Depending on where in NZ you live, the insects that populate your home will differ. Whatever the pest problem, we can help you remove and deter them.
Insects in your home might not seem like the biggest concern. But, insects and other pests can cause:
- Stress and fear
- Itchy or painful bites
- Damage to the home, plumbing, and electrics
- Sleepless nights listening to insects or rodents over your head
- A lot of extra work cleaning
- Illnesses and allergic reactions such as salmonella, asthma, skin problems, and diarrhoea
NZ’s Top Pests
1. Ants
Ants live in large colonies, so if you see one or two, there’s usually an entire army of them close by. They are attracted to food and moisture, both of which are present in even the cleanest of homes. They can range from the tiny little annoying ones to the Argentine ant, an invasive and aggressive imported ant that can be difficult to eradicate. These ants are a threat to NZ’s biodiversity as they kill NZ native insects, so they must be eradicated.
To kill an ant colony, you must allow the poison to enter the colony and kill all the ants and the queen. Bait is the best method, in this instance.
2. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have been around forever, but they are on the increase in NZ as overseas travel becomes more common. Bed bugs are resilient little creatures, and difficult to eradicate. The source of the bugs, which is usually not in the soft furnishing itself, must be found and eradicated. Then, every single bug must be destroyed, which can involve disposal of furnishings, a lot of super hot clothes washing, steam cleaning, traps, desiccants, and pesticides.
3. Cockroaches
Apart from their scuttling, unsettling ability to appear from nowhere and disgusting droppings, cockroaches also can harbour bacteria such as salmonella. They can make you and your family ill. They also thrive even in the cleanest of homes. Because they are indestructible, they can be difficult to remove. Usually, a poison and bait approach is needed to get all of them, including the stragglers.
4. Fleas
Brought inside by our furry pets or children, fleas can quickly populate our homes. In just one month, a population of ten fleas can grow to 250,000. The solution is cleaning all your soft furnishings (preferably with heat), lots of vacuuming, flea treatments for your furry buddies, and washing all your clothes and bedding with hot water. You can then use flea bombs or other chemical treatments to kill the population.
As an aside, fleas can host tapeworms, and if you accidentally swallow a flea, you could get worms. Delightful.
5. Spiders
Spiders are useful creatures, helping to control the population of other insects. Unfortunately, they also crawl in a disconcerting way and suddenly appear from nowhere, making them terrifying. (By the way, that ‘eat 8 spiders while you’re asleep’ thing is a total myth).
We only have two poisonous spiders in NZ, the redback and Katipō. The Katipō is generally found along the coast and rarely venture inside. They are protected by the Wildlife Act as they are a native, so don’t hurt them. The Redback, an Aussie, are rare, generally found in Central Otago or Taranaki.
The real problem is the white tail spider. Another Aussie import, they are not poisonous, but can bite. This can be painful, resulting in swelling, itchiness, and redness. For most people, these recede quickly, but some people can react badly or develop an infection.
The Avondale spider (Aussie) and tunnel web spider (native) can both bite but are not poisonous.
If you aren’t a fan, your house can be sprayed, give us a call to discuss the options.
6. Silverfish
Harmless to humans, silverfish prefer to munch on your house, books, wallpaper, clothes, and anything else starchy. Other than being a creepy, they won’t hurt you, but they can point to a bigger problem. They hang out in moist environments, so it could be an indication you’re got some leaks or mould.
Once you’ve found the cause of moisture and dried it out, you can control the population with traps or poison.
7. Mice and Rats
The first frost of the year, and you hear scratching in the walls; rats (or mice). These rodents are not only unsanitary, but they chew cables and wires, posing a fire risk (and having to pay to get things fixed). They breed fast too, one pregnant rat can have ten baby rats in one pregnancy. In fact, one female rat can have over 1500 babies A YEAR.
Traps and baits used together are the most effective way to control the population.
8. Flies
Annoying and unhygienic, flies are a menace of summer dining. Aside from installing fly screens, there are light traps (zappers) and various insecticides. Some of the wall-mounted pyrethrum based ones can harm other pets (like fish), so if you’ve got a fly problem, speak to a professional.
9. Borer
Our lovely timber-framed homes with beautiful Rimu floors are inhabited by the destructive and annoying borer. These small black bugs can damage furniture and the structure itself. Borer bombs can be used, or long term surface application that continues killing throughout the lifecycle of the borer. Pyrethrum can also be used, depending on where the borer are located.
10. Carpet Moth
The grub of this small moth thinks your carpets, food, grease, and sweat is delicious. In the larvae stage, they will eat your furnishings and then turn into small, annoying moths. The moths don’t do any real damage, other than laying eggs for the next generation of clothes eaters. This carpet moth needs to be killed at larvae stage, with pesticides, and lots of vacuuming and washing of all things fabric and carpet.
Got Bugs?
Give us a call on 0800 101 234. If you’re in Canterbury, Dunedin, Nelson, Marlborough or Wellington, we can offer asbestos testing solutions to most pest problems. Whether it’s a rat gnawing on cables or cockroaches scuttling over your kitchen bench, we can help.
