phone-mobile-icon
prevention-icon

Termites

prevention-icon

Ants

prevention-icon

Cockroaches

prevention-icon

Spiders

prevention-icon

Birds

prevention-icon

Bed Bugs

prevention-icon

Bees & Wasps

prevention-icon

Rats & Mice

prevention-icon

Possums

prevention-icon

Biting Insects

prevention-icon

Disinfection Services

Keeping your home pest-free while you’re away

Keeping your home pest-free while you’re away

by | Jan 10, 2025 | Blog, Pests

KEEPING YOUR HOME PEST-FREE WHILE YOU’RE AWAY

Hooray for summer! If you’ve planned a trip away, it could be the perfect opportunity for nuisance pests to come over and make themselves at home. Avoid an unwanted pest outbreak while you’re away by following our top 8 tips in this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Tip 1: Proper food storage

Hungry pests are expert scavengers, possessing many finely tuned sensors which can detect food from farther away than you’d think!

For this reason, we recommend keeping your dry food items covered and stored in tightly sealed containers in your pantry. This includes pet food, chicken and bird feed.

For more perishable food, consider storing it in the freezer to avoid it spoiling in the fridge while you’re away.

Tip 2: Practice proper waste disposal

With many pests such as blowflies attracted to rotting waste to feed and lay eggs, it won’t take long for an outbreak to happen if you’re away on holidays.

That’s why it’s important to empty your rubbish bins before you head off. Keep waste in tightly sealed bags in bins with well-fitted lids. It’s important to ensure that all compost is properly covered, and not left on the ground for easy access.

Tip 3: Keep your house clean

Pests such as cockroaches are attracted to food spills, crumbs and grease, so make sure to wipe these away from your kitchen, food preparation areas, dining surfaces and floors, and disinfect as soon as possible. This includes outdoor dining areas and barbecues.

Remember to wipe down your sink and cooktop, and wash used dishes and cutlery immediately after use. Don’t forget to keep cupboards, shelves, the oven, dishwasher, fridge and other kitchen appliances clean as well.

Decluttering your home regularly, especially less frequently used rooms, is also effective in reducing the number of available hiding spots for pests to nest and lay eggs.

Regularly sweeping, vacuuming, mopping your floors can clear away eggs and larvae. Take care to check behind and underneath furniture as well. Steam cleaning curtains and fabric furniture and linen can sterilise eggs and larvae due to the higher temperatures.

Don’t let pests ruin your holiday plans. Get fast advice today.

or

8371 1277

Tip 4: Regular yard maintenance

Reducing attractants to your yard, access points to your home and hiding spots for pests can make a big difference to the number of uninvited guests that come over while you’re away. Here’s some of our suggestions to cultivating a pest-free yard:

Tip 5: Remove sources of moisture

Just like people, pests need water to survive, and many of them thrive in areas with high moisture. That’s why it’s important to identify and remove sources of water, such as water bowls, bird baths and ponds and check that pot plants have adequate drainage.

Fix leaking plumbing outlets including taps, drains and pipes as soon as possible, and check that laundry and kitchen appliances are not leaking.

Tip 6: Sealing off all entry points

With the ability to squeeze through the smallest and most unlikely spaces, clever pests can easily enter your home if left unchecked. The key is to regularly inspect your home for potential access points and seal them off promptly. Here’s what we recommend to deny nuisance pests an easy passage inside your home:

  • Install fly or mesh screens over vents, windows and doors
  • Fit weather strips around windows and doors
  • Cover gaps underneath doors with draught excluders
  • Inspect your home for gaps, cracks, crevices and holes and fill them with caulk, putty, expanding foam, silicone or other appropriate waterproof sealants
  • Inspect your roof for loose tiles and repair them
  • Seal off vents with tough, fine mesh
  • Install chimney grates or caps

Avoid coming home to an unexpected pest outbreak. Speak to Allstate today.

or

8371 1277

Tip 7: DIY pest prevention

If you’re proactive about deterring pests around your home, you’ll be far less likely to experience an outbreak. Here’s some of our favourite simple DIY techniques:

  • Aerosol pesticide sprays are a popular spot treatment for pests that are readily available from hardware stores and supermarkets
  • Sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your home can deter crawling insects
  • Bait stations which target different types of pests can also be purchased from hardware stores
  • Mothballs offer long-lasting protection against fabric pests in your wardrobe and linen cupboard
  • Homemade sprays made from a mixture using natural household items such as vinegar, essential oil and spices can be effective at keeping pests away

Tip 8: Professional pest control

If you’re finding yourself being plagued by pests despite your best DIY efforts, it’s time to call in the experts. At Allstate, our licensed pest technicians receive ongoing training to quickly detect and effectively manage pest outbreaks in the safest way possible.

