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Ants come in for food and water, and in South East Queensland they also move indoors after heavy rain floods their nests. A general pest treatment deals with ants that are crossing treated surfaces and entering through treated entry points. Persistent ant problems, where there is a large nest in a wall cavity, under the slab or in the garden, are better handled with a targeted ant treatment using baits the workers carry back to the colony. We will tell you which one you need rather than guess.
Crumbs, sticky spills, pet food left out, sugary drinks, unsealed bins and water from dripping taps and condensation. Outside, mulch and garden beds built up against the house, pot plants on the patio and tree branches touching the roof all give ants a sheltered route in. Keeping food sealed, wiping surfaces and pulling garden material back from the walls removes most of the reasons they visit.
Termites
The signs people notice first are mud tubes on slab edges, piers, retaining walls or inside the garage; timber that sounds hollow or papery when tapped; doors and windows that suddenly stick; blistered or rippled paint; and small piles of discarded wings on window sills after a warm, humid evening. Termites work from the inside out, so by the time timber shows damage on the surface they have usually been there a while. If you see any of these, do not disturb the area. Leave it as it is and call us so we can inspect it properly and identify the species.
No. White ant is the common Australian name for a termite, but termites are not ants at all. They are more closely related to cockroaches. The confusion matters because ant sprays and ant baits do nothing useful against termites, and spraying a termite workings with a supermarket product usually just scatters them into another part of the house. If you think you have found white ants, treat it as a termite problem and have it inspected.
Leave them alone. Do not spray them, break open the mud tubes or pull apart the timber, because termites retreat as soon as they are disturbed and the colony simply attacks somewhere else. Take a photo if it is easy, put a piece of tape over any hole you have already opened, and call us. A proper inspection first tells us what species they are, where they are coming from and how far they have spread, and that is what the treatment is designed around.
At least once every 12 months. That is the frequency recommended in AS 3660.2, the Australian Standard for termite management in and around existing buildings, and it is what the Queensland Building and Construction Commission advises homeowners. Properties at higher risk, for example close to bushland or waterways, with a lot of mature trees, with previous termite history or with timber in contact with the ground, benefit from more frequent inspections. We tell you which applies to your home after the first inspection.
A visual termite inspection covers the inside of the home, the roof void where it is accessible, the subfloor if there is one, the exterior, fences, retaining walls, garden beds and trees within the property. We use a moisture meter on walls and skirtings, because moisture is often the first giveaway, and a Termatrac termite detection radar where we need to confirm activity inside a wall without opening it. How long it takes depends on the size of the home and how much of it we can get into, and we tell you what to allow when we book. You receive a written report that records what we found, the conditions that make the home more attractive to termites, and what we recommend.
A termite inspection, properly called a timber pest inspection, is carried out to AS 4349.3 and looks for termites, termite damage, borers and timber decay fungi. A building and pest inspection adds a building inspection to AS 4349.1 that covers the structure, roof, plumbing fixtures and general condition. If you are buying, you usually want both. If you own the home and want to know whether termites are active, the timber pest inspection is the one you need every year.
Yes. Termite damage is one of the most expensive things to discover after settlement, and it is rarely covered by insurance. A timber pest inspection before you buy tells you whether there is current activity, old damage that has been patched over, and whether there is a termite management system in place and when it was last serviced. Ask the seller for the inspection history and any system paperwork. If none exists, treat the home as unprotected until it has been inspected.
Yes. A slab does not stop termites. They come up through cracks and construction joints in the slab, around plumbing and electrical penetrations, and most commonly over the outside edge of the slab where garden beds, paths, paving or retaining walls have been built up against it. Keeping the slab edge exposed and visible all the way around the house is one of the simplest things you can do, because it forces termites out into the open where they can be seen.
A termite management system is an ongoing program that reduces the risk of termites reaching the timber in your home. On the Gold Coast it is usually either a monitoring and baiting system, with stations placed around the perimeter that are checked on a schedule, or a treated soil zone around the building using a registered termiticide. Neither one is a guarantee against termites. Both are maintained with regular inspections. Whether you need one depends on your home, the ground around it and what the inspection finds, and we will give you a straight answer rather than sell you something you do not need.
