Termites

Common termites in Indonesia

• Subterranean Termite (Coptotermes)

  The most destructive type in Indonesia. Nests underground and attacks buildings from below through mud tubes.

• Drywood Termite (Cryptotermes)

  Nests directly inside dry timber — frames, furniture, and roof trusses — with no need for soil contact.

Signs of Termites

• Mud tubes on walls and foundations.
• Discarded wings near windows and lights.
• Timber sounds hollow when tapped.

Why Termites are dangerous

Termites eat timber from the inside, so damage is often noticed only once the structure is already hollow. Beyond wood, termites also destroy documents, books, and cables — risking electrical short circuits.

Termites behaviour & life cycle

A termite colony is organised into queen, king, soldier, and worker castes that can number in the millions. A single queen can lay thousands of eggs a day and a colony may last for decades. The alates that swarm at the start of the rainy season are actually future queens and kings leaving to found new colonies — which is why attacks often begin after the first rains.

How to prevent Termites

• Keep the area around the building dry and fix leaks.
• Keep timber and cardboard off direct soil contact.
• Schedule periodic anti-termite inspections.