Treatment varies according to the particular species but generally Cockroaches are controlled by a range of methods including application of liquid residual sprays, to skirtings, a dusting of the roof cavity, and application of gel baits to cracks (see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

Silverfish

  Silverfish

There are up to 28 species of Silverfish in Australia and 370 in the world. In their natural habitat they live under bark, in soil, amongst leaf litter and debris on the ground. They have silvery-grey flattened bodies and most species are covered in loose scales. Their loose scales detach easily and probably serve as a means of escaping from predators. Silverfish are fast running. They hide during the day and reappear at night to feed.

In Australia there are about five species that have successfully claimed themselves the title of pests. They exploit built environments by feeding on and often damaging books, paper and clothing. In particular they damage the starchy glues and sizings on these items. No disease transmission is known.

Silverfish are extremely difficult to control, particularly if thay have become well established. In more recent years bulk storage of building materials prior to construction, particularly plasterboard, which has a paper covering glued to the plaster core, provides a ready home for silverfish. They are built into the structure and multiply and become a nuisance.

Treatment of Silverfish

Silverfish treatments involve a liquid spray to carcks (esp in tiles) the skirting, Dusting of the roof cavity, and in most cases  use of a "smoke bomb" this reaches areas such as behind furniture ,curtins and in cupboards.(see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

Ants

 In Australia there are over 3000 species of ants. Ants are social insects that live in permanent nests and are considered as one of the most successful of insects. Their colony sizes vary and they mostly reside in soil, wood or among rocks. But they are more commonly found around foundations and in walls, kitchens, roof voids, lawns and gardens, wood of decaying trees and rockeries.They have clearly defined body parts being the head, thorax and abdomen. The head carries compound eyes.  Ants are becoming a major problem. They can cause damage to furnishings, curtains and carpets from the debris from their workings and nests causing staining. They can also spoil foodstuffs by entering packaging or feeding off uncovered foods. Externally they can cause problems by undermining concreted paved and grass areas causing sections to collapse and some species cause distress from their bites.

Ant Treatments

Liquid sprays, dusts, granular baits  are all used for ants depending on area of activity.             (see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

 Rats and Mice

 Norway Rat    Roof Rat   House Mouse

 Rodents that appear to be pests to humans and are of great concern to our lifestyles are one of three species. The three major species are the Norway Rat, Roof Rat and House Mouse.

With changes in climatic conditions, rodents, which are well adapted to living closely to humans, move indoors to search for food and shelter. Colder weather is the most likely time when rodents move indoors. They also make their nests in roof voids where possums have established their homes.

Because they are nocturnal they are rarely seen but evidence of their presence is from droppings, urine stains and oily marking from their pelts, when they squeeze through tight spaces. Of course other evidence is from damage that they have caused to food stuffs, damage where they have gnawed through or into walls or timbers.

Rats are responsible for the transmission of diseases including 'The Bubonic Plague' which killed 25 million people.

Rat and Mice Treatments

After the Identification of the species, the most common form of treatment involves baiting, also rodent proofing is important.(see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

 Fleas

 Cat Flea

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: the larger adult fleas have had a blood meal and may be laying eggs on your pet. For every flea on your pet there may be hundreds waiting to emerge.

In summer, a flea may be ready to hatch from the pupa about 7-14 days after it is formed. This hatching is triggered by movement. In a vacant house, a flea can remain dormant in its pupa for more than 18 months. Fleas will continue to hatch from their pupae after the pest control treatment, unfortunately insecticides cannot penetrate the flea pupal case. The adult flea will die after a few hours contact with the residual treatment - both on your pet and in the environment.

Householders sometimes believe flea treatments are ineffective because the pupae are quite resistant to chemical treatment and fleas continue to emerge from pupal cases even after being treated. Ten fleas can potentially reproduce to 250,000 in only 30 days.

Latest research shows that adult fleas do not leave the pet to lay eggs. The white eggs are laid on the pet and fall onto the ground, carpet etc. The eggs hatch and small, blind larvae emerge. These larvae move away from the light, burrowing down into the carpet, cracks in the floor or soil. Here they feed on protein, such as flea droppings of partly digested blood, and moult three times before pupating. The larva changes into the adult in the pupa.