We’ll identify the source of the infestation, then apply a deep understanding of pest behaviour and select the best targeted, family and pet-safe physical and chemical treatments. These include:

  • Aerosol sprays, fumigation and fogging
  • Control dust
  • Traps and baiting stations

We also offer a range of pest prevention services designed to safeguard against potential future outbreaks:

Solar panel cleaning and proofing

Providing a safe, warm place for pest birds to nest underneath, solar panels are a common source of many pest bird outbreaks. You can protect your solar panels with Allstate’s solar panel proofing and cleaning service.

 

Property maintenance services

If you’ve had a previous pest outbreak, it’s important to clean up the mess left behind to avoid re-attracting pests to your home. At Allstate, we can refresh your home and yard with our comprehensive property cleaning and maintenance services before you travel, ensuring that you can return to a sparkling clean, pest-free home.

Choose Allstate for reliable and long-lasting summer pest control

Summer holidays are best spent with family and not worrying about pest outbreaks. At Allstate, we’re here to help you make sure that your holidays are stress and pest-free.

Since 1986, we’ve successfully managed pests in residential, commercial and industrial settings across all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7 for urgent enquiries, our highly trained pest technicians use modern pest detection equipment and innovative treatments which are nontoxic towards pets, children and the environment.

With competitive warranties and payment plan options on all our services, you can look forward to returning to a pest-free home after your next summer holiday adventure.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277

Does summer heat cause pest infestations

Does summer heat cause pest infestations

by | Jan 10, 2025 | Blog, Pests

DOES SUMMER HEAT CAUSE PEST INFESTATIONS?

For many pests, summer is their peak season and it’s not hard to understand why. When provided with ideal conditions to thrive, homes and businesses across Adelaide face a higher risk of a pest outbreak. Learn about how hot weather influences pest behaviour in this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Pests are more active in summer

Many pests are cold blooded, including spiders, mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, flies, fleas, moths, pest bees, wasps and termites. This means that their body temperature and activity levels vary depending on their environment.

The arrival of summer will bring them out of hibernation over winter, and gives them more energy to be active, scavenge for food, seek shelter and breed.

For some pests, particularly pest bees and wasps, the longer days also give them more time to cause a nuisance in your garden.

Increased humidity

Many pests rely on a source of water to thrive, so combining increase in temperature with higher levels of humidity provides the perfect conditions for many pests to flourish.

From sprinklers, backyard bird baths and ponds, overflowing pot plants, to leaking plumbing and appliances, pests are clever at seeking out sources of moisture wherever the mercury heats up.

For pests that live within colonies underground, such as subterranean termites and ants, the increased dampness in the soil will also cause a spike in population growth.

Wooden structures can also absorb more moisture in hot, humid weather. This attracts pests such as carpenter ants, subterranean termites and cockroaches.

Hot weather drives pests to seek shelter

Just like people, pests will want to seek shelter in the scorching heat, and find safe, quiet hiding spots to nest and lay eggs.

This could drive them inside your home, for example, inside your roof space or kitchen, in search of food and water.

Don’t get swamped by a summer pest outbreak, speak to an expert today

or

8371 1277

Ideal breeding conditions

For many pests, the hot weather doesn’t just make them more active. It speeds up their reproductive and life cycles. This means that you’ll see more pests reaching their reproductive age sooner. As a consequence, outbreaks can happen quicker in summer, and you’ll need to act fast if you want to bring the problem under control. Here are some pests that you’ll need to watch for in a summer heatwave:

  • Mosquitoes mature between an optimum temperature range of 25-30 degrees Celsius
  • Flies take about 7-10 days to become adults, but this is faster in hot weather
  • Fleas normally develop from an egg to an adult in about 2 months, but in summer, this process can be sped up to about 3 weeks
  • The ideal breeding conditions for cockroaches are 29-35 degrees Celsius

More food sources are available

As your garden begins to flourish in the warmer weather, hungry pests emerging from hibernation will find a smorgasbord of food options. Common sources of food include fruit, vegetables, tree sap, pollen, rubbish bins, pet food and other food scraps. This means that you can expect more bees, ants, possums and other foraging pests.

