Michael Xu, Author at Termigon Pest Control PERTH

Flying White Ants

August 27, 2016 by Michael Xu

During the Spring/Autumn time, it is very common to see flying termites (Alates) which are often mistaken for flying ants.

Alates are the winged reproductives of a termite colony whose sole purpose is to locate an ideal position to start, and become the future King/Queen of, a new colony.

What is the difference between them?

Termites are beige/tan in colour, have thicker, more straight bodies and also have straight antennae.

Ants are usually dark in colour, have a thinner bodies and have elbowed antennae.

Can flying termites/alates do any damage?

No.

Alates are usually produced by termite colonies who are able to dedicate some of the best food and fat stores designed to last a few months until the future King/Queen’s first batch of eggs hatch into workers who will then scout for food.

This means that if alates are around, it is likely that an active and thriving termite colony is nearby which can (and probably already is) doing damage.

Is it okay to kill the alates?

Normally it is advised not to disturb active termites once they are located as it causes them to disperse and makes it harder to target and eliminate them.

Alates on the other hand are can be exterminated, this can be done so with fly zappers (alates can see, unlike worker termites), with a swatter or with insecticides.

Keep in mind though that killing them only eliminates the immediate nuisance that they may cause and will do very little in limiting the sheer number of alates locally or their likelihood of establishing a new colony nearby.

Should I take any further action?

Yes, for two reasons.

The first being that if there is alates flying around, chances are an active and thriving termite colony is close by, so it may be worthwhile having a professional termite inspection to check that these silent invaders aren’t currently chewing away at your home’s structure.

Secondly, the fact that alates are taking flight means that they are looking for somewhere to settle where there’s food and your home could be on the menu. Think about investing in either a baiting system or a chemical barrier, we recommend Exterra and Termidor respectively.

Do Poisoned Rats Go to Water?

August 27, 2016 by Michael Xu

There is a common misconception in the pest control industry that rats go to a water source when poisoned and therefore will always die outside of your roof void.

This is an old wives’ tales that we’re happy to debunk.

Rats can certainly die in your roof, and you’ll smell it when it happens too! Luckily it’s not common that they do die in the roof void but it has nothing to do with seeking a water source when sick.

Rat poisons are an anticoagulant which inhibits the coagulation (also known as clotting) of the blood.

Blood clots are vital in repairing damaged vessels as it stops the vessel from losing blood when damaged, this is true in humans as well as rats. Damaged vessels occur from regular movements where rats are squeezing themselves through tight spaces (particularly in your roof void) and experience internal bruising, which they are normally able to recover from quite easily due to the natural coagulation process.

Without the ability to produce blood clots, a rodent will die due to an internal haemorrhage.

This method of poisoning does not dehydrate the rodent, causing it to seek a water source. In fact, the rodent doesn’t have any indication that it is unwell.

So Why Do Rodents Normally Die Outside the Roof?

Whilst there are cases of rodents building a nest within roof voids it is more common for the nest to be external from your home. Rodents will typically come into the roof void for warmth during the Winter months and not to relocate or set up camp.

Because rodent will regularly return to their external and well-hidden nests, they will typically die outside of your home after the 3 to 4 day delay from initially consuming the minimum lethal dosage from either a single or multiple feeds from the bait.

What Happens If There Is a Dead Rodent in My Roof?

It’s going to smell and badly too.

If you think you have a dead rodent in your roof void, call a local pest controller out to remove it cleanly and safely.

Without being too graphic, by the time a rodent is obviously dead and rotting away to the average homeowner it will not be a simple brush and pan style clean up job – and rodents carry disease too, so knowing how to handle the clean-up is essential to not getting sick.

How Do I Prevent These Situations?

The best way to stop poisoned rodents dying inside your roof void is to prevent them from entering in the first place which means finding any cracks, openings and holes around your home and sealing them up so it is physically impossible for rodents to squeeze through.

However, finding all of these entry points to your home let alone sealing them up can be a timely and costly process that may not be financially viable if you only play host to rodents once every year or so.

Pest control companies such as Maxwell Robinson and Phelps will offer a heavily discounted rodent removal service when booked two weeks after placing baiting stations in the event that the poisoned rodents in your roof do end up dying there.

