A Brief Overview of Australian Cockroaches

Australian cockroaches may have a name that sounds exotic, but they are a common insect in the tropical regions of Australia. Scientifically classified as Periplaneta australasiae, Australian cockroaches are found in abundance along the eastern coast, all the way from the Victorian border to Cape York. The species is actually native to Africa, but the reason it can be found in other global regions is that it was distributed all over the world through international trade.

Australian cockroaches look very similar to their American cousins, except for the fact that the former ones are smaller and grow up to length of 20-35mm. They have a reddish brown coloured body marked with yellow borders close to the pronotum. Both male and female specimens have semi-transparent wings that slightly extend beyond the abdomen.

Since Australian cockroaches love warm and humid places, they generally make their nests in wood piles and decaying logs. Besides that, they also invade greenhouses, indoor gardens and conservatories. They also have a habit of entering households in search of food. They may even be introduced accidentally by humans through plants or cardboard boxes brought from outside.

Once inside a house, these cockroaches can be very stealthy and hide under refrigerators and stoves and within cupboards, electrical appliances and water pipes. Also, their congenital nocturnality makes it really difficult to catch them, because they come out only during the night looking for food. They can eat almost anything and everything, such as starch materials like paper and book bindings. But their diet primarily includes vegetables, roots and decaying plants.

Australian cockroaches can pose a serious threat to the health of human beings. This is because these insects can contaminate various surfaces by distributing bacteria picked up from decaying food materials. They are known for transmitting deadly pathogens like Salmonella and E.Coli to humans. The areas occupied by them also give off a musty odour due to the pheromones that they produce.

Most homeowners generally do not have enough idea about how to control cockroaches safely  But it is important to control them in order to prevent health issues. The best way to deal with these pests is thus to hire a professional firm dealing with cockroach pest control in Melbourne. These professionals exactly know how to control the insects using suitable measures and can prevent them from coming back to your home thus making your life a lot more stress-free.

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Natural Remedies To Keep Spiders Away From Home

Spiders are common in many houses across the nation of Australia. Though not all spiders are harmful in nature, there are many venomous species which can cause serious health issues among human beings. It is, therefore, important to take suitable precautionary steps in order to stay on the safe side.

Most people generally buy different types of pesticides commercially available in the market for keeping spiders away from their home. But most of these pesticides contain poisonous toxic elements which can degrade indoor air quality and trigger health problems among the inhabitants. Hence it is always advisable to opt for Eco-friendly remedies, even if it is to flush out eight legged pests from the house.

There are many professionals providing pest services in North Shore who make use of natural products for eliminating spiders completely without adversely affecting the occupants of the house. Stated below are some natural home remedies that can be applied in order to get rid of the nasty archnids. Have a look:

1. Peels of citrus fruits: Spiders generally dislike any kind of citrus fruit. As such, they can be effectively kept at bay by placing peels of citrus fruits such as lemon in each and every corner of the room. Rubbing the peels on areas where the pests are found frequently such as bookshelves, drawers, windowsills etc., can also help.

2. Baking soda: Sprinkling a small amount of baking soda in all corners of the house can also aid in preventing spiders from entering inside. The soda must be sprayed near window panes, door frames, and other spider-prone zones within the premises.

3. Turmeric: Another effective home remedy against spiders is turmeric. First, it is important to make a fine turmeric paste by adding about two to three tablespoons of turmeric powder in a little amount of water. The paste must then be applied on the spider-prone areas of the home. Though this method is an effective one, turmeric paste can leave behind yellowish stains that can be very difficult to remove. So always be careful before applying it.

4. Lemon juice: As has been stated already, spiders dislike all kinds of citrus fruits, Therefore, it is only natural for them to hate the smell of lemon juice as well. In order to prepare lemon juice, first a lemon has to be cut into two halves and squeezed for extracting the juice. After that, the lemon juice must be mixed with water in a spray bottle and shaken properly. The mixture can then be sprayed in the corners, door frames, cracks, window panes and other areas vulnerable to spiders.

Apply these measures and see if they work for you!

