There are a lot of pests out there! They don’t all fit into one of the big groups of pests (ants, cockroaches, spiders, etc), so articles on these more occasional pests all get grouped here under “Other Pests”.
One of the pest insects that gets a bit personal are lice, including head lice and pubic lice. Check out our article on all you need to know about lice.
There are always some insects which homeowners may view as pests, either because they are unwanted intruders in the house or just don’t know what they are. Two insects that commonly fall into this category are click beetles and ant lions (which are the larval stage of lacewings).
One of the smallest arthropod pests are the mites, which include dust mites, bird mites, spider mites and rodent mites. Bird mites and rodent mites might be the causes of bites in the bedroom, but there are some other pests which could be the cause of unexplained bites in the bedroom.
Millipedes, particularly the Portuguese millipede can be the cause of major infestations and large scale house invasions. Another multi-legged occasional pest is the very fast moving, house centipede.
One group of arthropod pests that are feared in a similar way to spiders are the scorpions and with good reason, as some can give a very nasty sting.
There are a range of vertebrate pests, other than rodents and birds. Many are native animals such as the Antechinus, but some are introduced pests, such as the infamous cane toad.
Notifiable Pests
Federal and state governments carry out continuous border checks and some monitoring inland, for various invasive pests, which should them become established in Australian, could cause significant and economic harm. Such pests are called notifiable pests, in that if you spot a potential notifiable pest, you should alert the relevant government authority in your state.
More information on other types of pest.
These pests can form colonies of thousands and attack a wide range of plants – they can cover a lawn in fine silk netting and can swarm in numbers severe enough to kill a tree. Would you be able to ID a spider mite?
Most people would recognise a praying mantis (although they can be hard to spot), but would you be able to identify a mantis egg case? Common name: Praying Mantis, also known as mantids Scientific name(s): Any insect in the Order Mantodea, with over 2,400 species in about 460 genera and 33 families. There are approximately 160 species known in Australia. Description: Praying mantises are well-known enough to need little description, and are named for their upright stance and folded grasping
These pests may be living under your very roof, but will only suck your blood out of desperation. Would you be able to identify a bird mite? Common name: Bird mite Common species in Australia include the tropical bird mite (AKA starling mite) and red poultry mite (AKA roost mite). Bird mites are sometimes mistakenly called bird lice (adult mites have eight legs, lice have six legs). Scientific name(s): Family Macronyssidae, including Ornithonyssus bursa (tropical bird mite) and Dermanyssidae, including
They’re relatively uncommon pests, but would you know how to identify and treat a lice infestation?
Bedlam aerosol is not only suitable for the direct treatment of bed bugs, but can be used to target fleas, lice and dust mites.
When it comes to detecting incursions of urban invasive pests, pest managers are on the front line. It pays to know the key notifiable pests in your state, so you can fulfill your professional responsibility and help with biosecurity.
They lurk in dark corners of your home and run with uncanny speed, and for many people they’re the stuff of nightmares – would you be able to ID a house centipede?
The larval stages of these insects lurk underground, hollow venomous jaws ready to kill anything that falls within range. But their adults are delicate flying insects that look nothing like their young. Would you be able to identify an Antlion?
A team of European researchers has discovered that the long-tailed silverfish has shown susceptibility to gel baits. Could baiting be the answer for controlling a wider range of silverfish species?
With over 800 species in Australia alone, these insects are often found inside houses and are a favourite with children. Would you be able to identify a click beetle?
Whilst dust mites are commonly thought to be the cause of respiratory issues and skin irritations, it may be a surprise to know that storage mites could just as likely be the culprit.
