Ants in the kitchen, bathroom, or trailing through the walls? The problem isn't usually the ants you can see. It's the colony you can't.
Know Your Pest
Different species behave differently. Identifying what you're dealing with determines the right treatment approach.
The most common ant in Brisbane backyards and homes. Coastal browns form supercolonies that can spread across multiple properties, with nests underground and inside wall cavities. They're extremely difficult to eliminate without targeting the nest directly. Surface spray just disperses the foragers temporarily.
Small and dark, black house ants trail reliably along pipes, cables and benchtops. They're drawn to kitchens and bathrooms where food and moisture are present. Colonies nest in wall voids, under flooring and in soil near the building. Gel bait works well for this species because workers are consistent foragers.
Recognisable by their metallic green head and thorax, green headed ants are common in gardens and suburban lawns across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. They sting, and the sting is painful. While they mostly nest outdoors and forage in gardens, they occasionally enter homes, particularly at ground level.
Fire ants are a declared biosecurity pest in Queensland. They are not managed through standard pest control treatment.
Important biosecurity notice: If you suspect fire ants (small reddish brown ants, aggressive when disturbed, blistering stings, multi queen colonies in mounded nests) do not disturb the nest. Report immediately to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23. Sunnystate treats other ant species, but fire ant management is handled exclusively by the Queensland Government biosecurity program.
Why Sprays Alone Fail
It's a natural instinct to reach for a surface spray when you see a trail of ants across the kitchen bench. The ants die. Within a day or two, a new trail appears somewhere else. The problem hasn't been solved. It's just moved.
A colony may contain hundreds of thousands of workers. The foraging ants you see represent a small fraction of the total population. When foragers are killed, the colony simply redirects other workers along a different route. The nest (the actual source of the problem) remains intact and undisturbed.
Effective ant treatment works differently. Gel bait is applied in areas where workers are actively foraging. Workers pick up the bait and carry it back to the colony, where it's shared with other ants including the queens. The colony declines over weeks rather than hours. That's by design. A slower acting bait travels further through the nest before workers stop carrying it.
External perimeter spray closes the routes ants are using to enter the building, and targets nests in garden beds and lawn areas close to the structure. Gel bait inside and perimeter treatment outside. Both together address the problem at its source rather than managing the symptoms.
Our Approach
We identify the species, locate active trails and look for likely nest sites before anything is applied. Different ants respond to different products, so getting that right matters.
Ant treatment is included as part of our general pest control service. You may see increased ant activity for the first day or two as workers are attracted to the bait — this is normal and expected before numbers start declining.
Our Guarantee
Every ant treatment we carry out on domestic residential properties is backed by a 12 month internal warranty. If ants return inside your home within 12 months of treatment, we will return and re-treat at no charge.
The warranty covers ant activity inside the property: kitchens, bathrooms, living areas and roof void. It does not cover ants foraging in gardens, on footpaths, or in lawns. Outdoor ant activity is normal behaviour that exists across all properties and cannot be warranted.
To make a warranty claim, simply call us on 0422 334 204 and we will arrange a return visit.
From homeowners across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
"Would highly recommend Sunnystate! Great price, great communication and excellent professional service. Noticed an immediate impact — pesky flies have gone and not a cockroach in sight. Will definitely use again!"
"Great response and service. Joel was able to attend and fix our pest problem in no time. Thanks again."
"Great service: lots of pre and post visit information given. On time too! Very nice and polite operator."
"It was great to ring someone who was very nice and polite. A big thank you, hope you keep up the good work."
"Highly recommend Sunnystate. We had Joel attend our property and he was friendly, professional, thorough in the works he carried out and provided a detailed report. An easy 5 star review."
"Sunnystate always provide exceptional service, great communication, punctual, they use quality and effective chemicals that are pet and kid safe."
"The whole process was seamless. Amie responded promptly and Joel was very professional and friendly. Communication is outstanding."
"Would highly recommend Sunnystate! Great price, great communication and excellent professional service. Noticed an immediate impact — pesky flies have gone and not a cockroach in sight. Will definitely use again!"
"Great response and service. Joel was able to attend and fix our pest problem in no time. Thanks again."
"Great service: lots of pre and post visit information given. On time too! Very nice and polite operator."
"It was great to ring someone who was very nice and polite. A big thank you, hope you keep up the good work."
"Highly recommend Sunnystate. We had Joel attend our property and he was friendly, professional, thorough in the works he carried out and provided a detailed report. An easy 5 star review."
"Sunnystate always provide exceptional service, great communication, punctual, they use quality and effective chemicals that are pet and kid safe."
"The whole process was seamless. Amie responded promptly and Joel was very professional and friendly. Communication is outstanding."
Frequently Asked Questions
Call 0422 334 204 or send us a message and we'll call you back.
