Abstract:
A termite detection and monitoring apparatus including a container ( 50 ) configured to hold a quantity of termite attractive food, the container ( 50 ) having at least one access opening ( 58 ) to enable termite access to the food; a termite interceptor ( 10 ) adapted to direct termites into the container ( 50 ), one end of the enterceptor ( 10 ) communicating with an access opening ( 58 ) of the container ( 50 ) and the other end of the interceptor ( 10 ) extending in a direction away from the container ( 50 ), and a termite activity indicator ( 60 ) associated with the container ( 50 ) adapted to indicate a predetermined level of termite activity in the container ( 50 ).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention is generally related to apparatus and methods for detecting and monitoring termite activity and for illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application. However, it is to be understood that this invention may be adapted to other colony or infestation insects such as fire ants, black ants, cockroaches or the like based on their natural instincts of colonisation.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Termites, often called white ants, cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to buildings in Australia alone, let alone with considering the damage cause throughout the world each year. There are a large number of different species of termite in Australia, but only about six subterranean species are serious pests with one of those, “coptotermes ancinaciformis” being responsible for more economic loss than all the other Australian species combined.  
           [0003]    Termites are social insects living together in complex societies where thousands to millions of individuals act together as one entity. The termite society is typically made up of a single queen, who may live up to 50 years, and a shorter lived and replaceable king, soldiers, workers and alates. The workers live for several years and are sterile, blind and work non-stop 24 hour a day. The subterranean species builds galleries or tubes underground and usually travel in the uppermost 40 mm of soil where tunnelling is easier and where food sources are more plentiful. This is because they cannot tolerate light.  
           [0004]    The primary function of the worker is to gather cellulose, which is found in timber, cardboard and paper products. Accordingly, it is the worker that causes the structural damage to buildings whilst looking for a suitable food source to support the termite nest. When a worker locates a food source, they emit pheromones that are detected and enhanced by other workers, thereby attracting large numbers to the located food source. The workers then digest and transport cellulose back to the nest that may be more than 100 metres away from the food source.  
           [0005]    There is known a number of different methods in the art that are currently employed to attempt to control termite infestation. A primary method of preventing termite infestation for many years has been to apply a chemical treatment of the soil under and around buildings to attempt to create a chemical barrier. However, some of the chemicals used in the past have been highly toxic, for example, organochlorins, which are now believed to be carcinogenic and use of which has been banned in Australia since 1995. Other less toxic chemicals, particularly, organophosphates such as those sold under the trade marks “Dursban” (chlorpyrifos) and “Biflex” (synthetic pyrethroid) are now widely used. Although these poisons have a shorter active life than the organochlorins and residual problems are significantly lessened they are still dangerous and environmentally unfriendly. Further, in order to maintain a suitable barrier to termite infestation, re-treatments need to be done every one to three years, depending on soil type, building type, climate, location and other factors. In many cases, the chemical barrier is leached from the soil around buildings by heavy rain with the result that the chemical barrier is interrupted or destroyed altogether thereby leaving the building open to attack by termites.  
           [0006]    Various mechanical barriers are also available. One well known mechanical barrier which has been used in Australia for many years is an “Antcap”. Antcaps are typically constructed of galvanised steel and are placed on top of the underfloor piers and stumps of buildings to form a barrier to paths which termites might take from the ground into the building such as through the stumps. Another mechanical barrier sold under the trade mark “Termi-mesh” is a stainless steel gauze type fabric which is installed beneath concrete slabs and foundations, within wall cavities, between courses of bricks or immediately on top of the damp course layer. Another mechanical barrier sold under the trade mark “Granitgard” provides a layer of crushed rock of uniform particle size and is installed in similar positions to Termi-mesh.  
           [0007]    All of these methods described may provide barriers to termites, but in practice do not significantly contribute to the detection and monitoring of termites around buildings and once these so-called barriers are breached the termites can rapidly infest and destroy the building. The breaches may be made by human error or by the fact that termites have been known to chew through brick, mortar, concrete, plastics, rubber and even some metals in a relentless search for a food source. Though the workers are blind, they constantly are constantly foraging. As such, if there is a minor breach in a mechanical barrier it is likely that a termite with find this breach.  
