Recently one of our Timber Pest Technician was called out to a home where the customers were worried that they might have had termites. The home was a basic two story single town house, lined with gyprock, with a brick exterior and exposed slab edge. The Technician arrived and conducted a full Timber Pest Inspection, where he found extensive termite activity in the upper level bedrooms, bathroom, hall skirting boards and window frames – but nothing downstairs. Wait, what?

How?? The mystery was how were they getting in. A penetration? A rusted out cyclone rod?? A colonizing flight???

A quote was given for a localised Timber Pest treatment, to be followed by a full perimeter Treated Zone, after all of the termite activity had ceased. The home owners signed up straight away.

At the 21 day check following the remedial treatment, a small number of active termites were found to be in new areas in the upper level, where they hadn’t been earlier.

After the Technician had another good look around downstairs, he noticed a small, square built-in section in the lounge room corner, lined with gyprock and looking like part of the regular wall. The home owners had no idea what it was for. After rechecking the other side to ensure there was no cupboard, or hot water system, or anything else to give away its purpose, it was decided – with the approval of the home owners – to cut a small inspection hole into it to see what was behind it.

What the Technician found was totally unexpected – and amazing!

The wall section was hiding this huge, concealed, CCA-treated hardwood post (pictured), coming up directly through the concrete. Along this post was a 3–4 cm wide termite shelter tube, running vertically up the post, right up to the concealed bearer. Entry point found!

After a follow-up localised treatment, and subsequent sealing off at the base of the post with TERM-seal Multi Purpose, all future checks have been completely free of active termites. It is a credit to the Technician that he looked “outside the box” as to what was going on – and found it in the box!

The town house has now been termite free for over two years, and the home owners will be using APC always, as they said were so very impressed with our knowledge and method of service provided.

If you would like the same level of service at your home, call us on 4199 6245. Today!

 

We were recently called to a home that was about to be put onto the market, with the home owners calling us in to conduct a timber pest inspection prior to the sale.

While the timber pest inspection provided the owners a clean bill of health as far as termites were concerned, there were a number of other issues that were discovered by our technician during the inspection.

After pointing out some of the current and potential issues, the home owners happily included a Cockroach, Ant and Spider treatment for this home, as well as a written pre-purchase inspection on the new property they were considering purchasing.

What did we find that could scare off home buyers?

One of the major pest issues found by our technician was ants. Ant trails were found running up a drain pipe and into the ceiling void, where they had construced a massive ants nest. Not something a potential new home owner would be happy to find!

The ant trails that were found around the home (pictured here), are bad enough on their own, especially when they lead to a nest like the one found here, but they are also often confused for termite tracks by the lay person.

If you were looking to buy a new home, and during the open house you saw what looked to you like termite tracks up the walls, would you even go any further? Most would say probably not! Everyone has heard the stories about termite damage and how expensive it can be, and no-one wants to inherit those problems. Whatever you can do to alleviate the fears of potential home buyers just has to help the sale!

The simple act of calling in a professional pest control technician allowed us to assess the situation and then clear away any ant trails, treat all of the found pests, remove the large ants nest in the ceiling and prove to aby potential buyers that the home was completely free of termites. Money well spent to make the home more attractive to potential buyers!

The home owners said they were very impressed with our recommendations and work ethic, and will be clients for life. We can’t ask for much more than that!

If you have any concerns about pests around your home – or a home you want to buy! – call Amalgamated Pest Control to take care of it for you.

Call us on 4199 6245 to book your inspection today!

 

Rats are not just a nuisance

We had a client send us a photo of marks on their Avocados in their orchard.

The fruit that was damage was high in the tree’s and they were intending on picking the following week.

By the photo’s we were sent it looked like the fruit was gnawed by rats.

We sent one of our qualified technicians to give a positive identification and to do a FREE quote on a rodent management plan (rodent control program).

The Technician said it was definitely gnaw marks and he found droppings from rats.

What was the solution for our client?

Since the rats were happily feeding on quality Avocados, a special strategy was used, by supplying chemical drink stations and lockable rodent stations and monitored them through to the end of their season pick.

In most cases like this monitoring is essential – it’s not just a ‘one-visit’ fix.

Are you concerned about rodents around you home or business?

Call Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg today!

We will inspect your property and develop a tailor-made rodent control program to suit your needs.

Don’t let the rats and mice move into your home!

(07) 4199 6245

Electrical hazards created by rodents in Branyan

Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg was recently called out to help fix a rodent infestation at Branyan.

