The warmer months of spring are well and truly on their way which means the pests are as well. As the weather starts to warm up the life cycle of many household pests will also start to speed up. Many pests can be encountered in your home from time to time, during spring and summer the most common will be cockroaches, ants and spiders. These three pests all have different habits and will exploit your home in various ways. They will live in your roof void, wall cavities, sub-floor, internal areas with food and water such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry areas, externally in gardens, just about every area of your property.

How do I get rid of spring pests?

The only sure way to eliminate these pests from living and breeding in these areas is to have a complete pest treatment done at your property. A complete integrated pest management plan for the big three pests; cockroaches, ants and spiders will protect your home, leaving you to live in a pest free environment and enjoy the spring season. Check out our Spring Offer here and save.

How can Amalgamated Pest Control protect your home from these pests?

1. Inspection: In order to formulate our treatment strategy the first step is to inspect your property. It is necessary to find out exactly what the extent of the problem is, species of the offending pests and where they are living. Pests such as cockroaches are nocturnal. Often occupants of a property will be unaware of the full extent of the problem, as light breaks pests will retreat into voids such as the roof, sub floor and wall cavities. With this knowledge no pest in your home is safe, no targeted pests will survive.
2. Treatment of ‘wet areas’: Areas that contain moisture / food provide these pests with the perfect place to live. By applying products in a very safe manner into the areas they are living, targeting them directly. Treatments will be directed into voids, cracks and crevices which keeps the treatment out of your environment and directly into theirs, providing excellent control and a very safe treatment method for you and your family. Other areas such as bedrooms, lounge rooms, studies etc will be inspected and treated as required.
3. Roof Voids: The hot temperatures and darkness of a roof void provide a highly desirable place for all three of these pests. Our technicians will inspect the roof void and apply a treatment to this area eliminating this as a breeding site all together.
4. Wall Cavities: Similar situation for pests as roof voids. Treatment is directly applied to these voids most of the time from the outside of the property via weep holes or vents. Many cockroaches will be in these areas prior to our treatment. It’s quite common for cockroaches to pour out of each of these weep holes by the dozen after our technician treats them. Our unique application tool allows a very effective application of insecticide to fill the voids and keep the pests out.
5. Sub Floor: Treatments are necessary in this area. Below the house is dark, sometimes moist and there is a lot of organic matter cockroaches to feed on.
6. External Treatment: The external ‘barrier’ treatment is very important. Providing a barrier for crawling insects such as ants and spiders. It is applied around the structure and can act like a first line of defence forcing insects to cross it in their attempt to enter your home. Tactical treatments area also applied to all known breeding areas of the external areas such as gardens, cracks in concrete, garbage areas, paved areas and the like which will eliminate breeding sites outside. Webbing spiders will be targeted also by treating the external walls and all areas these spiders may live. It is necessary to contact each spider and/or web to gain control. External ant nests will also be treated directly if found.
7. Customer Involvement: Our technicians will also look for elements around your property that will make your place more conducive to pest infestation. Our technician will assist you in identifying such problems and provide you with recommendations on how to manage these. Things such as excessive moisture, food sources, cluttered items and places identified that pests could enter through could be some of these. Knowing the species of pest and their habits is key to gain complete control.

Still concerned?

If you believe or suspect that you have a spring pest problem, please contact your local team for further advice.

1300 858 834

Spring Pest Control Special Offer

Find out more and save here.

Possums: Where they are, how to remove them.

Recently I was called to a residential property in Burpengary, Qld. The resident believed she had a Rodent problem, as she could hear strange noises coming from her roof void of a night time.

I climbed up in the roof to inspect with my trusty flashlight and to my surprise I found a Brushtail Possum with her baby curled up a sleep in the corner of the roof.

Possum Characteristics

In our local area, the Morton Bay Region, there is both Brushtail and Ringtail possums.

The Ringtail, (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), possum is smaller with a gingerish coat, small rounded ears, and a narrow tail with a white tip. The Brushtail possum usually presents the majority of problems due to its tendency to enter and sleep in buildings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brushtail, (Trichosurus vulpecular), possum is a cat-size animal with a grey coat, largen erect ears and a black bushy tail. The Brushtail possum usually presents the majority of problems due to its tendency to enter and sleep in buildings, urinate and defecate in the ceiling void

Brushtail possums are one of the rare native mammals that continue to share space with people in urban areas.

Brushtail possums are native, nocturnal marsupials and like all native wildlife, the brushtail possum is protected in Queensland. To capture and release a possum, a permit is required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, (DERM).

How to remove a possum from your property

While I was inspecting the roof void the possum with her baby on her back fled the roof void through a broken tile. I then sealed of this area so the possum could not return inside the structure.

