Warmer weather means more going on in the garden, and some of it finds its way inside. Spiders, ants, cockroaches, fleas and mice are the usual visitors around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie homes. Most of what keeps them out is simple: close the gaps, take away food and water, and tidy the places they hide.
Here is what the Australian Museum and health departments say, and a checklist you can work through this weekend.
Spiders: be sensible over summer
The Australian Museum records the Newcastle funnel-web within about 25km of Newcastle. The males leave their burrows and wander mostly in late summer, and they sometimes fall into pools or end up inside houses. Redbacks like dry, sheltered spots such as sheds and junk piles, and the Museum notes that bites happen often over summer.
The Museum's tips for wandering spiders and redbacks:
- Fit weather strips or draught excluders to close the gaps under doors.
- Fit flyscreens to windows and wall vents.
- Keep a cleared area around the house.
- Check clothing, shoes and bedding that are on or near the floor before you use them.
- Check redback hiding spots regularly and remove webs and egg sacs with a stick. Wear gloves when gardening.
The Museum also says insecticide spraying is not recommended for ground-dwelling spiders like funnel-webs, because it gives no lasting protection. Blocking the way in does more.
If someone is bitten: for a funnel-web bite the Museum recommends the pressure bandage and immobilisation technique, then hospital. For a redback bite it recommends an ice pack and medical attention, and no pressure bandage. Get medical help straight away either way.
Ants: they are after food and water
According to the Australian Museum, ants come inside for food and water, and in long dry spells they go looking for water. Victoria's Department of Health says Argentine ants may move indoors in wet weather and can re-colonise within about two weeks, which is why one spray is not always enough.
- Wipe ant trails with water to remove the scent trail they follow.
- Keep sweet foods in airtight containers.
- Wash aphids off garden plants. Ants feed on what the aphids produce.
- Remember that ants generally don't damage buildings, although the Museum notes a few species attack electrical wiring.
Ants are not termites. Ants found in timber are using cavities that are already there and don't damage sound wood. If you are not sure what you are looking at, our guide to flying termites and flying ants shows how to tell them apart.
Cockroaches: kitchens, bins and leaks
Victoria's Department of Health says prevention comes down to sealed food containers, regular bin emptying with tight lids, fixing leaks and sealing cracks. It also says cockroaches seen in daytime often point to a large infestation.
German cockroaches are mainly a kitchen problem. They breed fastest in warm, humid places, can mature in as little as 40 days and often arrive in cardboard boxes. American cockroaches prefer coastal areas and usually live in roofs, wall voids, subfloors and drains.
If you think you have German cockroaches, mention it when you book. They need a separately booked treatment and may need follow-up visits.
Fleas and mice
Victoria's Department of Health says fleas do best in warm, moist winters and spring, so spring is when numbers build. Flea pupae can wait in their cocoons until they sense vibration or heat, which is why bites can happen when you walk into a house that has been empty for a while. Its advice: treat the pet first (ask your vet), then clean at the same time. Vacuum carpets and seams, wash bedding, mow the lawn, clear debris and block pet access under the house.
The same source says mice can squeeze through gaps as small as 8mm, and roof rats climb well and nest in roof voids. Remove clutter, excess foliage, leaks, food scraps and nesting spots. Rodents can also be the source of fleas, so the two problems may need dealing with together.
A 10 minute walk-around for spring
- Gaps under doors sealed, and flyscreens on windows and wall vents in good repair.
- Shoes, boots and bags off the floor, or checked before use.
- Sheds, woodpiles and junk cleared of webs and clutter.
- Food in sealed containers, bins emptied with tight lids.
- Leaking taps, pipes and downpipes fixed.
- Shrubs and foliage trimmed back from the walls and roof line.
- Pet bedding washed and carpets vacuumed.
When it is time to call a professional
Good housekeeping lowers pest pressure, but it won't solve an established problem. Elite Building & Pest Services provides general pest control across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Port Stephens and the Hunter. A general treatment covers inside and outside the home, including roof voids and subfloors where they are suitable and accessible, and rodent management is available. Pest control reduces pest activity, and no treatment can guarantee a property stays pest free.
Learn more about pest control in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, or book a pest service online or call us on (02) 4954 6415. If what you have found looks more like mud tubes, hollow timber or discarded wings, that is a job for a termite inspection.
- (02) 4954 6415
- admin@elitebps.com.au
- Servicing Newcastle, Kotara, Warners Bay, Mayfield, Cameron Park and more
Sources: Australian Museum, Spiders in the House and Garden, Newcastle Funnel-web Spider, Redback Spider and Ants as pests; Victoria Department of Health, Ants, Cockroaches, Fleas and Rodents (general pest biology, not NSW rules); ABC News, Dealing with ants, cockroaches and flies without chemical sprays.