A baiting system uses stations around the home that termites find and feed on. The bait is carried back to the colony and works on the whole colony over time, and the stations are checked and replenished on a schedule. A chemical treated zone is a termiticide applied to the soil around the building so that termites moving through it are affected. Baiting suits homes where trenching is impractical, where the owner wants ongoing monitoring, or where there is an active colony to eliminate. A treated zone suits homes where the perimeter is accessible and a longer lasting treated area is wanted. Many homes end up with a combination. The inspection decides which is right.
Any baiting system registered for use in Australia works on the same principle, so the differences come down to how attractive the bait is to local species, how often the stations are serviced and how carefully they are placed. We install and service Exterra and Trelona stations because they perform well against the species we see most on the Gold Coast, mainly Coptotermes. What makes the biggest difference is not the brand on the lid. It is placing the stations where termites actually travel, checking them on time and keeping the inspections up.
We will not, and you should be wary of anyone who will. The right treatment depends on the species, where the nest is, how they are entering and how far they have spread, and none of that is known until the home has been inspected. Treating the spot you can see without the inspection often pushes the termites into another area and wastes the money you spent.
Usually not. Most Australian home insurance policies exclude damage caused by termites and other insects, and CHOICE has reported that you cannot count on a policy to cover structural termite damage. Check the product disclosure statement for your own policy. Because the cost of the damage sits with the owner, regular inspections and a management program are the realistic way to manage the risk.
Those are alates, the winged reproductive termites. On warm, humid evenings from spring into summer, mature colonies release them to start new colonies, which is why you see them around outside lights or find shed wings on sills the next morning. A few coming from the bush is normal on the Gold Coast. A swarm coming from inside the house, or from the ground right next to it, means there is a mature colony close by and the home should be inspected.
Yes. A system reduces risk, it does not remove it, and every system relies on regular inspections to keep working. Baiting systems need their stations checked on schedule, and a treated zone can be bridged by garden beds, paving, water tanks or anything else built up against the house after the treatment. The annual inspection is the part that keeps the system honest.
It means an ongoing program, not a one off product. Regular inspections, fixing the conditions that attract termites such as moisture, timber on the ground and garden beds against the slab, and a management system where the risk justifies it. We never describe a home as termite proof, because no home is. What we can do is cut the risk right down and catch activity early, when it is cheap to deal with.
There is no single best treatment, and anyone who names one before they have seen your house is guessing. The right one depends on the species, which on the Gold Coast is usually Coptotermes, a species that builds large colonies and does real damage, plus where the colony is, how the termites are getting in, how the home is built and what has been built up against it. For an active attack the usual approach is to deal with the colony first, often with baiting, then put an ongoing management program in place, which may be a monitoring and baiting system, a treated soil zone or both. The inspection comes first, the treatment is designed from it, and the inspections afterwards are what keep it working.
What people call a termite barrier is a termite management system: a treated soil zone around the building, a monitoring and baiting system, or both, maintained with regular inspections. Nothing stops termites for good, which is why we avoid the word barrier. Whether your home needs one depends on how it is built, the ground and landscaping around it, how close it is to bushland or waterways, and whether there is any termite history. Many Gold Coast homes do, some are fine with annual inspections alone, and the honest answer comes from the inspection, not from a sales pitch.
Check the licences first. In Queensland a termite inspection is carried out under a pest management technician licence, and termite management work needs the right QBCC licence as well. Ask what the inspection covers and whether the report follows AS 4349.3. Ask what equipment they bring, at a minimum a moisture meter, and a termite detection radar for confirming activity inside walls without opening them. Ask how long they expect to be on site, because a thorough inspection of a normal home is not a quick walk around. Be wary of anyone who quotes a treatment before they have inspected, or who pushes a system on the first phone call. Our licence numbers are on this page, and we are happy to talk through what we do before you book.
General pest control
For most Gold Coast homes, a general pest treatment every 6 to 12 months works well. Properties with more pest pressure, near bushland, water or in higher activity areas, often benefit from more regular treatments. We will give you an honest recommendation based on your property and conditions, and we can put you on our reminder schedule so it is one less thing to think about.
