Termites

Termites

Termites are often incorrectly called 'white ants'. The workers have soft whitish bodies, are wingless, sterile and blind. The reproductive stage is winged with compound eyes. They are social insects like ants and bees. Only a few of the more than 300 species found in Australia are responsible for structural timber damage. In the ACT region there are approximately 30 kinds of termites, although only a few cause extensive damage to sound timber. The two species that do most damage are Coptotermes frenchi and Nasutitermes exitiosus. C. acinaciformis can also cause severe damage but are not common. Heterotermes ferox can sometimes be found feeding on weathered paling fences and Porotermes adamsoni nests in living eucalypts and damp wood.