Crickets

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Crickets
The Crickets found in Perth are the Indian house Cricket. Crickets can annoy homeowners by seeking indoor shelter and “chirping” all night. They prefer high raked ceilings, roof voids and internal face brick inside homes. Outside, Crickets like to congregate behind hot water systems, between fence sheeting, under pot plants and metal plates and in brick piles. Because Crickets can inhabit similar areas to American Cockroaches, they can transmit disease. Crickets are covered under both Pest Packages where the roof void is treated with Coopex powder.

Caterpillars

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Caterpillars
The Caterpillars of the White Cedar Moth have become a serious pest of Cape Lilac trees in Perth over the last few years. Their voracious appetite can leave the largest trees completely stripped of leaves. The adult Moth is grey-brown with black hairs covering its body is mostly active at night. It lays greyish coloured eggs in neat clusters, usually on the tree or in woodpiles. They can also lay their eggs under shade cloth and behind curtains. Eggs hatch as black-brown hairy caterpillars with a faint yellow stripe. They quickly grow, feeding at night time only on Cape Lilac trees only. They are sensitive to sunlight when small, and when larger,

Earwigs

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Earwigs
Earwigs are found around the home under outside mats, logs, leaf litter and under pot plants. They favour damp confined spaces such as cavity walls and although nocturnal, are attracted to lights. Their food consists of a wide range of living and dead plant and animal matter. The forceps at the rear are not poisonous and are used for the capture of prey and for defence.

Bed Bugs

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

BED BUG INFESTATIONS
Bed bugs are blood sucking insects that hide in cracks and crevices close to their host which is commonly humans along with household pets. The female in her lifetime may lay 2 to 500 eggs which usually hatch within 7 to 30 days depending on climatic conditions. Bed bugs can be transported all over the world via travellers luggage, clothes etc. Allergies are rare to bed bug bites but sometimes people will experience irritation and swelling at the site of the bite.

Bed Bug Control Methods
Good hygiene practices are essential to controlling and preventing bed bug infestations along with sealing cracks and crevices to affected areas where possible. The most common control of bed bug outbreaks is the application of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides to all surface and bed bug harbourage areas. In some situations such as traveller accommodation an ongoing program may be required.

Spiders

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Red back (Black Widow) Spiders …highly venomous – can be deadly

Venom toxicity – the Black Widow Spider can inflict a painful bite which can be fatal, especially to the young and elderly. An effective anti-venom was developed in 1956.
Only a small amount of venom can cause serious illness, as the poison attacks the nervous system. Systemic envenomisation usually results in headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pyrexia and hypertension. The pain around the bite area can be excruciating or it may go unnoticed. First aid and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible, if bitten. If you have heart condition or other heart problem, you may need hospitalization.

Spider Identification:
– the body of an adult black widow is about 1/2 inch long. The female black widow is normally shiny black, with a red hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen. The marking may range in color from yellowish orange to red and its shape may range from an hourglass to a dot.

Habitat:
– prefers woodpiles, rubble piles, under stones, in hollow stumps, sheds and garages. Indoors it can be found in undisturbed, cluttered areas in basements and crawl spaces.

Control Methods:
Our spider treatments are carried out in 3 stages.
Stage 1:
An ultra low volume misting of all external areas such as eaves, gutter lines, pergolas, outdoor furniture and fence lines.
Stage 2:
Misting of internal areas such as cornices and skirtings.
Stage 3:
Dusting of ceiling voids.
All of the products we use are synthetic pyrethroids and have been through extensive testing and approved by the appropriate authorities. All material safety data sheets are carried by our technicians and can be supplied upon request.

Fleas

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Fleas are a parasite which feed on the blood of warm blooded animals, including humans.
They pierce the skin, inject an anti-coagulant chemical into the host to prevent blood clotting and suck out the blood some passing straight through their rectum in order to lay their eggs. A flea bite can cause acute irritation, infection and transfer of other parasites, such as, tapeworms. Fleas often enter a building on dogs and cats, and are commonly deposited in carpeted areas, in the garden, yard and under the building. Flea eggs can take several weeks to more than 12 months to hatch – generally during hot humid weather causing an instant infestation of plague proportions.

