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Good day everyone
OK they are probably not termites but that is what they look like. We check our cistern weekly and just noticed that there is what appears to be clumps (for the want of a better word) of what looks like termites - no wings - floating on top. This has been going on for about 3 weeks - we scoop them out (quite a lot) but a few days later there they are again......gross and today when we scooped they are very active and crawling around in the bucket we empty them in to *yikes*
All cistern entrances are covered with mesh/screening and we have bleached - hubby went onto the roof and checked the drainpipes and nothing, nothing living in the drain pipe either and no frogs or critters in the cistern either - does anyone have any ideas what they might be ???
I have photos but don't know how to post here.
Thanks everyone.
Pia
Posted : March 29, 2013 4:11 pm
Topic starter
OK mystery solved - long story but yes they are indeed termites - now onto fixing the problem 🙂
Pia
Posted : March 29, 2013 4:46 pm
at least they are not maggots, which was what i thought they might be
Posted : March 29, 2013 5:33 pm
Sometimes a nest will get too large and temites will disperse from it and fly out to seek a new nearby home. They will drop their wings afterwards.This can happen during a heavy rain as well. They may have gotten onto your roof and washed into gutters and from there your cistern.
Unless you have extremely small mesh on your screen coverings, they can get in that way as well. Do you see any sign of termite trails in cistern/on its walls, can you see into all the corners? How about roof overhangs? You might have to drop a couple of frogs in there or call to ask an exterminator what the problem could be. If you are not losing water then they cannot be getting in thru a small crack in the cistern walls unless crack is above the water line
Add clorox and change water filters more often until sorted out. You do have filters? If not, this would be the time to get them.
Good Luck and let us know the source of your problem.
I have heard about frogs, lizards, iguanas, other types of bugs such as roaches (YUCK to all!) in cisterns but this one is new to me.
Posted : March 29, 2013 5:38 pm
new to me also. even with filters makes me not want to drink the water. to many diseases come from cisterns. i still drink it though.
Posted : March 30, 2013 11:19 am