G'day Travis

I'd get a pest controller to check out the termites, as one variety
nests under large flat rocks......your driveway is the perfect 'flat
rock' specially when they are active in the woodchip mulch. There are
many, many varieties of termites so someone with knowledge if which ones
are in your area would be the best person to check it for you.

I wouldn't have woodchip mulch because of termites, but that comes from
being in that industry for too many years and seeing the damage they can
do to houses.......even a steel framed house sitting on a concrete slab
is not off their menu, believe me I've seen that one with my own eyes,
they ate the paper layer on the gyprock lining the walls and ceilings,
then bridged across and attacked antique furniture. They had also
eaten the insulation of all electric cables.....not a pretty picture at
all!! Only wish I had a camera with me at the time, felt so sorry for
the owner as it the house had to be almost completely rebuilt and of
course, there were areas in the house that weren't visible so who knows
what was happening there?

Good luck.....post back with the findings, I would be interested to read
the results.

Bronwyn ;-)

Travis wrote:

The Lady Gardener wrote:

Hi Travis

the conifer sounds like the canker that has been going through Perth,
slowly, surely and indiscriminately for many years. The gum trees could be
dieback or just 'their time', but do check them out for white ants. I am in
Ferndale, and can concur that the water tables are seemingly dropping,
though I have yet to actually lose any trees.


Do termites attack eucalypt roots?

I know termites are there, I've got thick woodchip mulch in my front
yard and termites are all through it. When I pick up a piece of wood,
its often got live termites wriggling around in it.

But when I was chainsawing the eucalypts (and the conifer) I saw no
evidence of any termite damage. The crosssection of the stump appears
fine.

I looked quite carefully at my cuts, hoping to find evidence of
something boring around in them, I saw nothing.

But if the termites are only attacking the roots, that would explain
it.

And maybe the termite nest is under the driveway....

Travis