not help, there probably isn't much more you can do except make sure your property protection is up to date and up to scratch. most likley while they are happily munching next door they won't be looking further afield.

len
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I know this thread is literally a decade old... but, I was dead set to prove I'm not crazy, and neither are you! I live in Georgia, so southeast US as well. We (apparantly) used untreated lumber to build our two 20'x4' raised beds this year. I planted 9 stalks of peaches n' cream sweet corn at the far end of the first bed. They were doing great! Then, one started curling like it was dehydrated. So, I checked the soil, realized it could be a little more moist, but the roots were pretty close to the top of the soil. I decided it would be best to add a bag of garden soil around the stalks to keep the roots from being exposed when it rains. The next day, I go to check on the corn and that stalk was done for... and two more were showing signs of dehydration by curling. So, I pulled the dead one up and when I did, the stalk easily broke at the new soil line I had just added the day before! I thought it was strange and dug around the base of where the plant was to pull the remainder of the stalk and the roots out, and when I gently pushed the soil that I had just added out of the way, there were TONS of termites... just like your picture! I panicked and checked around the base of the other stalks and lo and behold - termites. So, I dumped the 2 stalks that were not salvageable and weighed the pros and cons of transplanting the stalks to the second bed. Do I risk losing the plants to shock or losing them to termites? So, I shocked the bejeesus out of them (sadly) by completely cleaning their root balls of termites by rinsing them in water (if I had any other choice...). I replanted them in the opposite end of the second bed and hoped the termites wouldn't make it that far before we could harvest... the corn did show signs of shock for about a week, but then perked up and took off! They were doing great! Then, I walked out to the garden one morning and two of the stalks had broken off at the soil line and completely fallen over... checked the soil - termites. So now, both beds are completely infested and I don't think I'll ever be able to grow corn in my garden :( Anyone have any luck planting termite buffet food in containers that they cannot penatrate? Metal garden beds? Heat treating the soil? I'm at such a loss and really disheartened... </3
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ree_ree
Original Author
21 years ago
Hi Dee, Len. how are you both?
Unfortunately my neighbour doesn't care. She told me that herself, when I told her it could affect other houses in the area she told me it wasn't her problem and she couldn't care less. Sadly her son is either disinterested or too busy.
Might try the council though, nothing tried, nothing achieved.
thanks, ree
User
21 years ago
Hi Ree,
Isn't it amazing how selfish some people can be! It must be awful to have a neighbour like that. I do hope you find a solution to your problem.
Cheers,
Dee.
Rose_Qld
21 years ago
Hi Ree
Can't remember what was said on the subject earlier but in your position, having moved on my early seriously worried state (our street having had numerous active populations in *tidy* yards and cared-for houses), I'd undertake these actions at a minimum;
#1 annual inspection of your property, following any recommendations of the contractor w.r.t. slab exposure, moisture buildup etc
#2 keep an eye out yourself for signs in between...bubbling of paint etc
#3 install several home made monitoring/ baiting stations on all sides of the yard. A CSIRO site gives good instructions for an easy design, let's know if you want me to dig up the link. The pest person can advise on optimal distance from the house etc
Rose
Rose_Qld
21 years ago
Just want to add that talking to operators on the phone first with a few questions may help you choose one you are comfortable with. I feel lucky with both mine: they are not pushy and supply as much info as required. One says his company always allocates 2 hours for a routine house inspection. Partly no doubt to protect themselves in case of a claim.
Rose

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