Does not declared mean Ballarat has no termites?

No. It means new building work here doesn't have to include termite protection. The City of Ballarat says there's always a risk of termite attack, so a regular inspection is still worth having.

Should I spray a swarm that's landed in the garden?

No. The council says not to move or kill a swarm yourself, since it can stir the bees up. Keep clear, and call a local beekeeper while the bees are still hanging in the open.

Pest control Ballarat: termites, swarms, wasps and rakali

What's different in Ballarat

Not declared, still at risk

Because Ballarat isn't declared, new building works here don't have to be protected against termites, the council says, though it suggests protection should always be considered. So don't assume a newer house has a termite management system: look in the meter box for a termite notice, and ask the inspector.

Swarm season runs September to December

The City of Ballarat says bees usually swarm in spring and summer, from September to December, and a swarm often moves on by itself within two to three days. A local beekeeper may be able to collect a swarm that's hanging somewhere accessible, and the sooner it's reported, the better the chance of catching it before it gets into a wall.

That rat by the lake may be a rakali

Rakali are native water rats, protected under Victorian law, and the council says they're common around Lake Wendouree. They look like a small otter and have a white tip on a short tail.

Wasp or bee? Check the legs

European wasps are about the size of a honey bee and just as yellow and black, but their legs are yellow where a bee's are black. If the nest is on City of Ballarat land, the council asks for a call to Customer Service.

Rats and mice, with native neighbours

For rodents on private land, the council recommends a professional pest control company, partly so Ballarat's native rats aren't harmed. That's a good reason to let a technician pick what goes where, rather than scattering baits along a creek bank. Our rats page covers the signs rats leave.

The council lists what draws rodents in: chicken pens, aviaries, compost piles, unsealed pet food, broken bins and fallen fruit. CSIRO adds that cooler weather sends mice looking for shelter inside.

What people here ask about

Buying a home leads the list, and our Ballarat pre-purchase page explains the timber pest half of the building and pest report. After that it's swarms and bees in walls, European wasp nests, rodents in the roof, and the odd possum. Possums are protected in Victoria, so the job is proofing, never trapping one to take away.

Yours to do, and what to hand over

You can

Pick up fallen fruit and keep pet food indoors, which the council says helps keep wasps out of the yard.
Keep a lid on the compost and fix broken bins.
Seal the gaps and cracks rodents could use to get in.
Watch a swarm from well back, and keep children and pets away from it.

Leave to a pest business

A European wasp nest: the council says don't remove it yourself.
Bees that have moved into a wall or roof, where a beekeeper can't reach them.
Rodent control anywhere near water where rakali live.
A termite inspection, especially before you buy.

Our take on pests in Ballarat

A swarm in a tree is a beekeeper's call, and quickly. A wasp nest, bees in the wall, rodents or a termite worry go to a pest business. Tap the one you've got, with your postcode.

Want someone to look at it?

Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.

What have you seen?