How to Identify and Exterminate Pests

The best way to exterminate pests begins with identifying them. Definitive pest identification will aid you in effectively ridding your home or business of an infestation. It’s no use using insecticides for rats, or termiticide for wasps; you will achieve nothing more than upsetting the delicate ecosystem in your garden, home or business and at worst exacerbate your pest woes by eliminating any number of their natural predators. The reason we seek to exterminate pests to begin with is because by their very nature they are invasive nuisances which may become destructive, spread disease and negatively affect their ecosystems.

 

Pests fall over several categories of organisms. For the most part we can divide them into insects, mammals, birds, reptiles and even plants in some cases. Of those which encroach on our homes and businesses the most common are: cockroaches, rats, mice, ants, termites, flies, bees, wasps and spiders.

 

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are amongst the most prolific pests. In South Africa, you are most likely to come across the American Cockroach, the German Cockroach and the Brown Banded Cockroach. Given away by their tell-tale trails of sheddings and droppings, they are rarely seen in the daylight. Cockroaches are difficult to get rid of, you might need the help of reputable pest control services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rats and Mice

The most common rodents to pester South African households are the Roof Rat (also known as the Black Rat), the Norway Rat (also known as the Brown Rat) and the House Mouse. They were to blame for the spread of the bubonic plague and an infestation of such rodents cannot be taken lightly. Agile, flexible and incredibly intelligent, they easily navigate sewer pipes, swimming up into toilets. They can be found around dustbins and nesting in cracks in walls and in your roof. Their droppings, brown grease stains along walls and gnawing are the best indicators of an infestation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ants

The South African household most commonly suffers the scourge of the Black Ant, the Pharaoh Ant and the Argentine Ant. They may not be harmful, but they are most certainly annoying. Easily detectable; they travel en masse leaving soil deposits and clearing any and all food in their way. The extermination procedure is similar for all of these ants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Termites

Termites can have a devastating effect on your home, so if you have an infestation, its best to see to it immediately. The primary indicators of a termite infestation are that of flying ants after the first rain, termite mounds and holes eaten out of wood or wooden structures as well as their faecal pellets. There are roughly 1000 different species of termites indigenous to Africa and your home is most likely to be plagued by subterranean termites. Since their nests are underground they aren’t as easily spotted as other termite nests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

House Flies

In the heat of summer few things are as annoying as House Flies. They seem to get in everywhere, they can live almost anywhere and they spread diseases such as Salmonella and E.coli. Unlike ants and termites they do not have a complex social system, nor do they nest. The female fly lays eggs in or near food sources such dung, decomposing carcases or rotting food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bees

Bees are nature’s best friend; pollinating crops and ensuring the successful production of fruit and seeds. For many humans, however, bees can mean a one-way trip to the hospital owing to the allergic reaction to a bee sting. A few bees in one’s garden are to be expected but a swarm or a nest are less than ideal, especially in heavy traffic areas. It’s best to call in professionals, such as Flick Pest Control if you have found a beehive in your garden or near your house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wasps

Known for their often aggressive behaviour, wasp stings are generally more painful than life threatening. They often build their nests near houses, in roofs or in the eaves. Wasps are typically hairless and have three distinct sections in its body, with a pronounced thorax. In nature, they fill many roles; from parasite to pollinator depending on the species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spiders

The stuff that nightmares are made of; spiders have a bad reputation for painful and venomous bites. In truth spiders aren’t all that bad, for the most part, they are harmless and actually play an important role in our ecosystems. They eat moths, flies, mosquitos and all sorts of other unwanted critters. The problem is that when the worlds of humans and spiders collide high pitched screams become inevitable. Of the 45 709 different spider species, South Africa only hosts a few nasties. Of these, the worst bites are those of the Black Button Spider (from the Widow Spider family), Sac Spiders and the Violin Spider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Flick Pest Control you need not worry about your infestation, we’ll take care if it for you.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call, we are always ready to help exterminate your pests.