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Why do cockroaches suddenly appear? (And what you can do about it?

Why do cockroaches suddenly appear? (And what you can do about it?

by | Aug 15, 2025 | Blog, Cockroach

If there’s food, moisture and warmth, you’ve got the perfect recipe for a cockroach outbreak! But why do cockroaches suddenly appear in homes that seem clean and sealed? The answer lies in their habits and survival instincts.

Find out why cockroaches suddenly appear and how you can stop these sneaky pests from venturing inside your home in today’s Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Why do cockroaches suddenly appear in my house out of nowhere?

Many people wonder why cockroaches suddenly appear despite keeping a tidy home, but when conditions are right, they can move in quickly. Although they are nocturnal creatures, if you’re spotting cockroaches scurrying around during the day, this means that there are plenty of them hidden away out of sight!

With their small size, flattened shape and fast legs, cockroaches can seem to appear and disappear just as quickly.

Once inside your home, they’ll find a dark, enclosed and warm place to hide out of sight, usually right near a water source. Check under your sink, fridge, washing machine or dishwasher, tucked into drawers and cupboards, or even under furniture – places that you never would have thought to look!

Once they find a suitable nesting spot, they’ll start breeding and laying eggs, and after a few short months, you could find yourself caught in the midst of a full-blown cockroach outbreak.

Because they’re hungry

Although they are considered to be omnivores, cockroaches are not fussy when it comes to scavenging food. While they will eat plants and other insects outside, a hungry roach will happily devour almost anything inside your home.

They enjoy meat and carbohydrate-rich sweet, sugary and starchy treats, but will also eat paper-based products such as stamps and cardboard boxes, as well as adhesives used for book binding and wallpaper. In fact, they might even tuck into your leather furniture, soap or even your toothpaste!

They’re small and sneaky

With six tiny legs, it’s a wonder that cockroaches can move as fast as they do – around 1.5m per second! It does help that they have a flattened, oval body shape to improve aerodynamics. Some species can even fly, making them even harder to catch.

Being small and lightweight makes many species of cockroaches quite agile. Most cockroaches grow to around half an inch long, but some species such as the American cockroach, can grow over 2 inches in size.

Protect your home from cockroaches, get expert advice today

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Your house is warm

This explains one of the most common reasons why cockroaches suddenly appear, especially in warm Adelaide homes. The ideal temperature for cockroaches to thrive is between 20-30 degrees Celsius, making their peak season occur between spring and summer. The warmer conditions will accelerate the reproductive cycle and development of cockroach eggs, causing a spike in the cockroach population.

However, in the cooler seasons, cockroaches will also be attracted by the heat and shelter inside your home and find a cozy spot to nest, with some species even entering a hibernation-like state.

There’s plenty of moisture around

Although they can go for long periods without food, cockroaches must have ample amounts of moisture to survive, or they risk dehydrating. That’s why they tend to thrive most in areas which are warm and humid. It speeds up their metabolism, development and breeding cycle. Without a source of moisture, it’s believed that cockroaches will only be able to survive for around one week.

So if you’re wondering why cockroaches suddenly appear in the house after rain or during humid days, moisture could be the culprit.

How to keep cockroaches away

If you’ve ever asked yourself why cockroaches suddenly appear in your house, prevention is key. You can make your home less appealing for cockroaches by taking the following simple steps:

Keep your home clean

A messy and cluttered space invites a whole range of pests inside, including cockroaches. We recommend regularly cleaning and disinfecting floors, kitchen appliances and surfaces, particularly in dining and food preparation areas. Decluttering can also reduce the number of hiding spots for cockroaches to nest and lay eggs.

Seal off potential access points inside

With the ability to crawl inside the smallest and tightest of spaces, you’ll want to carefully inspect your home for tiny holes or gaps that could allow for cockroaches to slip inside, and then cover or fill them with waterproof sealants.

