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Disinfection Services

Pest Control in Action: How to conduct a termite inspection

Pest Control in Action: How to conduct a termite inspection

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Pest Control in Action: How to conduct a termite inspection

forktree project tim

Have you ever wondered how professionals conduct a termite inspection? Our Pest Control in Action video series gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how we take on tough pest situations.

In this episode, join us as we shadow Pest Technician Scott on a mission to conduct an annual termite inspection at a residential property in Adelaide.

Termite infestations pose a serious threat to homes. Termites silently cause extensive damage to structures if you leave your property unchecked. Identifying and addressing these infestations early is crucial to prevent costly repairs.

The pest control process

1. Wall inspection
Scott begins his inspection indoors, combing through every nook and cranny of the house. With a high-performance moisture meter, he assesses moisture levels and scans walls for any signs of termite activity or damage.
2. Roof void inspection
Moving into the roof void, Scott carefully examines this area for any indications of termite intrusion or damage caused by other pests.
3. External inspection
With the indoor assessment complete, Scott shifts his focus to the exterior of the property. From the front yard to the backyard, he inspects all external walls and areas prone to moisture, such as piles of stumps, which can attract termites.

The result

Fortunately, Scott’s thorough inspection yielded reassuring results. No signs of termite activity or damage were detected during the examination, providing the homeowner with peace of mind until the next termite inspection in 12 months.

Established in 1986, Allstate has grown to become one of the best known and loved pest control providers for Adelaide families and businesses. Our knowledgeable and friendly technicians are available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide. Fully equipped to treat pest outbreaks in residential, commercial and industrial settings, our modern and innovative treatments will ensure that your property is safeguarded from pests for years to come.

For effective and reliable pest control services, contact Allstate today.

Choose Allstate for safe, nontoxic treatments to

protect your home or business from pests today.

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Pest Control in Action: How to Conduct an Annual Pest Control Treatment

Pest Control in Action: How to Conduct an Annual Pest Control Treatment

 mao0231

Pest Control in Action: How to Conduct an Annual Pest Control Treatment

forktree project tim

Have you ever wondered how professionals conduct an annual pest control treatment? Our Pest Control in Action video series gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how we take on tough pest situations.

In this episode, Allstate Pest Control technician John is conducting a yearly pest control treatment at a residential property. As the homeowner explains, this annual service is crucial in maintaining a pest-free environment, helping to manage any existing infestations and prevent future problems.

The pest control process

1. Inspection and dusting

The process begins with thorough inspection of the property for potential entry points that crawling insects can access. John starts by dusting the roof and vents around the house, creating a protective barrier against pests like moths that may try to make their way inside.

2. Targeted spraying

John then moves on to the general spray application. Armed with his professional-grade equipment, he applies a residual insecticide around the perimeter of the house, sheds, fences, and other trouble spots. This targeted treatment helps to manage any existing pest activity and prevent future infestations.

3. Customer walkthrough

Upon completion of the treatment, John takes the time to walk the homeowner through the work he has carried out.

The result

With Allstate Pest Control’s comprehensive yearly treatments, the homeowner can rest assured that their property will remain free from pests for the long term. The thorough inspection, dusting, and targeted spraying ensure a multi-faceted approach to minimising current and future pest problems.

Established in 1986, Allstate has grown to become one of the best known and loved pest control providers for Adelaide families and businesses. Our knowledgeable and friendly technicians are available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide. Fully equipped to treat pest outbreaks in residential, commercial and industrial settings, our modern and innovative treatments will ensure that your property is safeguarded from pests for years to come.

For effective and reliable pest control services, contact Allstate today.

Choose Allstate for safe, nontoxic treatments to

protect your home or business from pests today.

or

How To Stop Possum Problems in your Backyard

How To Stop Possum Problems in your Backyard

A notorious pest for many gardening enthusiasts, possums have a huge appetite for numerous types of plants, fruits and vegetables growing in your yard. Keen to stick around, chances are their closest nesting spot is inside your roof!

