Resource Library
Termite species identification, distribution, nesting habit and susceptible timbers.
Location of different termite species:
| All Australian States except Tasmania | |
| QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, WA | |
| WA | |
| QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA | |
| WA | |
| QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, WA | |
| QLD, NSW | |
| QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, SA | |
| QLD, NT, NSW | |
| QLD, NT | |
| QLD, NSW | |
| NT, QLD, NSW, VIC |
Termite Species: |
Coptotermes acinaciformis
Body size: 4-6 mm Worker: Soldiers ratio is 90%: 10 - 5% |
|
||
| Distribution | All States in Australia except Tasmania | |||
| Nesting | Living and dead tree trunks (mostly around root crown and lower trunk), stumps and subterranean (in soil or in close contact with soil). |
|||
| Identification | These termites are the most destructive in Australia. Disturbed soldiers produce milky liquid from their mandibles and are aggressive. These termites may travel underground more than 100m from the parent colony in search of food. They avoid light and work under cover. | |||
| Hosts | All timbers including living and dead trees. Also known to attack and destroy the lead sheathing of subterranean electric and telephone cables. | |||
Termite Species: |
Coptotermes frenchi Soldier length: 4mm |
| Distribution | Coastal area of Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria, SA & WA |
| Nesting | Living and dead tree (mainly Eucalyptus) trunks (mostly around root crown and lower trunk), stumps and subterranean |
| Identification | These termites are the most destructive in Australia. Disturbed soldiers produce milky liquid from a gland on their heads. These termites may travel underground about 50 - 70m from the parent colony in search of food. They avoid light and work under cover.
|
| Hosts | Cause damage to Eucalyptus trees, poles, fence posts, stumps, logs and in hardwood and softwood in buildings structure. |
Termite Species: |
Coptotermes michaelseni Soldier length: 3 - 5.5 mm |
| Distribution | Western Australia |
| Nesting | Mainly in logs, stumps or dry wood in living trees E calophylla. |
| Identification | These termites are the most destructive in Western Australia. Disturbed soldiers produce milky liquid from a gland on their heads. They avoid light and work under cover.
|
Termite Species: |
Coptotermes lacteus Soldier length: 4 - 5 mm |
| Distribution | Parts of Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic & SA |
| Nesting | Construct conical mound up to 2 m in height |
| Identification | They rarely attack building, and are forest pests. Termite mounds were also found in eastern suburban Melbourne.
|
| Hosts | Conspicuous mound nester, not common in urban areas. Disturbed termites produce a milky liquid from head. |
Termite Species: |
Coptotermes raffrayi Soldier length: 4 - 5 mm |
| Distribution | Western Australia |
| Nesting | Trunks of living and dead tree, from logs, stumps, and construction timer in buildings, stack of sawn timber and from nests. |
| Identification | The habits of this species are similar to those of C. acinaciformis
|
| Hosts | There are records also, of its destroying the lead sheathing of subterranean electric cables in Perth |
Termite Species: |
Nasutitermes exitiosus Soldier length: 4 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Southern parts of Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, SA & WA | |
| Nesting | Construct usually low dome shaped mounds up to 75 cm in height |
|
| Identification | Attack mostly hardwood timbers in buildings. Timbers in ground eg, fence posts, desks etc. Soldiers have dark brown protruding mandible from which they exude milky fluid. |
|
| Hosts | Nests in building will fill available space in cavaties and under floors | |
Termite Species: |
Nasutitermes walkeri Soldier length: 6 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Coastal parts of Southern Qld & Northern parts of NSW | |
| Nesting | Main nest usually in trunk of tree, connected to visible nests on upper trunk or limbs. |
|
| Identification | Mostly timber in contact with ground. Seldom causes significant damage to building timbers. |
|
Termite Species: |
Heterotermes ferox Soldier length: 4 - 5 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Parts of Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic & SA | |
| Nesting | Small subterranean colonies adjacent to stumps, logs on ground, or beside mounds of other termites. |
|
| Identification | Threatened soldiers retreat backwards |
|
| Hosts | Weahered timber and timber in contact with ground. Superficial damage to sound timbers | |
Termite Species: |
Schedorhinotermes intermedius Soldier length: 5 - 7 mm Major: 3-5 mm |
|
||
| Distribution | Coastal Qld, NT & NSW | |||
| Nesting | Root crown and lower trunk of living and dead trees (Eucalyptus). Subterranean nests in buried timber in ground or under houses |
|||
| Identification | Young colonies have smaller soldiers. Once nest is well established, major soldiers appear. Distinctively loose honeycomb damage in timber. |
|||
| Hosts | Most timbers in buildings. Damage can sometimes be isolated around nails or bolts. | |||
Termite Species: |
Mastotermes darwiniensis Soldier length: 11 - 13 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Parts of Qld and NT | |
| Nesting | The largest subterranean nest inside living and dead trees |
|
| Identification | Very destructive to timbers within 70m of nest. Where food is plentiful, colony will form independent sub-colonies. |
|
| Hosts | All timbers, living and dead trees and horticultural trees. | |
Termite Species: |
Microcerotermes turneri Soldier length: 5 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Coastal QLD and NSW | |
| Nesting | Numerous nest types. Either under – ground, small mounds, or arboreal (Including on posts or poles). |
|
| Identification | Significant damage to timbers in buildings is rare. |
|
| Hosts | Mainly decayed timbers in contact with ground, such as poles or posts or fences. | |
Termite Species: |
Neotermes insularis Soldier length: 12 mm |
 |
| Distribution | Coastal NT, QLD, NSW & Vic | |
| Nesting | Small colony in branches and trunks of trees, often in softer growth rings. |
|
| Identification | Serious damages to trees mainly eucalypts. |
|
| Hosts | Commonly called ‘ring-ant’ after the concentric rings of damage in trees. | |
Table courtesy to John French and Dr. Berhan Ahmed.