Store food away

Cockroaches will enjoy feasting from food in your kitchen as much as you do, so you’ll want to make sure that you keep it stored away in sturdy containers, out of sight, either in the fridge or pantry. This includes pet food and water bowls.

Proper waste management

With unhygienic foraging habits, cockroaches are known to search through rubbish and waste looking for their next meal. You’ll want to make sure that you use sturdy plastic bags to store your rubbish, and check that your rubbish bins have tightly fitted lids. Avoid keeping piles of compost out in the open.

Fix leaking plumbing

Requiring moisture to survive, cockroaches are clever at seeking out sources of water. Check your plumbing system regularly for leaks and fix them as soon as you can. This includes drains, toilets, pipes, gutters and taps, as well as appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, which connect to your plumbing system.

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Professional cockroach control

At Allstate, we find that a tailored approach works best against cockroach outbreaks, particularly if preventative measures haven’t been successful. After identifying the species and locating the nest, we’ll often use a combination of the following treatments to target the problem:

Residual sprays

Containing insect growth regulator pesticides, aerosol sprays can be applied to larger infested areas as well as around the perimeter of your home to act as a protective barrier.

Bait stations

For areas with a large amount of cockroach traffic, we can install tamper-proof bait stations containing insecticide.

Control dust

To encourage sneaky cockroaches to venture out from hard-to-reach hiding places, we’ll sprinkle insecticide control dust, which can penetrate even the tiniest of gaps, cracks and crevices.

Fumigation

Effective for severe outbreaks, we can apply a concentrated insecticide gas to a sealed off cockroach hotspot. We’ll be sure to let you know when it’s safe to re-enter the space.

Heat treatment

As a more environmentally friendly and pesticide-free approach against severe cockroach infestations, applying a dry heat treatment to a sealed-off area is also effective for destroying cockroach eggs as well as sterilisation.

For effective and reliable cockroach management, choose Allstate

For most people, when cockroaches suddenly appear in the house, it can feel like a huge shock. Although this means that a cockroach nest is most likely nearby, you don’t need to panic. Allstate Pest Control is just a phone call away.

Since 1986, we’ve successfully combatted cockroach outbreaks in all suburbs of Adelaide. Whether you’re in a commercial, residential or industrial setting, our team of highly trained pest control technicians is available 24/7 with accurate advice and a range of innovative treatments to safeguard your home or business against even the most persistent cockroaches.

With competitive warranties and payment plans applicable to all our services, you can have long-lasting cockroach protection sooner rather than later.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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How Long Do Ants Live? (Lifespans Explained For Australian Species)

How Long Do Ants Live? (Lifespans Explained For Australian Species)

by | Aug 15, 2025 | Ants, Blog

For some ants, it’s a few short weeks. For others, it’s decades! If you’ve ever wondered how long ants live for in Australia, we’re sharing some fascinating insights into the life cycle for the top 8 pest ant species in today’s Hivemind blog.

In this guide, we’ll answer the question how long ants live, exploring Australian species and how their lifespans affect pest control.

What questions will this article answer?

How long do ants live for: the typical ant life cycle

Fun fact: you’ll find up to millions of ants living together in a nest! They are very organised creatures, with each adult ant belonging to a caste and having a specific job to ensure the survival of the colony. These castes include queen, worker, soldier and drone ants.

Queen ants are responsible for laying eggs to increase the population. These eggs hatch as translucent white larva, which look like grubs. Eventually, the larva will grow and evolve into a more mature pupa, often (but not always) by spinning a cocoon to complete its development before finally emerging as an adult.

The ant life cycle can be influenced by the species, needs of the colony as well as environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.

Understanding these stages helps explain how long ants live in different environments.

Black garden ants

Arguably the most common household ant, black garden ants will eat almost anything, from sweets, to meat and even rotten food. They usually grow 2.5-3mm long and have glossy black colouring.

 Worker ants typically increase in size over many generations in more well-established colonies, and live between 1-2 years.

Queens can be up to 15mm long, live up to 15 years, and lay eggs which will normally hatch after 6 weeks.