Pest Control for Fleas

It is essential for carpets to be thoroughly vacuumed especially in low traffic areas, under furniture, etc, before habitat areas are treated with a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide containing an insect growth regulator which inhibits development during the egg and larvae stage of their life cycle.

To help prevent re-infestation the home owner should regularly vacuum carpets and wash your pet (dogs and cats) with shampoo containing a flea control product. Restrict access of your dog and/or cat, to internal and sub-floor areas particularly during the summer months. What will it cost for professional pest control? For flea control in residential premises, the price varies depending on the size home, garden area and ease of access to various areas of the house, using the safer (more expensive) effective flea control products. Due to the likelihood of a re infestation from insects carried in on your pets, a recurring service program may be advisable and more cost effective in the long run. CONSUMER NOTE: cheaper prices for flea control abound in the market-place – usually from companies using the cheaper solvent based pesticides in and around the home – which are definitely NOT recommended, especially if residents have asthma or bronchial ailments. Service warranties vary depending upon the risk of re-infestation.

Millipedes

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

GENERAL INFORMATION

Millipedes thrive and breed under mulch, tree litter, bark gardens and the like, and tend to spend the hotter months in these places.
They breed in very large numbers and often the larger sized millipedes are the females.
They seem to appear only at the change of seasons and last about 6 weeks.
They appear to be above ground creatures, but are known to occupy the first 10 cm of a soft soil surface.
They are attracted to light and white surfaces.
They tend to come inside or be most prevalent at night, especially just after rain.
They tend to eat rotting vegetation.
They give off a strong smelling chemical when interfered with, and if eaten would cause vomiting, as the chemical they exude, like many other insects, contains a stomach irritant.
They tend to avoid damp humid conditions.
Millipedes originate from Portugal.

CONTROL OF MILLIPEDES:

The reduction of organic matter around the home such as mulch and leaves will assist in reducing the number of millipedes found. The application of residual wettable powder insecticide such as Bendiocarb and Carbral where adults and larvae are found, such as garden beds and around external perimeters of homes has proved to be the most affective treatment.

Wasps & Bees

May 31, 2014 by Michael Xu

Wasp:

The Yellow Jacket Wasp can be deadly …
The Yellow Jacket Wasp can attack as a group and may sting many times which is very painful and highly inflammatory particularly if stung around the throat or other glandular parts of the body.
Deaths are known to occur when a European Wasp stings a person after the wasp has been swallowed. The European Wasp may enter a soft drink or beer can (they like sugar) and if swallowed, it will bite and inject it’s venom inside the persons throat which will causing massive swelling of the glands and possible asphyxiation (suffocation). Paper Wasps can be very aggressive in hot weather and may cause severe pain from their sting. They are about 20 mm in length, and should be approached with caution. European Wasp nests are usually found in the ground, rockeries, tree stumps, wall cavities and roof voids. The paper wasp has brown and orange stripes and is usually found in a small papery nest usually hanging from a horizontal surface, such as, on walls under ceilings, window sills, awnings, shrubs and similar locations.
Most wasps have carnivorous larvae that feed on other insects and spiders. The adults provide food for them by capturing prey or by laying the egg on or near the food source, which might be an egg, larva or pupa of another insect. Wasp and hornet control is essential when they have large populations near your living areas. Why are they a pest? If you invade their space they will attack you and sting repeatedly, unlike bees which can only sting once. For controlling infestations, please do not try to control them yourself. Be sure to read all of it before you call a pest control company. Call in an expert with the right protection and equipment for the safest treatment of wasps.

Bees:

Bees are a common problem during summer, often when the commercial honey bee seeks to establish a new hive inside a wall cavity of a residential or commercial premises.
A swarm of bees can be extremely aggressive and are known to attack a person in such large numbers as to cause death. Also they are known to carry a highly toxic venom which is injected directly into the victim’s bloodstream, thereby inflicting a hideous swelling of the skin, particularly of children and people with a fair complexion. In some cases, death may arise to people who are allergic to the bee venom or who are bitten by the swarm of bees in large numbers.