When this metamorphosis is complete, the flea is ready to emerge. Fleas can remain dormant in the pupal stage for over 18 months. Hatching of the flea from the pupa is triggered by movement nearby predominantly during warm, moist weather conditions. The newly hatched unfed flea is small and black (it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a ground flea). After feeding on its host for two days, now bigger and lighter in colour, it is ready to mate and lay eggs. The female flea is capable of laying up to 500 eggs over a lifetime which may span several weeks.

 Flea Treatments

The solution for successful flea control is the treatment of the pet and the environment.

Floors and any furnishings in close contact or used by the pet should be vacuumed before being treated. This is to stimulate the pupae to emerge as adult fleas. After vacuuming the areas, the vacuum cleaner bag must be disposed of immediately to reduce spreading.To reduce any risk of flea reinfestation, the pets bedding needs to be washed and the pet treated with appropriate flea treatments.

A liquid spray is applied to floors, soil areas, or lawns (depending on areas of activity)                           (see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

 Spiders

Spiders are considerably different to insects as they consist of 8 legs instead of 6 and they have two body segments instead of 3, as the head and thorax are combined into one which contains the eyes, mouthparts and legs.

The most common species are

 The White Tailed Spider

The White Tailed Spider is a dark grey, cylindrical spider.  The legs have a dull reddish tinge, which are banded in a dark grey/brown colour.  They have a distinctive white tip on their abdomen.  The females
are up to 18mm long and the males 12mm.

White Tailed Spiders are vagrant hunters that live beneath bark, rocks and in leaf litter and logs, in bushland and gardens and they are often seen in houses.  They are rumoured to be attracted to linen, sometimes brought in when bringing in the washing.

They are most active at night when they wander about hunting for other spiders, their preferred food.

During summer and autumn White Tailed Spiders are often seen in and around houses where they find both sheltered nooks and crannies and plenty of their favoured black house spiders and daddy long legs.

If bitten try to catch the spider for later identification.  If pain or inflammatory symptoms develop, seek medical attention.  Apply a cold pack if pain persists

  Redbacks

As one of a number of spiders that prefer inhabited areas, and it often builds its web in places like sheds or outhouses, bins, drains, beneath kids toys and outdoor furniture.  Their webs are easily spotted, they are very messy and sticky and collect leaves and other rubbish blown into them by the wind.

Their webs are usually below waist height and when cleaned should first be treated otherwise a venomous bite may be incurred .However, be aware of Redback spiders inhabiting roof voids, as they sometimes get transferred up there with roof trusses or air conditioning ducts.

Bites are always from females as the male is much smaller and has jaws that are unable to penetrate the skin.  The venom is highly toxic to humans but effective anti-venom is widely available.

Redback spiders are shiny black in colour and have a distinctive red mark on its abdomen.  The female length is 10-14mm and the male 2-3mm.

 Huntsman

These are large fierce looking spiders, sometimes being 100-120mm wide, including body and legs.  They are brown in colour and live under bark of trees and in roof voids of houses. They can invade homes much to the horror of spider haters because of their size and hairy appearance. Bites occur rarely and no known cases of fatalities exist. Some species are known to inflict a painful bite that may result in local discolouration and swelling, dizziness, vomiting, lethargy, irregular pulse, persistent nausea, sweating and a welt at the bite site. In young children the effects can be more exaggerated. The possibility of bacterial infection should be considered when treating any bite. Insufficient information exists on the toxicity of these spiders to state whether they are entirely harmless. They should be considered as useful because it feeds on other insects.

   Black House Spider

Commonly found in the corners of windows, doors eaves, under guttering and on brick walls. Webs can be unsightly on structures. Can bite – however they are rare and usually occur when people attempt to move the webs without taking adequate precautions. The bite can cause severe pain, numbness, headache, giddiness, nausea, vomiting, sweating and muscular pain.

  Brown House Spider

Distinctly mottled cream-brown.

