Stakes of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D.Don) of varying lengths to 800 mm were inserted vertically in the soil with all but their lower 100 mm sheathed in a capped UPVC tube representing a physical barrier to termites. In one series of trials, termites were encouraged to aggregate at the upper ends of the tubes, in order to determine whether they would descend to the lower end of the barrier. In a second trial stakes were relatively isolated and inserted with minimum soil disturbance. In both trials all barrier lengths, namely 300, 400, 500, 600 & 700 mm failed to prevent termite attack on the lower ends of the stakes. Mastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt, Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt), Schedorhinotermes breinli (Hill), Schedorhinotermes actuosus (Hill), Heterotermes validus Hill and Heterotermes vagus (Hill) all attacked stakes at a depth between 700 & 800 mm. This factor should be taken into account when considering the design of protective barriers, whether chemical or physical, for buildings or other timber in service.

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