How often should a Brisbane house be checked for termites?

Ask the termite inspector what they recommend for your house and block; it depends on the construction, the garden and any history of termites. Our termite inspections page explains what they look at.

Do you cover Ipswich, Logan and Redcliffe?

Yes. Tell us your postcode with what you've seen, and we look for a local pest business near you that handles exactly that.

Pest control Brisbane: termites, swarms and more

What's different in Brisbane

Termite risk is higher up north

CSIRO says the risk of termite attack generally increases the further north you go on the mainland, and is highest in the subtropics and tropics. Brisbane sits in that higher band, so a regular termite inspection matters more here than in Melbourne or Hobart.

Swarms in spring

Business Queensland says bee swarms naturally occur in spring to early summer. A swarm resting on a fence is usually a beekeeper's job; bees going into a wall cavity are a pest job.

Mosquitoes all year

Brisbane City Council runs its mosquito control program all year round, covering saltmarsh, freshwater and backyard container breeders. Emptying pot plant bases and clearing gutters is your share of it.

Fire ants: report first

South-east Queensland has red imported fire ants. If you think you've seen them, report them to Biosecurity Queensland before anything else.

The jobs Brisbane asks about most

Termite inspections and treatments lead the list, then inspections for people buying a home, then possums in the roof, rats and mice, wasp nests and cockroaches. Each has its own page for Brisbane below, with what to ask and what the job usually involves.

When the weather cools, mice look for shelter inside, CSIRO says, so scratching in the ceiling tends to start in autumn.

Summer spiders, and what's normal

Redback bites happen most often over the summer months, says the Australian Museum, when people are gardening and moving things outside. White-tailed spiders turn up in and around houses through summer and autumn; one species is found from south-east Queensland down across the south.

A spider or two outside is normal in a subtropical garden. It's worth calling someone when you keep finding them near play areas, in the house, or in numbers that don't drop after a tidy-up.

Before a Brisbane pest business arrives

Clear the edges of the house so the inspector can see where timber meets the ground.
Note where you've seen activity, and when: dusk flights, night scratching, mud on a pier.
Tell them about children, pets, fish tanks and veggie gardens before any treatment.
Ask for the full product name, and how long before everyone can go back in.

Where we'd start with pests in Brisbane

If you've never had a termite inspection on a Brisbane house, we'd start there, before anything is spotted. For everything else, tap what you've seen and 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?