Avoid having noisy, messy and smelly possums in your backyard in this Hivemind article.

What questions will this article answer?

Problems caused by possums in backyards

Although they look cute and cuddly, possums are nuisance if they choose to nest in your backyard.

A gardening enthusiast’s nightmare, possums will damage your yard by eating a wide variety fruits and vegetables, including apples, corn, lettuce, broccoli and bananas, as well as flowers, herbs, bark and eucalyptus leaves. They also eat grains, bread, eggs, and occasionally small lizards and birds. You may even find possums rummaging through your rubbish bin looking for food scraps.

Once they enter your yard, they may also look for food, shelter and nesting spots inside your home, particularly in times of extreme weather conditions, by entering your roof space through access points. Once they come indoors, they can be messy, noisy and smelly.

If you manage to come face to face with a possum in your house, you might even find them to be quite aggressive, so watch out!

Signs of a possum problem

Here’s how to tell if you have possums in your yard:

Noises at night

As nocturnal animals, possums are most active after dark. So if you hear sounds like hissing, coughing and screeching outside, there’s a good chance you could have possums hanging around.

Movement

Agile and good at climbing, possums will make banging and thudding sounds as they scurry along your fence, roof, gutters and tree branches.

Droppings

Possums leave behind faeces that are cylindrical shaped, dark in colour and around 15mm long.

Urine

If you spot large puddles or stains that give off an ammonia-like scent, this could be the work of possums.

Damage to gutters

Look for scratches, dents or mould along your gutters.

For fast possum advice, speak to our expert team

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How to prevent possum problems in your backyard

While it’s common to have the occasional possum pass through your yard, you’ll want to avoid a full-blown possum problem. Here are some tips to keep them away:

Remove attractants

If there is less food available in your yard, possums will be less interested in hanging around. This means not feeding the possums, or considering having fewer plants. Otherwise, dispose of fallen and rotten fruit and vegetables, and make sure that bins and rubbish are tightly sealed and secured. Keep pet food indoors if possible, and ensure that outdoor tables, food preparation areas, barbecues and ovens are clean.

Regular yard maintenance

Large trees with overhanging branches provide possums with easier access to your yard as well as your home. They can also harbour cosy nesting spots. We recommend keeping foliage trimmed as much as possible, and fix dislodged roof tiles. If you spot entry points to your roof, we recommend proofing them off immediately.

Physical deterrents

Sometimes, a screen or barrier is needed to keep possums out of your yard. Bird spikes may also be effective in high traffic areas.

Possum repellents

Having a pet such as a dog or cat can be handy as they are considered as predators. You can install motion sensitive lights and sprinklers. Strongly scented items with an unpleasant odour to possums can also be scattered around your yard, including garlic and mothballs, to deter possums.

Protect your yard from possums. Speak to an expert today.

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Professional possum control

If you’re noticing a possum problem around your home and yard, it’s not just a simple case of catching and moving the possum somewhere else by yourself.

Possum relocation permits

Regarded as protected wildlife in South Australia, possums can only be managed by individuals who have a Trap and Release permit issued by the Department for Environment and Heritage. This permit allows possums to be caught and relocated to another area within a 50m radius.

Don’t forget to inspect potted plants, mulch, hay and manure for signs of fire ants.

Cover all entry points

Being small in size, fire ants can squeeze through tiny gaps, cracks, crevices and holes to gain access inside your home. We recommend carefully inspecting your home for these tiny openings and sealing them off.