With outdoor dining also on the rise, your picnics and barbecues can also attract rodents and birds, which can detect food smells from far distances away. They are always keen for crumbs and leftovers!

If you find that your compost pile is growing along with your garden, this can also attract pests to your yard, as does an overflowing rubbish bin.

Don’t let summer pests feast on your food, get fast advice today

or

8371 1277

How to prevent summer pests

You can get ahead of a summer pest influx by taking the following simple steps to prepare your home 

 

Keep food stored away

Do not leave food out in the open for hungry pests. Instead, keep it covered or even better, store it in sturdy, well-sealed containers in your pantry or fridge. Don’t forget to do the same for pet food.

 

Proper waste disposal

Ensure that rubbish is secured in plastic bags and bins have tight fitting lids. Avoid leaving compost uncovered.

 

Maintain a clean home

Wipe down and disinfect your kitchen and dining areas, including outdoor dining areas and barbecues. Regularly sweep, mop and vacuum floors.

 

Remove sources of water

Avoid leaving pet water bowls out, and refrain from keeping ponds and bird baths. Consider keeping your swimming pool covered. Fix leaking taps, drains and pipes.

 

Garden and yard maintenance

Keep lawns tidy and mowed, and trim back tree branches and bushes away from the sides of your home.

 

Remove entry points

Regularly inspect your home for gaps, cracks and holes and seal them over. Fix loose roof tiles and install fly screens where possible.

Professional summer pest management

Having successfully controlled pest outbreaks for over 35 years, our team is fully equipped with early pest detection equipment to identify the source of your infestation.

Then, we will implement a tailored pest management plan, using a range of nontoxic treatments which are safe for children, pets and the environment.

Our range of Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority approved treatments include:

  • Chemical treatments such as aerosol sprays, fumigation and fogging
  • Physical treatments such as traps, bait stations, netting, bird spikes

We will also make recommendations for long term pest prevention to safeguard your home against the threat of future outbreaks.

Choose Allstate for fast and reliable summer pest control

While it may seem like summer gives pests the upper hand, rest assured that you can always count on Allstate to quickly manage any outbreaks that happen.

Locally operated since 1986, Allstate offers premium pest control services to Adelaide homes and businesses. Available 24/7 in all suburbs of Adelaide for urgent advice, our highly trained team provides modern and innovative solutions to residential, commercial and industrial pest issues of all sizes.

With competitive warranties and payment plans available, you can look forward to enjoying a pest-free summer sooner rather than later.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277

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.

or

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

or

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

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

or

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

What Not to do During a Bee Swarm

What Not to do During a Bee Swarm

by | Oct 9, 2024 | Blog, Pests

WHAT NOT TO DO DURING A BEE SWARM

A single beehive can house up to 20,000 to 80,000 bees at a time, but what happens when it reaches capacity? Many bees are sent away to look for a new home. Also known as a bee swarm, we’ve prepared some tips on what to avoid doing to stay safe when you encounter this unusually large number of bees.

What questions will this article answer?

What is a bee swarm?

As tiny experts in pollinating plants, bees are no doubt a very important part of our planet. They live in beehives which can house between 20,000 to 80,000 bees at a time, so it’s no surprise that overcrowding can eventually become a big problem for the colony.

With limited space to raise their young and store honey, worker bees spend around a month preparing for a swarm. The aim of the swarm is to support the current colony and allow it to continue growing.

There are 3 types of bee swarms: primary and secondary swarms, as well as absconding.

During a swarm, a significant number of bees say farewell to their hive to start a fresh colony elsewhere. In primary swarms, the resident Queen bee is escorted to a new hive with around half of the colony. A smaller secondary swarm may follow later, where one more new Queen bee will exit. If the entire colony leaves due to extreme circumstances such as disease, this is known as absconding.

Once a swarm departs the hive, it will travel to a spot that is determined to be safe and suitable as a home by scout bees. Worker bees will then begin the important job of building a brand new hive.

Are bee swarms dangerous?

Although it can be scary to see many bees flying around, you can rest assured that swarming behaviour is not considered aggressive at all. In fact, swarming bees are quite docile with no hive to defend. They usually feast on honey and nectar before leaving the hive to fuel them during their long journey, so they’re not searching or competing for food, either.

