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Top Tips for a Cockroach-Free home this summer

Top Tips for a Cockroach-Free home this summer

by | Dec 12, 2024 | Blog, Cockroach

For most of us, our summer plans do not involve dealing with a cockroach outbreak. However, with peak cockroach season in full swing, we’ve put together our top 6 tips to help you prevent these pesky creatures from ruining your holidays.

What questions will this article answer?

Why you’re noticing more cockroaches in summer

Like many pests, cockroaches thrive in warmer weather. In fact, if it’s over 20 degrees, cockroach eggs hatch faster, leading to accelerated reproduction.

With a preference for areas of high moisture, the increase in humidity that often comes in summer can also lead to ideal breeding conditions.

Although your garden may have had plenty of dark and damp hiding spots for cockroaches to shelter over winter, these can dry up or disappear as the mercury rises and you clear out the clutter in your yard. This means that cockroaches will need to hunt around for new nesting areas – perhaps your kitchen or laundry?

While they can live up to a month without eating, cockroaches have a broad appetite for a wide range of food, so once they come inside your home, they’ll easily find things to feast on from the most unlikely of places.

Signs of a cockroach outbreak

If you see cockroaches scurrying around during the daytime, this is your most obvious hint that there will be plenty more hidden away. However, there are also other ways to know if you have a cockroach problem on your hands, including:

Cockroach droppings

Look for tiny coffee-ground shaped droppings, resembling black dust, scattered around the place.

Moulted skins

The average cockroach will shed their outer layer between 5-8 times in their lives as they grow in size, leaving behind a thin, translucent layer.

Cockroach eggs

Depending on the species of cockroach, most lay eggs that are reddish brown to dark brown coloured, capsule-shaped and 5-14mm long. You’ll most likely find these in warm and moist areas.

An unpleasant odour

A cockroach infestation can leave behind a musty, sour and oily smell, from their droppings.

Seeing more cockroaches than usual? Speak to our expert team today.

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8371 1277

Reasons to avoid a cockroach infestation

They may be small, and although they don’t bite, cockroaches cause problems in other ways. We’ll explain how:

Spreading disease

Built to survive in different climates and environments, cockroaches can feed and nest anywhere from sewers to rubbish tips to underneath your fridge. No matter where they are, they can collect, ingest and leave behind a range of nasty viruses, bacteria, parasites and germs through their droppings, which cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis, typhoid fever and leprosy.

Triggering allergies

For some people, cockroach droppings, moulted skins and saliva can cause allergic reactions, resulting in itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.

Damage to your belongings

Equipped with strong jaws and sharp teeth, hungry cockroaches can gnaw through plastic packaging, leather products, furniture, fabric and paper. Depending on the species, they’ll eat anything from the food in your fridge to your clothes, wallpaper and even books.

How to stay cockroach-free this summer

Cockroach outbreaks can be difficult to manage, so it’s best to not take your chances and instead be proactive in preventing them from coming into your home in the first place. Here are our top 6 tips to protect you and your family from cockroaches this summer:

Remove food sources

Keep your food items covered or better yet, stored away in tightly sealed containers, and avoid leaving pet food out.

Remove water

Cockroaches prefer areas with high moisture, so if you have any leaking pipes, taps or drains around your home, be sure to fix these as soon as possible. Don’t forget to check that your laundry and kitchen appliances are not leaking as well. Ponds and bird baths can also attract cockroaches.

Regularly clean your home

To reduce the number of available hiding spots around your home, we recommend clearing out cluttered areas that can make good nesting spots. Also, regular sweeping, vacuuming and mopping can clear away cockroach eggs. Wipe down kitchen surfaces, including sinks, benches, tables and stoves to remove grease and food spills which can attract cockroaches. Avoid leaving dirty dishes, utensils and cutlery in the sink for periods of time.

Practice proper waste disposal

Discarded food scraps are an appetising treat for cockroaches, so be sure to store waste in well-sealed bags in bins with fitted lids. Keep compost stored in bins rather than leaving it out in the open.