We found the rodents nesting in a large burn pile of garden debris.

Among other damage – the rodents were chewing through wires as shown in photo.

What Amalgamated Pest Control did to help…

We did a detailed site inspection to developed a tailor made rodent management program.

We recommended installing rodent stations with a visit to the site at least every month during colder months to keep activity under control.  In the warmer months we recommended moving to a 3 monthly service.

This site was surrounded by bushland, so it would often have rodent problems during the rest of the year as well.

Main control strategies for Rodent Control:

• Sanitation – reducing the food and shelter available for rodent activity.  This is generally best achieved by removing any rubbish and debris against building structures. Store rubbish in bins that have tight fitting lids. Clean up any spilt food (eg. grain from around bird cages). Attend to any leaking plumbing pipes. Having the property clear from rubbish or debris will help minimise the risk of a rodent infestation.  Don’t leave pet food lying around in open containers;
• Rodent-proofing – alter the building structurally so that rodents cannot gain entry.  For example seal up any holes with small gauge mesh and seal the bottoms of doors with automatic weather seals or weather strips. A rat can gain entry through a hole as small as 12 mm in diameter and a mouse only needs a hole no larger than 6 mm in diameter;
• Trapping – using non-chemical means such as traps to physically capture rodents;
• Chemical Control – Using a variety of different registered rodenticides including grain bait, pellets and wax blocks.
• Teamwork – Management and treatment of rodents is best achieved through a team effort between yourself and your pest management technician.

Concerned about rodent control?  Call Us Today!

If you have rodent problems or would like to prevent rodents from becoming a problem at your home or business, call Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg – We’re always here to help you.

(07) 4199 6245

Do you have problems with Ants?

We were recently called out to conduct a quite common ant treatment in Norville, that had a not quite so common cause. These cupboards were completely bare, but still managed to attract a large colony of ants and their eggs.

With the customer undergoing renovations, the cupboards were emptied and removed from their place in the home, and placed under cover for approximately 1 week.

During that week it rained, and while the cupboards were completely safe and dry, it was during this time that the ants sought refuge from the wet, finding a nice home under cover and away from prying eyes. It wasn’t until after the cupboards were brought back inside to their newly renovated home that it was discovered that they were full of ants!

What did we do to control the ants?

Our technician assessed the situation and determined that the ants had been brought in with the cupboards themselves, and were not in fact traveling back and forth through the property – yet. Using one of our specialised gels. the nest was eliminated safely, with no further damage caused by the ants.

While this happened in Norville, ant control across the Bundaberg area is very common and ant infestations can happen quickly and easily.

If you need ants controlled, or you have other pest problems, please give us a call here at Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg, and we can send out one of our fully qualified pest control technicians to take care of the problem for you.

Drywood Termites are active in Bundaberg

The large commercial client contacted us to say they had a problem with some sort of gritty stuff appearing on desks that had been vacuumed and wiped down every afternoon and every morning it would reappear.

Amalgamated Pest Control responded by collecting a sample of the ‘grit’ and having it identified and analysed by our resident Entomologist, Gary Cochrane.

In the meantime we continued our investigation and and found live specimens, so we took photo’s under the microscope and forwarded them on to our Entomologist.

These termites were identified as Cryptotermes brevis, commonly known as the West Indian Drywood Termite.  This species of termite is a notifiable quarantine pest (not native to Australia).

The grit that was being discovered every day are their droppings – technically called ‘frass’.

What can be done about Drywood Termites?

For native species of drywood termites, Amalgamated Pest Control can provide specific, targeted treatments.

In this case, we notified the DAFF (Department of Agriculture) who will take control of the eradication process.

Our Client was very impressed with our procedures, our expert pest control advice and dedication to helping them through the process.

If you have a termite problem, need termite control or have concerns with any other pest, please give us a call here at Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg, and we can send out one of our fully qualified pest control technicians to take care of the problem for you.

With the colder months upon us, there is one unwelcome house guest in particular that is waiting to get into a nice warm home to raise their families.  Rats and Mice will attempt to enter homes from now and continue throughout winter.  This time of year is what the Pest Control industry refers to as ‘Rodent Season’.  The fact is, rodents are breeding all year around – they breed just as much in summer as they do in winter.  The difference in the colder months is that now our homes provide a fantastic warm place for rodents to continue to live during winter.