Going by the jobs we book, cockroaches are first, then termites, then general treatments for spiders, ants and silverfish, with fleas and rodents behind them. Cockroaches and ants peak in the warm, humid months. Spiders build up after rain. Rodent calls climb at the start of winter when rats move into roof voids and sheds. Termites are active all year, with flying termites appearing on warm, humid evenings in spring and summer. The mix changes with the suburb, and homes near bushland, canals and creeks see more termite and spider pressure than homes in the middle of an estate.
Our general pest treatment covers common household pests including cockroaches, ants, spiders and silverfish, inside and outside the home. Inside we treat skirtings, wet areas, cupboard kick boards and the entry points pests use. Outside we treat the perimeter of the building, weep holes, eaves, entries and the harbourage areas pests shelter in. The treatment uses products registered for the job and applied under our Queensland pest management licence, and it comes with a written service record.
Yes, used the way we use them. We use registered, low toxicity products applied to the places pests travel, not broadcast through living spaces, and treated areas are safe for people and pets once they are dry. We will give you clear instructions on the day based on exactly what was treated, including anything specific for fish tanks, birds or reptiles, so you always know what to do and when.
For a general pest treatment you can usually stay home. We work room by room and ask you to keep children and pets out of each area until the treated surfaces are dry, and we tell you on the day how long that will be. If anyone in the home has respiratory issues or you simply prefer to be out, that is fine too, and we will tell you when it is safe to come back in.
Not much. Clear the floor along skirtings where you can, especially behind furniture, and clear the benches and the floor of cupboards under the sink. Put away pet bowls, cover fish tanks and move outdoor toys off the lawn edges. If you have a specific problem area, point it out when we arrive. For a German cockroach treatment we will send separate preparation notes because the kitchen needs to be emptied of food and dishes.
Yes, with one exception. Avoid washing or mopping right along the skirtings, edges and corners for a while after the treatment, and we tell you how long on the day, because that is where the residual product sits and washing it off undoes the treatment. Mopping the middle of the floor, wiping benches and normal cleaning are fine straight away. Vacuuming is fine and actually helps with fleas.
You will usually see a drop in activity quickly. It is normal to see more insects than usual at first, because the treatment flushes them out of hiding and they are dying. Cockroaches and silverfish that pick up the product on a treated surface may wander out into the open before they die. Give it a few weeks before judging the result, and if activity has not settled by then, call us.
Supermarket sprays kill the insects you can see and little else. They have almost no residual effect, they are not applied to the harbourage areas where pests actually live and breed, and on cockroaches and ants they often scatter the colony so it turns up in two more places. A professional treatment uses products with a residual effect applied to entry points, perimeters and harbourage, and for ants and German cockroaches uses baits that are carried back to the nest.
Spring is the best single time on the Gold Coast, because warmer weather and humidity bring cockroaches, ants, spiders and termite activity up together. A spring treatment with a follow up in autumn covers the year well. The honest answer is that the best time is before you have a problem, so if you are already seeing activity, do not wait for a season.
Some of it is. The most effective natural pest control is the boring stuff: fixing moisture and leaks, sealing gaps, keeping food sealed, clearing clutter and vegetation against the house, and keeping the slab edge exposed. We build that advice into every job. Natural sprays and oils generally have no residual effect, so they do not stop pests returning. The registered products we use are chosen for low toxicity and targeted application, and we are happy to talk through what is being used and why.
Keep the slab edge exposed and visible all the way around the house, because garden beds, paving and mulch against the slab hide termite entry. Fix leaks, dripping taps and anything that keeps soil or timber damp. Trim trees and shrubs off the roof and walls, because they are a highway for ants, cockroaches and rodents. Seal food, keep bins closed and do not leave pet food out overnight. Keep stored timber, firewood and cardboard off the ground and away from the house. Fit weep hole guards rather than blocking weep holes, so pests cannot walk straight in but the wall can still drain. And have the home inspected for termites every year, because catching activity early is the single biggest money saver.
A general pest treatment applies a liquid residual product to surfaces and harbourage areas. Fumigation seals a building and fills it with a gas, which is used for things like whole building termite infestations in some situations or quarantine work, and requires the building to be vacated. Real estate agents often say fumigation when they mean a standard end of lease pest treatment. Almost all residential work on the Gold Coast is a treatment, not a fumigation.
It depends on the size of the property and what is being treated. Most homes are done in a single visit, bigger homes and a treatment combined with a termite inspection take longer, and an end of lease treatment on an empty property is quick. We tell you what to allow when we book so you can plan around it.
