Pest control may not be something you think about - until you really need it. While some pests create a highly visible nuisance, sometimes their presence can creep up on you. You may not realise it, but proactive residential and commercial property owners will often engage pest control services as part of their smart pre-emptive maintenance measures. This can translate to time and cost savings in the long run, as pests are eradicated before they get a chance to really bed down on your property.
So, is pest control a necessary service for all properties? What does it look like, and do you need it now? Read on to learn about the type of pests you might come up against in your Christchurch property and what the best plan of attack will be if you decide that pest control is worth doing.
Pests can damage your property and your belongings, spread disease, and create an unhygienic living or working environment. To mitigate these risks and make sure that your home or business remains in good repair you should be vigilant about dealing with a range of pests, including birds, rats and mice, spiders and flies, ants, fleas, cockroaches, and more.
It’s a fairly reliable rule of thumb that if you can see pests, you shouldn’t delay in ordering pest control services. If you can see the pest or the mess or damage they are inflicting, it’s likely that your property is infested. Untreated pest infestation can lead to major avoidable financial outlays. Birds or rodents, in particular, can make homes in your roof space and your interior walls; they leave excrement, bring in items from outside to nest and they can even chew through your wiring, creating fire hazards and opening you up to expensive repairs.
While we are fortunate to have very little in the way of poisonous pests in New Zealand, there are still animals and insects that can wreak havoc if they are allowed to settle in and breed on your property. Here are a few pests that are common to Christchurch:
Ants, flies, cockroaches and other insects are common, and these little pests can take hold and quickly multiply in number to create an unhygienic environment on your property. Insects also act as a food source for birds and rodents, so if you let these creepy crawlies take hold at your home or business, you will likely attract the animals that like to eat them. A line of ants making its way boldly across your kitchen bench, flies that seem to appear even when the house is closed up, or cockroaches that scuttle out of sight when you flick the light on in the kitchen late at night are all signs it’s time to start taking pest control seriously.
Spiders feed off other insects, so if you have a fly or other insect issue, the spiders will be pleased to move in and help you take care of it! Unfortunately, this can quickly get out of hand as spiders are prolific breeders. Their webs can be unsightly, and there is, of course, the issue of the whitetail. These can be deadly, notoriously sneaky and can even show up in your bed. Staying on top of the spider population at your property should definitely be a priority, especially in the warmer months when literally hundreds of baby spiders can emerge from a single ripe egg sac.
While a bird can be a beautiful thing singing in a tree outside your window, a bird infestation can be incredibly irritating, disturbing and damaging. Birds will often nest in spouting, which can lead to water ingress as your spouting becomes blocked or broken. Birds can also make their way into your walls, roof space, or even into the interior of your home.
They will bring in detritus from outside to nest and breed and will leave untold excrement across your surfaces. An avian infestation can be upsetting as they can make a lot of noise, especially on sunset and at dawn. Letting an avian infestation take hold can lead to expensive avoidable repairs, you may find insulation ruined and the water they let in can even lead to structural damage.
Dealing with mice and rats on your property as soon as you know they are there is a no-brainer. Female rats can sync their breeding cycles and this can lead to a sudden population explosion on your property. These beasties will get into anything and everything - includijng your pantry and your wiring. It’s a sooner rather than later issue, so as soon as you spot these wily beasts on your property, order a pest control expert to take a proactive approach to getting rid of them completely and quickly.
If you know you have pests, or you just want to take a proactive approach to retaining the value of your property while protecting your health, get in touch now.
The team at Arthurs Roof and Property have the experience, training, skills and equipment required to carry out safe, effective pest control for peace of mind.