Allstate’s 6-step possum management program

At Allstate, our technicians are fully licensed with Trap and Release permits to control all possum issues.
Our technicians have a comprehensive approach to making sure that your home and yard stay possum-free for the long term. We follow a 6-step humane possum management program as detailed below:

  • Step 1: We inspect your home, particularly the roof, for all possible entry points
  • Step 2: We install a one-way door at the main access point
  • Step 3: We seal the remaining entry points to prevent possums from re-entering your roof space
  • Step 4: We leave a cage trap near the main access point to trap any possums. Our technicians will check the trap daily to make sure that the possum is safe and to minimise stress
  • Step 5: Once the possum (or possums) have been caught, we will clean the roof space to remove all possum scent pheromone markers
  • Step 6: The final step involves setting up a nesting box on a tree within 50m of your yard to give the possum a new home

 

Sometimes, the noises you hear in your roof turn out not to be possums, but rodents or birds. Fortunately, your Allstate technician is well trained to look out for signs of other pests, and will let always you know if they spot any other issues.

Choose Allstate for safe and reliable possum management

Having possums running around your yard can be both disruptive and destructive, so having professional assistance to quickly control an outbreak is extremely useful.

That’s why you can rely on Allstate for fast and effective professional possum removal at any time. We’re available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide to manage possum problems of any size in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

Our technicians are fully equipped and highly trained to handle possums with a humane approach that is in line with Government regulations.

We offer payment plans to help you safeguard your home and yard with our effective possum management solutions, so do not hesitate to reach out to us anytime.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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Your Guide To Fire Ant Control

Your Guide To Fire Ant Control

Introduced to Australia over 20 years ago, fire ants are known for their painful stings. A serious agricultural pest, they will eat anything from plants, insects and decomposing animals to food staples in your kitchen. Avoid getting stung by feisty fire ants by reading our latest Hivemind article.

What questions will this article answer?

What is a fire ant?

Native to South America, but introduced to Australia over 20 years ago, fire ants are considered a serious agricultural pest.

They are reddish-brown coloured, with a rear segment that is usually dark brown and can range from 2-6mm in size, depending on their role in the colony. Winged fire ants can fly up to 5km away from the nest to expand the colony.

Known to feed on various crops including corn and soy, fire ants also have an appetite for okra, potato tubers and citrus fruit. However, these hungry insects are experts at scavenging insects, honeydew produced by aphids, flies, fly larvae, decomposing animals, seeds, as well as oily and sugary products.

With a unique behaviour of swarming their prey, they have strong jaws to secure their victims, and use painful stingers to inject venom. They can be particularly aggressive if their nest is disturbed, and are able to sting multiple times.

Fire ants can survive all year long, in climates that range from below freezing, to the relentless heat of droughts and even high rainfall.

Problems caused by fire ants

Although they are small, fire ants can cause a range of big problems. Here’s how:

Damage to your garden

With a big appetite for plants in your garden, fire ants feeds on plants such as corn and germinating seeds, potato tubers, okra and citrus fruit.

Disrupting outdoor activities

With the potential for venomous stings, you and your family will want to avoid disturbing fire ants and their mounds when outside. They can quickly swarm and sting their victims multiple times, especially when they feel threatened.

Painful stings

When stung by a fire ant, you may experience pain and a burning sensation, and be left with a swollen welt.

Allergic reactions

In some people, fire ant venom can trigger allergies, causing itchy rashes, and even possibly anaphylactic reactions.

Contamination

With their unhygienic foraging habits, fire ants will eat anything from decomposing dead animals, animal waste to food in your pantry. They will look for food and water from toilets, drains and sewers, as well as your kitchen sink. This means that they can potentially collect and spread a range of bacteria, germs and diseases inside your home, including salmonella, E.coli, fungi and staphylococcus and streptococcus infections.

Disturbing the ecosystem

With their aggressive behaviour, fire ants have been known to threaten native species of ants, dominating and disrupting the ecological balance of your yard over time.

Keep your family safe from fire ants. Speak to an expert today.

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How to identify a fire ant outbreak

Getting stung is definitely not pleasant, so it’s important know how to spot a fire ant infestation as quickly as possible. Here are the most common signs that you may have a fire ant problem:

You’re noticing a lot of fire ants around

If there’s more fire ants than usual, especially if they’ve managed to make it indoors, there’s a good chance that you may have an infestation on your hands.