Also Read: How to Control and Get Rid of Spiders In and Around Your Home

Chasing Termites Away From The House

Termite problems are one of the major pest issues affecting thousands of homes in Australia. There are several ways by which the notorious wood-borers can be kept away from domestic premises, which include keeping stumps, wood scraps, wooden grade stakes, form boards and other cellulose based items away from the foundation, eliminating water leaks, preventing contact between the soil and so on. Some of you might even employ various kinds of home remedies to free your house from termites . But sometimes, even after taking all the necessary steps, you may still find these nasty pests infesting your property and chewing on the wooden items in your house. What are you supposed to do then? Given below are some preventionary measures that just might work. Have a look:

 Calling In A Pest Professional:

Having a pest control professional inspect your house once or twice in a year can help you in detecting termite infestations before it is too late to resolve the damage inflicted by them. In Central Coast, North Shore, Hornsby, Frenchs Forest and several other regions in Australia, there are many reputed pest management firms that perform thorough termite inspections, including visual inspection and thermal imaging. Thermal imaging involves usage of cameras that are capable of measuring heat or infrared energy given out by termites, a process which helps to find the exact location of the hidden nests. Once the hideouts have been discovered, the professionals make use of effective techniques for eliminating the wood borers.

 Treating Wood

In case a termite invasion is identified in its early stages, there is still time for saving your precious furniture items and other wooden stuffs by treating them with non-toxic protection solutions. Although this method is not effective enough when implemented as the sole measure, it can be used in conjunction with other processes for ensuring increased safety against termites.

 Using Baiting Systems

Baiting systems are generally used for eliminating termites from residential as well as commercial structures. If you plan to apply this method, make sure you get it done by pest management professionals. The bait stations must be installed either within the house near suspected place and mud tubes, or outside in the garden. If placed outside, the bait should be good enough for competing the presence of tree roots, woodpiles, structural wood, stumps, and other cellulose materials in the area.

Harmful Effects Of Fire Ants On Human Life

Fire ants can be found almost everywhere on Earth, including Australia, Asia, Southern part of United States and South America. These insects are highly invasive in nature, and can adversely affect the lives of human beings in many different ways. Alarm and irritation are the two most common ways by which their presence can impact humans. But apart from that, they can also pose numerous health risks, specially if they come in contact with young children and elderly people. Some of the harmful effects of these ants on human life have been stated below. It is better to know about these consequences before taking any step to get rid of them. Have a look:

1. Quick Invasion: Fire ants can become very aggressive if their mound is accidentally disturbed. Some of them even leave their nest in order to raid human habitats. It can be very harmful as well as dangerous if they start swarming in large numbers into a household. They can even put the lives of elderly and children at risk. In order to avoid such incidences, appointing a reputed firm dealing with pest control in Belrose is a must!

2. Painful Sting: These ants are naturally equipped with painful stings, which they use as weapons for protecting themselves from any kind of attack. The stings of these species are generally innocuous to a healthy adult but can be dangerous for aged individuals and kids. Its sting can be compared to that of a bee in pain level and severity. But a fire ant can deliver its painful sting a number of times without dying unlike the bee.

3. Cause Lesions: In some cases fire ant stings can turn into poisoned, raised lesions on a human body. These lesions are usually very painful and can even cause infections. The infections are usually red in colour and have a white tip. The infection may subside after one or two weeks, but they generally leave scars on the body for about a month or more.

4. Creates Trouble: These pests are potential troublemakers. This is because they have a tendency to take shelter inside the premises of a house rather than staying outside it. Soon after gaining access to a household, they give rise to various other problems such as invading places where food has been stored, stinging unwary inhabitants, causing panic and alarm, etc.

How To Protect Your Baby From Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes are the most dangerous species in earth that spread uncountable diseases. Right from infants to adults, nobody can get rid of its bites. The bites result in some itchy bumps that may sometimes cause allergies. It has been seen that mosquitoes bite infants more than any other insect. Thus, its you who need to be careful in order to save your child from mosquito bites. Here are some effective steps that you can take to protect your baby from mosquito bites. Have a look:

Method 1: Let your child wear protective clothing. Make sure that the baby’s legs and arms are fully covered up. Make him or her wear tight woven long sleeve pants, shirts and socks in order to reduce the risk of mosquito bites. During summers make your baby wear light and floral print cloths.

 

 

Method 2: Use mosquito net to prevent mosquito bites. Using it will minimise the risk of bites to a great extent. This is because these nets prevent the entrance of mosquitoes.

 

 

 

Method 3: Appoint a professional offering the service of pest control in North Shore. This is the best way to get rid of mosquitoes. This is because a professional and experienced pest control company uses the proper methods and techniques to eliminate these pests with their skilled labours. They exactly know what to do and how to do for getting rid of them. Thus if you appoint a pest controller, then all you will need to do is just relax and rest would be taken care of the pest control service provider.

