Termatrac is a microwave instrument that has been developed in Australia to detect termite movement within timber and wall cavities. We present data from an investigation into the usefulness of the instrument in detecting drywood and subterranean termites in timber. The West Indian drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Walker) was detected in a wooden chair. The subterranean termites Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) and Schedorhinotermes seclusus (Hill) were detected in discs cut from power-poles. Schedorhinotermes seclusus was also detected in aggregation devices in the field. The pulses on the screen of the instrument that identify movement were different between drywood and subterranean termites. Termatrac was shown to be a useful tool in identifying the presence and extent of active termites in galleries in a range of situations, without the need for destructive assessment. Such knowledge can be beneficial in termite management and research.

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