Pest Control Wellington

Ants are one of the main pests in Wellington. Inside the home, “black ants” are common home invaders, typically – black house ants or white-footed house ants. Outside the home Argentine ant are a major problem.

Professional pest managers will generally use a combination of products to eliminate ant problems, typically a combination of sprays (to stop the ants coming inside) and baits (to actually kill the nest).  Indoor ant problems can generally be completely eliminated. However, outdoor ant problems can often only be controlled for a limited period of time, as even if ants are eliminated from the yard, eventually new ants will re-invade from surrounding areas. 

Although there are no termites of concern in New Zealand, there are a couple of wood borers which cause damage:

• Common house borer or furniture beetle
• Native two tooth long-horn borer

Treatment for borers is best done by a professional pest manager as they can identify the species, inspect for infested timber and apply specialist borer products.

Cockroaches are a common pest in homes and businesses.  German cockroaches (the small cockroaches) only live inside buildings and can be a pest all year round. Large cockroach species such as the American cockroach and Gisborne cockroach, live outside buildings in gardens, and around drains and garbage, coming inside “by accident”. 

Cockroaches carry a large number of diseases (especially those that cause stomach upsets), so it’s understandable no one wants dirty cockroaches inside their home or business. The droppings and spend skins of cockroaches are known to cause allergic reactions and  asthma.

The type of treatment a professional pest manager will use depends on the species of cockroach present. For large cockroach species, spraying the outside of the building (to prevent them entering) and spraying or dusting other hotspots are the key activities. Occasionally cockroach baits may be used as well. For German cockroaches, which are smaller and a lot more difficult to control, the main treatment involves the use of cockroach baits. When using baits it may take several days to reduce the population and with German cockroach treatments, more than one visit may be necessary to eliminate the problem.

With cockroach problems, ensuring good housekeeping / hygiene is essential for eliminating and prevent cockroach infestations

Fleas generally aren’t a problem if pet flea treatments are kept up to date. However, we all know how easy it is to forget, so it’s always possible to suffer from a flea infestation. In addition, sometimes the infestation may be due to rat fleas due to a rodent infestation.

Fleas infestation are more common in the summer months as they thrive in the warm, humid weather conditions. Even though “flea bombs” are available in supermarkets, it is generally the best option to get a pest professional to carry out any flea treatments. This is because to completely eradicate the infestation, both indoor and outdoor areas need to be treated, as the flea eggs, larvae and adults will be present in all your pet’s resting places. Although more common in summer, they can also cause problems in winter, especially in heated homes.

Flies are one of the main pests in New Zealand. Although the housefly is perhaps the most common pest, there are a number of “filth flies” that cause problems around homes and businesses.

Housefly problems occurs if there is garbage, pet faeces or manure around for them to lay their eggs on – the maggot love any organic matter! So good hygiene around your property is key to eliminating any fly breeding spots. Of course, the breeding areas may not be on your property.

Preventing flies entering the building is obviously ideal, but it’s not always possible. A professional fly treatment to fly resting places inside and outside the home can be very effective, but other control measures are often required to further reduce fly numbers.

There are also drain flies, the small flies that you can find in bathrooms, laundries and kitchens. They typically feed on rotting fruit or vegetables or in the slime in drains. If you have a problem with these annoying flies try and find any rotting food and clean out the drains before calling your pest professional.

The house mouse is a common indoor pest in Wellington. They will live outside in burrows but tend to come inside looking for shelter when the weather gets cooler. They carry diseases and parasites, which can be transferred when they urinate on surfaces and food.

Correct use and placement of bait is important to keep children and pets safe, as well as get optimal performance. As such, it is always best to pay a pest professional to carry out the treatment. Pest Professionals will use lockable bait stations in most areas.

Possums might look cuddly but they are an invasive pest in New Zealand causing significant damage to native wildlife and plants. The also carry bovine tuberculosis.

Professional pest managers can be employed to safely trap any possums on your property and for human disposal. It is important to possum proof your property after removal to prevent another possum moving in.

There are two pest rats in Wellington, the roof rat and the  sewer rat. Although smaller, the roof rat is more common.

Rats typically live outdoors coming inside to find food, although roof rats are happy to build their nests in the roof void of homes. They carry diseases and parasites, which can be transferred when they urinate on surfaces and food.

To ensure a safe and effective treatment, it pays to use a pest professional to carry out the treatment to ensure the baits are placed in the best locations to deliver results and prevent accidental ingestion. Professional pest managers will use lockable bait stations in most areas.

Rats can also be difficult to control due to their intelligence and their neophobic behaviour – they are frightened of new things. Using a rodent expert will ensure you get the quickest results.

Although spiders are generally beneficial, helping control other pests, no one really likes them around the house, especially inside. With some spiders like the katipo, redback and white-tail spiders, giving a nasty bite, there are real safety concerns, especially for children and pets. 

Professional spider treatments involve a “spider spray”, where the outside of the building, obvious webs and spider hiding places are sprayed. Sometimes insecticide dust may be blown into cracks and crevices. These treatments can be quite long lasting, typically 6 months or longer in protected areas.

Wasps are a significant safety concern in New Zealand. There are a number of invasive wasps species including the Australian and Asian paper wasps, but it is the common and German paper wasps that are of the most concern.

These European wasps can produce large nests and are very aggressive. Using a professional pest manager is a smart move ,as they have all the necessary safety gear. They also have specialised equipment to treat wasp nests that are underground (which can be quite common) and can use wasp baits if the nest is not on the property / cannot be located.