I think not! I haven't found any termites in the areas I have mulched with sugarcane. Wish I could say the same for others.

they will help in the decomposition just like any other organism. and from what i have been told by specialist there are many different sub-terrainian termites not all are attracted to our homes. now in the past i have used wood chip from tree loppers quiet often never did i see termites in it though i knew there where termites there, not saying it can't happen just wonder at the likelyhood of it happeneing lots of people still use wood chips and many seek it out.

nowadays i use grass mulches never seen termites in that either but there are termites out there that preffer that sort of material as their food source. i also use lots of newspaper again never had any termites have heard a couple cases where they did get them but then it's all happening in the garden.

chipped tree is a great mulch for the garden, reckon termites or not i'd still use it.

len

Good luck!

Here:
# approx. annual inspections. Lucky to have someone who is happy to facilitate self-help (like home made monitoring systems)
# he says no garden beds next to house. My compromise is a couple of rarely watered and unmulched beds, still working on that one. I wouldn't want concrete strips unless they had treatment pipes included. Could see the pests sheltering underneath in the wet we are supposed to be going to have.
# try to maintain at least 6 monitoring stations which are checked monthly. I have had 'Mike' treat two of these, one was in a very popular area and they have not returned after over a year which makes me hope that's one nest down. I've also got casual monitoring stations (old phone books are excellent) concealed under hedges etc. These are well away from the house as I don't want to be attracting termites too close for my comfort. I don't have a problem with using mulchs they may like further from the house. Cow manure is favoured by them, also the hardwood sawdust I bring in for the potting mix project.
Rose

in past yards i have often run a pile of old branches timber right up the backto keep the termites amused, lots of others did also that i new of the thoguth being if they have something nice and easy to eat they won't bother damaging their dentures on seasoned hardwood (all our past homes where older than 35 years), well needless to say even though one home 75 year old was on original wooden stumps and not a termite in sight in the home.

the termite experts warn about gardens right up along the sides of homes or foundations, as this keeps that area moist for the termites to gather in. the suggestion is nothing for about a meter around the house other than stome mulch not even cement paths (termites use these as stopovers), then the cement paths around the outside of the stone mulch (this allows the ground to dry out and nil wee/grass growth), then 2 meters out from the house should be the nearest garden, we've never had gardens closer than 3 meters and never owned a home with termite problems, and what happens to organic material in the gardens never bothers me just so long as it breaks down.

got no faith at all in these modern pine framed homes with all walls/ceilings plaster board all termites fave' food.

len it all comes down to common sense not fear hype.

With regard to the termite monitoring stations - how expensive are these?

Regards
GH

we used the centricon system developed by csiro it is installed by one of the pest companies they put a certain amount of bait sations around your home and for the annual contract come back and check these at regular intervels.

you could probably make your own stations, i think i have seen something at sometime don't know where but? it wouldn't take much nutting out, could be made using that downpipe material maybe not 90mm but say 75mm stuff. might help to do a search see what you turn up.

probably the only downside is if your bait stations get results then you probably aren't going to be able to get hold of the ar snik based bait used to kill the nest all the time we used the bait station system it never detected any termites in the home parameter.

you could use pieces of untreated pine as bait like they did or use tightly rolled up corrigated cardboard.

len

len

Sorry, cestrum!

Chippies here joke that if you put your hammer down and turn around, the handle will be gone when you turn back. It suits me to make my own stations, the only cost is my time, but if the pest man said they weren't up to the job I would ditch them.

People on larger areas often have to educate themselves for different situations e.g sheds and timber fencing etc and use the registered products themselves for prevention and treatment. What ever fits the individual's set up.

Cheers
Rose