External conditions are starting to become less attractive for Rats and Mice.  This image shows a Norway Rat (often simply called a brown rat) about to enter a home.  These rats prefer to burrow, but have actually started to nest within the home due to the weather getting colder.  These are warm blooded mammals, and the warmth of an insulated roof space or cavity is much more appealing than a hole in the ground outside in the cold.

Just like humans, rodents like to live in warm environments.  Rats and mice find their way into a structure through small holes, make their way through the wall cavities and exploit almost any area inside your home.  The roof void, wall cavities and other confined voids in and around your home make excellent nesting areas.  Apart from being a nice warm place to nest this time of year, once in your home food and water is more easily accessed, often directly from your very own kitchen.

Apart from the obvious threat of disease, rats will also cause a lot of damage.  Rodent’s teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime, and if they do not continuously gnaw to keep them in check, their teeth will become too large and essentially useless to them.  Interestingly, the name Rodent comes from a Latin word which basically means to gnaw.

Some of the damage caused by these pests will be noticeable and repairable, like this hole made in a wall by rats, giving them further access to wall cavities and other areas of your home.

Some damage, however, is a lot harder to spot, like these internal electrical wires that have been chewed back to bare copper.

In cases like these, you will most likely not notice anything at all until there are problems with your power, or even worse, a potential fire. Remember, rats and mice will always be gnawing on something, and it’s well documented that they have been the cause of many fires.

There are things that you can do around your home that will help make your property less attractive for rodents to live.

1. Ensure all of your household garbage is in tightly sealed bins which rats and mice cannot access. This helps to restrict their access to food as much as possible. Rodents are opportunistic feeders – while they have their preferred food sources, they will still eat almost anything.
2. Alter your building so that Rodents cannot gain entry. Look for access holes that rats can use, such as where pipes enter buildings, gaps under external doors, etc. Sealing these and other similar points will make it harder for rodents to enter. Using a gutter guard can also be helpful to stop them entering the roof via the gutters.
3. Trim excess trees and shrubs from around the perimeter of structure especially trees that overhang the roof. This will both take away harbourage areas and make accessing the roof a little bit harder for them.

When all else fails, other control measures will need to be implemented. Here at Amalgamated Pest Control, we are the experts at assessing all of your options and presenting the available solutions to you.

What will you do for me?

If we are called to your home because you suspect or know you have a rodent problem, the first thing we will do is conduct a full rodent inspection. We look at all areas of known activity, internally and externally, including the roof void and the sub-floor. This inspection allows us to identify the rodent species, any nesting areas, travel routes, and where they are getting food and water from.

With this crucial information, we can than implement a control strategy best suited to the problem and the property. We will also provide you with important recommendations on things you can alter or fix to manage the environment and make it less appealing to rodents. Once management has been implemented, we will keep coming back to check the bait/trap placement until the problem is controlled. We will also point out all the proofing measures that can be undertaken to keep rodents out in the future.

Remember – if the rodents come back, so will we.

If you even think you may have a rodent problem, call us here at your local Amalgamated Pest Control today.

Recently we were asked to attend a local business that had a commercial size shed. The owner was faced with a number of birds nesting inside the shed.

Not only can birds be destructive, they can pose a serious health risk.

This short video demonstrates our Eagle Eye solution, designed to scare the birds off. This is a highly efficient device that works very well in this situation.

As the spring and summer months begin, we’ll start to see a rise in pest activity rise. Pests of all types typically breed and come out into the world looking for food, water and shelter. Unfortunately, this often includes our homes.

We recently performed a service for our customer in Norville, Bundaberg who was in the process of renovating their bathroom. As they began the task of removing tiles and drywalls they quickly discovered an unsightly mess – cockroaches and lots of them.

Our customer hadn’t arranged any pest control treatment for many years which had led to this cockroach infestation behind shower walls and evidence of spiders under the bath and also in shower wall space.

Fortunately, this discovery was good timing and we were able to help stop these pests from ruining the new bathroom. These photos were taken during the renovation, (our treatments will be carried out once complete).

Even the tidiest homes get pests

These photos go to show what can be lurking behind your walls that you aren’t aware of. Behind the bathroom cupboard drawers were also evidence of the cockroach infestation that the owner was unaware of, even though our customer was very clean and tidy.

Health Issues and Problems

Some people are allergic to cockroaches. Sensitive people suffer skin reactions and may even trigger asthma attacks. Allergen may be ingested where foods or utensils are contaminated or inhaled when faeces becomes part of the household dust. Disease transmission is usually the main concern. The main reasons why cockroaches may be responsible for transmitting disease are that they often dwell in environments that support diseases harmful to humans such as grease traps, sewers and other polluted water sources. Common diseases may be carried such as salmonella and other organisms causing gastroenteritis, dysentery, hepatitis and other human disorders. Organisms found naturally occurring in cockroaches include 40 species of bacteria pathogenic to humans, the eggs of seven species of worms parasitic to humans and several viruses potentially harmful to humans.

