General Pests

Cockroaches

There are 428 species of cockroach in Australia and a number of introduced species have become pests. The two most significant pest cockroaches are the German cockroach and the American cockroach.

Cockroaches live and feed in unhygienic places such as sewers and drains, or feed on garbage that may be contaminated. These insects are cold-blooded and thrive in warm, humid conditions. This is why buildings in the northern parts of Australia are particularly prone to infestations. However cockroaches will make their home wherever they find food, moisture and shelter. The German cockroach is the most common cockroach found in houses and apartments in Australia. Their small size means that human occupants (many of whom do not recognise early nymphal stages as being cockroaches), initially tolerate them. Their rapid reproduction rate enables a few individuals to become a pest problem over one season. From one original female German cockroach, there could be potentially more than 100,000 cockroaches in a home by the end of one year!

Treatment: No need to empty your cupboards. Application of a growth regulating gel to kitchen and other wet areas. A talc based dust for the accessible ceiling cavity. Application of a broad spray to skirting boards and external perimeter of building.

Ants

Ants are mainly a nuisance pest rather than a health problem. Ants cause problems primarily when they forage in buildings for food or water and when they construct nests in buildings and gardens. When searching for food, they are attracted to a wide range of foodstuffs. They will also search indoors for water during dry periods. When desirable items of food are found, many species will recruit fellow nest mates to help gather the food and return it to the nest. This can result in large numbers of ants appearing over a short period of time.

Treatment: A variety of treatments ranging from granulated bait, gel, dusts or liquid control agents or combinations of these.

Redback Spider

The female Redback spider is the one that can kill. The female Redback is approximately 10mm long, and is all black, except for the large red stripe on the abdomen. They are common in urban habitats such as garden sheds, under steps or logs and around swimming pools or piles of rubbish. They build webs in dry, sheltered sites, often with the upper part of the web hidden from sunlight.

Treatment: Treatments vary from internal to external. Most commonly dusting of roof voids and/or very fine mist chemical applications.

Crawling & Hunting Spiders

This group of spiders including the Funnel Web, Huntsman, Trapdoor, Mouse and White Tailed spiders, are not found on webs but commonly make their home under leaf litter or bark, in hollows or purpose built burrows and in general garden areas. Unlike the webbing spiders they hunt down their prey or lie in wait to ambush their prey. Control of crawling/hunting spiders is often limited to removal or elimination of each individual spider. Unless the species is considered dangerous, the best method of dealing with these spiders is to move them back into their habitat. Removal from premises can be achieved without harming the spider by using a glass jar and a piece of paper or cardboard.

Silverfish

Silverfish are small, soft, wingless insects often found in the home. They are nocturnal and move quickly; occasionally they are found in bathtubs as they cannot climb smooth surfaces. Their preferred diet is vegetable matter with a high carbohydrate and protein content. However, indoors they will feed on almost anything, including dried meat, flour, starch, paper, gum, glue, cotton, linen, rayon, silk, sugar and breakfast cereals.

Treatment: Application of a control agent to walls and shelves of storage spaces. This requires linen cupboards and wardrobes to be emptied.

Rodents

Rats are carriers of diseases via fleas (foot-and-mouth disease, typhus, plague, etc). They cause enormous damage by gnawing on doors, woodwork, beams, electrical wires and pipelines.

Mice can transmit a number of diseases to humans and livestock including:

• salmonella to humans and domestic animals
• encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus to pigs
• leptospirosis to humans, dairy cattle and domestic pigs
• tapeworms, roundworms and fungal skin diseases (ringworm) to cats and humans

Mouse droppings can also cause bacterial poisoning of human and livestock foods.

The damage caused by plagues of mice is enormous. They will attack virtually all cereal and grain crops, plus many vegetables and fruits.

Treatment: Can vary significantly. Most commonly used are physical containment traps, physical containment boards and baiting methods.