Is your Home in Northern Beaches Infested With Termites?

Repairing an old refrigerator, carpet or bathtub is one thing and repairing a home that's infested with termites is simply another thing. If your home is infested with termites, it's the attack of living organisms, which simply cannot be repaired. These pests will continue to infest your house slowly disrupting your well-being and lifestyle.

The problem of termite infestation is thus not a simple home improvement project; it is a war. The experience of the home owners all over Sydney and Australia shows that no home, old or new, is safe from these pests. These pest problems are very common in Northern beaches, Sydney and cost the home owners billions of dollars every year for treating this problem. Without taking the assistance of professionals who are experts in termite inspection and treatment in Northern Beaches, you may have very little chance of driving the termites out and saving integrity of the house. 

Signs of termite infestation may include seeing the winged termite in your home or noting their mud tunnels around flooring and foundation walls. If you find these signs, its essential that you get in touch with a professional pest exterminator in Northern Beaches as fast as you can. The sooner you correct the termite problem, the better would it be for you. The longer you take to delay the treatment, the more damage will the termites do.

However, if you do not see any winged termite in your house or if you do not find any kind of structural damage, this won't mean that you do not have termites in your house. When colony swarms, winged termites can be in air for some minutes and it is likely that you will not see them. Termites even eat wood from inside out, making their actions detectable only by professional termite inspectors. Make sure you hire a professional termite inspection team every year to see whether your property is being damaged by termites or not.

Termite inspection is always essential before starting a treatment. Actually, professional will be able to know the extent of termite infestation and the best way of attacking the termite problem. After all, termite inspection is basically a great barometer that reveals the professionalism of a termite professional.

The professional you hire for termite inspection must be able to give you a detail and a written estimate after completing the estimate. The professional should be courteous enough to help you feel comfortable allowing him or her come to your house and taking care of the infestation. After the inspection is complete ask a lot of questions. This is going to help you understand the situation a lot more better, including why termite treatment is important, how termite treatment works and getting an idea about the professional.

Every Property in Sydney is at Great Risk of Termite Attack

Research developed by CSIRO rates Sydney as the second highest risk area for termite attack in Australia, second to tropical regions in far North. This actually means that most of the properties in Sydney is at great risk of termite attack. Hundreds of species of termites are found in Australia. But it is mainly the three kinds of termite species that are more commonly found-subterranean termites, dampwood termites and drywood termites. 

The subterranean termites usually live in the mounds on ground, on trees, in nests or in grounds itself. They can even have sub nests to a food source through the underground tunnels or over the structures under protection of the mud tubes. Most of the economic termite problems are caused due to the subterranean termites. 

The dampwood termites generally make their nests and galleries in the damp and rotten wood. Although they are not the main pests, their attacks can damp wood in a home. Decking timbers, garden timbers, fences and sometimes subfloor areas usually with his moisture readings need to be regularly inspected for finding these pests. 

The drywood termites basically make their nest as well as their galleries in dry and sound wood. They do not need any ground contact and get their mositure from wood itself. They are mainly limited to humid areas, north of Tropic of Capricorn. They live in several small independent nests are are able to destroy small pieces and furniture of joinery and structural timbers. There aren't many drywood species that are regarded as a major pest problem except these West Indian drywood termites. This is a species that are very much destructive in nature. It has occurred in New South Wales and Queensland to a large extent. They have also been found in Northern Beaches recently. 

However,the species, which causes the most amount of damage to the homes in Northern Beaches are the subterranean termites. These species invade buildings from a complicated network of tunnels underground, frequently radiating some distance from main nest colony. Mound building species and also some aborial termites are even included in this group. 

If you ever think that your house is infested with termites or you find signs of termites attack, hurry up and get in touch with a company that offers termite inspection in Northern Beaches. You will find a number of companies that offer termite inspection. Leave the skilled work to those professionals and let them help you with termite control. After all, termite inspection is necessary to all the home maintenance programs. It is recommended that termite inspections be carried out once in every year and more often in the high risk zones.

Meat Allergy Is Caused by Tick Bites

There are undoubtedly a lot of health benefits to a planned vegetarian diet. You will live a long life as well. But vegetarians are minority in several parts of the Western society, say between 2-10%. However, this percentage can change. Thanks to the quick spread of Australian tick. It has been found out by researches that many people who have experienced just a bite from tick have become allergic to meat for the rest of their lives.
 

This tick is an Australian paralysis tick. It is found along the eastern coast of Australia. The adult ones are 4mm across. These pests generally attach themselves to the plants and jump on the passing bandicoot or to human beings.
 

These ticks can crawl inside the clothing and suck blood from human body by biting the skin. In most of the cases, it’s only a bit of itching and swelling. But something it is more than that. It’s a life threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis, which causes rash throughout the body. There is swelling of the tongue and throat, which makes breathing difficult. There is also diarrahoea, vomiting and serious fall of blood pressure. To be more precise, it is a life-threatening situation and a medical emergency.
 