Ant trails

If you see fire ants marching in lines along a well-defined path, this means that fire ants are foraging for food and living in a nest nearby, typically within 30m away.

Fire ant mounds

Found out in the open and resembling piles of disturbed dirt, with a flat or rounded top, fire ant nests can reach between 30-40cm high and 30-90cm in diameter. Unlike other ant species, there isn’t a clear hole or entry point at the apex.

Fire ants usually enter and exit their nest through underground tunnels with entry points that may be up to 30 feet away from the mound.

Depending on the weather, fire ant nests can look different. In warm climates or during drought, their nests might appear as small areas of loose soil. When the temperature drops, or there is rainfall, their nests may be more obvious and look larger in size.

Droppings

You may notice small granules, like sand or coffee grounds, which are brown, beige or black in colour scattered around your home or yard.

Ways to prevent a fire ant infestation

We recommend the following tasks to help you prevent fire ants from setting up a nest in your yard.

Regular yard maintenance

Clear away fallen or rotten fruit and vegetables, and keep plants, bushes and vegetation neatly trimmed, particularly ones that are growing near your home. Remove piles of debris and leaves and keep your lawns tidy to reduce hiding spots. Make sure that rubbish bins are tightly sealed, secured and covered.

Don’t forget to inspect potted plants, mulch, hay and manure for signs of fire ants.

Cover all entry points

Being small in size, fire ants can squeeze through tiny gaps, cracks, crevices and holes to gain access inside your home. We recommend carefully inspecting your home for these tiny openings and sealing them off.

Remove access to food and water

Fire ants can detect resources from a long distance away, so it’s best to keep food stored away, and avoid leaving bowls of water out in the open for long periods. This includes pet food. Keep your home clean by wiping down tabletops, benchtops, stoves and sinks after use, and clear away dirty dishes. Immediately clean up spills, remove crumbs from floors and furniture by vacuuming, mopping and sweeping.

Ant baits

There are several readily available products to protect your home from being invaded by fire ants. These are available from your local hardware store, and can include ant baits and insecticide sprays.

For expert advice on managing fire ants, contact Allstate today

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Professional fire ant control

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a fire ant outbreak can be hard to manage without professional assistance. At Allstate, we have a range of targeted treatments, which are approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for safe use around your home.

Fire ant baits

Once consumed by foraging fire ants, the insecticide-laced bait is taken back to the colony and transmitted to other ants to destroy the colony.
Soaked in soybean oil, these baits are made of 1-2mm sized granules of corn grit and can be sprinkled near the nest itself, or scattered around the yard. Depending on the extent of the outbreak, way may use different types of baits. They contain the following chemical ingredients to stop ants in their tracks:

  • Insect growth regulator baits are made from s-methoprene or pyriproxyfen. They are effective in reducing the ant population by stopping their life cycle and can take up to 3-4 months to have their full effect
  • Fast acting insecticide usually consists of indoxacarb or hydramethylnon and pyriproxyfen. It typically takes only 1-4 weeks to reach their maximum effect

 

Direct nest injection

As the name suggests, we can directly apply fipronil, a strong insecticide liquid, to fill all the chambers of the fire ant nest as a fast solution to treat an outbreak. However, the treated area must not be disturbed for 24 hours, and the ground and its surrounds must remain dry and undisturbed for at least 7 days.

Choose Allstate for effective and long-lasting fire ant control

With your calendar filled with all sorts of outdoor activities to enjoy the last of the warm weather, there’s nothing worse than having the threat of a fire ant outbreak to spoil the fun. At Allstate, we’re here to help protect you and your family from fire ants.

Since 1986, Allstate has helped thousands of homes, businesses and industrial properties prevent and treat pest outbreaks. Available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide, our highly trained and fully equipped pest technicians use innovative solutions and treatments which are safe for children, pets and the environment.

With payment plans available, you won’t need to delay any urgent fire ant treatment anymore. Ask one of our friendly pest consultants for reliable advice at any time.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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