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Rodent Season

02/06/2015 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

With the colder months upon us, there is one unwelcome house guest in particular that is waiting to get into a nice warm home to raise their families.  Rats and Mice will attempt to enter homes from now and continue throughout winter.  This time of year is what the Pest Control industry refers to as ‘Rodent Season’.  The fact is, rodents are breeding all year around – they breed just as much in summer as they do in winter.  The difference in the colder months is that now our homes provide a fantastic warm place for rodents to continue to live during winter.

External conditions are starting to become less attractive for Rats and Mice.  This image shows a Norway Rat (often simply called a brown rat) about to enter a home.  These rats prefer to burrow, but have actually started to nest within the home due to the weather getting colder.  These are warm blooded mammals, and the warmth of an insulated roof space or cavity is much more appealing than a hole in the ground outside in the cold.

Norway Rat Entering Home

Norway rat entering home

Just like humans, rodents like to live in warm environments.  Rats and mice find their way into a structure through small holes, make their way through the wall cavities and exploit almost any area inside your home.  The roof void, wall cavities and other confined voids in and around your home make excellent nesting areas.  Apart from being a nice warm place to nest this time of year, once in your home food and water is more easily accessed, often directly from your very own kitchen.

Apart from the obvious threat of disease, rats will also cause a lot of damage.  Rodent’s teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime, and if they do not continuously gnaw to keep them in check, their teeth will become too large and essentially useless to them.  Interestingly, the name Rodent comes from a Latin word which basically means to gnaw.

Wall Damage from Rats

Wall damage from rats

Some of the damage caused by these pests will be noticeable and repairable, like this hole made in a wall by rats, giving them further access to wall cavities and other areas of your home.

Some damage, however, is a lot harder to spot, like these internal electrical wires that have been chewed back to bare copper.

In cases like these, you will most likely not notice anything at all until there are problems with your power, or even worse, a potential fire. Remember, rats and mice will always be gnawing on something, and it’s well documented that they have been the cause of many fires.

Electrical wiring damaged by rodents

Electrical wiring damaged by rodents

There are things that you can do around your home that will help make your property less attractive for rodents to live.

  1. Ensure all of your household garbage is in tightly sealed bins which rats and mice cannot access. This helps to restrict their access to food as much as possible. Rodents are opportunistic feeders – while they have their preferred food sources, they will still eat almost anything.
  2. Alter your building so that Rodents cannot gain entry. Look for access holes that rats can use, such as where pipes enter buildings, gaps under external doors, etc. Sealing these and other similar points will make it harder for rodents to enter. Using a gutter guard can also be helpful to stop them entering the roof via the gutters.
  3. Trim excess trees and shrubs from around the perimeter of structure especially trees that overhang the roof. This will both take away harbourage areas and make accessing the roof a little bit harder for them.

When all else fails, other control measures will need to be implemented. Here at Amalgamated Pest Control, we are the experts at assessing all of your options and presenting the available solutions to you.

What will you do for me?

If we are called to your home because you suspect or know you have a rodent problem, the first thing we will do is conduct a full rodent inspection. We look at all areas of known activity, internally and externally, including the roof void and the sub-floor. This inspection allows us to identify the rodent species, any nesting areas, travel routes, and where they are getting food and water from.

With this crucial information, we can than implement a control strategy best suited to the problem and the property. We will also provide you with important recommendations on things you can alter or fix to manage the environment and make it less appealing to rodents. Once management has been implemented, we will keep coming back to check the bait/trap placement until the problem is controlled. We will also point out all the proofing measures that can be undertaken to keep rodents out in the future.

Remember – if the rodents come back, so will we.

If you even think you may have a rodent problem, call us here at your local Amalgamated Pest Control today.

Filed Under: News

RUSSELL INGALL ON WINTER PEST CONTROL

16/07/2014 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

Filed Under: News

WINTER PEST CONTROL TULLY

16/07/2014 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

Well winter is finally upon us and while things may slow down for some pests in ‘pest world’ not so with many other.

Winter Pests

During winter we get increased threats from rodents, but our favourite ‘general pests’ are still active. Termites keep munching, cockroaches keep on creeping and ants keep on crawling. This year there a new mosquito on the loose that is a spreader of chronic disease – and this mosquito doesn’t mind the colder weather. You might even discover that some of the favourite winter woollies that you pull out of storage may have been damaged by some ‘pest’ as well, nothing much you can do about that now – but there are things to do before you store the winter clothes away before next spring.

