Pests Info | Page 2 of 2 | Termigon Pest Control PERTH

Silverfish

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Silverfish are often encountered pests in homes and buildings throughout Australia. They occur anywhere in homes, but are mostly found in roof cavities, wall voids and sub floor areas. They prefer starchy materials, cotton, linens and photographic prints.Silverfish are a common household pest, living and breeding in cool damp places. Silverfish eat almost anything including paper, book bindings, wallpaper and clothing.

Silverfishes have shiny bodies covered with scales. They are flattened, long and slender, broad at the front and tapering gradually towards the rear. They are wingless, uniform silvery in colour and grow to just over 1 cm in length.
While silverfish are among the group of fabric pests, they do have a surprisingly varied diet. They eat both animal and plant products but they prefer items containing starch or glue such as paper, starched clothes, flour, paper, photographs, books, and wallpaper. They are frequently found in cardboard boxes that may be used for storing old or unused clothes, books, newspapers and the like and can do considerable damage to these materials.

Silverfish can live up to four years and each year the female lays around 60 eggs. Generally nocturnal (active at night time), they can be often seen scurrying for cover if disturbed. Behind skirting boards and picture rails, in ceiling and wall cavities and inside cupboards are all excellent hiding and breeding areas. They are commonly found in bath-tubs, where they become trapped while seeking food or moisture.

We recommended a thorough inspection first be carried out by the pest control professional to determine likely and observed habitat locations, the extent of the infestation and control methods necessary.
Treatment of roof voids and wall cavities with a synthetic pyrethroid dust applied via specialized “dust blower” equipment may be recommended. Other areas, such as basements, storage rooms and the like can be treated with a synthetic pyrethroid spray. The cost of a professional pest control service for silverfish varies depending on the size of the house, areas to be treated and ease of access to various parts of the building and a program of ongoing inspection and follow-up treatment may be recommended.

Rodents

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Rats and Mice

Man creates the ideal environment for rats and mice by providing a constant source of food, water and harbourage. Rodent control is necessary and desirable because:

Rodents spread disease either through direct contact or as a vector for another organism.
Rodents cause extensive structural damage with their constant gnawing and
Rodents damage and contaminate foodstuffs before and after harvest by consumption, gnawing and contamination with their urine, faeces and hair follicles.
For effective rodent control, the main steps are:
Inspection, identification, sanitation and rodent proofing. Doors, windows, screens and cracked concrete are easy access for rodents. Look for openings near the top of buildings such as roof vents, eaves, overhangs and roof top air conditioning units. Drainpipes need a screen on the bottom as well as the top.
Do’s and Don’ts of Rodents
Stored products contaminated by droppings or urination MUST be destroyed. This can be a very expensive process.
Look for signs of their existence like well defined runways which show the regular routes the rodents might take. Look for this outside on the soil – their runways will be well packed and free from vegetation. Look inside for pathways free from dust or cobwebs. Also look for droppings, teeth marks and urine stains.
Sanitation and hygiene are crucial in the fight against rodents and maintaining your home after pest control services. Piles of garbage, old machinery, timber piles, weed growth and general litter should be removed. Garbage must be kept in rat proof bins with tight fitted lids.
Develop a well organised and supervised cleaning and maintenance plan.
Proof against re-entry as this is the most effective method when the infestation is widespread across a property.
Commercial premises should be aware of the importance of storing and the handling of food and the role this can play in attracting a rodent infestation.

Some information about Rodents
For such tiny (relatively speaking) creatures, the damage caused by rodents can be huge, not to mention costly. Not only is the discolouration and contamination from their droppings and constant urination a ghastly thing to look at, it’s also extremely dangerous to the health and well being of your family.

Rats
Rodents tend to have razor sharp incisors which can cut through aluminium, lead, cardboard, wood, soft asphalt, mortar and most plastics with ease. This can result in damage to packages and containers. Structural foundations are also at risk by rodents tunnelling in search of food and shelter. Rodents actively forage for food at night using the same routes of movement to and from the food sources.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that rodents have poor vision – this is made up for by the fact that their other senses are extremely sensitive. Their sense of smell and taste are so highly developed they can detect minute quantities of chemical in foodstuffs. Rodents deposit their droppings on all surfaces over which they travel and these, together with stains caused by their almost continual urination, are indications of their presence. Greasy smear marks also become evident along their main routes of movement where they make contact with obstacles.

