If you plan to remove a tree, you should plan to remove the entire thing—stump and all. Although it is true that tree removal services might charge extra for stump grinding, it is money well spent. In a country like Australia, where pests such as termites and carpenter ants are common, a rotting tree stump could put your home at risk.
Tree Stumps Are Carpenter Ant Hotels
Leaving a tree stump to rot in your yard is akin to building a hotel for carpenter ants. For most tree species, a tree stump will take around 4 years for 80 percent of its mass to rot. If a tree stump is large enough, carpenter ants can move in within 1-2 years. They prefer moist wood since it is easier for them to excavate when building a nest.
If your tree stump attracts the attention of carpenter ants, you could have a full-blown nest of over 3,000 worker ants within 3-6 years. However, carpenter ants have a habit of spreading once an area no longer has enough food or space. With the addition of their satellite colonies, their numbers can reach as much as 15,000. A home within around 100 metres is in danger.
Your Home Could Be Next
Much like termites, carpenter ants build satellite nests in nearby locations where there is a supply of decaying wood. Unlike termites, however, carpenter ants do not eat wood; they excavate it in order to build their nests. If your home is rich in decaying or moist wood due to poor guttering or plumbing, you could be sharing it with carpenter ants in a few years.
A home that is within 100 metres of a nest, in an area that is lacking in suitable nesting locations, such as piles of decaying timber etc, is next on the carpenter ant hit list. From the stump in your yard, they will attack windows, doors, curtain rods and wall voids. Anywhere that has a supply of moist wood, such as a bathroom or kitchen, is in danger.
Remove Your Tree Stump Before It Rots
If you plan to remove a tree in the near future, remove the stump as well. If you allow pests such as carpenter ants and termites to become established in your yard, your home could be next.
Although it costs more to remove a tree stump along with a tree, unless you plan to use the stump for something, it is a good idea to get rid of it. Otherwise, you could be sharing your home with wood-thirsty carpenter ants.
Share26 March 2018
Hey! I'm Keith. Are you looking for tree removal advice? If so you have come to the right place. Last year, I needed some advice about how best to deal with the trees in my yard. One of the trees had started to lean and I was very worried about it. In order to deal with the problem, I called in a professional tree service and asked them to take a look at it. The contractor wasted no time and quickly removed the tree. I was really pleased with the level of service I received and I would like to encourage others to contact their local tree service.