Cockroaches
A general pest treatment is designed for everyday household pest management and is not built to tackle an active infestation. German cockroaches are small, breed quickly and live in tight indoor spaces such as inside appliances, behind kick boards and in cupboard hinges. Getting on top of them takes a dedicated approach using gel baits and targeted products, usually across more than one visit, and some preparation on your side in the kitchen. That is why it is quoted and booked as its own job.
German cockroaches are small, light brown and about the length of a fingernail, with two dark stripes behind the head, and you see them in kitchens and bathrooms, often during the day, which is a sign the population is large. The big dark brown or black cockroaches, usually Australian or American cockroaches, come in from outside, from drains, gardens and compost, and are dealt with by a standard general pest treatment. If you are seeing small ones in the kitchen, it is a German cockroach problem and needs the dedicated treatment.
Seeing a few in the first few weeks is normal and usually a good sign. The treatment flushes cockroaches out of their harbourage and they wander into the open as they die. Large outdoor cockroaches can also fly or walk in from neighbouring properties at any time, and the treated perimeter deals with them as they cross it. If you are still seeing regular activity after a few weeks, or you are seeing small German cockroaches, call us.
Deny them food, water and shelter. Wipe benches and the stove top each night, keep food in sealed containers, empty the bin regularly, fix dripping taps, and do not leave pet food down overnight. Seal gaps around pipes under the sink and keep cardboard boxes out of the house, because German cockroaches often arrive in them. A regular general pest treatment handles the outdoor species coming in; the kitchen habits handle the rest.
Spiders
Not reliably, and we tell people that up front. Huntsmans do not build webs and do not sit on treated surfaces for long, so a surface treatment has limited effect on them. Web building spiders such as redbacks, black house spiders and orb weavers are controlled well because they live on the treated surface. For huntsmans the practical steps are sealing gaps around doors and windows, trimming vegetation off the house and reducing the insects they feed on, which the general treatment does.
Yes, redbacks are common across the Gold Coast and Logan. They build untidy webs in dry sheltered spots such as under outdoor furniture, in pot plant rims, meter boxes, letterboxes, under eaves and around sheds and play equipment. A redback bite is painful and medical attention is recommended, especially for children. We treat them as part of a general pest treatment by brushing webs and treating the harbourage areas, and we point out the spots on your property where they keep turning up.
Spiders follow food, so more spiders inside usually means more insects inside, often after rain or in the warmer months. Outdoor lights near doors draw insects, which draw spiders. Gaps under doors, unscreened windows and vegetation touching the house give them an easy way in. A general pest treatment knocks down the web building species and the insects they feed on, and sealing and screening does the rest.
The residual products we use keep working on treated surfaces for months, which is why a general pest treatment every 6 to 12 months keeps spiders under control for most homes. Heavy rain, pressure washing and painting treated surfaces will shorten the effect. If spiders are back sooner than they should be, call us. Our work comes with a satisfaction guarantee that depends on the service provided, and what is covered is set out on your quote and service record.
Ants
Rodents
Noises in the ceiling at night are usually roof rats, which climb well and nest in roof voids and wall cavities. Getting rid of them properly means three things: placing secured bait stations or traps in the roof void and at entry points, finding and blocking how they are getting in, and removing what is attracting them, such as fruit trees, pet food and open compost. We use lockable bait stations and a follow up visit to check activity, because a single bait drop rarely finishes the job.
The baits we use are placed in lockable, tamper resistant stations that dogs, cats and children cannot open, in roof voids and other spots pets cannot reach. We talk through where the stations are so you know. The real wildlife concern with rodent baits is secondary poisoning of owls and other animals that eat poisoned rodents, so we choose products and placements with that in mind and we never scatter loose bait. If you have a dog that scavenges, tell us and we will plan around it.
Baiting deals with the rodents that are there. Stopping the next lot is about access and food. Seal gaps where pipes and cables enter, repair damaged weep holes and vents with rodent mesh, trim branches that give access to the roof, keep pet food and birdseed sealed, and keep the compost closed. We point out the entry points we find on the day, because that is the part that stops the problem repeating.