How can you spot their presence in your home?
It’s possible for you to notice the more obvious signs of rodent infestation; however the slightly less obvious evidence is best spotted by a trained professional pest controller. Treatment is a specialised process as rodents tend to be complicated and sly. Treatment of the problem consists of laying special bait depending on the type, size and food source of the infestation.

Ants

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

The most common ants in Australia is sugar ants, jumper jack ants and bullants, myrmicinae, ponerinae, odorous ants.
Ants are more of a nuisance pest, although they can also cause health risks and nest can cause subsidence in soil. Ants generally become a problem in houses and other buildings when their nests have become disturbed after rain, or conversely, during dry weather to look for water. Poor household hygiene and pet bowls also draw them indoors. Outside conditions such as sandy areas, paves and garden pots also are favorable conditions for ants. Some do-it-yourself products may provide short term relief, but may in fact, make a problem worse. Ants are easily repelled by some common residual remedies and, without finding the colony, their repeated use can often cause a colony to move or even split into multiple colonies. And simply killing foraging ants will not eliminate the colony since the queen remains in the colony and her sole purpose is to lay more eggs to ensure the survivability of the colony. Pest Management Professionals (PMP’s) have at their access a variety of baits, insect growth regulators, and non-repellant materials, which can be used together in an integrated approach to solving any ant infestation. The best pesticide for ants treatment is termidor. Termidor is not just for termite, it is best treatment for ants. It kills nest and prolong protection time then most of other treatment.We only use termidor for any ants job.
At present, there are just under 1,300 described species of ants in Australia, which equates to approximately 15% of the known species worldwide. It’s great to know we have so many species in this country, but the downside of this is that I have a lot more to find.
Ants live in colonies ranging in number from a few dozen individuals to many thousands. Their nests can be found almost anywhere – in the soil, amongst rocks, in rotting logs, in shrubs or high up in trees. In most cases, colonies contain a winged queen whose sole function is to maintain the population by laying eggs. Males are also present, but again only for breeding purposes. The worker ants are all sterile females and their duties include taking care of the eggs, larvae and pupae, collecting food, and defending and maintaining the nest.
All ants have mandibulate mouthparts for grasping and dissecting food. Many species have stings, which they use very effectively in disabling intended prey or attacking intruders. For humans, these stings can be mildly irritating or extremely painful or sometimes even fatal in particularly sensitive people. A large number of species don’t have stings, but instead spray formic acid to deter predators or kill prey.
Whilst ants are generally predators and scavengers, some have established interesting relationships with other insects, offering protection in exchange for food. On several occasions I have observed ants tending hopper nymphs, scale insects, or aphids, warding off potential predators while receiving the sweet honeydew secreted by these insects. Some species are known to cultivate fungi in their nests for a ready-made food source.Ants are one of nature’s true success stories. They can be found in almost any environment and play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem

Cockroaches

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Cockroaches

Termigon Pest Control offer different type of treatments for different type cockroaches and cost of treatment is depending on it.

Mainly two types of treatment:

Cockroach Gel baiting
Wet chemical spraying and dusting

Types of Cockroaches

A.) German Cockroaches
German Cockroaches are 10-15mm in length, dark orange/brown in colour.
They are only found internally amongst electrical appliances and warm environments. Cracks, crevices and kitchen door hinges supply great breeding areas for this species and they are usually found in large numbers. German Cockroaches are the WORST of them all as they breed a lot faster and are the hardest to control.

B.) Brown Banded Cockroach
Brown Banded Cockroaches are 13-14mm in length, gold/brown in colour.
These are commonly mistaken as German Cockroaches but they are only found in low numbers (eg. 1 or 2) and usually fly in from the outside neighbouring trees.

C.) American Cockroach
American Cockroaches are 28-44mm in length. Dark orange in colour.
Found in roof voids, drains and sewers and are the largest cockroach found in the Sydney Metropolitan area.

D.) Australia Cockroach
Australian Cockroaches are 30-35mm in length. Dark Brown/Black in colour.
These cockroaches are more easily defined in colour as they have distinct yellow/white markings down the sides of the wings. Found in gardens and subfloor areas.

E.) Smoky Brown Cockroach
Smoky Brown Cockroaches are 30-35mm in length. Dark Brown/Black in colour Found in fences, stored timber and subfloor areas

F.) Oriental Cockroach
Oriental Cockroaches are 20-24mm in length. Dark Brown in colour.
Found in basements, cellars, cool damp areas.