           [0008]    Other methods of controlling termite infestation rely on baiting the termite with “bait stations” that are hopeful to entice the termites to the bait station in lieu of a building and if enticed the termites are hopefully then eradicated before they can locate the building. Known bait stations in the art generally require the installation of numerous small “station” containers in selected locations around a building with food suitable for termites in the containers. The bait stations are manually checked on a regular basis and when termite-activity is noticed, the food is replaced by new food laced with a toxicant which is then taken to the nest by the worker termites, where it affects the entire colony, through them ingesting the secretions of others, grooming, and eating the dead and dying termites. Such type of toxicant will be referred to hereinafter as a “carrier poison”.  
           [0009]    There are a number of bait stations well known in the art that comprises an outer housing that is implanted into the ground with an inner housing that contains a food source for termites. These bait stations require continuous manual inspection and if termites are detected then the food source is removed and the bait saturated with a termite toxin is then substituted into the inner housing. However,  1   f  any light and/or air comes into contact with any infecting termites they will be disturbed returning to their nest and may not travel back to the bait station for many months. In this regard, if the inner housing is disturbed in order to view the activity of the termites or  1   f  food source contained in the housing is replaced with an active bait, it is likely that the infesting termites will be scared away prior ingesting any termite toxin. The termites may not return for many months defeating the purpose of the initial detection and later control aspects of bait station.  
           [0010]    Another method of controlling termites relies on worker termites transporting a carrier poison to the nest and involves dusting a number of worker termites with a poison, particularly arsenic trioxide, which they then carry to the nest when they return with food and the same process results in the death of the colony. Various methods of dusting termites are used, for example, dusting existing termite galleries and relying on the termites to pick up sufficient dust as they move through the galleries. The problem with this method is that it requires the ability to accumulate the capture of a sufficient amount of termites to allow efficient dusting that will eventually destroy the queen and the nest.  
           [0011]    The various methods of the prior art provide many disadvantages. We have found various desirable methods and apparatus for detecting and monitoring termite activity that may not unnecessarily disturb the termite activity until sufficient numbers of termites have accumulated to enable a more effective application of termite toxicant or carrier poison to captured termites that will hopefully provide the most effective means of destroy a termite nest.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    This invention resides in one aspect resides in termite detection and monitoring apparatus including:  
           [0013]    a container configured to hold a quantity of termite attractive food, the container having at least one access opening to enable termite access to the food;  
           [0014]    a termite interceptor adapted to direct termites into the container, one end of the interceptor communicating with an access opening of the container and the other end of the interceptor extending in a direction away from the container, and  
           [0015]    a termite activity indicator associated with the container adapted to indicate a predetermined level of termite activity in the container.  
           [0016]    The container may include one or more walls defining a chamber having a food input opening and a removable closure adapted to close the opening. The chamber is adapted to contain the food attractive to termites. Preferably, there is a plurality of access openings. The chamber may be partitioned into two or more sectioned levels.  
           [0017]    In preferred embodiments, the interceptor includes a food source located within a gallery in order to entice termites into the container via communication with an access opening. The interceptor may communicate with at least one access opening of the container by any suitable means. Suitably, the interceptor is arranged so that the galleries extend into or communicate with the termite collection containers to allow termite access into the container. Accordingly, the termites travelling in the galleries can enter a termite collection container to obtain food which is placed therein. Suitably, the interceptors are positioned so that a termite is more likely to strike the interceptor than a building or other commercial structure.  
           [0018]    Suitably the termite interceptor may be installed at least part way around a building so that the likelihood that termite infestation is more likely to occur in the interceptor or collection container than the building. The interceptor may be considered an invention in its own right and is defined in more detail below.  
           [0019]    The termite activity indicator may include any device that emits any suitable signal upon infestation of the container so that a suitable monitoring and/or control procedure may be put into action. The emitted signal may include a visual, electrical, infrared, radio, wireless satellite, GPS or any other telemetric signal that can be suitably registered for action.  
           [0020]    There are various number of other indicators that may be used to continually monitor the activity of termite infestation of the container once initial termite activity has been registered. These indicators may include viewers that allow optical viewing of the contents of the container with our disturbing any infesting termites or may include an tube extending therethough the depth of the container, the tuber containing a termite food source such that upon extraction of the tube from the container a viewer can visually inspect the extent of termite activity in the container.  