Bull ants

As their name suggests, bull ants are big and aggressive, with venomous stings that pack a punch. They grow between 8-40mm in size, and are black in colour with splashes of bright red or orange on their heads or abdomen.

 Once a queen has laid eggs, they may take up to several months to develop into adults, and workers can go on to live for over 2 years.

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Fire ants

As their name suggests, fire ants are a copper-brown colour and have powerful stings. They are considered as highly invasive and become very defensive if provoked.

 They can grow between 2-6mm in length, and you’ll find different sizes within the same colony. Queens live for up to 7 years, and can lay between 2,000 and 5,000 eggs per day.

 Workers have a shorter lifespan – they’ll usually live for a few weeks to months at best.

Odorous house ants

Notorious for releasing a rotten coconut smell when crushed, odorous house ants are active throughout the year, and colonies often inhabit multiple nests, each with tens of thousands of workers. They’re usually brown or dark grey in colour, and between 2 and 3mm long.

 So, how long do ants live when it comes to odorous house ants? Queens and workers can live for 2-3 years.

 Odorous house ant adults normally take 5-11 weeks in total to develop from the egg stage, but this process can take up to 7 months depending on the season.

Argentine ants

An introduced and highly invasive species, a single colony of Argentine ants can infest vast spaces covering several hectares, making outbreaks challenging to treat and reinfestations quite common.

 Light to dark brown in colour, and growing 1.5-3mm long, queens can live for several years, and workers between 10-12 months. Each colony may have multiple queens who can lay up to 60 eggs each day, with eggs taking 2-3 months to develop into adults.

Protect your family from ant bites, speak to an expert today

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Pharaoh ants

With the ability to relocate their nests and start a new one from the ground up if they feel threatened, Pharaoh ant infestations have a reputation for being hard to control, with baiting techniques usually preferred over surface sprays.

 They’re often found nesting in warm areas such as wall voids containing electrical conduits, hot water plumbing and heating ducts.

 They have distinct yellow to amber colouring and red/black stripes on their abdomens, and grow up to 2mm long.

 Each colony will have multiple queens, each living between 4-12 months. Male pharaoh ants live for only 3-5 weeks after mating.

 Depending on humidity and temperature, the egg to adult life cycle will take around 38-45 days. Adult workers have a short life span of around 9-10 weeks.

Ghost ants

As their name suggests, ghost ants can be hard to see with their small size and milky-white, translucent appearance. They grow between 1.3-2.5mm long, move rapidly, and like odorous house ants, can also emit a rotten coconut odour when crushed.

 Queens can live for up to 15 years, and workers’ lifespan ranges from a few months to a year. Eggs take 2 to 4 weeks to hatch into larvae, with adults emerging after a further 2 months.

Carpenter ants

Not to be mistaken for termites, carpenter ants prefer tunnelling into moist, decaying wood such as old tree stumps and logs rather than timber in your home. However, do watch out for them if you have windowsills, eaves, roofs and doors that are exposed to moisture. They’ll leave behind small piles of sawdust.

 Carpenter ants can be identified by their black, orange or brown bodies and grow between 2.5-14mm long.

 It normally takes 3 to 6 years to establish a colony, and queens can live up to 25 years. Workers normally live for around 12 months. Adults will normally take between 6 and 12 weeks to fully develop from the egg stage, but low temperatures can slow this right down to around 10 months.

Don’t let an ant outbreak ruin your summer. We’ll help you plan ahead.

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How to prevent ants at home

Knowing how long ants live and how colonies grow over time makes prevention even more important.

