Termites are small ant-like insects that live in underground colonies of up to 7 million pests. Although some species are white or cream in colour (thus the common name White Ants) they can also be black or brown.

Termites are very common and are increasing in most states of Australia (especially areas with a warm, humid climate). According to the CSIRO one in three homes will get termites and to keep your home safe from termites you should have a professional termite inspection every 12 months.

Termites are veracious eaters and travel up to 100 metres from their colony to find food. They eat 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and can live for 15 years. Each year termites infest more than 150,000 Australian homes and buildings and cause more than $780 million in damage. A large termite colony can demolish an entire home in less than 2 years.

We offer truly independent advice on all termite treatments. And we use and recommend both chemical barriers and baiting systems for different circumstances. We have noticed a trend towards baiting systems in the last few years. But we believe that has more to do with the profits a termite controller can make than any significant benefit for the home owner. Not only is the installation cost of a baiting system higher, baiting systems require regular monitoring (usually at a fixed monthly fee). This provides the termite company with regular income year after year. While a baiting systems may be recommended in some circumstances, most times we find a chemical barrier to be more effective (works faster) and better value for money.

Although regulations have become more formal recently (thankfully), some operators shirk the law and operate without the proper qualifications. Clubby’s Pest Control is fully licensed and BSA qualified. We also have public liability cover.

The only sure way to know your home is safe is to follow the CSIRO’s recommendation and have a professional termite inspection every 6-12 months. In the meantime, if you notice rotting timber around doorways or the base of your walls, see spotting (small dots) on your walls or mud trails in or around your house, or suddenly notice a swarm of winged ants… you may have termites. Take action immediately. Termites can demolish an entire house in less than 2 years.

Don’t spray them, destroy their mud trails, bang on the walls or disturb them in any way. This could cause them to retreat into their tunnels making them harder to treat. Contact us and book a comprehensive termite inspection.

According to the CSIRO you are very likely to get termites at some stage. In fact, one in three Australian homes gets termites. Termites travel up to 100 metres from their nest to find a source of food. Look around you – if there is another house within 100 metres of your home, you could be vulnerable. The only way to be sure your home is protected is to have a comprehensive termite inspection and preventative treatment.

The short answer: Don’t take any risks – get advice from a professional. In the meantime, ants have a narrow or pinched waist and termites have a more evenly shaped body. Depending on the type of termite (and the stage of life) they may also have wings. If you spot a line of ‘winged ants’ it could be a group of termites looking to form a new colony.

Yes. And if you don’t have yearly termite inspections you may void the warranty with your builder and be left with a costly repair bill. The only way you can be sure your home is protected from termites is to have regular, professional inspections and install a preventative treatment like a chemical barrier.

Termites can only live in a dark, moist environment of constant temperature. That’s why they build mud trails when they travel above the ground. A garden bed with lots of mulch is a perfect place for termites to build tunnels. But even if you don’t have garden beds against your house termites can easily travel deep underground. The only sure protection is a preventative treatment like a chemical barrier or baiting system.

Yes. Not all pest control treatments use pesticides and sprays. Depending on the pest and your circumstances, we can use methods that include physical changes to the environment and trapping. When we do use pesticides we select formulations and baits with the lowest toxicity available and apply these products where pests breed and live. This avoids unnecessary application of these products and minimises any impact to you, your family and your pets.

We recommend that children with allergies should not be exposed to pesticides and pregnant mums should avoid pesticides during their first trimester, this is the safest rule of thumb.

If you have any concerns, speak with your pest control technician before we commence work at your property. Your technician will address any concerns and use the most appropriate method for your situation and peace of mind.

What happens if I have asthma or I’m allergic or sensitive to chemicals?

The safety of you and your family and is our top priority. Depending on the pest, there may be a range of different techniques we can use to control pests. These include the placement of products in out of the way places, environmental corrections and non-chemical products.

If you or any member of your family suffers from asthma or is sensitive to chemicals, please lets us know and we will tailor a solution to suit your situation and needs.

All pesticides have natural origins. The most commonly used are the pyrethroids, extracted from certain types of flowers. Today, we typically use man-made versions of these pesticides in the majority of our treatments.

At Clubby’s Pest Control we believe it’s our responsibility to help protect the environment while providing effective pest control services to our clients. We are an active member of the AEPMA, (Australian Environmental Pest Managers Association), who maintain a rigorous ‘Code of Ethics’ protecting health, food, property and the environment.

As part of our commitment, the products we use are scientifically tested and designed to have no adverse effects on your health and minimal impact on the natural environment.

Our pest management approach allows us to use an effective combination of treatment methods that avoid the unnecessary application of pest control products.

The safety of your pets is also our top priority.

Other pest management methods may also be recommended where suitable such as tick and flea treatments for pets, (contact your veterinarian for advice on the best product to use). Your technician can provide you with a checklist of what needs to be done before we treat your property. This includes the removal of pets from the property, (or at least from the vicinity of the treatment area). After the treatment your pest control technician will advise you when your property is safe for your pets to enter.