Winter Pest Checklist

Here’s a checklist of things to do this winter to keep you pest problems to a minimum:

Tidy the Clutter:

  • Discover all the ‘hidden stuff’ you forgot you had – and re-stow it or throw it! If you have a lot of stuff – then its important to re-inspect/move it on a regular basis to discourage rats and mice from setting up an undetected camp.
  • Remove Cardboard and Fabric. If you need a box – think of things other than cardboard. Plastic or metal containers are much better, this can discourage rodents and cockroaches.

General Storage:

  • If you’re storing something a rodent would like – then put it in a sealed box or container that they can’t get in to.

Remove any food sources:

  • Don’t encourage rodents to stay by giving them an easy meal. (for example, don’t leave uneaten pet food lying around). Ants are also attracted to left over food.
  • Seal of entry points into the building. Especially for rodents you need to seal up any holes with small gauge mesh or similar material that a rodent cannot gnaw through, and seal the bottoms of doors with automatic weather seals or weather strips. A rat can gain entry through a hole as small as 12 mm in diameter and a mouse only needs a hole no larger than 6 mm in diameter. Don’t just look down – Look up. Often rodents get in via the roof, eaves or other less obvious entry points.

Rodent Traps: You can use snap traps to catch the odd rogue rat or mouse, but don’t use cheese as the bait – its really doesn’t work that well – things like peanut butter or cotton wool are far more effective. Inspect your home for any containers that hold water:

  • This is really for mosquitoes. Make sure that water containers are emptied. This includes pot plant reservoirs. Make sure that water tanks are screened. Any container that holds water (where levels rise and fall) will encourage mosquitoes to breed. Keep an eye out for drains that hold puddles, car tyres and old buckets that everyone forgets about. Clean up the garden and make sure there is nothing around the house that holds permanent water that will rise and fall.

Screen your home:

  • Make sure that all your windows and doors are properly screened so that you have a safe retreat from these mosquitoes and cockroaches.

Eaves and Walls: Check your eaves and brickwork for wasp nests and spiders. Wasps can be prevalent even during winter. Bins:

  • Keep bins away from the immediate vicinity of the home. Keep them as clean as possible and wash them out regularly. Keep bins well sealed. They are a great breeding environment for flies and can encourage rodents.

Trees and Foliage:

  • Foliage against the house can create a highway for ants, rodents, spiders and termites. Make sure that bushes and shrubs are kept well away from the walls. Trim off any tree branches that overhang the roof and gutters, yet another highway for ants and rodents.

Still concerned?

If you believe or suspect that you have a winter pest problem, please contact Amalgamated Pest Control Tully for further advice.

(07) 4068 9069

Filed Under: News Tagged With: ant pest control, ants

RUSSELL INGALL – AUTUMN PEST CONTROL

24/04/2014 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

Filed Under: News

AUTUMN PEST CONTROL TULLY

24/04/2014 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

Many Tully locals ask us during this time of year if pests will start to disappear now that summers over. Pests will start to reduce in numbers as the weather cools down and the optimal temperatures for maximum breeding and activity have reduced. This however doesn’t mean that your property will be pest free from now until next spring.

Generally temperatures inside homes are much warmer in the cooler months than outside and there is food and water available in and around the home. This being the case what usually tends to happen is many pests will seek out homes for these reasons. Nice warm shelter in which to live and breed, very good accessibility to food sources and access to water is also available.

Common Autumn Pests

The most common pests that will look to move inside are rodents such as rats and mice. The home is an ideal place for these pests. Roof voids can be full of insulation which is an ideal warm nesting material which they can burrow into to make their nests. Many believe that cooler months such as late autumn – winter is rat season. Rats actually breed heavily all year round, the cooler months however they much prefer, as we would, to get inside and out of the cold. Obviously once they are in the roof they can have easy access to your food and garbage. Once inside your property rats and mice can cause a lot of damage. They consistently gnaw; they have too to keep their teeth from growing too long. They’ll gnaw on anything. Many fires are started by rats gnawing on wires. Diseases are another big problem and it’s not just rats. Mice carry as many diseases as rats and potentially spread very easily.

What other pests are active in autumn?