Take the following simple steps to protect your home from marching ants:

  • Seal off potential entry points including holes and cracks in walls, gaps under doors and around windows
  • Avoid leaving food out, including pet food. Instead, keep it stored away in sturdy containers and packaging
  • Keep your kitchen and dining areas tidy and clean by wiping away food spills and crumbs and disinfecting cooking and cleaning surfaces as well as floors
  • Practice proper waste disposal and management by making sure that bins are not overflowing and all rubbish is stored in well-sealed plastic bags and bins with lids; secure piles of compost
  • Fix leaking taps, drains and pipes to reduce moisture
  • Reduce hiding spots and food sources in your yard by removing rotten fruit and vegetables, pet waste, and piles of leaves and vegetation
  • Keep tree branches and bushes trimmed away from the building

    Professional ant control

    At Allstate, our pest technicians are trained to identify common pest ant species and understand how their behaviour can impact the type of treatments we use to stop an outbreak.

    Because how long ants live can affect treatment strategies, we customise our approach based on their life cycle. We’ll start off by conducting a thorough inspection of all entry points and potential nesting sites, then apply the following treatments either directly to the nest itself or in active areas: 

    Surface spray

    Airborne insecticide sprays can be applied around building perimeters and disperse over large spaces, offering a fast treatment for large areas. They’re also able to penetrate hard to reach, enclosed spaces, such as ant nest tunnels and tiny entry points such as cracks and holes.

    Control dust

    With its fine consistency, ant control dust can also be sprinkled directly into small access points. This includes gaps, into ant nest openings, as well as roof spaces and even your fuse box.

    Ant baits

    Tamper proof ant baits can be used to lure in ants, who carry the insecticide back to the rest of the colony. Although this method can take longer to control an outbreak, it can be tailored to target the specific pest ant species, eventually preventing the ant colony once and for all.

    For long-lasting and reliable ant management, choose Allstate

    Ant outbreaks can get out of control fast, so it’s best to avoid being on the back foot if you start seeing them marching into your home.

     At Allstate, we’re available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide for managing ant outbreaks in commercial, industrial and residential settings since 1986. Our highly trained team is fully equipped to successfully treat all ant infestations no matter the species or location of their nests.

     With payment plan options and competitive warranties on all our services, you won’t need to worry about getting bitten by an army of ants invading your kitchen anytime soon.

    Our expert team is ready to help you now

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    How to Treat Termites

    How to Treat Termites

    by | Jul 29, 2025 | Blog, Termites

    Highly destructive and hard to detect, termites are thought to cost Adelaide homeowners between $5,000 to $10,000 per year in repair bills. Find out how to treat termites infesting your home in today’s Hivemind blog.

    What questions will this article answer?

    How to treat termites in your home or business

    Estimated to cost billions to repair every year, termite damage is a widespread issue to homes and businesses all across Australia. Unfortunately, this is not claimable through insurance as it is deemed to be highly preventable. So it’s no surprise that termite protection is a serious matter.

    So, how do you treat termites in your house? Chances are, you’ll see the destruction they’ve caused before you actually see them in action. To limit further problems in your home, we recommend calling a professional pest control service ASAP as the best course of action.

     However, there are a couple of DIY solutions that may come in useful the meantime. Keep reading to learn more!

    Diatomaceous earth

    This can be helpful if you’re wondering how to treat termites in a house naturally. Readily available from hardware stores for purchase, diatomaceous earth is a fine powder with naturally abrasive properties that can puncture a termite’s exoskeleton, leading to moisture loss. You can sprinkle this around the perimeter of your home, as well as potential entry sites and areas with high termite activity.

    Boric acid

    A slow-acting but versatile termite treatment option, boric acid damages a termite’s outer shell, and can be purchased in a powdered form. You can sprinkle it directly around the perimeter of your home to prevent termite entry, where it will also penetrate deep into small crevices. Or, mix it with just enough water to form a thick paste and spread it over infested timber with a brush. You can even dissolve a teaspoon in a cup of warm water to make a spray.

    Worried about termites in your home? Speak to an expert today

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    White vinegar

    With its high acidic content and disinfectant properties, white vinegar works to dehydrate termites and remove their pheromone scent trails. You can prepare a solution with equal parts of vinegar and water mixed together, along with a squeeze of lemon juice to further bump up the acidity level. Spray this potent acidic concoction over areas with damp wood, including foundations.