Seal off entry points

Small, flat and fast, cockroaches can crawl through tiny gaps, cracks and crevices to enter your home. Inspect your home regularly for potential access points and seal them carefully.

Garden and yard maintenance

Keep your yard well maintained to reduce nesting sites. Clear away piles of vegetation, keep branches and bushes well-trimmed, and remove pet waste.

For long-lasting cockroach protection, speak to an expert today

or

8371 1277

Professional cockroach management

At Allstate, our pest control technicians are highly trained to manage cockroach outbreaks in various settings efficiently using the following treatments:

Fumigation

Often used alongside other slower acting treatments, fumigating a sealed-off area with an insecticide in a gas form is a fast way to control severe infestations.

Baiting

Tamper-proof stations containing targeted insecticide-laced bait are placed strategically in cockroach nesting areas around your home.

Cockroach control dust

To encourage cockroaches out of hard-to-reach places, such as tiny cracks, holes and crevices, we’ll apply a control dust.

Cockroach spray

To deter cockroaches from entering your home, we apply a barrier spray to the perimeter of your home.

Heat treatment

For a chemical free, nontoxic and environmentally solution to manage cockroaches, heat treatment has shown to be highly effective in not only reducing a cockroach population, but also sterilising the affected area and preventing unpleasant odours. Used only in suitable areas that have been sealed off, a dry heat around 50-60 degrees can be delivered using mobile heat-treating equipment.

For fast and reliable cockroach control, choose Allstate

With summer just around the corner, the last thing you and your family want to worry about is a cockroach outbreak. Fortunately, Allstate is always here to help.

Locally operated since 1986, Allstate has successfully managed pest outbreaks for clients in residential, commercial and industrial settings in all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for fast advice to urgent enquiries, our team is always fully equipped with modern and innovative solutions to all pest concerns.

Using non-toxic treatments that are safe for children, pets and the environment, we’ll make sure that you can stay pest-free all summer and beyond.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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8371 1277

How to keep Pests away in Summer

How to keep Pests away in Summer

by | Dec 12, 2024 | Blog, Pests

How to keep Pests away in Summer

 

With many of us getting excited about the upcoming summer holidays, the last thing on anybody’s mind would be dealing with a pest outbreak. Unfortunately, being the peak season for many pests, summer pest outbreaks are relatively common. Keep your home safe from unwelcome pests by reading this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Why are there more pests in summer?

Just as your garden comes alive in warm weather, so do household pests! Summer provides ideal conditions for the survival of many pests, including ants, mosquitoes, flies, fleas, cockroaches and venomous spiders. You’ll notice that many of these creepy crawlies emerge from hibernating to breed and forage for food.

Ants

Emerging from their hibernation period in winter, ants will once again be seen foraging for food along ant trails from their nests and it doesn’t take long for an army of ants to appear.

From your garden to the rubbish bin to your kitchen, ants will march almost anywhere for their next meal, contaminating your food and surfaces, and spreading germs and diseases as they go. If you happen to step in their path, you may even experience the sharp pain of an ant bite, which can cause swelling if you’re allergic. These bites can be particularly unpleasant if you happen to encounter a fire ant.

Thankfully, there’s several ways to reduce the risk of an ant infestation. We recommend:

  • Storing food away in tightly sealed containers and avoid leaving pet food out
  • Cleaning your kitchen regularly, wiping surfaces and removing food spills immediately
  • Keeping rubbish bins and compost properly covered
  • Maintaining your yard by disposing of fallen fruit, keeping the lawn tidy and removing piles of vegetation
  • Inspecting your home for all possible entry points and sealing them off
  • Applying insecticide sprays and positioning bait stations

If you’re still struggling to combat an ant invasion at home, you don’t need to worry. Allstate has a range of proven treatments for all types of ants. This includes control dust, insecticide as well as chemical baits.