I then installed a Possum nesting box in the large mango tree beside the structure and placed some roughly cut bananas and pawpaw’s on top of the box to attract the possum to the new nesting site.

Two weeks later the possum and her baby are happy in their new home, (possum box), in the mango tree and the home owner is relieved there is no more noise coming from the ceiling of a night time.

Still concerned?

If you believe you have a possum problem or you wish for further advice or assistance please call your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch.

Call 1300 858 834

Fleas: What are they, how to get rid of them.

Typical flea species that are classed as pests include the following:

Cat flea, (Ctenocephalides felis), this is the most common pest flea in many regions. In addition to cats it’s known to attack dogs, rats, humans and other mammals.

Dog flea, (Ctenocephalides canis), this is very similar in appearance to the cat flea, but seems to be less commonly encountered, it also attacks a wide range of mammals.

Human flea, (Pulex irritans), this flea also attacks dogs, pigs, rats and mice.

Oriental Rat flea, (Xenopsylla cheopis), favoured host is the rat. This is the principal vector of bubonic plague and murine typhus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where do fleas live and what do they eat?

The life cycle of the flea is similar to that of a moth – egg, larva, (caterpillar), pupa, (cocoon) and adult. A newly hatched adult flea is unfed, small, black and aggressive – some people mistakenly refer to these as ground or sand fleas.  After they have had a blood meal, fleas lighten in colour and become larger. For every flea on your pet there may be hundreds waiting to hatch, Fleas lay eggs on the pet when the host is resting. The white eggs fall off the pet onto the carpet, soil etc.  Small blind larvae emerge from the eggs. These larvae move away from the light, burrowing down into the carpet, cracks in floorboards or into the soil.  They feed on protein, such as flea droppings of partly digested blood.  They moult (3) three times before forming a pupa.  The larva changes into the adult in the pupa. The pupa is sticky, so it binds its surrounds to itself, becoming invisible.

When Are Flea’s Most Active?

In summer, a flea may be ready to hatch from the pupa about 7-14 days after it is formed, however they can remain dormant for up to 18 months. Hatching of the flea from the pupa is triggered by nearby movement/ vibration, predominantly during warm, moist weather conditions.

After feeding on the host, the engorged female is capable of laying up to five hundred eggs over a lifetime which spans weeks or even months.

How to get rid of them

Preparation before Treatment

Once an infestation of fleas is discovered, it is important that certain measures are taken before chemical application is carried out.

A thorough cleaning of the house is an important preparatory measure and should not be taken lightly.  Remove all pets bedding from inside the home and wash it in hot water or destroy it.  Vacuum all carpets, especially where pets sleep or rest, under furniture, in built-in cupboards, cracks and crevices along walls and also under or between the cushions of the lounge chairs.

After vacuuming, empty the contents into an airtight plastic bag and before sealing destroy the adult fleas by misting into the bag with an aerosol (not surface spray) or by burning. All floors, including built-in cupboards, should be cleared of boxes and other items such as toys, shoes etc, so that our Amalgamated Pest Control technician will have ready access to the entire floor surface.

All affected pets, e.g. cats and dogs, should be treated by a vet or the owner. It is important that the owners realise that unless the animals are clear of fleas the problem will remain.

During Treatment

On arrival at the home the Amalgamated Pest Control technician will check that the necessary preparations have been carried out, and advise the customer of any other assistance we may need such as:-

• Close all windows and doors
• Ensure that fish tanks, highly polished furniture and plastic stereo covers are covered and bird cages removed.

The treatment (inside) will be applied to all floor surfaces such as carpets, rugs, vinyl tiles etc, and under cushions of lounge chairs where possible.

The insecticide used will be of low toxicity to humans and domestic animals and like insecticide, it requires people and domestic animals to be away from the area being treated until it has completely dried.  The outside of the house will be treated depending on the severity of the infestation; some of the yard will also be treated.  Wen will pay particular attention to areas where animals roam and rest, e.g. on lawns, along fence lines, under clothes lien, under shrubs etc.

After Treatment

After the treatment is completed the Amalgamated Pest Control technician will check that the treatment inside the home has completely dried.

Once dried customer can then enter the premises and resume all their normal activities.  At this stage, all of the adult fleas will have died.  However, over the next fourteen days, the customer will see  the odd fleas, mainly during the early mornings as they hatch out of their cocoons. These fleas, as they move about the carpet, will come in contact with the insecticide and die within a couple of hours.

Is pest control safe?

The insecticide has low toxicity to humans and pets, as previously mentioned, and has a short residual life to enable it to control the emerging fleas.  It is important that the carpets are not cleaned or vacuumed for approximately one week after treatment.  Fleas may be found in the home during the warranty period if the pets are not regularly treated and are allowed to roam in infested areas. This is the responsibility of the customer and they must ensure that their pets are free of fleas at all times.