           [0021]    Once a sufficient amount of termites has been detected in the container, the pests may be controlled as a result of ingesting or otherwise contacting a toxicant. The subject invention has been discovered to be highly effective in controlling even extremely large termite colonies. Advantageously, the control method utilizes very small amounts of toxicant, and this toxicant is applied in a strictly defined and controlled manner to minimize exposure of the environment to toxicants. The use of toxicant is confined in terms of the very limited quantity and coverage of the toxicant, and in terms of the period during which the toxicant is used. Once control is attained, the monitoring step can continue.  
           [0022]    Suitably, the termites that aggregate and are detected in the container may be removed, dusted and then returned to the site of activity. A preferred method which for controlling the termites once sufficient activity is detected in the container relies on worker termites transporting a carrier poison to the nest via dusting of a sufficient number of worker termites with a poison, particularly arsenic trioxide, which they then carry to the nest when they return with food and the same process results in the death of the colony. Whichever strategy is employed, success suitably depends on the aggregated termites taking a slow-acting toxin back to the nest which eventually kills or suppresses the colony.  
           [0023]    Triflumuron may also be a suitably dust applicant depending on the registration requirements of a relevant country. Various biological control may also be employed to control the termite infestation.  
           [0024]    Thought the preferred termite toxicant is arsenic trioxide, a number of chitin-synthesis inhibitors have developed. For example, hexaflumuron and triflumuron and metabolic inhibitors such as hydramethylnon and sulfluramid have been found to have delayed activity against some termites. As a bait toxicant, they can be used to manage foraging populations of subterranean termite colonies, thereby reducing damage potential.  
           [0025]    Thought the preferred embodiment of this invention resides in at least partially installing the above described apparatus in the ground, the invention could just as easily be installed within a building. For example, the container and the termite activity indicator could be installed within a wall cavity and the interceptor could extend further into the wall cavity and behind skirting boards. It is to be understood that a person skilled in the art would be to camouflage termite detection and monitoring apparatus of the invention within the structure of a building using the skills they have already acquired without undue research and/or experimentation.  
           [0026]    In a further aspect, the invention may reside a method of detecting and/or monitoring termite infestation of a building including:  
           [0027]    providing a termite interceptor as previously described within the vicinity of a building to be protected;  
           [0028]    providing a termite collection container and providing communication between the termite interceptor and the container to termite access openings to enable of travel termites from the interceptor into collection container, and providing a termite activity indicator associated with the container to detect a predetermined level of termite activity in the container,  
           [0029]    wherein upon detection a predetermined level of termite activity within the contain treatment steps are undertaken to treat the termites collected in the collection container with a carrier poison.  
           [0030]    In a still further aspect, this inventions resides in a termite interceptor adapted to be installed in the ground, the interceptor having one or more walls defining an elongate gallery extending over substantially the full length of the interceptor and being adapted to contain therein a quantity of food attractive to termites, a plurality of termite access openings in at least one of said one or more walls adapted to provide access for termites to said gallery from the adjacent ground, and a food input opening in one of said one or more walls adapted to allow placement of food for termites in said gallery.  
           [0031]    The gallery may have a food input opening or openings along substantially its full length adapted to receive therethrough the food attractive to termites. Suitably, the food input opening or openings are adapted to close by a removable closure or closures. The termite attractive food may be a piece of timber that is adapted to be arranged in the gallery to engage at least one wall containing the termite access opening.  
           [0032]    In further aspect the invention resides in a termite collection container including:  
           [0033]    one or more walls defining a chamber having a food input opening, said chamber being adapted to contain food attractive to termites and a removable closure adapted to close said food input opening;  
           [0034]    a termite access opening in at least one of said one or more walls to provide access for termites to said chamber;  
           [0035]    a termite activity indicator operatively connected to said chamber and adapted to indicate a predetermined level of termite activity in said chamber, and actuating means for actuating said termite activity indicator.  
           [0036]    In a preferred form said actuation means includes a food article which is particularly attractive to termites which when eaten by termites in the chamber allows the termite activity indicator to move from a non-activity indicating position to an activity indicating position. Suitably movement to a termite activity indicating position may enable the emission of a visual, electrical, infrared, radio, wireless satellite, GPS or any other telemetric signal to enable a householder, a professional or other monitoring station to register the termite activity to enable action to control and/or exterminate the termite activity.  