Get fast treatment for crawling insects. Speak to Allstate today.

or

8371 1277

Mosquitoes

With summer being their peak season, hungry mosquitoes are often heard buzzing around looking for suitable hosts to feed off. Famous for their irritating, itchy bites, which can trigger allergies, mosquitoes move from host to host drawing blood and potentially spreading nasty diseases such as Dengue fever, Ross River virus, Yellow fever and Barmah Forest virus.

That’s why we encourage preventing skin contact with mosquitoes by wearing long sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent.

Although they’re tiny, it’s possible to stop mosquitoes from flying inside your home by:

  • Installing mesh screens over your windows and doors
  • Removing sources of moisture, including pet water bowls, ponds, bird baths, leaking taps and drains, and making sure that plant pots have adequate drainage

If they’re becoming a major nuisance, Allstate offers a range of professional treatments that target all stages of the mosquito life cycle, as well as fogging sprays and residual barrier sprays for ongoing protection.

Flies

It certainly wouldn’t be a normal Aussie summer without a few flies hovering around your barbecue, but you certainly don’t want them all over the place, either. They can be noisy and distracting, all while spreading germs and diseases from their unhygienic foraging habits. Once they’ve established a breeding site and laid their eggs, you may even find yourself dealing with crawling maggots!

If all this sounds stressful to you, rest assured thatplenty of ways to stop a fly outbreak from happening. Here’s how:

  • Install fly screens over doors and windows around your home, paying special attention to kitchen, dining and waste storage areas
  • Practice proper food storage to avoid attracting flies
  • Keep kitchen and dining areas clean by regularly wiping and disinfecting surfaces, including floors, and clearing food spills, crumbs and grease
  • Wash used dishes and cutlery immediately
  • Turn on fans
  • Apply insecticide spray where it is safe to do so

However, if your fly problem is simply overwhelming, you may need professional fly management. Allstate uses aerosol sprays, fogging and dusting powder to keep flies away for good.

Fleas

While we’re busy keeping pests away from our homes, let’s not forget our furry friends! With more active fleas around in the warmer months, our pets can be silently suffering without us having a clue.

Red-brown coloured and around 2mm long, fleas can sometimes be hard to spot, but it’s important to check our pets’ fur for signs of flea infections, look out for flea eggs and droppings, and be aware of changes in pet behaviour.

You can keep your home and pets flea-free by taking the following steps:

  • Managing other pests which can introduce fleas to your home, such as rodents and pest birds
  • Conducting regular yard maintenance to reduce flea hiding and breeding spots, such as lawns and piles of vegetation
  • Regular cleaning, especially in areas are frequented by your pets, including rugs and furniture
  • Wash pet bedding using hot water
  • Grooming and washing your pets
  • Fitting your pet with a flea collar
  • Taking your pet to your local trusted vet

For all persisting flea issues, Allstate can assist with flea control dust and insecticide treatments.

Avoid getting bitten by a flying insect problem. Get fast advice today.

or

8371 1277

Cockroaches

With the ability to survive all year round in all types of living conditions, cockroaches breed in the spring and you’re most likely to spot them at night. Famous for spreading illnesses and diseases such as gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, cholera and dysentery, you’ll definitely want to avoid the mess of an outbreak if possible.

With an appetite for a wide variety of food in your pantry as well as rubbish bin, it’s best to keep cockroaches as far away from your home as possible. Here’s how:

  • Practicing good hygiene including handwashing
  • Ensure that food is tightly covered and stored away
  • Clean your kitchen, food preparation and dining areas regularly using disinfecting products
  • Wipe up food spills and crumbs immediately
  • Keep your cupboards and shelves, oven and dishwasher clean
  • Inspect your home for potential entry points inside and seal them over with filler, silicone or expanding foam. Seal off vents if possible
  • Check for leaking drains and pipes and fix them as soon as possible

Still struggling with a cockroach problem? Allstate can help. We use a range of innovative control measures including fumigation, cockroach baiting and heat treatments.

Venomous spiders

Although most spiders in Australia are harmless, the notorious venomous redback and certain species of funnel web spiders are known to strike fear in many. This is because their bites contain toxic venom which requires immediate medical attention.

