OLD timers from across the political divide were sad to hear of the death of Lady Gardner of Parkes – known just as Trixie, or even simply The Australian by some – after the obituaries appeared this week.

People remember how alert she was to the job of being a peer and could never be grouped with the big lunch, no work crowd of sleeping Lords who keep that chamber dusty.

A eye-catching example can be traced back to 1998.

Nobody talks about it now, but would you believe that North Devon was at risk of a termite takeover?

Back then there were even fears that the inundation of the pests might put the stability of some buildings at risk.

Enter the New South Wales-born Trixie, who thought she might have a knockout back-up plan.

“Does the minister know…,” she began to say. “that Australia has termites known as ‘white ants’? They are common – in fact they are everywhere but buildings are still standing.”

And then she added: “Is the minister aware that the echidna, or anteater, is a natural predator of termites and thrives on them?

“If the worst comes to worst, will the minister consider introducing a few echidna from Australia to deal with the problem?”

It was never quite clear how many anteaters would need to be recruited but this crisis too did pass and Devon, as far we know, is no longer plagued by termites.

Baroness Hayman, the Labour peer, said in response to the suggestion that there would be a “serious problem” if termites arrived in the UK “inadvertently” and began to survive the colder weather.

But there you go. Next time a trail of ants invades your kitchen, you know what you need: not Rentokil, DIY poison products or even a Hoover.

Just take Trixie’s advice and import yourself an anteater.