It has also been found out by researches that a bite from Australian paralysis tick causes an allergic reaction to eating meat. The cause of this reaction has also been found.
 

It begins with galactose, a not very sweet sugar. We human beings when eat it, it is fine. But when it is combined with glucose, a sugar, lactose is formed-the one that’s in the breast milk. The problem starts when two galactose molecules are combined together in a special manner for making a bigger sugar known as alpha-gal. All kinds of mammals carry this alpha-gal except human beings and higher primates.
 

Thus, the scenario-a cute animal may be playing quite happily on east coast of Australia. The tick bites it for getting blood. Some alpha-gal from the animal gets into the tick’s gut. After some time when the tick again feels hungry, it bites a human being and some of alpha-gal t6hen gets transferred to the human body.

A lot of Australians are bitten by ticks but only some of them become allergic to meat. This means, there is something that happens to this human being-we are not aware what it is but the immune system of the human cranks slowly into action.
 

After the delay-may be after 1-6 months after the tick bite-they have yet another regular meal that involve meat. However, on such an occasion, they get allergic reaction. In some of the cases, they may die from the anaphylactic reaction unless medical treatment is done in time.
 

The allergic meat reaction is set off by beef, pork, lamb and whale meat but not chicken and fish because they aren’t mammals.
 

Getting rid of these Australian paralysis ticks is important. So, make this possible by contacting R.I.P. Pest Management, a pest exterminator in Northern Beaches for making the environment where you live a tick-free area.

I Hired an Integrated Pest Management Company for Controlling Pests in My Home

Ants, termites, cockroaches, oh my! Why are there so many pests and insects in North Shore? I don’t know but probably because of the climate, I guess. I moved to North Shore for the wonderful climate but I wasn’t aware that I would come in contact with these exasperating pests. However, now I know and am quite aware of these creatures!!
 

The climate and flourishing vegetation probably provide for a pest paradise in North Shore. Most of the pests here live outdoors. That is where they must stay. But sometimes they venture into homes as well looking for water, shelter and food. This is when they become a problem.

 I was facing a lot of problem with these creatures after moving to North Shore and so I made sure to control them.  The most common pests include cockroaches, ants, rats, mice, termites and fleas. For people like me, the tolerance level for these pests in homes is actually zero. I thus asked a professional pest control company in North Shore to deal with these pests. I hired an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) company for the job.

After all, IPM holds the key to eliminate the household pests. It basically suppresses or prevents pests without causing any sort of damage to the health, other living organisms and the environment. It only uses chemicals when needed. The three important steps of IPM include control, identification and prevention.
 

Prevention is basically the first and most important step. Usually, pests move into the homes seeking for water, food and shelter. So, these things first need to be eliminated to prevent them from entering the house. Pests even love damp and dark places where food is available readily. These areas need to be kept dry and free from any kind of exposed food materials. Opened food packaging must be stored in tightly sealed containers or refrigerator. Clutters like paper, piled boxes etc provide a shelter to the pests. Cluttering materials should be thrown away from house. The crevices and cracks that allow pests to enter must be caulked. Shrubs and trees, which touch the exterior of the home, must be trimmed.
 

Pest identification is even important and the next major step, which can help avoid larger pest problems in future. It is always essential to identify pests before applying the control measures. The IPM company that I hired implemented different control methods only after identifying the pests.
 

Guest Author Bio: Rowinnie Rios resides in North Shore. She often used to experience pest problems in her property. So, she very well knows how to deal with them. She recommends RIP Pest Management, a contractor of pest control in North Shore, to get in touch with for pest control services. 

Common Pests And Where Are They Usually Found?

A pest is a plant or animal that has a detrimental effect on human beings, their living conditions as well as their foods. Pests generally include animals that:

• Bite people. For instance, bed bugs. This pest is quite difficult and costly to control. The bites may cause great irritation to people and become infected when scratched.
  
• Attack and consume cereal crops and vegetables for instance grasshoppers and caterpillars
  
  
• Carry disease causing parasites and micro-organisms, for instance mosquitoes
  
  
• Attack and eat the station and farm animals. For instance foxes kill lambs, poultry and other species of native wildlife.
  
  
• Damage the stored food. For instance, mice and rats can eat grain in silos, biscuits or rice in homes and shops and contaminate the food with their urine and faeces.
   
• Damage clothing. For example, silverfish eats hole in the garments.
  
  
• Damage buildings. For instance, termites cause significant damage to timber in the buildings. 

There are a number of pests that are harmful to human beings. In this blog, let us discuss about the common pests and their living and breeding places.  