The good news is, redbacks and funnel webs are not aggressive unless they are disturbed. Here’s how to identify them:

  • Redback spiders are 1.5mm long and black coloured with a distinct red stripe on their upper abdomen. They create messy and irregular, but strong and sticky cobwebs
  • Funnel web spiders are 1-5cm long, glossy-looking, black-brown in colour and covered with fine hairs. They build non sticky, funnel shaped webs burrows to live in, and hunt for their prey. You’ll most likely find them under rocks, or inside logs.

You can prevent spiders from visiting your home by taking the following steps:

  • Identifying and covering all entry points, including vents and cover gaps underneath doors using draught excluders
  • Remove clutter from your home so there are less hiding spots
  • Reduce the number of insects around your home, which will attract spiders

If you’re concerned about having venomous spiders, we don’t recommend approaching them yourself. At Allstate, our technicians are professionally trained to handle all types of spiders. We offer effective spider treatments such as spider control dust and insecticide sprays to protect you and your family from venomous spiders.

Choose Allstate for reliable and effective summer pest control

The summer holidays are a great time to enjoy time with friends and family, rather than dealing with annoying pest outbreaks.

Locally operated since 1986, Allstate has provided high quality pest control services to homes and businesses in all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7, offer long-lasting pest management solutions to clients in residential, commercial and industrial settings, using a range of safe, modern and innovative treatments.

With access to payment plans and competitive warranties covering all of our services, you can stay pest-free all year round by reaching out to Allstate today.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277

What is the best protection against termites?

What is the best protection against termites?

by | Nov 6, 2024 | Termites

Don’t be fooled by their tiny size: a colony of termites is able to consume 6.8kg of wood in one week! Responsible for over 80% of all structural damage to homes in Australia, learn more about how you can protect your home from termites in this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Why is termite control important?

With termites affecting 1 in 3 homes in Australia, the risk of a termite attack to your home is high. This is because their appetite for cellulose-based materials means that the wood in your home becomes an appealing food source.

 

Living mainly underground, subterranean termites are hard to spot and once inside your home, they can silently cause significant damage that is not visible until it is simply too late. In fact, termites are thought to cost Australian homeowners a whopping $1.5 billion every year.

 

Since this damage is considered highly preventable, the cost of repairs is unfortunately not covered by home and contents insurance. However, it’s reassuring to know that Allstate Pest Control can help keep you and your family safe from a termite attack.

Termite inspections

According to CSIRO and government recommendations, yearly termite inspections are the best way to detect the early signs of a termite attack. If you live in a high-risk area, more frequent inspections may be ideal.

This is because licensed termite inspectors are specifically trained to understand termite behaviour and use modern technology to assist with uncovering even the most subtle signs of termite activity.

At Allstate, we use the following specialised termite detecting equipment to complete inspections according to strict Australian standards:

  • Moisture meters can detect areas of higher humidity which indicate the presence of termite activity
  • Sounding tools are tapped against wooden structures to check for hollowed out sounds resulting from termite damage
  • Motion detectors use advanced thermal imaging technology to detect termite movement inside structures
  • Borescopes are a type of optical device which assist with a visual inspection of a high risk area which is otherwise difficult to access

At Allstate, a comprehensive termite assessment will include using the appropriate termite detection equipment to thoroughly examine all interior and exterior parts of your property, from subfloors to ceilings, as well as your yard and fencing.

Don’t delay your termite inspection, speak to our expert team

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8371 1277

Pre-purchase timber pest inspections

If you’re buying a new home, chances are that you’ll have a building inspection before committing to buy. However, this inspection does not usually incorporate timber pests.

You will need a professional pest assessment which will cover not just termites, but also seasoned timber borers and wood decay fungi.

At Allstate, we conduct non-invasive, visual pre-purchase timber pest inspections in accordance with Australian Standard 4349.3. Focusing on areas which may have a high probability of having timber pests, we inspect the building before preparing a report on the same day with our findings. This includes a risk assessment of your building for timber pests, evidence of timber pest activity, severity of damage caused, as well as recommendations for management and further investigations.