 

Method 4: Repair and seal all the broken and cracked windows of your home. By doing so, mosquitoes would not find a way of entering into your house. Generally, mosquitoes have a tendency to enter homes during evening. So be careful enough in order to prevent their entrance. If closed windows suffocates your child, then switch on your ceiling fan. This will not only give your child a comfortable sleep, but also prevent mosquitoes to come near them.

 

 

Method 5: Keep your baby away from areas abundant in mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can breed in still water producing 250 eggs at once, and the eggs take 8-10 days to hatch. So never bring your child in such areas. Remove stored water, garbages and other dirts randomly in order to prevent their breeding. Keep your baby safe and healthy.

Integrated Pest Management- A Must Do to Sustain Peace and Solidarity at Home

Do you often observe the nooks and corners of your house infested with insects and pests? Don’t you think that these little hazards need to be encumbered to preserve the sanity and equilibrium of your house? Indeed pest problem is an issue that causes your normal sensibilities to go off the track and therefore, it definitely calls for immediate remediation. When things start getting too sticky because of the unbridled pests at home there is only one possible way that you need to resort to and that is IPM or integrated pest management.

If random speculations, market surveys and consumer reports are weighed up then IPM turns out to be a pragmatic and resourceful solution to the problem. IPM stands out as an environmentally sensitive and prominent insecticide application that does not pose any threat or health hazards for you. A little digging up about the nitty-gritty’s of integrated pest management would divulge that you, your property and your family remain unharmed even after the use of IPM methods.

Below mentioned segment is a rough sketch of some of the IPM methods which can be handy for you, your family and your entire household.

SIT programs

SIT is the abbreviated form of sterile insect technique. It is a cost effective biological control process which has been proven to be a highly successful extermination technique for pest populations. The main idea is to insert a male pest (a sterile one) in the midst of female pests. According to researchers relating to pest control in North Shore, this trick does act like some kind of a birth control measure and trims reproduction rate among pests.

Thermal imaging techniques

If you intend to lay your hands on a high tech and flawless detection system for the pests then thermal imaging will do the onus. By using thermal imaging systems you not only discover the pests but also identify the environmental conditions (dirt, cold, extreme heat, water, dust etc.) which become conducive for the growth of pests. Accordingly you can settle on the corrective measures that can put an end to the problem. The technique will come handy to control ants, bees, bats, termites, raccoons etc.

Chemicals

Using chemical can prove to be an altogether comprehensive strategy to kill the pests. In order to resort to a quick fix for the pest situation you can pin your hopes on foliar sprays, horticultural oil, bio chemical products, green pest products or environment friendly pest control measures etc.

Do you think there can be some other effective ways as well to keep the pests out of your house? Would you like to avail yourself of some special insight relating to pest services in North Shore? Touch base with R.I.P Pest Management. Bob Privett would expect you to come up with your queries and remarks.

Termite Identification, Prevention & Treatment

Termite Identification, Prevention & Treatment from R.I.P Pest Management

4-Tiered Approach to Integrated Pest Management

IPM or Integrated Pest Management is an environmentally sensitive and effective approach to pest management. It involves a combination of common-sense practices. The IPM programs make use of current, comprehensive information on life cycles of the pests as well as their interaction with environment. This information along with the available methods of pest control is used for managing the pest damage by economic means and with least probable hazard to the people, property as well as the environment.

The IPM approach may be applied to the non-agricultural as well as the agricultural settings like home, workplace and the garden. IPM takes the advantage of all the proper pest management options including but isn’t restricted to judicious use of the pesticides. However, the organic food production generally applies many same concepts as the IPM but limits use of the pesticides to those, which are produced from the natural sources as opposed to the synthetic chemicals.

IPM isn’t a single method of pest control but rather a series of the pest management assessments, decisions as well as the controls. In practicing the IPM, companies offering professional pest control services know the potential for the pest infestation usually follow a 4-tiered approach. The 4 steps include:

Setting action thresholds

Before implementing any kind of pest control action, the IPM program first sets an action threshold-a point at which the pest environment conditions or populations indicate that the pest control action should be taken. Sighting a single pest doesn’t always mean control is essential. The level at which the pests will become an economic threat is important to guide the future decisions of pest control.

Monitoring and identifying pests

Not all the weeds, insects and the other living organisms need control. Many of the organisms are innocuous. Some are also advantageous. The IPM programs basically work to monitor the pests as well as indentify them properly so that right control decisions may be made with the action thresholds. The monitoring as well as the identification removes the probability that the pesticides may be when they aren’t really required or that wrong type of pesticide may be used.

