Glossary Of Terms

A

Active Ingredient: The component in a pesticide that kills or controls the target pest.

Acute Toxicity: Adverse effects occurring shortly after exposure to a substance.

Adjuvant: A substance added to a pesticide to improve its performance or safety.

Acaricide: A pesticide used to control mites.

AS 3660.1 / AS 3660.2 / AS 3660.3: Australian Standards for termite management in buildings.

AS 4349.3: Australian Standard for timber pest inspections.

B

Bait Station: A device used to attract and eliminate pests using bait.

Biochemical Pesticides: Naturally occurring substances that control pests by non-toxic mechanisms.

Biopesticides: Pesticides derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria.

Borers: Insects that tunnel into seasoned timber.

Bush Termites: Ground-dwelling termites that build mound-shaped nests.

C

Colony Collapse: The death of a termite colony following bait consumption.

Conducive Conditions: Environmental factors that increase pest infestation likelihood.

Coptotermes acinaciformis: A destructive termite species in Australia.

D

Detection Tools: Devices used to aid in the detection of  termite activity.

Dust: A dry pesticide formulation with fine particles.

Desiccant: A pesticide that removes moisture from insects.

E

Exclusion: Preventing pests from entering a building.

Efficacy Data: Evidence showing a pesticide’s effectiveness.

Exterra System: A termite baiting system using requiem bait.

F

Fungal Decay: Timber degradation caused by moisture and/or fungi.

Formwork: Temporary timbers put in place during construction of a building.

G

Granitguard: A physical termite barrier system.

Granules: Dry pesticide formulation with larger particles than dust.

I

Invasive Inspection: A deeper inspection involving physical probing, cutting access and potentially drilling.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A strategy combining multiple pest control methods.

Insect Growth Regulators (IGR): Compounds that disrupt insect development.

M

Monitoring Station: Used to observe termite activity over time.

Mud Tubes: Structures built by termites to travel between nest and food.

Microbial Pesticides: Pesticides using microorganisms to control pests.

N

Nasutitermes exitiosus: Termite species with a pointed snout often called “Bush Termites”.

Nemesis System: A termite baiting system with high timber volume.

Nonpersistent Pesticide: Breaks down quickly after application.

P

Pest Management Professional (PMP): Licensed expert in pest control.

Pesticide: A substance used to control pests.

Q

Queen Termite: The reproductive leader of a termite colony.

R

Reticulation System: Pipes delivering termiticide around a building.

Residual Pesticide: Remains effective long periods after application.

Rodenticide: Pesticide formulated to control rodents.

S

Sentricon System: Termite baiting system with pre-installed toxic bait.

Shelter: Protected space used by pests to nest or hide.

Subfloor Timbers: Structural wood beneath a house vulnerable to termites.

T

Termguard: Chemical termite barrier system.

Termite Inspection: Service to detect termite activity or damage.

Timber Pest Inspection: Inspection for termites, borers, and fungal decay.

W

White Ants: Common name for termites in Australia.