Termite treatment

If termites have been detected at your business or home, our pest technicians will determine the source of the outbreak and perform a thorough inspection of all affected areas before coming up with a management plan.

At Allstate, we keep up to date with our knowledge of termite control techniques and technology, using only the most effective products that are nontoxic towards people, pets and the environment. These include:

Premise termiticide

Offering immediate protection from termites, it’s no surprise that Premise termiticide is a popular termite treatment solution in Australia. Applied directly to soil around the perimeter of your building, it is ingested by foraging termites as a modern non-repellent treatment. Premise has been shown to be highly effective in reducing the termite population through termite-to-termite transfer.

Sentricon Always Active

An effective termite protection barrier, Sentricon Always Active bait stations can be installed discreetly underground, with the cap lying flush with your pavers. It contains the active ingredient noviflumuron, which inhibits the termite life cycle by preventing the moulting process.

Sentricon stations are usually placed 30cm away from your home, no more than 3 metres apart. They will be checked at every termite inspection to make sure that they are working properly and to assess for termite activity.

For effective termite treatment solutions, speak to an expert today

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8371 1277

Termite protection for new homes

Due to the high risk of termite attacks, the National Construction Code guidelines mandate new homes be built using termite-resistant materials and include a termite management system.

These strict requirements are in place because termites are still able to penetrate treated timber and steel roofing, and damage can affect every part of your home.

At Allstate, our pre-construction pest control team includes licensed builders with extensive knowledge and experience in termite management. We incorporate the following range of high-quality termite resistant products, covered by extensive warranties, at the appropriate stage of your build:

Kordon Termite Barrier

As certified Kordon installers, we recommend this moisture resistant barrier to protect your concrete slab.

Manufactured in Adelaide, Kordon has undergone extensive testing by the CSIRO for over two decades and has a 100% success rate in providing the best long-term chemical and physical defence against subterranean termites, when installed correctly.

Non-hazardous, hypoallergic and suitable for all building applications, Kordon is a polyester webbing embedded with deltamethrin termiticide. It is made into a highly flexible sheet which is placed between the bedding sand and steel mesh layers before the concrete slab is poured on top.

Concrete curing

To make sure that your concrete slab stays smooth and crack free and remain impenetrable to termites, we recommend Rendacure as our preferred concrete curing compound.

With excellent adhesion properties, Rendacure is fast drying, wax free and water-based, making it easy to spray or roll onto freshly poured concrete.

We also offer Deep Cure as an alternative fast and cost-effective method to internally cure concrete. Penetrating the inside of the slab, it stops excess moisture from entering by forming a water retaining gel.

Slab edge moisture protection

Protecting your concrete slab from moisture makes it far less likely to attract subterranean termites to your home. If your home is affected by dampness, this shows up as efflorescence, or coloured crystalline deposits of salt and minerals on surfaces around your home.

We suggest using the following waterproofing products during the construction of your new home to prevent efflorescence:

  • Homeguard Protectacote is a bifenthrin-based, acrylic polymer latex compound that can be applied by spraying, rolling or brushing the exposed perimeter of new concrete slabs
  • Ardex WPM 300 is a high performance, water-based epoxy membrane and coating which can be applied to damp concrete to form a hydrostatic pressure resistant membrane and prevent rising damp
  • Xyprex concentrate sealant is applied as a concrete slurry and penetrates the tiny pores within concrete slabs to form a tough, watertight crystalline structure

Chemical reticulation systems

Building regulations make it compulsory for extensions on an existing property to include a termite barrier between your home and the new concrete slab. If baiting stations cannot be installed, this means that you may need a Termidor reticulation system. This consists of a network of underground pipes that discharge termiticide into the soil to repel termites, and requires topping up at regular intervals.