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0037]    In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention wherein:  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a termite interceptor according to the invention, the three main components in line for assembly;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 2 is a sectional end elevation of the termite barrier of FIG. 1 installed in the ground and ready for use;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation of a termite collection container according to the invention;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 4 is a plan view of the termite collection container of FIG. 3;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of the termite collection container of FIG. 3 along line  5 - 5 ;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 6 is a sectional end elevation of the termite collection container of FIG. 4 along line  6 - 6 ;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a termite barrier installed around a house yard according to the invention;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a termite barrier installed adjacent the perimeter of a house according to the invention;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 9 is a sectional elevation of the activity indicator component of the termite collection chamber of FIG. 3 in the retracted position;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 10 is a sectional elevation of the activity indicator of the termite collection chamber of FIG. 3 in the extended position,  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 11 is a sectional elevation of a secondary activity indicator component of the termite collection chamber of FIG. 3;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 12 is a sectional end elevation of part of a slab-on ground house showing a termite barrier installed according to the present invention;  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of an activity indicator assembly;  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 14 is front view of the indicator of the activity indicator assembly shown in FIG. 13;  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 15 is a side section view of the indicator shown in FIG. 14 in an extended position;  
         [0053]    [0053]FIG. 16 is a sectional view of the termite collection container containing the alternative embodiment of the activity indicator assembly shown in FIGS.  13  to  15 , and  
         [0054]    [0054]FIG. 17 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of an optical viewer. 
     
    
     EXAMPLE 1  
       [0055]    The termite interceptor  10  used in the termite detection and monitoring apparatus and methods of the described invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The interceptor has three main components, an elongated base component  11  constructed of a plastics material, an elongated softwood timber insert  12 , and an elongated closure  13  also constructed of a plastics material.  
         [0056]    A substantially U-shaped gallery  16  defined by a rear wall portion  17 , a front wall portion  18  spaced from the rear wall portion  17  and a base wall portion  19  extending between the rear wall portion  17  and the front wall portion  18  and integral therewith, while the upper free edges of the front and rear wall portions  17  and  18  define an elongate opening  15  extending over the full length of the base component  11 . The gallery  16  has a wide rectangular upper portion  20  adapted to hold the timber insert  12  therein and a narrower lower portion  21  which forms a passage along the length of the gallery  16  beneath the timber insert  12 , the lower portion  21  being distinguished from the upper portion  20  by inwardly thicker rear and front wall portions providing shoulders  22  and  23  respectively and on which the timber insert rests. The narrower lower portion  21  may assist in drainage and may provide a walkway for termites.  
         [0057]    A lower wall portion  25  depends from the base wall  19  in the same plane as the rear wall  17  and extends over the full length of the base component and terminates in a free lower edge, the opposed faces tapering to a sharp edge  24 .  
         [0058]    It can be seen that the closure  13  is adapted to close the opening  15  in a substantially water tight manner. For this purpose, the closure  13  has an upper wall portion  26  which is adapted to extend across and beyond the opening  15 , and two spaced apart inner skirt portions  27  and  28  adapted to fit tightly within the opening  15  depend from the upper wall portion  26 , the outer faces of the two skirt portions  27  and  28  being adapted to contact the inner faces of the rear wall portion  17  and the front wall portion  18  respectively. Two external skirt portions  29  and  30  also depend from the upper wall  26 , the inner faces of which are adapted to engage the outer faces of the rear wall portion  17  and front wall portion IS respectively as can be more clearly seen in FIG. 2. As also can be more clearly seen in FIG. 2, the inner skirt portions  27  and  28  of the closure, are engaged with the timber insert  12  and hold it securely in position in the gallery resting on the shoulders  22  and  23 .  
         [0059]    A plurality of slots  32  are provided in the rear wall portion  17  and the front wall portion  18  and are adapted to provide access to the timber insert  12  in the gallery  16  by termites.  
         [0060]    As can be seen in FIG. 2, the opposite side faces of the timber insert  12  engage with the inner faces of the front and rear walls  17  and  18  so that the slots are effectively closed by the timber insert. Thus, access to the gallery  16  by black ants is prevented and termites can only gain access by eating through the timber insert  12 .  
         [0061]    The termite interceptor  10  has an overall height of about 75 mm and is installed with the upper wall  26  of the closure  13  substantially flush with the ground surface as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 9 and  10 . As can be see, the interceptor  10  may act as a barrier to termites, but its primary function is direct termites to a collection container  50 , as described in more detail below. Subterranean termites travelling within the upper most 75 mm of ground will strike a wall portion of the interceptor  10  and will be attracted by the timber insert  12 . Alternatively, if the termite strikes the lower wall portion  25  and due to their natural instinct they will travel upwards in hope of find finding food. As such, the termite will be directed to the timber insert  12 . The termite will eat through the timber insert  12  and continue to feed on it, and travel along galleries  16  they form in the timber insert  16  themselves.  
