Will the ACT Government deal with a wasp nest in my backyard?

No. It treats European wasp nests on ACT Government land but says nests on private land are the property owner's responsibility, to be handled by a qualified pest control operator. Our Canberra wasp page covers both.

Who licenses pest control in the ACT?

Commercial pest control in the ACT needs an Environmental Authorisation from the ACT EPA, and using termiticides or liquid fumigants needs specific training. Access Canberra publishes a public register of pest and weed control operators.

Do I need my own pest inspection when buying in Canberra?

The seller's report is a start, and it must be no older than the 3 month window. Many buyers still want their own inspector's view; our pre-purchase inspections page explains what it covers.

Do you cover Queanbeyan and the region around Canberra?

Yes. Tell us your postcode with what you've seen, and we look for a nearby pest business that handles it. Queanbeyan runs on NSW rules, though.

Pest control in Canberra: wasps, termites and possums

What's different in Canberra

One government, no councils

The ACT has no local councils, so the ACT Government handles public land. It treats European wasp nests on its own land, aiming for 5 to 10 business days, but it doesn't treat nests on private land: those are the owner's to deal with, through a pest business.

Wasps that live underground

The ACT Government says European wasp nests here are usually in the ground, though some end up in wall cavities and roof spaces. In February 2021 it said the peak of the wasp season runs until May, which surprises people who expect wasps to be a summer thing.

Selling means a pest report

If a home has been lived in, an ACT seller must make a pest inspection report available to buyers, from an inspection no earlier than 3 months before the home was first advertised. Class A units are the exception.

Mynas are a prohibited pest

Since June 2021, the Indian myna has been a prohibited pest animal in the ACT. Keeping, breeding, selling or releasing one is against the law, because mynas push native birds such as kookaburras and parrots out of their nests.

Swarms from August

Bees in Canberra generally swarm between August and December, the ACT Government says. For a swarm on private property, it suggests a swarm collector rather than a pest business.

Do termites cope with Canberra winters?

They do. The ACT Government counts approximately 30 kinds of termite in the region, and only a few damage sound timber, but those few are why a house here still deserves an inspection. Our Canberra termite page names them.

Most people find termites through damaged timber, not flying termites: in a CSIRO survey, 86% of homes with termites noticed the damage first. If you find some, leave them undisturbed for the inspector, since several treatment options depend on finding them active.

Possums: start with the ACT licence list

Possums are protected in the ACT under the Nature Conservation Act 2014, and trapping one without a licence brings severe penalties. The ACT Government publishes a list of licence holders with their licence numbers and expiry dates, and marks the expired ones. More on our Canberra possums page.

Living in Queanbeyan? Different rules

Queanbeyan is over the border in New South Wales, so NSW rules apply there, not the ACT's. NSW licenses individual pest technicians rather than businesses, and a possum caught under a NSW licence must be released at dusk within 150 metres of where it was caught. Our NSW rules page has the detail.

Canberra contacts worth knowing

Access Canberra: for a European wasp nest or bee swarm on ACT Government land, after you lodge the online report form.
Access Canberra Animal Regulation: to confirm whether someone holds an ACT possum licence.
ACT Biosecurity: suspected fire ants, or any ant that might be a biosecurity risk.
Poisons Information Centre, 13 11 26, any time. Call 000 in an emergency.

Where we'd start with pests in Canberra

Walk the yard on a warm afternoon and look for a steady line of wasps going into the ground, and book a termite inspection if the house hasn't had one in a while. For anything else, tap what you've found 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?