Australia is known to being the hub of creepy insects and animals. Spotting a strange looking creature creeping through the house is enough to give anyone quite a scare. Even though spotting strange insects and small animals is a regular occurrence in Australian homes, it becomes quite a different scenario when these creatures start to take over your home.
For those living in Townsville, seeing many insects, spiders, and animals roaming around the garden is very normal. The question on Townsville locals’ lips are, “Are these creatures in my home harmless or should I phone Townsville Termite pest control services immediately?”
Before you phone the exterminator, you should educate yourself on all the different insects and animals found in Townsville. This will allow you to make the right call when faced with the questions whether you should exterminate or let the creature be.
Insects Found In Townsville
The most common insects found in and around the city are:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Preying mantids
- Dragonflies
- Earwigs
- Beetles
- Cockroaches
- Flies
- Bees
- Ants
- Wasps
- Termites
- Lacewings
- Mayflies
- Fleas
- Silverfish, and
- caddisflies
Common animals found in Townsville are:
- Frogs
- Centipedes
- Scorpions
- Different kinds of mammals
- Snakes and Lizards
- Spiders
- Rodents
- Ticks, and
- Various Birds
Setting up your home with the motto, ‘live and let live’ is much easier said than done. Sure, you can gently remove any of these animals from your home if they accidentally waltz into your living room, but it’s important to know the difference between a wandering, lost critter and a destructive pest.
Pests Found In Townsville
In many countries the same kinds of animals and insects will cause great destruction in a home. Whether it is termites gnawing at the wooden floorboards or mice breaking into food cupboards, it’s important to know when your home is under attack.
The most common pests found in Townsville are:
- Termites
- Spiders
- Rats
- Mice, and
- Cockroaches
These five little species can cause so much destruction in a home. Refer to this article by the Townsville city council to learn more about different pest plants and animals in the city.
Let’s take a deeper look at these different pests and how they can affect the health of a family.
Termites
Termites are pesky little insects that enjoys eating through wooden floorboards and posts. Also known as white ants, these little critters can move around in colonies of thousands and thousands of termites. The critters are closely related to cockroaches and their appearance is not appealing.
In many cases, once you start spotting termites in your home the chances are that they have already started damaging your home. Typically, termites move around underground and eat houses from the bottom up. Thousands of them can cause irreversible damage to Australian homes that can cost a lot of money to repair.
Termites never go into hibernation and are always on the lookout for new housing. In this case, prevention is better than cure. If you live in a home that is primarily built from wooden beams and floors, it’s important that you invest in regular termite inspections. Spotting the problem sooner rather than later, can prevent serious damage to the structure of your home.
Spiders
Spiders are a vital part in the Australian eco-system. Regardless of all the benefits related to their existence, some spiders pose a great health risk to families. Spiders like the white-tail, funnel-web, and red-back spider are highly poisonous and deadly.
To avoid any fatal run-ins with the little creature, it’s important to hire an experienced and trained spider control service. Educate yourself on the different spiders that can be found in your area by referring to this Southern Queensland spider guide: http://www.findaspider.org.au/find/spiders/common.htm
Rats and Mice
Rodents’ appearance can be quite deceiving. Even though some people love holding them on as pets, rats and mice can be extremely hazardous to your family’s health. They can populate in a flash and destroy all food storage cabinets in no time. With their little paws and sharp teeth, rats and mice can destroy personal belongings like linen, stockpiles, and books within a night.
If left uncontrolled, rodents can leave droppings and urine on food packaging. If accidentally digested, people can suffer from painful medical conditions. Rodents carry and transmit bacteria, viruses, and many other diseases that is harmful to a family’s health.
It’s best to phone a pest control specialist to get rid of mice and rats successfully. Not only to remove the rodents currently invading your home, but also to deter them from returning.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches love rummaging through rubbish bins, drains, kitchens, and food storage areas. They are seen as pests because they have gross habits and smell really bad.
Frequent exposure to cockroaches can cause asthma. This is because they are an allergen source. Cockroaches can also carry different kinds of bacteria that can cause serious illness and medical conditions. The bacteria they leave behind are usually left on foods like fruits stored in an open container on the table. Cockroaches are skittish insects and will quickly run away when humans approach.
It is no surprise that they are referred to as unhygienic scavengers in human habitats. When left undetected, cockroaches can leave bad bacteria all over the home.
The first step to preventing these pests from infesting your home is to maintain a hygienic living area. This is not to say that a clean home doesn’t attract pests, as a matter of fact cockroaches and mice love digging through neatly packed and organized food stations.
To ensure your home is free from pests and stay-pest free, it’s best to have regular visits from your local Townsville pest control. An experienced exterminator will be able to assess the severity of the situation, implementing the necessary pest control measurements to prevent further infestation and future contamination.