    Essential oils

    With natural insecticide properties, the following essential oils are effective against termites as well as a range of other crawling insects:

    Clove oil

    Use a few drops of clove oil mixed with water to spray around termite hotspots.

    Neem oil

    With an unpleasant, bitter smell, neem oil disrupts termite growth hormones and developmental processes. It can be injected directly into damaged wood to target termites, or you can make a spray with 1 tablespoon of neem oil to 2 litres of water, with a dash of liquid detergent. You can apply this directly to termites, hollow timber structures and potential entry points such as door and window frames.

    Orange oil

    Containing d-limonene, an active ingredient which breaks down termite exoskeletons and metabolic processes, orange oil can be diluted with water and sprayed over termite hotspots, mud tubes and affected timber.

    Cardboard traps

    For cellulose- and moisture-loving termites, wet cardboard traps are not only an effective bait but are also extremely easy to prepare. All you’ll need are a few pieces of flat, corrugated cardboard soaked in water. You can stack them in areas of high termite activity, for example, near mud tubes or damaged wood. If you’re wanting to know how to treat termites in a wall, place a cardboard trap against it and watch for termite activity. Remember to check these traps daily and replace them frequently.

    Don’t let termites invade your walls, get expert advice on how to treat termites in wall structures today.

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    Petroleum jelly

    Thick, impermeable and sometimes laced with phenol, petroleum jelly is a surprisingly useful termite deterrent as it starves termites of oxygen. You can apply it liberally to timber-based surfaces and structures to create a tough physical barrier to termite entry.

    Salt

    As one of the best and most easily accessible dehydrating agents around, salt will draw water away from termites, who rely heavily upon moisture to survive.

    You can simply sprinkle salt around problem areas or make a strong saline spray by dissolving a large amount of salt in warm water.

    Nematode worms

    As natural termite predators with a particular appetite for larvae,nematode worms are useful in controlling a termite population. Being microscopic in size, they’re able to crawl inside a termite’s body through tiny openings, then release poisonous bacteria.

    These worms are not harmful for people, pets or the ecology of your yard.

    Safeguard your property from sneaky termites, speak to an expert today

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    Professional termite control

    The best way to combat termites is to prevent them from venturing near your home in the first place. While you can do your best at reducing sources of moisture around your yard and removing dead tree stumps and woodpiles, subterranean termites happen to be very discreet in their movements. You could still miss the earliest signs of an outbreak.

     If you’ve tried DIY options and are still wondering how to treat termites at home safely and for good, professional intervention is the most reliable solution.

    Yearly termite inspections

    At Allstate, we recommend yearly termite inspections by licensed termite inspectors, per government regulations, to ensure that you and your family stay safe from infestation. More frequent inspections may be required if your property is considered as high risk, for example, if you live near a creek, or your home has previously had a termite issue.

    Premise termite treatment spray

    If termites are detected at your inspection, we offer a fast-acting treatment that can be applied directly to the soil and foundations underneath your home. Premise non-repellent termiticide spray contains imidacloprid, a targeted active ingredient that works within days to disrupt the termite nervous system and reduce the termite population.

    Sentricon Always Active termite bait stations

    For the best long-term protection, we recommend having a Sentricon termite barrier installed around your property. With stations positioned underground, 30 centimetres away from the walls of your home, spaced 3 metres apart, the baits are embedded with a powerful termiticide called hexaflumuron. When our clients ask us how to best treat termites at home, you can’t beat a Sentricon system.

    Choose Allstate for reliable and long-lasting termite management

    If you’re noticing signs of termites around your yard, chances are that it’s only a matter of time before they begin to compromise the structure of your home.

    At Allstate, we’ve been protecting homes and businesses from termite attacks since 1986.

    Available 24/7 for urgent enquiries, our licensed pest technicians are fully equipped and highly trained to offer comprehensive termite inspections and targeted termite treatments.

