Cockroaches
Cockroaches have long had the reputation of being difficult to get rid of and perhaps that was true fifty years ago. However, nowadays, when we have access to so many economical and efficacious insecticides, there is absolutely no excuse for not being able to effectively control an infestation of cockroaches in both domestic and commercial properties.
Flies
Flies are synonymous with Australian rural and urban landscapes and can be a major pest in commercial premises especially those which practise a less than perfect standard of sanitation. No matter which species we are dealing with, pest managers must always utilise the principles of Integrated Pest Management in order to succeed. Flies of all species belong to the order Diptera, one of the largest orders in the world. There are probably 150,000 described and undescribed species in the order, with over 6,000 species found in Australia.
Fleas
Fleas have been a problematic pest for man for millennia, and living in close quarters with each other, and our canine and feline friends has likely only made things worse over the past few hundred years. They belong to the insect order Siphonaptera which literally means wingless sucking tube. They are insects with a rather infamous reputation as being responsible for the transmission of the bubonic plague or, the Black Death. In Australia, the plague struck Sydney in 1900, centred around the Rocks area and resulted in the death of about 300 people in eight months. Fortunately, we are free from the scourge today though it can still be found in some parts of the world.
Rodents
There are many reasons why we consider rodents to be pests, any one of which would be sufficient to want to rid our properties of them. Rats and mice are “nasty little creatures” to most people, although they can be considered to be excellent pets. The vast majority of pest managers undertake rodent control in their daily work but not all of them undertake the work with the right attitude. Far too many simply inspect rodent bait, replace it if necessary and move on hurriedly to the next bait station thinking that they are fulfilling the terms of their contract with the client.
Ants
When it comes to ants we humans have developed a “love/hate” relationship with them. We can admire them for their industry, their social behaviour, their ability to change their environment to suit themselves and their ability to defend themselves. We are not so fond of them when we find them inside our pantries, power points and electrical motors.
Termites
Out of the 258 described termite species in Australia, only a few wood-damaging species are of concern to humans. Control of pest termites involves identifying the species, locating the nest and choosing appropriate eradication methods. No single method is effective against each pest species, so an integrated management approach is often essential, including regular inspections to identify infestations in their early stages.
For the complete Termidor story, please visit the BASF Termidor Website
Insect Identification Chart
Globe Pest Solution's popular Pest Identification Chart can be downloaded free of charge
Weed Identification Chart
Globe Pest Solutions can help identify common urban weeds from our free weed chart