For people who live in Brisbane, there are a number of things to consider when you look at stump grinding. For the purposes of this article, I want to examine one of those considerations in detail:
Termites.
As you can see from this image Brisbane is in the highest risk category for Termite infestation. The variety of these versatile insects, estimated to be a 100 – 250 million year old species is truly mind boggling. With approximately 300 – 350 different species of Termite in Australia it is easy to get a sense of panic, but only about 30 species are destructive to construction. Having said that, it has been suggested that on average, 1 out of every 3 properties in this country harbour termites. I think that is worth repeating; it is estimated that one out of every three properties in Australia has a Termite colony present.
You may think; “But my house is made of Sandstone, I don’t have to worry about termites.” That would be ok if the little buggers weren’t able to build galleries, or enclosed ‘termite highways’ across inedible material to get where the tucker is. These ‘galleries’ give the insects protection from the Sun and elements, while providing access to the ‘all you can eat buffet’ that is the internal timber structures of your home. Termites are fairly fragile creatures susceptible to dehydration if exposed and heavy predation by just about everything; from Birds and Mammals (including marsupials – the Echidna loves them), to ants and other insect species. Even with all these constraints, Termites are still one of the most abundant creatures on earth, with Australia having more than its fair share of examples.
From Stump To House.
Here is a diagram demonstrating how a colony in your garden can establish a satellite colony in your home, below your floors or even in your flooring. A pest controller in Brisbane discovered a colony that had built a nest around the drip tray of a fridge, lurking unseen in the kitchen!
The moisture provided in that tray being important enough to the existence of the colony that the insects transported enough dirt and digested cellulose (plant fibre) material to construct the nest on a completely inedible product – all metal and plastic. This of course gave the colony easy access to the unprotected floor and joist timbers.
The White Ant, as it is commonly – but incorrectly, known cannot survive without moisture. (Termites actually have a closer relation to Cockroaches in the insect world, and were fairly recently reclassified into that family: Blattodea.) Water is vital to their life-cycle, without it they simply will not survive. One of the most reliable sources of water available to the Termite in this Arid land is the domestic home. It can provide perfect living conditions for the insects severely damaging your peace of mind. So even if your place is solid stone, with steel everything internally, the Termites may build a pathway to get to the moisture. It is little known that the insects can do substantial damage to indigestible material in their quest for food. They love to build their nests in the rotting stumps of fallen (or felled) trees, even a Palm tree isn’t safe as Termites will devour ANY plant material.
So if you have a stump in your garden or yard, and you wish to remain King of your castle, don’t mess around, do the smart thing and get the professionals in to do the stump grinding and eradicate that potential threat to your most important asset, your home. Ask yourself do I need stump removal?