How long will a pest control service keep pests at bay?
Moisture, sanitation, and environmental conditions can affect how long a treatment lasts. To date, no treatment exists that can keep pests out of your property forever. Pesticides will be active in an ideal world for a maximum of 3 months if they haven’t been washed away or broken down by the sun, wind, and rain.
Pest control companies can only offer a 5 or 6-year guarantee when a termite structural foundation service is done. All other surface treatments? Unfortunately, not. So, what can you realistically expect?
- Indoor treatments–you should experience a pest-free environment for at least 3 months (food-producing facilities excluded. These facilities can expect a one-month clean environment).
- Outdoors–you’ll never find a scenario where there is absolutely no pest. If you are overrun with pests outdoors, they can be reduced to almost nothing after proper service, but mother nature will always run its course outdoors.
If pests activity returns after 2-3 months onto your property, there is activity in your area. That means these pests will re-enter your property after the pesticides have been broken down. If this happens to you, consider doing a quarterly maintenance service, where we come to your property and conduct a pest control service every 3 months. Our quarterly pest control services can keep your property pest-free all year round!
Benefits of doing quarterly maintenance services (SLA):
- Full guarantee indoors whole year-round.
- Pest free environment all year round.
- You save up to 30% on the cost of a service.
5 Interesting Facts About Spiders
The festive season brings fun and joy for all even the spiders. With rain and the summer sun, spiders are coming out of their hiding spots and invading our homes. Have you had a screaming encounter with one of these creepy crawlies yet? You can make sure your home is spider free today to keep Christmas festive and scare-free.
Interesting Facts About Spiders
- All spiders produce silk, but not all spiders spin webs! There are more than 45,500 spider species, and they all spin silk.
- One spider species is mostly vegetarian! It is called the Bagheera Kiplingi and it inhabits trees that produce protein-rich buds on their leaves. These buds are part of a symbiotic relationship between trees and ants but the Baheera Kiplingi also benefit from consuming them.
- Spiders are near-sighted! Spiders typically have the main set of eyes that can create images while the secondary sets can only detect light and shadow. An exception would be the genus Maratus found in Australia. These tiny jumping spiders have eyes that can see more colours than humans’ eyes!
- Female spiders can lay up to 3000 eggs at one time. Yikes! Call in pest control experts to destroy spider nests in your home before an infestation can occur.
- Jumping spiders can jump up to 50 times their oÿn length
If you think you have a spider infestation in your home contact Mostert Pest Control to recommend steps for spider removal or treatment. Some species are poisonous to humans and should be handled by a professional.
Subterranean Termites
#This_is_how_Mostert_does_it: Ants
Pest like ants enter your home looking for food and water. In the first photo you'll see food that was left in a bin which attracted ants. Always put a plastic in your bins that you can remove when needed so that you can prevent activity from entering your home. Simple and effective....
#This_is_how_Mostert_does_it: Termite Activity
Not sure if you have termite activity in your home? This muddy type of soil indicate termite activity. Remember termites will destroy anything wood in your property. They can even end up in the roof rafters. Eradicating the activity is much cheaper than replacing all wooden structures.
#This_is_how_Mostert_does_it: Cockroach Infestation
Cockroach infestation in a retail store. Before and after we eradicated the infestation.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes belong to the fly family, Diptera, and has four distinct life cycle stages, which include egg, larva, pupa and adult mosquito. Eggs are laid in “rafts” on the surface of bodies of water and water vegetation.
Some eggs are subjected to extremely harsh conditions for several months and only hatch when there is water, which clearly indicates that mosquitoes are around all year long, and not only during spring and summer as many believe. Under normal conditions most mosquito eggs hatch and become larvae (within a 48-hours).
There are in the region of 3 500 species of mosquito but only about 200 species collect blood from humans. Other species of mosquito drink blood from other animals and frogs.
South Africa’s Lowveld area is Malaria territory. The South African government is taking strides in making the area a low-risk Malaria region. The species of mosquito that carries the malaria parasite in this area are the Anopheles species.
South Africa has implemented a mosquito control programme aimed at using bacteria to control the numbers of mosquitoes, which forms crystals and is consumed by the larvae, in turn killing larvae. The bacteria are only successful for the elimination of larvae (not adult mosquitoes or eggs).
Mosquitoes form the major animal biomass in the Arctic region between Northern Canada and Russia where they lie dormant under the snow, erupting in massive swarms at the beginning of the warmer months. In the Arctic, mosquitoes have a great impact on the ecological system. Many scientists believed that half the bird population would vanish from the tundra if there were no mosquitoes.
Research has shown that the large herds of caribou migrate through the tundra facing the wind, selecting specific routes to rid themselves of mosquitoes; a swarm of mosquitoes can collect about 300ml of blood from each caribou a day. Because the caribou change their routes to avoid mosquitos, this impacts on the entire environment such as lichen growth, nutrient cycles, wolf movement and arctic ecology in general.
Malaria
- The word “Malaria” is derived from the Italian which means “bad air” as it was at first believed that malaria was caused by the fumes of swamps in Rome. Romans were experiencing regular outbreaks in their city, hence the name
- Left untreated, Malaria is almost always fatal as the parasite is reproduced at an alarming speed in the bloodstream of the host
- Malaria kills a child every minute in Africa
- Malaria thrives in warm climates and can be found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, having held the world hostage for thousands of years
- According to the Department of Health in SA the statistics for Malaria are quite alarming and is seen as being the most hazardous disease on earth
- There are over 100 different types of Plasmodium parasites which can affect many different species, with five types that infect the human body
Prevention is always better than cure. Fight the bite when travelling to a malaria area and take anti-malarial pills that your doctor will prescribe. Use mosquito patches, nets, repellents and wear long sleeves and long socks which are all excellent preventative measures, especially when travelling to the bush. Mosquitoes are all-year-round bugs, therefore, being safe than sorry is always a good idea.