         [0062]    The gallery  16  forms an ideal environment for termites as it attempts to replicate the tubes and tunnels they generally live in. As such, the termites cannot resist following the food source in the gallery  16  wherever it goes. In addition, the termites that have located the timber insert  12  emit scent pheromones that detected by other termites in the area, thereby attracting large numbers of termites to the galleries  16  of the interceptor  10 . Suitably, the interceptor  10  directs the termite to a collection container  50 .  
         [0063]    As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the interceptor  10  is installed around the perimeter of a house  40  or yard with the free ends of the gallery  16  being capped, and a single or plurality of spaced apart termite collection containers  50  are placed in the line of the interceptor  10 . That is to say, the interceptors  10  are arranged so that the galleries  16  extend into or communicate with the termite collection containers  50 . Accordingly, the termites travelling in the galleries  16  can enter the termite collection containers  50  to obtain food which is placed therein. Suitably, the interceptors  10  are placed so that a termite is more likely to strike the interceptor  10  rather than a building  40 .  
         [0064]    As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 16, the termite collection container  50  is rectangular in shape having two opposed spaced apart end walls  51  and  53 , two opposed spaced apart side walls  52  and  54 , and a base wall  55  defining a chamber  56 , and an upper wall  57  forming a closure. The side wall  54  has a termite access opening  58  therein which corresponds in size and shape to the access openings  32  in the barrier  10 . As such, the termite collection container  50  can be placed adjacent the interceptor  10  with one access opening  32  abutting the opening  58 . The container  50  can secured to the interceptor by screws, adhesive or other suitable means with the two openings  32  and  58  in line to provide a passage for termites from the gallery  16  to the container  50 . In other embodiments, the access opening  58  has a different shape adapted to receive therethrough an end portion of the gallery  16 . Alternatively, connecting tubing or the like may be link the end portion of gallery  16  to the access opening  58 . The container  50  is divided into an upper chamber, a middle chamber and a lower chamber by horizontal partitions  59   a  and  59   b . In this embodiment, the upper and lower chambers are food chambers while the middle chamber is a viewing chamber. The partitions  59   a  and  59   b  have suitable access apertures to allow the termites to move throughout the entire chamber.  
         [0065]    An activity indicator assembly is installed in the termite collection container as indicated generally at  60 . The activity indicator  60  includes an indicator rod  61  adapted to indicate termite activity in the termite collection container  50  which extends upwardly from the closure wall  57  and is movable from a retracted position as shown in FIG. 9 in which it is almost flush with the closure wall to an extended position as shown in FIG. 10 in which it protrudes well above the closure wall  57 . The retracted position indicates none or little termite activity in the container while the extended position indicates significant activity. The indicator rod  61  is a sleeve which is slidably mounted on a rod  62  with a spring  63  mounted between the upper blind end of the sleeve and a solid end  64  of the rod  62  and adapted to bias the sleeve to the extended indicating position. At its lower end, the sleeve has an outwardly extending flange  66  adapted to engage with the inner face of the base wall  55  when the indicator is in the retracted position. The sleeve is selectively held in the retracted position by a piece of cork  67  which is jammed under a lug  68  that is secured to the base wall  55  of the container.  
         [0066]    At the time of installation the indicator rod  61  is moved to the retracted position and secured in that position by fitting the cork  67  to the position shown in FIG. 9. It is believed that cork  67  is a particularly attractive food for termites. Once the termites eat the cork  67 , it weakens and breaks allowing the spring  63  to force the sleeve to the extended visible position through the opening  65  which is covered by a clear plastic cover  69 .  
         [0067]    As second embodiment of an activity indicator assembly is illustrated in FIGS.  13  to  15  includes a trigger chamber  90  filled with a bait  91 , such as cardboard, tissue paper or other cellulose materials. A trigger tab  92  is inserted or embedded in the layers of the cardboard bait  91  and extends through the chamber  90 . The trigger tab  92  may also be substantially composed of cardboard and is firmly attached to a cable  93  via a tension lock  99 . The other end of the cable  93  is attached und tension by a spring  94  to an indicator  95  that enable a viewer to determine when there is termite activity in the container  50 , without having to open the container. The indicator  95  comprising an indicator flag  96  enclosed within a housing  97 . The cable  93  inserts into the housing  97  and is attached to the flag  96 . The upper portion of housing  96  includes a clear viewing window  98 .  