Choose Allstate for long lasting termite control

At Allstate, we’ve seen the devastating damage that termites can inflict on homes and businesses, causing stress and hefty repair bills.

Locally operated since 1986, we’ve provided premium pest control services to all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for expert advice, our highly trained pest technicians are fully equipped to offer innovative solutions to termite concerns in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

With payment plans available, Allstate can keep you and your family safe with effective termite prevention strategies today.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277

How to prevent a blowfly infestation

How to prevent a blowfly infestation

by | Nov 6, 2024 | Fly

Although they have an important role in decomposing organic waste, the last thing you need this summer is a blowfly outbreak in your home or business. With blowfly season fast approaching, we’ve prepared this guide to help you keep pesky blowflies away for good.

What is a blowfly?

A type of flying insect, blowflies have distinctive large eyes, a set of wings, and grow between 8-10 mm long. They are easily distinguished by their shiny, metallic appearance, and range in colour from green, black, blue or copper. You may even recognise their loud, unique buzzing.

Blowflies play an important role in breaking down organic matter. With an appetite for decaying, rotten protein, they thrive in areas such as meat-processing facilities, slaughterhouses, garbage dumps and recycling plants. In fact, they can detect odours from up to 19km away.

Blowflies prefer to live in warmer climates with higher humidity, and lay their eggs in decomposing organic waste, such as rubbish, compost piles, plant matter and manure.

How can I tell the difference between a house fly and blowfly?

House flies are usually black in colour and smaller in size at 6-7mm long, than blowflies, which have a brighter metallic appearance and grow up to 8-10mm in length.

Blowflies also tend to prefer decaying organic food sources and flies will eat both fresh and rotten food.

Reasons to avoid a blowfly infestation

While most people aren’t necessarily too bothered by a few blowflies here and there, having a whole swarm of them around your home or business can be problematic.

During summer, it may only take 7 days for an adult blowfly to develop from an egg, so outbreaks can happen fast!

Not only will the constant buzzing sound from their rapidly flapping wings be noisy and distraction, they can cause disruptions to your daily activities.

With an appetite for decaying organic matter, especially rubbish and dead animals, blowflies are experts are spreading diseases as they fly around foraging for food in unsanitary places.

They contaminate food as well as clean surfaces and areas around your home, spreading germs, parasites and diseases such as salmonella, gastroenteritis and dysentery. Not to mention, you’re left with more housework to tidy up after them.

The presence of blowflies has worse consequences for commercial and industrial businesses, who are subject to strict health and safety standards. Any breach can cause damage to reputation, result in hefty fines and halt trading.

Keep blowflies at bay this summer. Speak to our expert team.

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8371 1277

Signs you have a blowfly problem

The most obvious clue that you have a blowfly outbreak on your hands is that you notice more of them than usual, particularly around summer.

You may see blowflies swarming around a particular area, usually a food source or a breeding site, and it will be hard to miss their unmistakeable buzzing.

You may also spot their breeding site, which will emit an unpleasant rotting smell and contain many larvae or maggots, located within decaying rubbish or dead animals. Larvae resemble grains of rice, and grow between 9-22mm long.

How to prevent a blowfly outbreak

Although it can be hard to avoid pesky flies during outdoor dining situations, it’s important to discourage them from hanging around your property as much as possible and prevent them from settling into breeding sites. Here’s how:

Keep waste secured

Ensure that all rubbish, especially decaying food scraps, is stored in tightly sealed bags and bins with well-fitting lids. Regularly dispose of rubbish to avoid overflowing bins.

Entry point exclusion

Identify and remove all entry points for blowflies to enter your home. You can install fly screens over windows and doors.

Remove food sources

Blowflies are attracted to rotten food smells, which can be carried by air currents far away from your property. Avoid leaving pet bowls outside if possible.

Remove water sources

Fix leaking taps, drains and pipes.

Keep your home clean

Remove food spills, debris and grease as quickly as possible and make sure that food preparation and dining areas are clean. This includes wiping down benches, tables, sinks and stoves, washing dishes and cutlery, as well as sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors. Pay attention to maintaining waste storage areas and your pet’s favourite spaces. Remove dead wildlife such as birds and rodents, which are prime blowfly breeding sites.

