Pest-proof your place
Summer is fast approaching, which means Brisbane's prime pest season is just around the corner.
Amalgamated Pest Control Brisbane Zone Domestic Manager Tony Farrell says that warmer months see an influx of spiders, ants, flying insects and cockroaches throughout Brisbane.
“The warmer weather drives spiders, ants, flies, cockroaches and rodents into homes in search of shelter and moisture. There are some simple things, in and around the house, which everyone can do to prevent pests invading your home this summer,” Tony said.
Tony has prepared the following D.I.Y. tips to help local residents to prepare their homes for the summer pest season.
1. Fix leaking taps inside and around the house. Leaking taps provide a moisture source for insects and rodents, as well as termites.
2. Cut back tree branches that are overhanging the roof area. This will prevent possum and rodent access to the roof, as well as distancing birds from potential nesting sites such as gutters and eaves.
3. Keep garden beds tidy and free of rotting vegetation. Overgrown gardens provide a food source and harbourage location for pests, including cockroaches and rodents.
4. Repair or Install fly wire screens to windows and doors. These screens will help to prevent mosquitoes and flies entering your home through open windows.
5. Remove items stored in subfloor areas. Instead store these items in a neat fashion within a garden shed, to discourage rodents from constructing their nests under your house.
6. Seal gaps under the external doors. Applying bristle-brush strips or rubber seals to the underside of doors will assist in preventing rodent entry.
7. Store food products in sealed containers. Tightly sealing food will minimise attractive odours that will entice pests inside.
8. Clean and frequently agitate still bodies of water. Cleaning or scrubbing ponds, pools and bird bath surfaces and agitating the water will make these areas less suitable for mosquitoes to breed in.
9. Seal obvious entry points to wall cavities and subfloors. Mice can fit through a hole the size of a pen and rats can fit through a space the size of your thumb so it’s important to try and block even small holes to minimise rodent entry points for your home.
10. Keep storage areas tidy. To minimise the likelihood of pests harbouring and nesting in storage areas such as the shed and roof, it is important to store belongings neatly and occasionally rotate the items.
“These relatively simple modifications to your environment can be enough to deter some of the summer pests from entering your home. To achieve the best possible results these measures should be implemented in partnership with your professional pest management program“,Tony said.
For more information about the summer pest prevention, visit www.amalpest.com.au.