         [0068]    As such, the indicator flag  96  is movable from a retracted position where it is position below the level of the viewing window  98  to an extended position where it can be seen in the window  98 . Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, if the flag  96  is in a retracted position it cannot be seen in the viewer window  98  indicating that there is little or no termite activity in the container  50 . On the other hand, significant activity is indicated if the flag is in an extended position and can be seen in the viewer window  98 .  
         [0069]    If termites have managed to gain entry into the container  50 , they will be immediately attracted to the bait  91  in the trigger chamber  90 . If either the bait  91  or the trigger tab  92  is sufficiently devoured, the cable  93  will be released from the tab  92  recoiling under the spring tension to enable the indicator flag  96  to move to an extended position where is can be seen in the viewer window  98 .  
         [0070]    An advantage of this second type of activity indicator assembly is that the indicator  95  is not necessary restricted to be in the direct vicinity of the container  50  and can be positioned in an area that is convenient to remind a viewer to check the status of the indicator  95  on a sufficiently regular basis. FIG. 16 illustrates how the second type of activity indicator assembly is mounted within a termite collection container  50  of the invention. The trigger chamber  90  is place on the lower partition  59   b  adjacent the access opening  58 , so that the bait  91  in the activity indicator assembly is the most likely to initially feed on the trigger bait  91  than the other food located within the container. As such, the householder or a monitoring service will be provided with the early warning and the infestation of the container  50  can monitored by other indicator, such as by an optical viewer  70  or third type of indicator  80 , as described below.  
         [0071]    In other embodiments of the activity indicator assembly, the movement of the indicator rod  61  or flag  96  may activate the emission of a sound that can be heard by the householder or may activate the emission of a data signal that can registered by suitable equipment held by the householder or a base monitoring agency. For example, emitted data signals that may include an electrical, infrared, radio, wireless or any other telemetric signal that can be suitably registered for action. These embodiments are described in more detail in Example 2.  
         [0072]    When the householder notices that the indicator rod  61  has moved to the position shown in FIG. 10 and is visible through the cover  69  or if the flag  96  is visible in the viewing window  97  of the indicator  95 , he can view the activity in the viewing chamber through the glass covered viewing opening  71  in the closure wall  57 . An arrangement of mirrors  72  and a filter allow the householder to view the termites in the viewing chamber  71  under a non-intrusive ultra violet light by shining a torch through the lighting tube  73 . The advantage of this type of viewer is that it does not disturb the termites. The light used to view the termites is suitably filtered or is UV. Preferably, a green light is used in the lighting tube  73  and this least disturbs the termites.  
         [0073]    [0073]FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative embodiment of an optical viewer  70  that may be removable from the container  50 , if required. This optical viewer  70  includes a window  74  to viewing chamber  75  that enables the observation the activity of the termites via mirror  77  located in the lower portion of the viewing chamber  75 . Two lighting chambers  75  are positioned on opposed sides of the viewing chamber  75  with lights located in the lower portion of the lighting chamber  75 . Switches  79  are provided on the optical viewer  70  to enable minimal disturbance to termites located within the container  50  when viewing their activity.  
         [0074]    The container  50  may also include a third type of indicator shown generally at  80 . The third type of indicator  80  includes a tube  81  which is positioned in the container  50  extending from the closure wall  57  to the base wall  55  and is adapted to hold attractive food such as cardboard. It is believed that cardboard is less attractive than cork. The tube  81  has access openings  82  therein adapted to allow termites access to the food. The householder can check on the level of activity by withdrawing the activity tube  80  from the container  50  and ascertaining whether there are any termites present in the tube. If only the lower end of the tube  81  is infested, this indicates that only the lower chamber is infested. If the upper end of the tube  82 , then the viewer can reasonably surmise that the whole chamber of the container  50  is infested.  