There are numerous ways and means to keep mosquitoes at bay around the home – keep pools and ponds clean and ensure there are no pooled bodies of water lying dormant.
If all else fails and you find you are simply not able to control these pests, it is wise to call in expert mosquito pest control specialists to eradicate the problem and to keep them at bay.
Ants Coming Indoors?
What Attracts Cockroaches and How Can We Fix This
What Attracts Cockroaches? The most obvious thing that attracts cockroaches is food because it is food that helps them to thrive and keep them alive. Storing food properly in restaurants, homes, offices, shops, and factories is the number one deterrent against roaches, plus ensuring your environment is kept pristinely clean after using the services of a professional pest control company will ensure these nasty bugs will be kept at under control.
No matter how fastidious we are, there are times when these tenacious creatures simply won’t die! Calling in pest control experts is the only way to get rid of these clever creatures, plus it will take time and patience before roaches are eliminated – hence the need for continuing keeping your immediate environment clean.
Here are a few tips to keep cockroaches away
Never leave food out on counters and rinse out any empty containers if you are recycling to keep your environment bug-free. Never leave garbage overnight (cockroaches are nocturnal creatures); throw away rubbish every day.
When retiring at night it is advisable to wipe down all countertops and to clean floors. Any appliances on countertops need to be wiped down.
Ensure the spaces under counters, under refrigerators and freezers and stoves are also kept clean.
Always store all food in airtight containers off floors – this applies to pet food as well.
Fridges and freezers should seal properly.
Never leave old magazines, newspapers or cardboard boxes lying around as cockroaches love to feed on these and breed inside these.
Cockroaches are attracted to warm spots for shelter
Keep your environment clutter-free, and ensure your doors and windows are sealed.
Remember that cockroaches communicate through pheromones; that is why it is advisable to keep wooden surfaces clean (the pheromones soak into these surfaces) and to remove any cardboard.
Cockroaches love water and damp areas
Repair leaks and drips and ensure that the spaces between your sink and bath are kept dry with sealant and grouting.
Standing water attracts roaches to pets drinking water and avoid stagnant water in pot plants.
Keep bathmats, sponges, towels and dishcloths dry.
Cockroaches breed throughout the year and are therefore problematic all year round – they are not seasonal breeders. It is difficult to gauge what the cockroaches were attracted to in the first instance, but once they start breeding it is tough to get rid of an infestation.
Because most DIY treatments are often ineffective, it is far wiser to seek the services of your professional pest control experts to assist with the elimination of these problematic pests.
Different Cockroach Species
It is a surprising fact for most of us that there are thousands of cockroach species – there are in the region of 4 600 of these creatures. However, only about 30 of these species are viewed as being common pests. The most common cockroaches are between 15 mm and 300 mm in length. Some unusual and less common cockroaches can grow as much as 97 mm in length but thankfully these are native to remote parts of South America!
The colours typically range from light brown to a dark, red-brown and some are grey or white with characteristic markings.
Having evolved over thousands of years, these nocturnal creatures are highly adaptable and resourceful and can prove to be a nightmare to get rid of once they start breeding in your home or place of work.
In South Africa, alone, there are over 3 000 different cockroach species although the most common are the German Cockroach, the Oriental Cockroach, the Brown Banded Cockroach and the American Cockroach.
Cockroaches are carriers of several diseases including poliomyelitis, salmonella, diarrhoea, typhoid, gastroenteritis and dysentery, to name a few of the many.
The German Cockroach (Blatella Germanica)
- This roach is between 12 to 15 mm in length
- The German Cockroach is yellowish and brownish and has two distinct longitudinal black streaks on the pronotum.
- They have wings, although they don’t fly
- The female carries the ootheca which is attached to her abdomen until her nymphs reaching hatching stage and live from 100 to 200 days. The females produce between 4 to 8 ootheca (egg cases) throughout their lives
- They are nocturnal creatures
The Brown Banded Cockroach (Supella Longipalpa)
- These cockroaches are between 10 to 15 mm in length (adults)
- The Brown Banded roach is reddish/brown and has a yellow halo around the pronotum edge; furthermore, they have two light yellow/brown bands across their bodies, have a flat shape with prickly legs and longish antennae
- The males can fly
- The females glue their egg cases in closets and furniture and produce between 10 to 14 eggs cases with each case containing between 10 to 18 eggs
The Oriental Cockroach (Blatta Orientalis)
- Between 17 to 30 mm in length (adult)
- The Oriental Cockroach is very dark – almost black
- They have wings and do not fly
- They can live up to 500 days
The American Cockroach (Periplaneta Americana)
- The American Cockroach reaches 25 to 40 mm in length
- The American Cockroach has wings that are reddish which cover the abdomen – they have a yellow band around the pronotum
- They can fly
- They live for 450 days
- The females produce between 9 and 10 cases during their lifetime with each containing between 12 to 16 eggs
It is advisable to call in pest control experts regardless of what species infiltrates your premises, whether it is your home or place of work.