Legs are reddish brown and may span up to 25mm.

Has same overall body shape as the Redback.

Spider but does not inflict a dangerous bite.

Web may include a curled leaf as a retreat for the spider.

In webs without a retreat, the spider sits among the tangle and when disturbed, drops and lies curled up and still until the apparent danger has passed. Builds untidy, tangled webs against walls, under eaves, around garage doors and among leaves on trees and shrubs. Webs can be unsightly on structures. Can bite – but not considered dangerous. Recorded symptoms of bite include mild nausea, headache and the formation of an itchy red welt at the bite site.

 Non-Toxic Spiders

  Daddy Long Legs                St Anndrews Cross

  Golden Orb Weaver             Garden Orb Weaver    

 Most spiders are nocturnal and only appear during the day if they have been disturbed in some way. Different species share different characteristics, habitat and prey techniques. Those which depend solely on webbing to snare their prey seldom move very far and mostly hide in a crevice, curled leaves or camouflaged as twigs. Hunting spiders are a lot less dependent on webs and mostly travel for food. Males seek out the females at mating time and drop their sperm on the ground, bark or in webs specially made for this purpose. The male picks up his sperm with his long palps alongside his jaws (specifically used for this purpose) and places it into the female spiders genitalia. After mating the male is usually caught and consumed by the female.

The venom is not necessarily poisoness to warm - blooded mammals but some are able to cause death by injecting an extremely toxic substance into the bloodstream of warm blooded animals. Most spider bites result in no more than localised swelling or irritation.

Spider Treatments

Most spiders form nests on the exterior of structures by spinning webs. Treatment of external surfaces of buildings to cracks and small openings, rough surfaces by application of a liquid spray to harbourage areas will provide a respite for 3 months or so. In areas where there are numerous trees. Two treatments should be considered during the summer months.                                                                     (see common control agents at the bottom of the page).

Control Agents

Cislin  ---For the control of spiders, cockroaches, fleas, bed-bugs, bird mites, silverfish, ants, spiders, carpet beetles, clothes moths and more. Synthetic pyrethroid with flushing action and knockdown ability. Residual indoors and outdoors. Cislin has low odour and will not stain surfaces..( Active Ingredient: 10 g/l deltamethrin).
 

Crackdown---For the control of spiders, cockroaches, fleas, bed-bugs, bird mites, silverfish, ants, spiders, carpet beetles, clothes moths and more. Synthetic pyrethroid with flushing action and knockdown ability. Residual indoors and outdoors. Has low odour and will not stain surfaces. .( Active Ingredient:  10 g/L deltamethrin 80 g/L piperonyl butoxide )

Coopex Dust--- For the control of cockroaches, ants, fleas, silverfish and bed bugs in and around domestic and industrial premises.( Active Ingredient: 10 g/kg PERMETHRIN )

Maxforce Gel---Maxforce's exclusive Domino Effect delayed killing action enables one
contaminated roach to kill many others where they live and breed.
A foraging roach is guaranteed to receive a lethal dose from a single feeding,
but lives long enough to return to the harborage where its poisoned feces are consumed by other roaches.( Active Ingredient: Hydramethylnon)

Imperator Smoke---  Fast and effective knockdown on a wide range of problem pests
Contact and vapour action on pests to control both flying and crawling insects
Smoke penetrates inaccessible places where pests hide
Ideal for use in sensitive areas e.g. food preparation areas, libraries and computer rooms.             ( Active Ingredient: 135 g/kg Permethrin).
 

 Amdro Ant Granules--- A slow-acting ant bait for the control of Singapore ants, coastal brown ants and fire ants. Granules are collected by foraging ants and returned to the nest, killing the queen and the entire colony..( Active Ingredient: Hydramethylnon)

 Tallon-----Single feed second generation anticoagulant rodenticide. Control of mice and rats in and around industrial, commercial, public services, agricultural and domestic buildings. For control of rodents in damp and dry situations. Controls species resistant to warfarin. Contains Bitrex human taste deterrent..( Active Ingredient: 5g/kg brodifacoum)