Do termites eat live trees?

[E. Vinje]

Hello –

In most cases, termites do not eat live trees they only eat the dead, decaying material. With that said you should remove the termites as quickly as possible, especially if the tree is near your house. Also, I would not recommend stacking firewood or using wood mulch around your home if termites are present. Here’s my recommendations for getting rid of termites in trees.

1.) Prune away any dead or dying branches.
2.) Burn or throw away the problem branches to prevent pests from spreading.
3.) Locate the termite colony (yes, cardboard and commercial traps can help!) and destroy it using proven, natural treatments.
4.) Continue monitoring the tree and surrounding areas for termite activity.
5.) Keep moisture away from your home’s foundation and repair cracks, if any.

Hope it helps!

[Maxen]

1. Cut away infected wood as soon as signs of termites are discovered. Evidence may include narrow tunnels through the wood, larger nesting chambers, small white eggs or the termites themselves. Burn or otherwise destroy the wood as soon as possible to ensure that the termites do not spread from the infested material.

2. Spray liquid termiticide in a 3-foot radius around the base of the infected tree and any other nearby trees that may be close enough for their canopies to touch. Spray the tree trunk itself up to a height of two feet. This will deter any further termites from approaching the tree. As a greener alternative to commercial hydrocarbon-based termiticides, use a biodegradable permethrin-based insecticide, such as Torpedo or Dragnet.

3. Set termite traps around the area to alert you to any new termite activity. Simple wooden-stake traps, available at hardware stores or home improvement retailers, can be driven into the ground and left as bait for roving termites, then pulled up and checked regularly. These chemical-free traps are made of pine and pose no environmental or safety hazards to pets or children.

4. Monitor the infested tree carefully and repeat the spray treatment if any additional evidence of termites appears. Prevent new infestations by removing old wood piles, rotting stumps or any other potential sites for termite colonies.

You can contact professional pest control – theeliminator.com.au

[AlbertOtten]

No, termites are not interested in eating wood from a tree. If you are noticing that your tree is attacked by termites, this could be because of cambium layer or pith of the tree has died. You should check better precautions so that your tree should be protected. As termites spread from one place to another. So you should be careful that your home should also be safe and free from termites.

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