Aussie Finch Forum

BlackCobra wrote:I am from Cessnock area, I always enjoyed going bush with my 2 sons to get whiteants, but now we cant go to local forests because of the laws.

What laws? I know nothing, I know nothing, I know nothing.

Here in Queensland most people get 'excited' when they see a termite nest in the backyard but for different reasons. LOL

We lived on an acre previously and there was a medium sized nest far enough away from the house not to cause too much drama. I used to break pieces off every so often for the birds to pick at, and it stayed active for quite a while, but eventually they got fed up with always having to repair the mound and moved on, not to the house thankfully.

I tend to agree with previous comments about birds becoming addicted to termites. While that nest was active was the only time I even looked like getting a couple of live cordon chicks from parents who were notorious for chucking the chicks out of the nest, but it wasn't to be. They were thrown when we went away for a couple of days and the parents didn't get their daily termite fix.

as far a I know were not allowed to collect white ant nests in state forests, if a ranger catches you, your gone, same for cutting down tea tree

I've passed forest rangers on forest roads with a uteload of termite nests around here & all I get is a friendly wave.

Also I don't think your Cordons were addicted to termites, just craving some regular & dependable insect protein to rear their young which is essential for success with them. They do love them & they are keenly sought after when they have young for very good reason. Many finches are similarly "addicted" to half-ripe green grass seed & various other quality foods too.

BlackCobra wrote:as far a I know were not allowed to collect white ant nests in state forests, if a ranger catches you, your gone, same for cutting down tea tree

I like to think I'm providing a service to the local wildlife - a fast food outlet if you like. I've had various birds, reptiles and even an echidna come by to feast on the spoils. And I'm merely pruning the tea tree to encourage vigorous regrowth.

I've broken termite nests in the bush near home here & came back to get more a short while later & found a hive of activity around the disturbed termite mound with Yellow Robins, Scrubwrens, Whipbirds & Fantails feeding keenly on the easy pickings. When I returned again the next day the top of the mound was white with bird droppings.

I have come across a baby goanna coming out of a nest one day, they breed in the nests.
As long as people leave the queen in the nest & put some of the nest they dug out back into the nest there usually fine, one time I found the queen in my bucket, Im usually very careful not to go near her, so I took her back to the nest, lol.
I had nests I use over & over for years, & at times I have gone back & someone dug the whole damn nest up, theres no need to destroy the nests, just take some ants & leave them to rebuild.
Unless you are on a property that want the nests gone completely, I had one farmer ask me to wipe out the nests as they were on his posts on his fence, I can understand why he needed them gone so I just took all.
When I lived down the coast I use to get the tree white ants, they were harder to get, but they were more concentrated, not such a big nest but tons more ants.
So please any new people that get ants, don't destroy the nest buy taking too much, always back fill, I even sprinkle a shovel of dirt all over the top so predators don't wipe out the nest, especially some the big bullants.

We have to take the whole nest here. Used to rob them when in the Hunter & rebuild with forest litter & could rotate between the same patch of mounds continuously. Tried it here & didn't work at all. Once the shell was broken white mould &/or animals destroyed the remaining colony. So I take the whole nest leaving the smallest ones to grow & the largest ones to swarm & form new colonies & doing this I can rework the same area every 18 months to 2 years with exactly the same yield - totally sustainable.
Our tree ones are far too active (hard to contain) & aggressive (will eat your house), comprise a high proportion of aggressive latex emitting soldiers which the birds don't like & their nests are vital nest sites for Kingfishers & Kookaburras so I don't touch them.