Get on top of a blowfly outbreak quickly. Speak to an expert today.

or
8371 1277

Professional blowfly management

Before applying any treatment, our pest control technicians will perform a comprehensive blowfly assessment to determine the source of the outbreak, locate all breeding sites, and provide specific advice on hygiene practices and waste management if needed.

We then use the following methods to control the infestation, and review their effectiveness at appropriate intervals:

  • Insecticide aerosol sprays
  • Fogging
  • Dusting
  • Baiting and trapping with specialised traps that physically attract and catch blowflies
  • Installing fly control units at commercial and industrial facilities with food handling

Routine pest management for food-handling businesses

At Allstate, our technicians are highly trained to be familiar with food standard HACCP. This means that we understand how important it is to stay compliant with government regulations to keep your business open. With the constant threat of pests such as blowflies having a negative impact on day-to-day operations, we make monitoring pests simple.

Our routine pest management program doesn’t just include pest control services delivered at regular intervals according to your business’ risk level. You’re given access to an innovative 24/7 personalised online reporting portal, which contains all relevant compliance documents, service reports and allows fast and direct communication to a dedicated pest control technician that is familiar with your business.

Reach out to Allstate today to learn more about how we can help protect your business from pests all year long.

For reliable and fast blowfly treatment, choose Allstate

With summer parties and outdoor activities on the agenda, the last thing you need is a swarm of blowflies to ruin your plans.

Since 1986, Allstate has provided premium pest control services to homes and businesses in all suburbs of Adelaide. We’re available 24/7 for all urgent enquiries, and provide fast advice on how to combat blowflies effectively. Using innovative treatments that are non-toxic to pets, children and the environment, we can manage pest infestations of all sizes in commercial, industrial and residential settings.

With payment plans available, you can avoid the stress and disruption of a blowfly outbreak this party season by reaching out to Allstate as soon as possible.

Our expert team is ready to help you now.

or
8371 1277

Garden Orb Weavers: Friend or Foe?

Garden Orb Weavers: Friend or Foe?

by | Oct 10, 2024 | Blog, Spider

With their signature webs made popular in Halloween decorations, garden orb weavers are easy to spot in gardens all across Adelaide. Learn more about whether or not this common backyard spider is worth worrying about in this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

What is a garden orb weaver?

As their name suggests, garden orb weavers are a common spider found in backyards all across Australia. You’ll find them in areas with plenty of insects, including around night lights, in tall grass, tree branches, bushes, fences and walls.

 

What do they look like?

With over 100 known species in Australia, they can vary in colour from tan to mottled red-brown to black and grow between 1.5 and 3cm long. They have a distinct, large lower abdomen which may have a leaf-shaped pattern or dorsal stripe.

Benefits of having garden orb weavers in your garden

Well known for spinning strong, well-made, classic wheel-shaped webs designed to trap their prey, these nocturnal creatures feast on a range of small insects, including flies, mosquitoes, beetles and moths. This means that they’re great at helping to keep the insect population in your yard under control, which is especially handy in summer!

Are garden orb weavers dangerous?

Although they can spin large webs, garden orb weavers aren’t dangerous to people. They are not aggressive by nature and only bite if they feel threatened. We don’t recommend trying to physically handle them to avoid this from happening. In the rare situations that you may receive a bite, you may experience little to no symptoms, similar to a bee sting.

Problems caused by a garden orb weaver outbreak

The good news is, garden orb weavers are typically found outside, and rarely come indoors. They’re also unlikely to bite unless provoked and their venom is considered harmless. You may experience very mild symptoms of pain and swelling, if any at all.

However, garden orb weavers can still be an issue for around 5% of people who have arachnophobia, by triggering anxiety and distress.

Watch out for their large, sticky vertical cobwebs suspended between outdoor furniture, trees and bushes at night. These webs can be difficult to see, so if you accidentally bump into them, they’ll make a mess!

