Termite Hot Spots In Brisbane As We Change And Adapt, So Do Termites!
There are plenty of termite hot spots in Brisbane, in fact, there are no suburbs that are free of termite activity. New suburbs that emerge from the ground up are always going to be termite heaven. Unfortunately, when the bulldozers move in to clear a new suburb site the termite’s food source is also cleared. But the termites remain and they start to rebuild their colonies so guess who’s coming for dinner in your new home. I’ve seen this happen in the suburbs of Gumdale and Wakeley when redevelopment started.
When I first came out to live In Australia around 20 years ago, I settled in the suburb of Gumdale in Brisbane. I was fortunate enough to live with my Aunt for the first twelve months, on a beautiful block of land right in the heart of Gumdale, so I know the area very well.
I’ve watched this area evolve from a small country town out in the middle of nowhere, with just a small corner shop and a post office; into an area with high-density housing, an ever-expanding school and a multi-store, mid-range shopping centre.
I would play the local Tillydale golf course, which was a small 9-hole course that was great for a quick game on the weekends or after work.
Now the golf course has long gone and has been replaced with a housing estate called Tillydale: named after the old course.
Myself, I preferred the golf course, but I guess that’s progress. I’m quite sure the termites also preferred the golf course, with its wealth of old trees.
The Gumdale and Wakerley areas are now definite termite hot spots in Brisbane with major termite activity. With all but a few trees removed by the redevelopment of the area, the termites have moved on to the new homes in Gumdale and Wakerley.
These homes should have had physical termite barriers installed at the time they were built, but they still need to be checked and inspected annually, as termite barriers can and do fail.
To find out what type of barrier is installed on your home, you need to have a look in the meter box or under the kitchen sink. There should be a durable notice in one of these places, with all the details of the treatment installed.
The durable notice will have the name of the company that installed it, the date it was installed and details of the type of product used.
Termite Nest
Why Barriers Can Fail
- From not having been installed correctly in the first place,
- From being damaged after installation by a building contractor on site (quite common)
- From being damaged by you when gardening or planting near or over the barrier (also quite common),
- Because a barrier was never installed (a worst-case scenario, but it does happen).
Homes with an exposed slab edge can be breached by termites; and access can be gained to a building via weep holes, small openings in brickwork or small gaps around window frames.
There is a reason for your home to have an exposed slab edge! It enables a termite technician who is inspecting your home to easily see any termite working that may have breached the slab edge.
By having a 12-monthly inspection done, you ensure that any termites that have breached a barrier are stopped before any major damage is done.
Don’t forget that these little wood destroyers can eat away the framework in a home in a very short time.
If you are not sure when you last had an inspection done, or if there is an active termite barrier system installed, it is advisable to get it checked out as soon as possible. As doing this can save you thousands of dollars further down the track.
To ensure the survival of the main colony, and more importantly the king and queen, termite workers are constantly looking for new food sources. Once a new food source is found, they build tunnels that lead back to the main colony, and the termites from the colony come and start their attack.
The damage can happen very quickly; especially if the termites involved are Coptotermes acinaciformis or Mastotermes darwiniensis. These are two of the most destructive termites in Australia, and cost homeowners millions of dollars in damage every year.
The best way to prevent a termite attack on your property is to contact us here at Sunnystate Pest Control. We will come to your home and give you the very best advice on how to either get rid of termites or stop them from entering your home.
Coptotermes acinaciformis
Conclusion
When purchasing a new home everyone would love to know which are the major termite hot spots in Brisbane. Whether a suburb has been known for termites or not shouldn’t matter if a professional termite barrier installed. A full barrier and annual termite inspections are the two most important things a homeowner can do to help keep out destructive termites.
When purchasing a new home it’s important to have a full building and pest inspection carried out. A pest inspector will also be able to let the purchaser know if there is a current barrier system in place around the home.
Don’t be afraid of termites or paranoid about termite hot spots in Brisbane, just be prepared by having an annual termite inspection carried out.
