If you have found termites in the home, leave them exactly where they are, photograph them and book a licensed termite inspector. Spraying, breaking open or vacuuming the activity makes it harder for an inspector to find the termites and trace them back to their colony. In Queensland, the QBCC says a contractor must hold a termite management licence to give advice or reports on termite infestations.

Do not spray, vacuum, break open, patch or move anything touching the termites before the inspection.

The first ten minutes: what to leave alone

Leave the termites, their mud and the damaged timber alone. The Queensland Government’s termite page for public housing tenants says that if you think your property has termites, you should not disturb any nests, mud tunnels, paths or trails. CSIRO’s Managing Termites guide explains why: several ways of controlling a termite colony rely on finding active termites.

• Do not spray. Do not use insect spray, vinegar or any home remedy. CSIRO notes that even termite products sold to home owners need care to avoid disturbing termites and driving them away temporarily.
• Do not break open or patch the timber. Leave a hole, soft patch or broken mud tube as it is. Filling or painting over it hides the activity from the inspector.
• Do not vacuum. Vacuuming removes the live insects an inspector needs to see.
• Do not move stored items touching the activity. Boxes, timber or furniture in contact with mud or damaged timber can stay put until the inspection.
• Do keep people and pets away. A closed door or a note on the spot stops anyone cleaning it up by accident.

Wondering what kills termites instantly? CSIRO says successful deterrence or eradication of a colony usually needs a licensed pest manager and insecticides. The options are explained in how termites are treated.

Keep a record before anyone arrives

A dated photo record gives the inspector a starting point and you a reference if the activity changes.

• Where and when: the room, the wall or timber item, and the date and time you found it.
• What you saw: live insects, mud tubes on walls or stumps, discarded wings, or damaged timber with nothing moving.
• Photos: one wide shot showing the location and one close-up with a coin for scale, taken without touching anything.
• Recent changes: new garden beds, paving, a pergola, a water leak or anything stacked against the house. QBCC says footpaths, garden beds, patios, pergolas, landscaping and new turf can make a termite management system less effective.
• Paperwork: past inspection reports, treatment records and a photo of any termite notice in the meter box.

For the full list of warning signs, see how to know you have a termite problem.

Live termites, old damage or a lookalike?

Live termites in timber are a clear sign of current activity; damage with no insects, or winged insects, can mean several things.

CSIRO describes drywood termites pushing dry pellets called frass out through small holes and cracks. For help telling insects apart, see white ants and termites and what termite nests look like.

How termites get in

Most termite attacks on houses start from the soil, according to CSIRO. Subterranean termites, the type most commonly found in Australia and responsible for most structural damage, usually need a connection with soil for moisture. They build shelter tubes across concrete and brick, and usually forage within 30 metres of the nest. CSIRO lists nests underground, in trees, stumps, logs or roots, and in damp spots inside buildings, so the colony may not be inside your walls at all. A barrier does not make a home immune: QBCC says termite management systems do not always prevent termites entering in the open.

Flying termites inside or outside

Flying termites are reproductive termites leaving a colony to start new ones. CSIRO says swarms may leave the nest during humid periods in the warmer months, often at dusk, and shed their wings readily on landing. CSIRO advises watching where flights come from, especially from inside the house, to find the launch site. Outside, CSIRO notes that termites in the garden do not necessarily mean they will enter the house. Controlling the colony they came from is a separate job: CSIRO says it usually needs a licensed pest manager and insecticides. For yard activity, see termites in trees and the garden.

How urgent this really is

Finding live termites is a reason to book an inspection soon, not a reason to panic. The Queensland Government says termites can damage your home if they are not treated quickly and properly, and CSIRO says they can cause extensive damage if left undetected or not properly managed. QBCC adds that termites are particularly active in hot, wet areas such as coastal Queensland.

How quickly termites spread has no single answer. CSIRO counts more than 350 termite species in Australia, of which about 20 cause significant damage to buildings, and says the presence of destructive species varies across the country. An inspection is how you find out what is happening.

What makes it serious

An inspection is how you find out how far termite activity has spread. QBCC says a pre-purchase timber pest inspection report should comment on present or past activity and damage, and assess how susceptible the building is to timber pests. When a home is built, QBCC says the Building Code of Australia requires a few key areas to be treated against termites at a minimum: roof and floor framing, door jambs, window frames and reveals, architraves and skirting. CSIRO adds that termites can also damage timber flooring, linings and even books. Until an inspector has looked, treat any live activity as worth checking promptly through a residential termite inspection.

Read the termite notice in the meter box

Where a termite management system was installed, look for a durable termite notice, usually inside the electrical meter box. QBCC says the Building Code of Australia requires this notice in a prominent location, and that it must state:

• the method of termite protection used on the building
• the date it was installed
• for chemical systems, the life expectancy listed on the APVMA label
• the installer’s or manufacturer’s recommendations for how often to have termite inspections and what the inspector should check.

Photograph the notice for the inspector. Older homes may have no notice at all: CSIRO describes the notice as a National Construction Code requirement in modern buildings.

Who to call and which licences to check

Call a termite inspector who holds the right QBCC licence, and check it before they arrive. QBCC names two termite licence classes, Termite Management (Chemical) and Termite Management (Physical). The chemical class covers inspecting a completed building and reporting on termite management systems and termite infestation, and QBCC says anyone performing or supervising chemical termite work must also hold a Queensland pest management licence issued by the Department of Health.

1. Ask for the business name and QBCC licence number. QBCC says licensed contractors must include these details when advertising.
2. Search the QBCC licensee register. It shows a complete licence history. If you cannot find the business, QBCC says it may not be licensed; call QBCC on 139 333 to confirm.
3. Ask to see the licence. QBCC licences come as a physical card or a digital licence on a phone.

QBCC says checking a licence is your responsibility, whichever business you call.

Bob Gunn Termite Solutions works across south-east Queensland, including Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan, Ipswich, Redlands, the Gold Coast, the Scenic Rim and the Sunshine Coast. Its QBCC licence number is 894337, and quotes are free. See pest control in Brisbane or pest control on the Gold Coast.

If you rent, manage the property or are mid-sale

Tell the person responsible for the property before anyone treats it.

Buyers can get a combined building and pest inspection; the Queensland Government’s guide to inspections when buying a home says to make sure the inspector holds a current QBCC licence, and to ask your solicitor whether all contract conditions have been met before settlement.

What happens after the inspection

After the inspection you receive the findings, then decide on treatment, repairs and ongoing checks.

1. The inspection. The inspector checks the home for termite activity and damage. CSIRO notes professionals may also use tools such as bait stations, movement detectors and thermal cameras.
2. The report. QBCC describes a pre-purchase timber pest inspection report as covering present or past activity and damage, previous treatments, how susceptible the building is, conditions that raise the risk, and recommendations for further action. Ask what your own report will cover.
3. Treatment, if needed. See how termites are treated and the termite inspection and treatment page.
4. Repairs. Ask a licensed builder about repairing damaged timber once the termite activity has been dealt with.
5. Insurance. Ask your own insurer whether termite damage is covered under your policy.
6. Ongoing inspections. QBCC recommends a licensed pest controller inspect and report every year, or more often in high hazard areas.

For what drives the price of an inspection, see termite inspection cost factors.

Next steps

If you have found termites today, leave them undisturbed, photograph them and check the meter box for a termite notice. Then read about what affects the cost of a termite inspection, and when you are ready, book a residential termite inspection or call Bob Gunn Termite Solutions on (07) 3286 9877.