Cockroaches will still remain a problem especially German Cockroaches. Their environment is your kitchen therefore they will continue to breed just as fast as in summer and due to their rapid lifecycle can become a big problem very quickly. They rely on humans for survival; we provide them with the shelter, food and water that they need. Amalgamated pest control offers 12 months Service Warranty on all species of cockroach including German Cockroaches meaning you never have to deal with these pests again.

How can I reduce autumn pests?

Some of the things that any home owner can do which will help reduce the chance of these and other pests getting into your home this autumn and winter are quite simple:

.    Reduce access to food. All pests need food. Keep food sealed, clean up spills straight away, clean up food crumbs get rid of food scraps into tightly sealed garbage bins and ensure bins, especially outside, don’t let your bin become so full that you can’t close it. Rats have an especially keen sense of smell and will smell garbage from a long way away.

.    Reduce excess water. If you have any leaking plumbing or pooling water around the home have them repaired. Water accumulating in sinks, showers and baths don’t’ help either ensure you wipe them dry. Pests actively seek water for survival.

.    Keep them out. Keeping out some pests can be done. To keep rodents out keep trees close to the home trimmed away from the roof. Make sure your roofing is in good condition, broken tiles and the like can allow rodents to slip in cracks and gain access. Gutters can be protected with a rodent resistant mesh covering. Any gaps/holes in the external wall such as where pipes enter or weep holes are present should be protected also with a rodent resistant material.

Some pests can’t be kept out with physical materials. Cockroaches, ants and spiders will always find a way into just about any home. A professional pest treatment will stop these insects living and breeding in the areas such as roof voids, sub-floors, wall cavities many internal areas of the home and Amalgamated Pest Control will give you a 12 month service warranty on these three pests which allows you too live all year around with no worries.

Still concerned?

Contact Amalgamated Pest Control Tully for a pest management solution for your property. We are professionals at what we do and can give you the best advice on how to keep the autumn pests and winter pests out of your home and away from your family.

(02) 4068 9069

Filed Under: News

HOW DO SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES ENTER YOUR HOME

02/03/2012 by admin_apcmedia Leave a Comment

Termites: What are they, how they enter your home.

Termites are an ancient order of insects whose origins date back more than 100 million years to the Cretaceous period. Although they are commonly called ‘white ants’, the resemblance to ants is superficial and they are more closely related to cockroaches and in fact have been recently included into the cockroach order Blattodea.

Termite Characteristics

Termites can be grouped into three basic categories:

  • Dampwood, these termites generally live in damp rotting logs or rot pockets in dead or living trees.
  • Drywood, these termites obtain water from the wood in which they live and have no contact with the soil, or with any other source of moisture.
  • Subterranean, these termites are generally ground-dwelling or require contact with the soil or some constant source of moisture and are the main threat posed to timber in the built environment, (timber-in-service).

What type of damage can they cause to your home

No matter where you are located in Australia, Subterranean Termites are present in your area. Subterranean termites are responsible for more economic loss each year than all natural disasters combined. There are more than 350 species of termites which have been recorded in this country, about 25 of which achieve economic importance as pests of timber in service.

Where do they live?

Subterranean termites live in colonies, numbering from a few hundred to millions. In each colony there is a division of labour, with several distinct castes, each specailising in particular duty. The worker termites are responsible for the damage to timber caused in their search for food, which consist mainly of cellulose, sugars and starch present in the timber. Subterranean termites generally nest underground in the soil,  build earthen mounds, or nest in the root crowns of trunks or living and dead trees. Having to maintain contact with soil or a reliable water source to obtain sufficient moisture to survive, subterranean termites construct protective mud shelter tubes from their nest to their food source- living trees, seasoned timbers, books, furniture, etc. Consuming the wood from inside out, usually by the time the termites work is visible, the timber is virtually eaten away.

How subterranean termites can enter your home.

  • Constructing mud tubes over concrete piers
  • Constructing tunnels up the centre of wood stumps
  • Constructing mud tubes from the soil to the flooring, often within cavity walls
  • Through hair line cracks which appear in concrete slabs around plumbing and electrical conduits
  • Through service pipes such as telephone, plumbing and electrical
  • Bridging by way of vegetation in contact with the building, through the soil abutting the base of the building, working their way through mortar or timber in soil contact
  • Through colonsing flights, reproductive termites may form nests within or in close proximity to the building

Still concerned?

If you wish  further information or advice regarding termites or having a timber pest inspection, please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch.

Filed Under: News

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