Does New Zealand have termites?

The short version

Most people are surprised, but yes - New Zealand has native termites, and the drywood termite occurs throughout the country. It's just not the situation Australians are dealing with.

The species that destroy Australian houses are subterranean termites, which build large underground colonies and can consume structural timber remarkably fast. Those are not established here.

Why they're easy to miss

Drywood termites are genuinely difficult to spot. Exit holes are few and hard to see, so damage can spread a long way through a building before anyone realises there's a problem - often not until renovation opens something up.

They also thrive in exactly the conditions that suit house borer and two-toothed longhorn larvae, which means it's uncommon for termites to be the only cause of damage in a piece of timber. That overlap is why identification matters.

What makes a building more likely to have them

• Damp, poorly ventilated subfloors
• Untreated native timber, common in older homes
• Buildings closely surrounded by neglected shelter trees
• Timber in prolonged ground or moisture contact

What to do if you find timber damage

Get it identified before treating it. Three different insects attack New Zealand building timber, they leave similar-looking damage, and they don't all need the same treatment. Paying to treat borer when you have drywood termite is money spent on the wrong problem.