With summer in full swing, it’s always a good time to catch up with family and friends.
Unfortunately, along with the sunny weather comes pests. From flies and mosquitoes to ants and spiders, even the smallest critters can spoil the party for you and your guests. So it’s a good idea to prepare your home and yard well in advance just in case pesky creatures make an appearance.
Our Allstate maintenance team understands the importance of cleanliness to preventing pest outbreaks. So that’s why we offer gutter guard cleaning and installation, solar panel cleaning and proofing, pressure washing and roof void cleaning to save you the time and effort.
For more information on how we can help you prepare for your next event, how to deter pests and tips on what types of pests to look out for, take a look through our guide.
Common pests found in Adelaide homes
Learn about the issues caused by an outbreak of flies, mosquitoes, bees and wasps, birds, cockroaches, spiders, ants and rodents
Ways to keep pests away from your home
Preventing pests from entering is the best way to protect your home from an outbreak, and here are our recommendations for what you can do
Property maintenance services
We offer gutter cleaning and installation, pressure washing, roof void cleaning and solar panel cleaning and proofing to help you get ready for your next party
Don’t let uninvited pests spoil your next party
As pest experts, we understand the importance of keeping your home and yard clean to deter pests, which is why we offer property maintenance services
Need urgent pest control?
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Common pests found in Adelaide homes
Be aware of these pesky creatures that may be small in size, but can spook your party guests and cause big problems inside and outside your home if left unchecked.
Flies
A quintessential part of summer, flies are a notorious seasonal pest. Their unhygienic scavenging and feeding behaviour means that they’ll look for food everywhere – from rubbish bins to your barbecue.
This means they carry a range of germs, which not only spoil your food, but also spread diseases such as salmonella and hepatitis.
Here’s some ways to keep them at bay:
- Keep food and bins covered
- Wipe up spills immediately
- Fit fly screens over windows and doors
Mosquitoes
The tell-tale whining sound of a mosquito’s flapping wings nearby makes most of us act instinctively to swat it away to avoid getting bitten. This makes perfect sense, given that mosquito bites can transmit serious diseases such as Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus, which currently have no cure.
Mosquito bites are itchy, swollen and unattractive looking. They can be even more uncomfortable if you have a mosquito allergy.
Unfortunately, mosquitoes are most active at dawn, dusk and in the evenings, when you’re likely to be hosting your party.
So it’s important to make sure you take steps to protect yourself and your guests, including:
- Move the party indoors and close doors and windows without screens
- Remove standing water which enables mosquitoes to breed, including buckets, kiddie pools, bird baths and pet water bowls
- Use insecticide spray
- Use natural repellents such as eucalyptus and citronella oil scented candles
- Wear long sleeved clothing and apply insect repellent
- Use a fan to blow them away
Bees and Wasps
Bees and wasps become aggressive and can cause painful stings when they feel threatened, especially when defending their hives and nests.
You can find bee hives and wasp nests in tree cavities, wall cavities and sometimes even underground. They tend to be more active throughout the warmer months of the year, from October to December.
Unfortunately, this can be a problem if you’re taking advantage of the sunny weather by holding an outdoor event, so here are some ways to prevent bees and wasps from ruining your plans:
- Do not go near a bee hive or wasp nest and call pest control
- Remove all sources of food and sugar from your yard, including pet food and fallen fruit
- Remove all sources of standing water
- Place a cover over sugary drinks
- Set up wasp traps
Pest control for the home
With so much of our lives spent at home, it’s essential to keep your house and garden safe from pests. Different kinds of pests prefer different areas of the home and garden, so there’s a chance you’ll be dealing with at least one unwanted guest.
Termites
Ants
Cockroaches
Spiders
Birds
Bed Bugs
Bees & Wasps
Rats & Mice
Possums
Biting Insects
Disinfection Services
Birds
Pigeons and other species of pest birds can cause lots of trouble if you’re entertaining outdoors. They can swoop down in large numbers to scavenge food and scraps that are left out in the open, often becoming aggressive and noisy.
Pest birds leave messy, slippery droppings everywhere, causing a safety hazard and leading to the spread of germs and diseases. This results in contaminated food, damaged buildings and ruined gardens.
The best way to prevent them from wreaking havoc at your next party is look for signs of a potential outbreak, as it can take some time to prevente them completely. The most obvious clue will be that you’re noticing more droppings than usual.
To fix a pest bird problem, it’s best to:
- Remove all potential food and water sources that they have access to
- Clean the area where they roost as best as you can
- If the problem persists, call Allstate Pest Control
Cockroaches
The sight of a cockroach may be enough to cause guests to leave early at your next party. If you see one, there’s usually many more hiding away. Their unhealthy nesting and feeding habits make them more likely to spread germs and diseases everywhere they crawl. This can cause gastroenteritis and diarrhoea. They can also damage you and your guests’ belongings as their teeth are strong enough to chew through leather, and fabric items such as furniture and clothing.
Cockroaches are more active at night, so if you’re planning an evening event, be sure to avoid a cockroach problem with these tips:
- Inspect and repair damaged drains and pipes, check for leaking taps and damp areas as cockroaches thrive in moisture
- Check inside cupboards and shelves
- Practice good hand hygiene
- Keep food preparation and entertaining areas clean
- Keep food covered
Spiders
Messy spider webs are best reserved for Halloween parties only. Seeing a spider crawling along the wall may trigger anxiety in guests with arachnophobia. Although most spider bites are harmless, they still strike fear in many people.
They’re very good at hiding, but you definitely don’t want them to make an appearance at your next party.