Sick of bumping into spider webs? Speak to an expert today

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8371 1277

How can I tell if there are garden orb weavers in my yard?

With their signature webs made popular in Halloween decorations, garden orb weavers are easy to spot in gardens all across Adelaide.

These well-constructed, circular-shaped webs are made from strands of silk which radiate out from the centre, connected with evenly spaced spokes in between. They are typically strung up in the evenings between tree branches, bushes and outdoor furniture in your garden. Depending on the size of the spider, these webs can be up to a metre in diameter.

You’ll normally see the orb weaver sitting head down in the middle, waiting to pounce on insects that get trapped in their sticky web. They will often tear their webs down as dawn breaks.

As nocturnal creatures, garden orb weavers hide away from predators during the day. They’re usually found resting underneath foliage with their legs tucked in.

By late summer and early autumn, they’ll have matured to reach their largest size, making them easier to see out and about.

How to avoid a garden orb weaver outbreak

We recommend the following tips so you can keep garden orb weavers under control in your yard:

Regular yard maintenance

Garden orb weavers stay hidden away during the day when they aren’t spinning webs at night. Remove available hiding places by mowing your lawn and keeping tree branches and bushes trimmed, especially if they are close to the exterior walls of your home. Sweep up leaf litter and vegetation and keep pot plants clear. Store piles of wood away from your home.

Seal off entry points

Prevent spiders from entering your home by regularly inspecting your home, including the roof, for all potential access points including vents, gaps, cracks, crevices and holes. Then, fill them with caulk, silicone or cover with fine mesh screens.

Use anti-insect night lights

By changing your outdoor bulbs to the insect repellent variety, you’ll reduce the number of insects gathering around lights at night which attract garden orb weavers.

Reduce food sources

Like many spiders, garden orb weavers mainly eat insects, so if you have many other insects such as flies hanging around, then it’s more likely that spiders will follow. Keeping your home insect-free makes your home less appealing for spiders.

Clear away existing spider webs

Messy and sticky webs are not only an unpleasant sight, but they can also attract more spiders. Thankfully, they’re easily removed using a vacuum cleaner, broom, duster or damp cloth.

Insecticide sprays

Fast acting and ideal for spot treatment, aerosol sprays can be purchased from hardware stores and supermarkets.

Diatomaceous earth

Naturally derived and available in powdered form, diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled around the perimeter of your home to stop spiders in their tracks. However, this must be used with caution around pets.

Spider traps

With a strong adhesive surface containing a tempting bait, spider traps can be placed in problem areas. However, they may be less suitable if you have curious pets and young children.

Professional spider treatment

Sometimes, an outbreak can become difficult to control, no matter what you do. That’s why Allstate has a range of effective, tailored treatments, for spider problems of all sizes in homes and businesses. Speak to one of our friendly consultants today.

Keep spiders away from your home, speak to our expert team

or

8371 1277

Professional spider treatment

Although garden orb weavers rarely come indoors, our technicians will always begin by performing a thorough inspection both inside and outside your home to locate the source of the outbreak.

Since we have an in-depth knowledge of spider species and behaviour, we can easily identify which spiders are involved, and offer targeted treatments that work quickly and effectively.

We use a range of nontoxic treatments, including insecticide control sprays, which are applied around externally around your building, as well as a spider control dust, which can be sprinkled inside hard to reach places, including voids, gaps, crevices and cavities.

For fast and effective spider management, choose Allstate

As you prepare your garden for the warm weather, the last thing that you want to encounter is an army of garden orb weaver spiders and their sticky webs. But there’s no need to worry – Allstate is always here to help!

Locally operated since 1986, we’ve offered premium pest control services to clients in all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for urgent advice, our technicians are highly trained to understand spider behaviour to provide tailored, innovative solutions for pest infestations in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

With a commitment to using nontoxic treatments which are safe for children and pets, you can count on Allstate for long-term protection against spider outbreaks all year long.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277