While it’s natural to assume that bees will sting you if you get too close, bee swarmers just want to move into their new home as quickly as possible. Long story short: if you don’t disturb them, it’s unlikely that they’ll sting!

However, this is often easier said than done. A swarm of bees can trigger anxiety in many people, and combined with a lack of understanding about bee behaviour, our panicked reactions can agitate bees. This can be particularly concerning when children and pets are in the area, as bee stings are painful and can even trigger allergies.

If you’re seeing more bees around than usual, keep well away from them, stay indoors and reach out to Allstate for advice as soon as possible.

Avoid getting stung by a bee swarm, speak to an expert today

or

8371 1277

Warning signs of a bee swarm

Given that spring is peak breeding season for bees, it’s more common to see swarming during the warmer months. You’ll want to pay attention to any unusual bee activity in your yard around this time of year to avoid a summer outbreak!

The most obvious way to tell if you’re about to experience a bee swarm is that you notice more bees around your home. You may even hear their distracting buzzing noises before you see them.

You’ll most likely see them buzzing between flowering plants in your garden and lingering around certain parts of your building to build their new hive. Pay attention to potential entry points inside your roof and walls as these are popular nesting sites.

If there are established beehives nearby, there is always a risk that a swarm could approach your property, so be on the look out.

What not to do during a bee swarm

You don’t need to be a professional beekeeper to protect yourself and your family when you have a bee outbreak on your hands. Here’s a list of things to avoid to stay safe during a swarm:

Do not panic
While it’s completely understandable that your first reaction to experiencing a bee swarm is to feel anxious, we strongly recommend not acting on this. Stay calm if possible.

Do not try to move the swarm yourself
Hosing bees with water or sprinklers, swatting and throwing stones will not deter a swarm away from your yard. Instead, bees will become aggressive and sting if they believe that they are in danger, particularly if they are trying to protect their Queen.

Do not create sudden movement
This can be perceived as a threat and aggravate the swarm.

Do not go outdoors
Move your children and pets indoors until the swarm has moved away from your yard, or clustered a safe distance away. This may take up to 30 minutes.

Do not go barefoot
To protect yourself from the sting of fallen bees, wear appropriate footwear.

If you have a bee swarm, it can be hard to figure out what to do when you’re feeling stressed. The best action that you can take is to contact Allstate straight away for professional advice and calm reassurance.

Need expert bee advice? Call us today

or

8371 1277

How to prevent a bee swarm in your yard

Here are our simple tips to making your property less prone to bees this spring:

Remove food and water sources

Bees mainly feed on nectar and pollen, but some species will eat meat, dairy products, fungi and flower-based oils. So keep food items covered where possible, including pet water bowls.

Choose your flowering plants carefully

Bees are attracted to bright coloured blue, purple and violet flowers with a pleasant sweet scent, so having less of these around will make your garden far less appealing. They are unable to see red flowers, such as tulips, making them a better choice.

Bee deterring plants

Some plants emit an unpleasant smell for bees and can assist in keeping them away from your garden. These include mint, eucalyptus, basil, geranium, lemongrass, neem, marigold and citronella.

Ultrasonic deterrents

You can consider purchasing electronic devices which emit sound waves outside the spectrum of human hearing. Bee antennae are sensitive to these ultrasonic sound waves, which cause confusion.

Keep safe from bee swarms, speak to our expert team

or

8371 1277

Professional bee management

When it comes to bee handling, it’s best to leave it to the experts who have extensive training in bee behaviour and species, as well as the right equipment and protective clothing.

Above all, our handlers refrain from causing harm to the bees and prefer to safely relocate the hive to an appropriate location where possible.

If there is a severe outbreak or a significant health risk to you or your family, we will initiate treatment by applying an insecticide control dust.

For safe and humane bee control, choose Allstate

Heading into the warmer weather, the last thing you need is a bee swarm when you and your family want to relax in the backyard. There’s no need to worry, though – Allstate is always ready to help!

Since 1986, we’ve provided reliable and effective pest control services to residential, commercial and industrial clients. Available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide for urgent advice, our highly trained and fully equipped technicians can recognise and safely manage bee swarms with minimal impact on the bee population.

With payment plans available on all our services, you can have fast, yet long-lasting solutions to all bee swarms that settle on your property.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

8371 1277