Still concerned?

If you would like further advice or assistance with Fleas please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch.

Call 1300 858 834

Cockroaches: What are they, how to get rid of them.

Cockroaches are one of the world’s most revolting creatures. Hygiene conscious people are repulsed by their habits of regurgitation and defecating on foodstuffs, dishes and cutlery.  No matter what type of Cockroach you have in your area, disease and sickness is a byproduct of their presence in our environment.

Of the almost 400 known species of Cockroaches only about six species have become a serious pest of homes and industry in Australia. Being nocturnal creatures, Cockroaches become more active after dusk or when human activity has ceased for the night.

Cockroach Characteristics

German cockroach, Blattella Germanica

• Adults average 13 to 16 mm in length
• Nymphs average 1.5 to 13 mm long
• Tan to light brown in colour, two longitudinal stripes on the pronotum
• Females are larger than males and may have an egg case protruding from the end of their abdomen
• Egg cases contain 30 to 40 young; each egg develops into an adult within 50 days.

 

 

American Cockroach (Periplaneta Americana)

• Adults average 32 to 54 mm in length
• One of the largest species to infest structures
• Found in northern and southern climates
• Males wings extend beyond the abdomen; female wings do not
• Prefer dark,  moist areas near food sources and may enter structures through sewer pipes and floor drains
• Seek harbor in voids, including masonry, block voids, and of course the roof void (the space above the ceiling)
• Males can fly and are attracted to artificial light.

 

 

 

Australian Cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae)

• Adults can grow up to 32 mm long
• Closely resembles the American cockroach in size and colour
• Has pale yellow stripes at the base of the wing pads and the margin of the protonum
• Not commonly found indoors but will be found internal when temperatures are high

 

 

 

Oriental Cockroach (Blatta orientalis)

• Adults grow up to 25 mm in length
• Distinctively shiny and black
• Males wings take up 2/3  the length of the abdomen; female wings take up ¼ the length of the abdomen
• Does not fly and has difficulty climbing smooth surfaces
• Susceptible to dehydration, seeks moist areas in which to hide
• Usually found in basements, crawl spaces and the lower floors
• In southern climates may be found outdoors in leaf litter, beneath logs, and mulch

 

 

 

Smokybrown Cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa)

• Adults range from 32 to 38 mm in length
• Easily recognized by its uniform mahogany brown colour
• Found outdoors in the north
• Hides in mulch, leaf litter, ground cover, woodpiles and tree bark for protection against desiccation
• Often found dead indoors likely due to dehydration
• Typically enters a structure through the roof void and open spaces
•  Both males and females can fly

 

 

 

BrownBanded Cockroach (Supella longipalp)

• Adults average 16 mm in length
• Similar in size and appearance to the German Cockroach
• Rather than longitudinal stripes found on the pronotum,  they have two broad bands on their wings
• Prefer warmer areas but may be found in any area within a structure
• Not generally found in kitchen and bath area, as can be expected with German Cockroaches
• May be found in furniture, wall hangings, picture frames, light fixtures and ceilings

 

 

Still concerned?

If you wish for further information or advice regarding Cockroaches, please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch.

Call 1300 858 834

Lawn Grubs: What are they, how to get rid of them.

Lawn grubs are a seasonal problem in the south east of Queensland from around November to May. This year after the heavy rainfall experienced, Morton bay residents are reporting that their lawns which were lush and green are now being devastated by lawn grubs.

What do Lawn Grubs eat?

Lawn grubs feed on the roots of grass in your lawn. As the lawn grub population increases the lawn will start to die off in patches. The infection will increase until the lawn dies or the lawn grub is treated successfully.

 

 

What damage can Lawn Grubs cause?

Lawn grubs can have a devastating impact on your lawn in a short period of time. Signs of lawn grub include:

• Large masses of birds on your lawn
• Chewed leaves
• Patches of dead grass with no thatch layer
• Evidence of grub or beetle in thatch layer
• Moths on the lawn area at dawn and dusk
• Moth eggs under the eve of your home
• Sightings of a small orange wasp dancing above the lawn, this usual indicate lawn grubs are present, as the wasp is looking for a host to lay its egg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treating Lawn Grubs

If you believe you have lawn grubs you will need to have your lawn treated, with a follow up treatment in seven to 10 days to help break the life cycle.

Still concerned?

If you would like more advice about lawn grubs or any lawn pests, please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control Branch for more information.

Call 1300 858 834

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.

Call 1300 858 834

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.

What is the difference between Ants and Termites?

Many customers frequently ask this question.

Ants and termites are both found in timber. Ants will only infest timber which is already damaged and decayed, they do not initiate damage. Termites cause serious damage to sound timber. These two groups of insects can be easily distinguished from one another.