Features of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are very adaptable, and often live in human dwellings.
The carrying of human diseases in and on their bodies has given the cockroach a pest status. Eg. Salmonella food poisoning.
Live among decaying leaf matter, under bark, in caves & burrows, on the foliage of shrubs and in the nests of social insects.
Some may even bore into wood or adapt a semi-aquatic habit.
They are mostly oval shaped (when viewed from above) with usually long and threadlike antennae.
Compound eyes are usually well developed, the legs are often endowed with protective spikes, and some species may have wings.

Life Cycles of Cockroaches

Adult life span may be a few months to over a year. Depending on the species and conditions, the female may produce up to 5-30 oothecae (each oothecae may contain 12-40 eggs).

Habits of Cockroaches

Cockroaches may be carried from place to place as live individuals or as egg cases, in foods and their packaging, luggage, furniture, buses, trains, ships and aeroplanes. They eat virtually any human or animal food or beverage and any dead animal or vegetable materials. These may include leather, cardboard, fabrics, hair, glue and starchy bindings in books. They are mostly nocturnal. Most cockroaches rest in tight cracks and crevices. They groom themselves so as to keep their sensory receptors clean and well functioning. They may contaminate food, utensils and various areas with droppings, cast skins, empty egg cases, dead cockroaches and vomit marks on surfaces. Their mouth and cuticle secretions may cause an unpleasant odour.
Correct identification is essential: There are several cockroach pest species that infest domestic and commercial premises. The identification of each species is necessary to best determine likely harborage areas and an effective pest control program.

Professional Pest Control: Cockroaches

IGR cockroach baits: Modern science has the answer. A cockroach food bait that has a delayed lethal effect … ensuring enough time for the bait to be transferred to other cockroaches by each others feces.
The IGR bait is an insect growth regulator that stops the ability of the cockroach to replace its skin – made of “chitin”. These IGR’s are of ultra low toxicity to people. Applied as small blobs in cockroach habitat areas away from human contact, the gel-bait is highly attractive to cockroaches and provides effective control, usually for many months.
Permethrin dust: In some cases, we recommend the use of a synthetic pyrethroid (permethrin) dust inside roof voids and under floors. Permethrin dust is modeled on the natural extract of pyrethrum flower and if used in accordance with label directions is one of the safest insecticides (to humans, dogs and cats) commercially available. Low concentrations (2 percent) of permethrin, as in flea sprays labeled “for cats,” are not considered toxic to cats. It is only the spot-on flea products that contain high concentrations (45 to 65 percent) of permethrin and are approved for use on “dogs only” that are considered dangerous.

What the Home Owner can do

Inspection: first, inspect the entire kitchen area, under sinks, refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, microwave oven, other cooking appliances, bathroom cabinets, draws, basement and sub-floor crawlspace (if any) for likely high activity and harborage areas. Look for cockroaches, alive or dead, their feces and egg sacs.
Identification: place “sticky” glue traps in any likely high activity areas. At night sneak into the kitchen, turn on the lights and observe any cockroach activity. Observe where they scurry to. Place your sticky traps near these areas to collect and identify the species and the source of infestation. Food, shelter and water – we all need it, so do cockroaches. Make your home unfit for cockroaches, where possible, take away their food, water and restrict shelter and access points into the kitchen and they will almost certainly move somewhere else. Starve them out – keep all food in sealed containers. Particularly at night, do not leave food scraps exposed in the kitchen or waste storage areas. Thoroughly clean all benches and food preparation areas, particularly between counters and appliances. Regularly vacuum accessible likely harborage and high activity areas, carpets, drapes, furniture, kitchen and bathroom cupboards in order to remove cockroach eggs and food deposits. Cockroaches need water and will thrive in damp sub-floor crawl space areas, near leaking taps, etc. Ensure adequate drainage and ventilation. Regularly check and fix any plumbing problems, broken roof tiles, etc that may allow or cause moisture ingress to potential cockroach harborage areas. Wipe kitchen sink of moisture before retiring or going out at night. Turn off leaking taps. Reduce shelter and access points: seal all cracks and crevices in bathroom, pantry and kitchen cupboards. Store all cardboard boxes and the like above ground level. Cockroaches do not like drafty exposed areas, nor bright lights. A good reason why some restaurants keep lights on at night around their dumpster waste bins.