    Covered by competitive warranties and with payment plans on offer, you can have our experts at Allstate over to termite proof your home today.

    Need expert help on how to treat termites safely and effectively? Our team is ready now.

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    What Smells Do Rats Hate?

    What Smells Do Rats Hate?

    by | Jul 29, 2025 | Blog, Rats

    Thanks to a set of highly evolved sense receptors, rats possess an extraordinary ability to smell that plays a huge role in their survival. In today’s Hivemind blog, you’ll learn what smell do rats hate, and how to use their own senses against them to keep them away.

    What questions will this article answer?

    Why are rats sensitive to smells?

    Thanks to a specialised vomeronasal organ and many olfactory receptors, rats possess an acute sense of smell, down to the parts per million. This highly developed sensitivity assists them with survival instincts such as avoiding predators, detecting food, navigating their environment and releasing communication pheromones.

    What smell do rats hate the most?

    To protect your home from rats, it’s easy to exploit their reliance on their incredible smell abilities.

    If you’re wanting to learn what do rats hate the smell of, you don’t have to look far. You can simply use a range of household items that either have a potent aroma which interferes with their sense of smell or mimics the way that their predators smell.

     To achieve the maximum effect with your DIY rat repellents, apply them to areas where rats are most active. This includes your roof space, nesting sites, burrows and heavily trafficked pathways.

    Don’t let noisy rats keep you up at night, get expert advice today.

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    Peppermint and eucalyptus oil

    Although they are pleasantly refreshing to people, peppermint and eucalyptus oil have an intense menthol scent which can overwhelm a rat’s delicate respiratory system.

     This means that you can keep rats out of your garden by planting eucalyptus trees and mint bushes or scattering fresh crushed leaves around your yard.

     You can also apply peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils to cotton balls and leave them in highly trafficked areas.

     Dilute a few drops of your chosen essential oil with water and keep it in a spray bottle to use as required.

    Garlic

    While we enjoy its pungent flavour for cooking, raw garlic is effective at repelling rats, overpowering their sense of smell and making it hard for them to navigate.

     We recommend placing freshly sliced cloves of garlic around entry points to your home. For a longer lasting option, you can place the garlic in mesh or porous cheesecloth bags and hang them in active sites.

     You can also use garlic infused oil mixed with water to make a potent outdoor spray, perhaps adding other smells which rats hate the most such as peppermint oil for an extra kick if you wish!

    Bleach and vinegar

    Normally used around the house for cleaning, bleach and vinegar can be diluted with water and sprayed around your home to keep rats away.

    With strong antibacterial properties, this spray can also act as a disinfectant for areas containing rat urine and droppings, and clearing away traces of scent markers to prevent rats from returning.

    Protect your home from rats, speak to an expert today

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    Ammonia

    With a scent that is unpleasant to both people and rats, household ammonia mimics the smell of potential predators such as cat urine. This will normally trigger the fear response in rats, discouraging them from entering your home.

    Avoid using ammonia in large amounts by preparing a solution containing 2 cups mixed with 1-2 cups of water and a few spoonfuls of detergent, and leaving it in a bowl placed in areas with high rat activity.

    We recommend taking extra precautions with this method if you have pets or children.

    Sick of rats raiding your pantry? Get fast advice today

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    Camphor/Mothballs

    A popular deterrent for fabric pests such as moths and silverfish, camphor or mothballs contain naphthalene, which releases a scent that is also disliked by rats. These can be easily purchased from supermarkets and scattered around nesting sites, burrows and entrances to your home.

    Chilli Powder

    With a spicy kick that is known to instantly clear the sinuses of people, chilli powder irritates the respiratory tracts of rats upon inhalation.

    Given its fine consistency, chilli powder can easily be sprinkled into hard-to-reach places and penetrate deep inside rat burrows and tunnels. You can also use other spices such as cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes for a similar effect.

    We recommend reapplying this on a regular basis as it can disperse easily, as well as after heavy rain.