Here are some ways to reduce the chances of a spider problem:
- Regularly check dark, isolated areas for spiders and cobwebs
- Check drains, pipes and toilets
- Remove piles of debris, wood and leaf litter in your garden
- Clean frequently indoors and outdoors
- Remove insects which attract spiders
- Trim trees, plants and foliage to reduce access
Ants
With food and drinks being left out in the open at your party, ants become enticed to march over to claim their share, leading to food contamination. Because of their tendency to scavenge in unhygienic places, such as garbage bins and toilets, ants are exposed to germs such as salmonella and e.coli, so they can easily spread diseases. Furthermore, their bites can sting, cause skin swelling and trigger allergies in some of your guests.
To avoid an army of ants showing up at your next gathering, you can consider taking the following measures:
- Cover and store food and drinks properly
- Fill entry points, including cracks and crevices
- Ensure food preparation areas are clean
- Wipe away spills quickly
- Fix leaking pipes as ants are attracted to moisture
Rodents
Having rats and mice scurrying around is a sure fire way to clear out a party quickly. Their droppings and fur contain germs, which contaminate surfaces and food. They can damage buildings and electrical wiring through gnawing with their constantly growing teeth.
Here’s some ways to stop rodents from causing chaos at your next get-together:
- Keep your home, garage, attic and yard tidy
- Identify and seal possible entry points
- Ensure food is stored away properly
Concerned about a pest outbreak? Speak to an expert today
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Ways to keep pests away from your party
The best way to stop a pest outbreak is to prevent them from entering in the first place.
Here are some of the recommendations we make to our clients to help them stay pest free.
Regularly clean your home
Mopping, vacuuming, dusting and washing bed linen, mats and pet bedding are important chores to remove pests and potential sources of food. Keeping storage areas clutter free (including your garage, attic and basement) reduces the number of hiding spots for pests.
Grow plants which deter insects
Citronella, mint, lemongrass, basil, lavender and rosemary are thought to discourage insects from coming into your home. However be aware that some of these may be poisonous for pets.
Keep your yard and garden tidy
Make your outdoor areas less inviting for pests by properly disposing fallen fruit, pet waste, and piles of leaf litter, debris, wood and vegetation. Mow lawns, trim and prune branches, hedges, excess foliage and vegetation to reduce pest access.
Proper food storage and handling
Wash and sanitise your hands before and after handling food, wipe food preparation areas before and after use, ensure utensils and cutlery are clean, dispose of food scraps immediately and store food, including pet food, in sealed containers.
Regularly check for entry points and seal them off
Identify and block access points inside, and to kitchen cupboards. Also consider sealing holes and cracks around pipes. You can fill wall crevices, cracks and holes with silicone.
Install screens over windows and doors, chimneys, vents and water tank openings. Door seals can be fitted to the bottom of doors.
Practice proper waste disposal and storage
Dispose of waste regularly, ensure bins have tight fitting lids, avoid open compost heaps and seal your compost bin.
Remove or cover sources of standing water
Kiddie pools, pet bowls, bird baths, under flower pots and watering cans contain varying amounts of stagnant water, which attracts insects. You can also cover buckets, water tanks and wheelbarrows. Fill any holes in the yard with soil to avoid pooling water.
Use diatomaceous earth, chalk and powdery substances
Sprinkling finely ground matter effectively deters insects such as ants and spiders when applied in hard to reach areas inside the home and around the perimeter of the building. This includes entrances, in between pavers, on lawns and around the edge of the garden.
Property maintenance services
To save you time, Allstate can help you prepare for your next event with our property maintenance services. As pest control is our specialty, we’ll also be able let you know if we identify risks and signs of pest problems. We can work around your schedule, and aim to cause as minimal disruption as possible.
Gutter cleaning and gutter guard installation
A buildup of pest droppings, debris and leaves in your gutters can lead to rusting and water damage to your home, and cleaning them out yourself just adds another chore to the to-do list. If you’re not so keen on overflowing gutters splashing water all over your guests, then Allstate Pest Control offers a gutter cleaning service. We use an environmentally friendly disinfectant to sanitise and refresh your gutters.
For further protection to prevent them from accumulating unwanted debris in the future, we also recommend considering a gutter guard installation.
Roof void cleaning
Noisy rodents and pest birds can attract more pests including spiders, and leave behind a mess in roof voids. Using a specialised vacuum, our maintenance team can clear out your space fast and if necessary, apply disinfectants to keep it clean and pest-free.
Pressure washing
Whether it’s due to rain, dust, UV, mould, rust or pest droppings, outside surfaces can become worn and tired-looking over time. To avoid permanent damage, and rejuvenate the look of your roof, building exterior, footpaths, pavements and driveways, consider using Allstate’s pressure washing service. Impress your guests with a fast and effective wash that also removes unwanted pests.
Solar panel cleaning and proofing
Wear and tear, as well as dirt, grime and bird droppings can cause solar panels to work less effectively. Pest birds also like to nest underneath solar panels, and leave behind a mess which can cause damage to the panels and wiring. Our pest control technicians and maintenance team will work together to remove pest birds, clean the panels and surrounding area, then install a protective wire mesh to prevent the birds from returning and causing further damage.
Needing home maintenance services before your next event? We can help you today.
orDon’t let uninvited pests spoil your next party
Heading into warm weather, it’s no surprise that entertaining guests would be at the front of your mind. However, it takes time and effort to prepare your house and yard after a long, cold winter. If you’re needing some help, Allstate offers a range of services to assist you with getting your place tidy and keeping pest free well into the party season.
We offer payment plans for our pest control services where required, and our maintenance service products are environmentally friendly and non-toxic for people and pets. We understand that your time is valuable so we’re happy to work around your schedule.
If you need maintenance services and a team with expertise to address your pest concerns and also pre-empt potential problems, we can assist.