Prevention

The IPM programs basically work to manage the lawn, crop or an indoor space to prevent pests from becoming a risk. In agricultural crop, this can mean making use of the cultural methods like rotating between the various crops, choosing the pest-resistant varieties and planting the pest-free rootstock. The control processes may be quite effective as well as cost-efficient and present very little or no risk to the environment or people.

Control

After monitoring, identification as well as the action thresholds signifies that pest control is needed and preventive procedures are no longer available or effective, the IPM programs evaluate proper control method for risk and effectiveness. Effective but less risky pest control methods are selected first like trapping, mechanical control etc. If more monitoring, identifications as well as action thresholds signify that less risky controls aren’t working, then more pest control processes are to be employed. Spraying of pesticides is the last resort.

How Should Hoteliers in North Shore Control Cockroach Infestation and Create Healthier Facilities?

Cockroach control needs a multi-faceted approach in North Shore. These are creatures that are often sited near food but they can even harbor nearby. Engineering, housekeeping and food service staff should be instrumental in reporting their infestations and assuring that their access to water, food and harborage is restricted. Hoteliers should follow the principles of companies that offer Integrated Pest Management for preventing and controlling cockroaches by excluding them, storing food securely, reducing the clutter and practicing good sanitation.

Visual inspections must be done for identifying the cockroach habitat and for prioritizing the areas for the treatment. Some visual inspections must take place after dark when the cockroaches are active. The favorite locations of cockroaches include the ceilings, corners of the floors, near all the water sources, in cupboards, in closets, behind the mirrors and picture frames, near the recycling bins and trash containers, by the loading docks and in the crevices and cracks.

The sticky traps can be used in these locations for augmenting the visual inspections. Where the population of the cockroaches is low, these traps alone may resolve the issue.

Once the hoteliers know where these cockroaches are located, they should be able to remove their sources of water and food. The area must be vacuumed thoroughly for taking out the cockroaches, their eggs as well as their fecal materials. This generally kills the pests but vacuuming up a tablespoon of the cornstarch can assure that they suffocate. The area needs to be washed as well. Vacuuming as well as washing is going to lessen the bacteria and allergens related with these pests. When the cockroach infestations take place in the kitchens, the hoteliers must consider steam-cleaning equipment as well as appliances, which were exposed to insects.

The cracks that are nearby must be painted shut or caulked. Windows and doors must be weather-stripped and holes in the screens sealed for reducing the entry point. Clutter must be reduced for eliminating the hiding places.

Food storage and excellent sanitation may reduce the population of most cockroaches. However, persistence is essential. The German cockroaches in North Shore can remain alive for about two weeks with no water or food and for forty-two days with only availability of water. The brown-banded cockroaches live in substances like soap and others, which human don’t consume.

The storage of the unrefrigerated food must be upgraded. The cockroaches may be able to get into the well-sealed containers but cannot access the food stored in the jars with rubber seals or snap-top lids.

The cardboard boxes may be accessed by the roaches. Some of the shipping containers harbor them. These kinds of containers must be unpacked away from food preparation centers and food kitchens.

The staffs must be asked for storing their food in a proper way. While remodeling a kitchen area, the hoteliers must consider getting fixtures and appliances that are cockroach-proof.

Using Chemicals to Control Pests Is Not a Wise Decision

Pest control chemicals are basically a group of chemicals that are used for controlling, repelling or killing pests and preventing or controlling animal diseases. Usually, they include chemicals, which are commonly referred as insecticides, weedicides, pesticides, fungicides, biocides, rodenticides and repellents. These chemicals are widely used for commercial purposes, primarily production and in domestic situations.

Pest control chemicals are quite toxic in nature and should be approved as well as registered by National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals before they are sold. A part of approval process is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the chemical and potential impact on water safety, health, trade and the environment. Although there are a lot of pest control chemicals that have toxic properties, they become hazardous to human beings and environment only when carelessly handled or misused.

These chemicals can be very dangerous for pets and kids. Some of these chemicals are even harmful for the adults. So, it is best to avoid using chemicals when controlling pests in your properties. There are several other ways that you can implement for dealing with pests. In fact, a lot of pest services in North Shore avoid using chemicals and use other ways to deal with the pests. The methods these pest services implement include:

• Eliminating the conditions, which insects and rodents prefer, for instance, clearing away the food scraps, which may attract the ants, cockroaches and flies
• Creating a physical barrier like fly screens for preventing the entry of the pests
• Physically removing the weeds or making use of mulch for preventing the growth of weed
• Maintaining a good hygiene condition for animals and human beings
• Consulting a local integrated pest management company for advice on pest control
• Sometimes, prevention may not be fully effective and in that case use of the chemicals becomes necessary.