Differences between Ants and Termites

Here’s how to distinguish between an Ant or Termite:

Antennae

• Ants: Elbowed.
• Termites: Simple string of bead-like segments.

Eyes

• Ants: Compound eyes present.
• Termites: No eyes.

Waist (called a pedicel, found between thorax and abdomen)

• Ants: Present.
• Termites: Absent.

Abdomen

• Ants: Pointed at end.
• Termites: Blunt at end.

Castes

Both ants and termites can be divided up into several ‘castes’, which depend upon their roles in the colony.

Workers

• Ants: Sexually undeveloped females.
• Termites: Sexually undeveloped males and females.

Soldiers

• Ants: Are workers and may have dual role.
• Termites: Sexually undeveloped males and females. There are two possible body forms: mandibulate (jawed) and nasute (long-nosed), depending on species.

Reproductives (winged)

• Both ants and termites can have a winged stage in their reproductive cycle.
• Ants: Fore/hind wings unequal, strongly veined
• Termites: Fore/hind wings equal, no obvious veins

Life cycle

• Ants: Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult
• Termites: Incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, adult (no pupal stage)

Diet

• Ants: ants are scavengers, with different species foraging for different foods. Some ants live within damp/decaying wood, but do not actually eat the wood.
• Termites: termites are plant tissue specialists, feeding on wood and grasses, and some species can cause extensive damage to buildings and trees through their feeding and nesting habits.

Scientific classification

• Ants: Order Hymenoptera, Family Formicidae
• Termites: Order Blattodea, several families  ( note , order was previously Isoptera)

Still concerned?

If you believe you have an Ant or Termite problem or you require further information, please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch.

Call 1300 858 834

Redbacks – The hidden dangers to you and your family

This story is about a redback spider treatment conducted in Narangba on the 18 February 2012.

Amalgamated Pest Control attended a domestic residential property to undertake a red back spider treatment.

The redback spiders were located in the following areas of the yard:

• Under the seat of a children’s outdoor swing set
• Under the rim of a children’s outdoor slippery slide
• In the children’s external toy box
• Under the chairs and table of an outdoor setting
• Around the BBQ wheels and gas bottle
• In the weep holes of the external brick wall
• Around the brick letter box
• Around the rim and base of the wheelie bin
• At the base and bottom rail of the timber fence
• Around stored goods in the garden shed

A comprehensive inspection and treatment was undertaken due to the high numbers of redback spiders located at the site.

Although many homeowners struggle with ‘do it yourself’ spider control remedies, the results are often less than satisfactory. Small problems can develop into large ones and this is when many people seek out the services of a pest control professional.

How Can I Get Rid Of Redbacks?

Amalgamated Pest Control specialises in the provision of quality pest management programs for the domestic & commercial sector.  Our technicians are fully qualified and experienced and utilise the latest products and methods in pest control. Amalgamated Pest Control takes pride in its ability to provide premium pest management at a competitive price while maintaining high standards in customer service.

Redback Spider Characteristics

Mature female redbacks are jet black spiders with a variable red stripe on the back of their spherical abdomen. Immature females are smaller, usually brown with whitish markings.

Their tough, untidy webs are usually near the ground with the spider hiding in a shelter tucked in a corner, often guarding her round woolly egg sacs.

Male redback spiders are rarely seen. They are small and brown with red and white markings.

Redback spiders are found throughout Australia, in drier habitats and built-up areas. They are common in dry places around buildings, outdoor furniture, machinery and stacked materials.

In the bush, redback spiders nest under logs and rocks.

Structure, Appearance and characteristics

• Webbing spider
• Body size (approx) Female 12-15 mm , Large females may span the size of a 50 cent coin
• Body size (approx) Male 3-4 mm, males are smaller and are not commonly seen
• Long thin legs (especially the first pair), tapering at ends
• Black in colour with red or orange stripes
• Large bulbous abdomen
• Non aggressive

Redback spider bites usually occur when part of the body comes in direct contact with the spider or its web.

Redback spiders feed mainly on ground-living insects that blunder into their webs.

A female redback spider can produce eggs for up to two years after a single mating. Eggs are enclosed in 3-5 dirty-white, woolly, spherical egg sacs suspended in the retreat of the web and guarded by the female.

Spiderlings emerge after about 14 days and disperse on the wind as soon as conditions are right. This is how redback spiders turn up in new places or quickly recolonise areas from which they have previously been removed.

What Are The Risks To People?

Redback spiders are not aggressive, and rarely leave the web. However caution is advised as their bite is very poisonous and potentially fatal for children or the elderly.

Still Concerned?

If you have a redback spider problem or you require further advice on spiders, please contact your local Amalgamated Pest Control branch for assistance.

Call 1300 858 834