Flies- Rubbish, dirty benches and tables, food scraps, under eaves, open leach drains, open septic tanks, animal faeces and lawn clippings are the common places where flies live and breed. 

Cockroaches-Food scraps, rubbish, drains, dirty tables and benches, behind the fridges and stoves, kitchen and bathroom cupboards, leach drains, septic tanks and under the floors of old houses are the favorite places of cockroach.

Mosquitoes-You can often find mosquitoes in places like dark and damp places, car tins and tyres, leach drains/septic tanks, protected corners of the effluent ponds, water storage tanks and natural water bodies.

Fleas-This pest like to live in sandy areas. They require blood for breeding. They will bite human beings if they find no animals around. A lot of fleas are brought into houses by people’s clothes. They are even transported in bedding. You can generally find fleas on animals such as dogs and cars. So, it’s important to keep these animals out of house if you want to reduce the likelihood of infestation of these pests in your house. 

Mice and rats-Exposed food, rubbish, wall holes, kitchen cupboards and storage places are the common places where rats and mice live. They are even found in insulation, pipes, in ceilings, under the buildings and in the tress as well as gardens. 

Bed bugs-These pests are generally transported from one place to another on or in a person’s luggage. They hide in the beddings. They bite a person in bed during night and consume their blood for living.  Their bites may be quite itchy and when scratched can become infected. 

It is very essential to control these pests. Pest control is actually the action that is taken to keep the pest numbers down to a level where risk to people, environment and food is minimized. Many companies offer Integrated Pest Management in North Shore. Contact one of them for your pest control job. 

How to Keep the Stink Bugs Away of Your House?

Stink bugs is a shield shape insect. It can be seen behind the computer monitors and between the folds of curtain. Stink bugs enters into a home in a folk. They generally enter into houses with the intension of escaping from the cold. They search the holes and gaps inside the house to hide from cold. As these insects go in a group it turns out to be a tricky affair to kill them individually. Here are some of the techniques available by which you can restrict the access of stink bugs inside your house.


Methods of keeping the stink bugs away of your house:

• Make sure your screens are working in perfect order. The pest can crawl doors and windows panes for entering in your home. Start working on the screens of the doors and windows of your house if they are not in proper condition.
  
  
• Inspect whether any gaps are left in the window while being closed. These gaps are formed due to improper shutting of window screens. This bug can easily enter from these tiny little gaps.
  
  
• In most of the houses weather stripping gets loosen up. This is an easy option that can be fixed up easily. Inspect weather stripping of the doors and windows.
  
  
• Look at the door sweeps. It might get damaged due to ageing. Replace it as soon as possible.
  
  
• Use screens to cover the AC vents and chimney. It is a troublesome job. But this is an effective method to keep the bugs entering into your house.
  
  
• Keep the shutter of your garage closed. These bugs that can enter inside of your garage will get easy access to your house.
  
  
• Rooflines and Soffits and are the most accessible area in favor of stink bugs. Run a thorough examination by a professional pest control in North Shore to find any gaps, holes and rotten areas on those places. If you cannot reach upto the roofline, then ask the professional to make a proper strategy for encountering the bugs.
  
  
• Caulking gun can be used to fill the area air-conditioning vents, pipes, outlets and any other area which passes through the exterior walls. 

These are the various ways which you can use to restrict the entrance of stink bugs in your house.

What Is Meant by Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management or IPM as it is popular called is a long term, preventative, low toxicity means to control pests. The approach to IPM relies on common sense practices. The program makes use of current, inclusive information on life cycles of the pests and their interaction with environment. This information in combination with the pest control procedures is used for managing pest damage by economical means and with least possible hazard to the property, people and the environment.

Though IPM was initially developed for agricultural industry, a number of libraries, museums and archives are finding the principles of Integrated Pest Management relevant to protection of their holdings. In fact nowadays the IPM approach can be applied to both the non-agricultural and agricultural settings like garden, workplace and home. It takes advantage of all the apt pest management options including the sensible use of the pesticides.

There are many advantages of IPM program over the traditional pest management program. Traditional pest management is as the repeated usage of chemicals without giving importance to the understanding of the species or the number of pests that are present. The advantages of Integrated Pest Management are:

1.Decreased usage of chemical application, which

• reduces the risks associated with the health of the people who are present in the premise where the chemical is applied 
• reduces the risk of deterioration and disfigurement of the holdings 
• can result in financial savings
  

2.Environmental improvements made to different facilities for implementing the IPM program. This enhances the long-term stability of holdings over protection against the pests.

3.Solution to the long-term pest related problems where chemical products haven’t worked.

IPM isn’t a single method of pest control but a series of pest management decisions, evaluations and controls. The companies that provide pest management in North Shore follow a four-tiered approach. The steps are: setting action thresholds, monitoring and identifying pests, prevention and control.