    Prevent an outbreak with smells rats hate the most

    While there are many possible DIY rat repellents that you can use around your home, it’s important to remember that most of them use natural ingredients which will degrade over time, so they’ll need to be reapplied frequently to maintain an effective rat barrier.

    Since rats are clever creatures with the ability to adapt to their surroundings, it’s also best to change up your deterrent techniques every so often to prevent desensitisation.

    We recommend exercising caution when applying strong chemicals around pets and children.

    If you’re still finding that rats are continuing to be a nuisance after trying many ways to figure out what smell rats hate the most, it’s time to contact Allstate for professional advice.

    Professional rat control

    Whether it’s your home or business, at Allstate, our pest control technicians have a deep understanding of rat behaviour and the tools to get to the bottom of all your rat concerns once and for all.

    We’ll conduct a thorough inspection of your property, both inside and outside, to identity all active sites, paying close attention to primary and secondary entry points and nesting areas.

    After removing the nests and all nesting material, then proofing off the entry points, we will:

    • Install tamper-proof chemical bait stations containing targeted rodenticide at entrance sites to your building, or
    • Set out physical rat traps at popular activity sites

    For safe and reliable rat prevention, choose Allstate

    For many of us, the mere thought of a rat outbreak is enough to make you want to protect your home at all costs from their noisy, disruptive and filthy foraging habits.

    At Allstate, we’ve been keeping homes and businesses in all suburbs of Adelaide rat- and pest-free since 1986. Available 24/7 for urgent enquiries, our knowledgeable, highly-trained pest technicians have all the right equipment and modern solutions to combat pest outbreaks in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

    With payment plans and competitive warranties included for all our services, we’re committed to providing fast, tailored and effective treatments and keep you and your family safe from rats today.

    Our expert team is ready to help you now

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    What attracts flies?

    What attracts flies?

    by | Jun 24, 2025 | Blog, Fly

    hivemind nologo whitetext outlined

    What attracts flies? (And how to keep them away)

    What attracts flies to your home or business? Whether you’re dealing with a sudden outbreak or a few persistent pests, understanding what draws flies in can help you prevent them.

    Find out what attracts flies and how to prevent these pests from spreading germs around your home and business in today’s Hivemind blog. If you’re dealing with a pest infestation, be sure to check out Allstate Pest Control’s services in Prospect for professional help.

    What questions will this article answer?

    What flies are attracted to humans

    Flies are primarily attracted to warm, moist environments with access to food, waste, or decaying matter. Common attractants include sugary foods, body odour, rotting meat, uncovered bins, and standing water.

     Most of us are used to swatting flies away, and you may be wondering exactly what attracts flies to certain people more than others? Here are some reasons why YOU might be a fly magnet:

    • You could be wearing bright colours such as red and yellow, which grabs their attention
    • Body heat and body odour
    • You may have applied smells that attract flies such as sweet, pleasant smelling cosmetics, perfumes, cologne, deodorants and lotion
    • Sweat and saliva are sources of moisture
    • Exhaled carbon dioxide

    Flies are especially drawn to strong, sweet smells – from sugary drinks to scented lotions. If you’re wondering what smell attracts flies, think ripe fruit, perfumes, or decaying waste.

    Are flies attracted to sugar?

    As an easy source of energy, sugar-laden foods are thought to attract flies the best. With special sensors on their feet and mouthparts that can detect sugar, flies are always keen to sample many delicious foods and drinks including sweets, desserts, syrups, alcohol and soft drinks. This includes carbohydrate-rich pantry staples such as rice, bread and pasta, as well as pet food.

    Fruit flies, as their name suggests, are partial to rotten fruit, which are rich in fructose.

    Blowflies have an appetite for decaying protein-based products.

    Keep pesky flies from spoiling your food. Get fast advice today.

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    Do flies like rotting food and waste?

    Decaying organic matter provides flies with not only valuable nutrients, but also enough humidity to lay eggs and nurture larvae, which will eventually hatch into hungry maggots.