Rats and mice breed all year in our climate, but the calls start climbing at the start of winter when the nights cool and rodents move into roof voids and sheds for warmth and shelter. If you heard scratching last winter, the best time to deal with it is before the cool weather arrives, when the population is still small.
Fleas and end of lease
Because flea eggs and pupae are not affected the way adult fleas are. A treatment deals with the adults and the larvae on treated surfaces, but pupae can sit protected in their cocoons and hatch out later, triggered by warmth and vibration. Seeing a few fleas for a few weeks after a treatment is the life cycle finishing, not the treatment failing. Vacuum daily, empty the vacuum outside, and treat your pets with a vet recommended product at the same time, otherwise they simply reintroduce the fleas.
It is a basic vacate treatment required by many tenancy agreements where pets have been kept. The internal option is a spray to the internal perimeters and carpeted areas for fleas. The internal and external option adds an external perimeter spray for general pests. It must be booked after the bond clean and carpet cleaning, with everything out of the property, otherwise the cleaners wash the treatment straight back off. We send the invoice and treatment record the same day for your agent, and we can collect keys from the agent if you cannot be there.
It depends on your agreement. Under Queensland tenancy law you must leave the property in the same condition it was in at the start, fair wear and tear excepted. Where a pet was approved, the agreement can include a condition that the property is professionally fumigated at the end of the tenancy if the pet can carry parasites such as fleas, and that carpets are professionally cleaned if the pet was allowed inside. Your agent cannot require you to use a particular pest control company, pay a set fee or use a particular product. The Residential Tenancies Authority website has the detail.
Silverfish live in dark, humid spots and feed on paper, glue, fabric and the starch in cardboard, so you find them in wardrobes, bookshelves, linen cupboards and stored boxes. They are covered by a general pest treatment, which treats the cupboards, skirtings and roof void areas where they shelter. Reducing humidity, storing paper and clothing in sealed plastic tubs rather than cardboard, and clearing out old boxes makes the treatment last.
Booking and trust
We are based in Upper Coomera and cover the Gold Coast and Logan, including Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama, Ormeau, Oxenford, Helensvale, Hope Island, Pacific Pines, Maudsland and surrounding suburbs, through to Logan. If you are not sure whether we come to you, call 0431 380 591 and we will tell you straight away.
Yes. DNA Termite and Pest Management holds a Queensland pest management technician licence, PMT 011689823, and a QBCC licence for termite management, 15550975. We carry public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and every job is recorded in line with Queensland chemical record keeping requirements.
Yes, absolutely. We work with property managers, landlords and body corporates across the Gold Coast and Logan on routine treatments, end of lease work, termite inspections and common area pest management, and we provide the treatment records and reports they need for their files.
Yes. We look after cafes, restaurants, offices, body corporate common areas and other commercial sites on the Gold Coast and in Logan. Every visit comes with a written service report, and for food premises we can set up a regular program with the documentation your auditors and council inspections expect.
Call us. Our work comes with a satisfaction guarantee that depends on the service you have had, and what it covers is set out on your quote and service record, so there is nothing to argue about later. Termite work is different: a termite management system is an ongoing program with scheduled inspections rather than a one off fix, because no treatment can guarantee termites will never attack a home. End of lease treatments do not carry a guarantee, because the property changes hands.
No. General pest, rodent and end of lease jobs are quoted over the phone once we know the type and size of the property. Termite treatments and management systems are quoted after an inspection, because the right design depends on what is actually there, and we would rather quote on facts than guess.
Mainly the size and type of the property: a unit, a townhouse, a single level house or a two storey home with a subfloor all take different amounts of time. Access matters too, such as a roof void that cannot be entered or a subfloor that is tight. For termite management systems the cost depends on the perimeter length of the home and which system suits it. Call us with the property type and we will give you a price straight away.
The answers on this page are general information for Gold Coast and Logan homes. They are not advice about your property. Every home is different, so what is right for yours comes from an inspection, not a web page. For specific advice on your home, contact us to schedule an inspection or treatment.
Still have a question?
Call 0431 380 591, or use the enquiry form on this page and we will come back to you with a straight answer. DNA Termite and Pest Management, family owned in Upper Coomera, servicing the Gold Coast and Logan.
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers from the people who actually do the work, for Gold Coast and Logan homes. Tap a question to open it.