DIY Cockroach Control

Products purchased from supermarkets or hardware stores are typically expensive and have little or no long-term effect on these pests. Many of our customers are also unaware of the dangers of some of these products such as bomb sprays. These products leave a substantial amount of residue on living surfaces such as lounge furniture, bedding and kitchenware including plates and cutlery. These chemicals may cause serious health problems for your family and pets. If skin touches the residue or it is ingested – please consult your family doctor.

How to reduce the chance of an infestation at your home

Some simple preventative measures include: • Ensuring all food is in tightly sealed containers, (including pet food). • Use garbage bins with tight fitting lids. • Frequent cleaning of the kitchen and regular vacuuming. • Repair any water leaks or dripping taps. • Seal any entry points such as gaps around windows and doors or where pipes may enter walls. • Seal any ‘cracks and crevices’ that may exist in the cupboards of kitchens, bathrooms and throughout the home.

Still concerned?

If you believe or suspect that you have a spring pest problem, please contact Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg for further advice.

(07) 4199 6245

Cockroaches are one of the most hated pests on the planet. They are well known for creating an unsightly mess and scaring unwitting victims as they race across the floor of our homes. But, it doesn’t end there.

Recently, a local customer phoned us, asking us to come to their home to help.

They had a large infestation of german cockroaches in their family car. This was a recurring infestation, as the customer though they had it under control, using supermarket products to get rid of this pest. After spending  a lot of money, they were back!

These pests were so hungry, they began eating the steering wheel and gear knob. Our customer uses mango hand cream, which had contact with these car parts, he cockroaches were very appreciative.   

What made it worse, was the infestation had now spread to their home. They didn’t realise that every time they went shopping for groceries and brought the bags in to the home, they were giving cockroaches a free ride into the house. It didn’t stop there.

Our technician went out to investigate, only discover these pests were taking over homes in the street. They had also moved next door into a home that had been flooded and abandoned.

Things only got worse when the family decided on pizza for dinner one Friday night. They picked up their pizzas, placed them in the car on the back seat. The cockroaches quickly started devouring dinner, which was brought into the house where they continued their invasion. Dinner was ruined – this was the last straw.

Health Issues and Problems

Some people are allergic to cockroaches. Sensitive people suffer skin reactions and may even trigger asthma attacks. Allergen may be ingested where foods or utensils are contaminated or inhaled when faeces becomes part of the household dust.

Disease transmission is usually the main concern. The main reasons why cockroaches may be responsible for transmitting disease are that they often dwell in environments that support diseases harmful to humans such as grease traps, sewers and other polluted water sources.

Common diseases may be carried such as salmonella and other organisms causing gastroenteritis, dysentery, hepatitis and other human disorders. Organisms found naturally occurring in cockroaches include 40 species of bacteria pathogenic to humans, the eggs of seven species of worms parasitic to humans and several viruses potentially harmful to humans.

How to reduce the chance of an infestation at your home

Some simple preventative measures include:

• Ensuring all food is in tightly sealed containers, (including pet food).
• Use garbage bins with tight fitting lids.
• Frequent cleaning of the kitchen and regular vacuuming.
• Repair any water leaks or dripping taps.
• Seal any entry points such as gaps around windows and doors or where pipes may enter walls.
• Seal any ‘cracks and crevices’ that may exist in the cupboards of kitchens, bathrooms and throughout the home.

Our technician treated the car and home, quickly destroying all cockroaches. The ground looked like it was moving, there were so many of these disgusting pests try to flee the scene of the crime – they didn’t make it.

    

DIY Cockroach Control

Products purchased from supermarkets or hardware stores are typically expensive and have little or no long-term effect on these pests.

Many of our customers are also unaware of the dangers of some of these products such as bomb sprays.

These products leave a substantial amount of residue on living surfaces such as lounge furniture, bedding and kitchenware including plates and cutlery. These chemicals may cause serious health problems for your family and pets. If skin touches the residue or it is ingested – please consult your family doctor.

Pizza is now back on the dinner menu!

If you have a cockroach problem at your place, we can help.

Contact Amalgamated Pest Control Bundaberg.

(07) 4199 6245