     This means that your uncovered rubbish bins, compost, pet waste, manure, rotten meat, fruit and plants, and other dead animals such as rodents in your yard can make your home more appealing to flies.

    Warm weather

    Flies thrive in warm conditions, with an optimum breeding temperature around 25 degrees Celsius.

     Combined with humidity and an increased number of food sources, warmer weather creates ideal conditions for flies to breed, feed and multiply rapidly.

    Prevent flies from invading your home. Speak to an expert today.

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    8371 1277

    Why flies love moisture (and how to stop them)

    Like people, flies need water to survive and some species, particularly drain flies, require areas of high moisture to breed. This means your property may be at higher risk of attracting flies if you live near a river or a reservoir, or even if you have a pond, swimming pool, lots of pot plants, leaking drains or pipes and pet water bowls in your backyard.

     

    Noticing too many flies buzzing around? Contact Allstate today

    or

    8371 1277

    Prevent flies in your home

    Small, swift and opportunistic, flies will buzz inside your home faster than you can keep them out if given the chance. Here’s some suggestions to prevent what attracts flies in your home:

    Remove sources of food

    • Keep food stored in sturdy, airtight containers
    • Wipe away spills and food crumbs immediately

    Minimise access to water

    • Fix leaking drains, pipes, gutters and taps
    • Keep pot plants well drained

    Seal entry points

    • Install fly screens over doors and windows and draught stoppers underneath doors
    • Ensure windows and doors are well fitted without gaps

    Regularly clean your home

    • Wipe and disinfect surfaces in kitchen, food preparation, indoor and outdoor dining areas, including tables, chairs, placements, cooktops, sinks.
    • Avoid leaving dirty dishes, cutlery and cookware in the sink
    • Sweep and mop floors

    Practice proper waste management

    • Empty rubbish bins regularly
    • Ensure rubbish bin lids are well fitted
    • Keep rubbish in tightly sealed bags

    DIY fly repellents

    You can use diffusers or prepare homemade sprays by mixing water or vinegar with a few drops of essential oils which deter flies, such as eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender and tea tree oil.
    Various herbs and spices can also be scattered around entry points, such as rosemary, basil, cinnamon and cloves, but take care if you have pets.

    Commercial and industrial fly control

    At Allstate, we understand the importance of fly control for all food-related businesses such hospitality venues, restaurants, manufacturing, warehouse and distribution facilities.

    Our pest technicians have a thorough and up-to-date understanding of food safety standard HACCP and quality standard ISO 9001.

    As part of our Integrated Pest Management program, we offer the following commercial solutions for ongoing protection against flies:

    Auto Sprayer units

    Installed discreetly above doorways and designed to release insecticide at regular timed intervals, auto sprayer units deter flies away from large entry points

    Fly traps

    We offer a range of physical traps which emit a UV light to lure flies to an adhesive glueboard.

    Fly baits

    Used outdoors, our fly bait stations are positioned in popular breeding sites specifically attract flies outside and reduce the fly population at its source.

    Non-toxic drain treatments

    To manage fly outbreaks in drains, we use eco-friendly bio-drain products.

    Professional fly management

    Our friendly pest control technicians will first locate the source of your fly outbreak and identify the species that is responsible. We’ll then use a combination of targeted treatments to actively reduce the fly population, including:

    • Fly baits
    • Aerosol sprays
    • Fogging
    • Dusting powder

    For fast and effective fly control, choose Allstate

    At Allstate, we understand the frustration and risks that flies can cause to homes and businesses alike. That’s why we provide tailored and targeted solutions for fly management in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

    Since 1986, Allstate has provided premium pest control services to all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for all urgent enquiries, our team of highly trained and fully equipped pest control technicians use a treatment approach that puts safety for people, pets and the environment at the forefront.

     For long-lasting fly control that is covered by competitive warranty, and instant access to payment plans, you can do away with what attracts flies and the disturbance that they cause, once and for all.

    Our expert team is ready to help you now

    or

    8371 1277