         [0075]    In use, the galleries  16  of the interceptor  10  and the collection container  50  are stock with food source. A bag lines the bottom to the lower chamber of the container  50  formed by partition  59   b  followed by the addition timber shavings to the lower chamber. The activity indicator assembly is then installed in at least the middle chamber of the container  50  in a retracted position and then the second partition  58   a  is placed into position. A second bag lines the partition  58   a  and more food is placed on the bag in the formed upper chamber. It should be noted that the bags are appropriated positioned so as not to hinder the movement of the termites throughout the container  50 . The closure  57  is then placed on top of the container.  
         [0076]    The bait  57 ,  91  of the activity indicator assembly is suitably positioned adjacent an access openings  58  so it is first food source located by the termites. As such, the householder will obtain an early indication that the container has been infested by noting that the indicator rod  61  or indictor flag  96  has moved to a visible extended position. As such, the householder can either monitor the activity of the termites in the container themself or they could contact a professional. The increased activity of termites in the container  50  can be monitored through the used of an optical viewer  70  and/or the tube indicator  80 . It is preferable to delay treating the termites with toxicant until there is a peak infestation before the food source is depleted.  
         [0077]    When it is determined that there are sufficient termites in the container  50  to effect a satisfactory dusting operation, an authorised person should contacted to lift the lid and treat the termites in the container with a carrier poison, such as with arsenic trioxide. In order to harvest the termites, the second bag located in the upper chamber is generally lifted out and the termites are separated from food. It preferable that the termites are dusted with arsenic trioxide as this has proven in the past to be an effective means of exterminating the nest. However, in some countries arsenic trioxide is not approved for use. In that case, any suitable termite toxicant may be applied to the termites.  
         [0078]    The dusted or otherwise treated termites are placed back into the lower and middle chambers of the container  50 . A partition  58   a  without any openings is placed in the container to prevent the termites from moving into the upper chamber. A stainless steel closure  57  or the like is preferable placed on the container to prevent any contamination of the termite toxicant. As the termites have been disturbed by the dusting process, they quickly travel out of the container  50  through the opening  58  into the galleries  16  and back to the main nest and contaminate the main nest to cause the death of the entire colony.  
         [0079]    After a suitable amount of time has passed since release of the captured termites, the container  50  is opened again and the first bag is removed cleaning the container of the remaining scraps and any residue toxicant. The container  50  and the gallery  16  can then be reset with food source and bait  
         [0080]    One of the advantages of the apparatus and methods for termite detecting and monitoring termite activity is that the system allows for the collection of a sufficient amount of termites to provide  
       EXAMPLE 2  
       [0081]    The present invention also encompasses a remote monitoring system for monitoring of termite activity within a designated area. In preferred embodiments, the remote monitoring system utilises the apparatus and methods used to detect and monitor termite activity described in Example 1. The only requirement to enable remote monitoring is that upon registering termite activity in the container  50  the activity indicator assembly emits a suitable data signal that can be acted upon by appropriate professionals upon registering the emitted signal by appropriate equipment located at a base monitoring station. The visual signal described above as viewed by the householder by the extending of the indicator rod  61  or flag  96  may or may be incorporated into the remote monitoring system. The visual signal may be included as a back up in the circumstance that their is equipment failure due to unforeseen circumstance.  
         [0082]    The emitted data signal may be electrical, infrared, radio, wireless, satellite, GPS or any other suitable telemetric signal. It is to be understood that the technology to emit and register such data signals is well known technology. Accordingly, it would not be an undue burden for a person skilled in the art to adapt the known technology or any other technology that may become available in the future to the present invention of remote termite monitoring systems.  
         [0083]    The emitted signal may be registered by any appropriate means. For example, the signal may be registered by a computer that generates a suitable response to enable action such as by telephone call, an email or any other suitable alert mechanism. Suitably, the data signal also includes address information so that the registrant can determine where the termite activity is located and thereby they can act immediately in order to control the termites.  
         [0084]    Suitably the remote monitoring system of the invention is hard wired such that if the means that enables the data signal to be emitted is disabled or if the means to register the signal at the base station is disabled, then a suitable message can be transmitted either to the householder and/or to the monitoring station in order that they may rectify the disablement.  
         [0085]    An advantage of the remote monitoring system is that the need for regulated on-site manual inspections may be reduced or avoided all together. Essentially the remote monitoring system of the invention can be regulated similarly to an intruder or fire alarm system. Upon registering an emitted data signal that indicates termite activity, a professional can then conduct an on-site inspection to determine the extent of the termite activity and to place implement suitably procedures to control and hopefully exterminate the originating termite colony/  
         [0086]    It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.