This depends on the type of pest. We focus our treatments on the places that pests live, breed and hide. In the majority of cases, internal treatments are kept well away from contact with you. If you have any concerns, speak with your pest control technician before we commence work at your property. Your technician will address any concerns and modify the treatment for your situation and peace of mind.

Typically the only thing we ask you to remove and cover are open food packets. Our techniques are carefully designed to target specific areas and we use special covers where required. If you have any concerns, speak with our team when you make your booking and we advise you on other alternatives to take for your peace of mind.

This depends on the type of pests being treated. Generally you don’t have to leave the property and your pest control technician will advise you where and when you can enter. Simply, once any liquid treatment has dried it is safe to enter the area. When we apply external spray pesticides, your technician will ask you to close all windows and external doors. For internal treatments that involve applying a fine mist pesticide, such as flea treatments, you will be required to leave the property for a short period of time.

Just like you, pests need food, shelter and water and are determined to find it no matter how clean your home is. Other pests such as bed bugs and fleas are hitchhikers and live in search of a blood meal that people and pets unwittingly provide.

Your pest control technician can advise you on effective steps you can take to minimise or eliminate pests from your property such as removing their food sources and sealing gaps in window frames and doors and trimming trees.

Some pests appear innocent while others are highly aggressive and can strike with nasty consequences. If you discover a pest and are unsure of what it is, visit pestsgone.com.au for more information on the most common pests found at your property.

It is best to stay away from certain pests and don’t spray them with chemicals as this can make them aggressive and may result in a painful sting or bite. If you or your family suffer a sting or bite, follow these steps:

Wash with soap and water and apply an antiseptic if available.

Apply a cold pack to reduce local pain and swelling.

If the victim is a child or a person who is known to suffer allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, seek urgent medical attention – call 000.

If you are concerned that there may be an infestation at your property, for peace of mind, contact Amalgamated Pest Control to arrange an inspection.

The sight of termites at your property is often a worrying experience. If you notice termite activity at your property, follow these steps:

1. Don’t disturb them and if possible try to put things back the way they were.
2. Don’t panic – termites will not cause major damage overnight.
3. Don’t try to spray them with a pressure pack or use other chemicals on them. This will have a very limited affect, and can scare them off for a while making it a lot more difficult for an expert to help you assess the situation.
4. Contact Clubby’s Pest Control to arrange an inspection by qualified timber pest expert.

We recommend that you have a pest inspection every 12 months. This will give you peace of mind that your property and your family are protected. If you notice a pest infestation at your property, contact your pest controller before it becomes an issue.

Prevention is always better than cure and typically damage caused by pests is not covered by your home insurance.

We offer a 12 month warranty* on the following pests:

• Ants (internal).
• Cockroaches (internal).
• Spiders (external).
• Silverfish (internal).

In the unlikely event of pests returning to your home, we will return to treat the pest.

Guaranteed Gone – If they come back, so do we.

If you have a termite problem, your pest control technician will advise you on the warranties available for the treatment required.

*Can vary on regional location

Pest control products purchased from hardware stores or supermarkets are typically expensive and have little or no effect on many different types of pests. Certain pests can only be affected by certain pesticides because of their biological make up.

Our treatments are designed to use products that have been carefully researched and extensively tested to be effective on particular pest types. We target pests using the right pesticide or natural solution, or modify the environment to disrupt the pests breeding.

We will need access to the room edges as it will be necessary that we spray the skirtings.  We would require that you remove clothing articles, newspapers, children’s toys, etc. from the ground surfaces.  Items of food will also need to be cleared from table tops and benches.

You don’t need to worry about any damage to the carpets such as staining due to the fact that the products we use water based.  They do not contain strong solvents that are likely to cause any problems for the colouring or finishes of your carpets.

The spray we use is often used in public places such as hospitals and schools and causes no ill effects to people.

No, you will be quite safe to stay at home while we carry out the spraying procedures.

In this instance we recommend that he or she is not present while we apply treatments but will be safe to return after 2-3 hours.

This will only be a concern if the sprayed areas are still wet.  Should this happen, wash with soap and lots of water as soon as you possibly can.  After a relatively short period of time, the carrier, tap water will have evaporated and will not harm you in anyway should you come into contact with the area.

We apply the gel only to places within the cupboard where insects are found.  This means it will only be applied to cracks, crevices and hinges.

It is possible that insects such as ants, spiders or cockroaches may venture inside your property after the treatment has been completed.  However there is a very high likelihood that they will have crossed treated areas and will die very soon afterwards.

We would recommend that that treatments are carried out once or twice a year depending on the environmental conditions.

There is absolutely no need to do this at all.

The best time to do this would be after the various tradespeople have completed their work and at least a couple of days before you move in.

The best way would be for us to come in to spray after the carpets have been cleaned.