The Company We Keep

In most cases a pest infestation, whether it is rodents, insects or birds etc. is normally an indication of other underlying issues. Most pests are opportunists in nature, some will seek out harbourage while others seek to be close to their food source and sometimes it’s a combination of both. But whatever the reason, a good pest controller will look to resolve the underlying issues first before going down the track of introducing a chemical solution. Don’t get me wrong, looking at introducing chemicals as part of the solution is correct in a lot of situations but it should never be the first step in the process.

You need to look at the type of pests you are sharing your home with and what they need for survival. You also need to look at your house from their point of view, why are they there? How did they get there? And then look at rectifying these issues first.

Take for example a rat, why would they want to live here? Is there a food source nearby e.g. are there fruit trees nearby, easy access to a water source like a fish pond. Then look at the how are they getting in? Is there overhanging vegetation, is there a drain issue, is there a hole in a wall etc. The next step is to look at a solution to remove them, remove any rotten fruit, cover the fish pond over with mesh, cut back all overhanging vegetation and fix any holes in the wall of the house.

Let’s take a second example, the drain fly and look at the whys. Drain fly’s breed on fungi, algae, bacteria, and sludge found in most sinks, and drains found around our homes. Now if we are being honest with ourselves most people will clean their toilets regularly, but we forget about our kitchen and laundry sinks and our laundry floor, bathroom floor and shower drains, it is normally these drains where the issues stem from. Human hair and oils collect in these neglected pipes creating the perfect environment for sewer flies to set up shop. Simply cleaning the drain traps and the pipes to just below the waterline with a brush as part of our monthly cleaning routine can minimise the chance of an infestation. By understanding the creepy crawlies we live with and understanding what they need, you can look at simple and effective ways to keep them out of your home.