If you have just started living temporarily in Australia, or you have just relocated to a western area like Perth, you may be wondering what types of pests you could encounter. To avoid surprises, here is a list of the country’s most common house pests as well as some helpful pest control tips.

1. Termites

Otherwise known as white ants in Australia, termites are the worst house pests because they can do untold damage to your property. Once you see them roaming around on surfaces, your house is very likely to have already incurred much costly damage. Remember that these pests prefer darkness, so they eat wood structures from the inside, leaving just a thin layer to shield them from light sources.

Signs of termite infestation will include mounds or trails on your walls, which are a mixture of termite saliva, faeces, and soil. Once you suspect any termite activity in your home, call in white ant specialists in Perth for a thorough inspection of your property and its surroundings. Usually, this involves perimeter checks, comprehensive measurements and inspection of your house, plus a complete outside check.

Professional help is highly advised because these experts are well aware of the signs to look for and the habits of these termites.

Once the inspection is done, these termite specialists will inform you of the best type of treatment to use for eliminating termites in your property. Be assured that whatever termite treatment they implement, it is safe both for you and your pets. But it does not stop there because follow-up annual inspections are crucial to ensure that termites haven’t found another way in.  

2. Cockroaches

In Western Australia, some of the common types of cockroaches you may encounter will include German, American, Brown Banded, and Native Australian Black cockroaches.

When there is an infestation, cockroaches can spread diseases, which can greatly affect those with allergies and sensitivities. Since they pass through the garbage, sewers, and drains, they come into contact with organisms that cause diseases like dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid fever, and gastroenteritis. Because of this, diligent control is crucial.

The best way to control them is to let pest control professionals perform a thorough inspection of your premises. This way, any form of cockroach activity will be located and dealt with easily and professionally. Some signs of an existing infestation include skin shredding and faecal droppings.

3. Rodents

There are more than 60 species of rodents in Australia, with most of them considered as pests. Due to the fact that they are small, they can easily roam around your home unnoticed. They can transmit disease, contaminate food, and cause house fires by chewing on electrical cables and wirings of your digital TV antenna and appliances. Thus, getting rid of them is a must.

While you can buy rat baits and other products that kill rodents, it is highly advisable that you hire pest control specialists to get rid of these pests. Initially, these experts will perform a site inspection so they know the extent of rodent invasion in your property. From there, they will create and implement a baiting plan to get rid of the colony. Also, they will eliminate all possible entry and exit points to minimise and prevent future rodent activity.

4. Possums

Possums can cause damage to your home and garden. Like rodents, they gnaw on anything, including circuits and wires. Aside from that, one huge problem with possums is noise, especially at night since they are nocturnal creatures.

When it comes to possum control in Australia, it is against the law to harm them. The only way to keep them away from your property is to catch and release them. If you think you would be unable to perform this, then it is time to call the pest control professionals. These experts implement humane and safe means to trap these pests and properly release them into the wild.

5. Ants

Ants are quite difficult to eliminate. In Australia, there are different ant varieties that can invade your property. These include Black House and Green Head ants. But the most dangerous species are the Fire ants because their bite is very painful. Also, they are harmful both to humans and pets.

Gone are the days when you just have to pour boiling water over the colony of ants or spray them with repellent to get rid of them. Today, these are just temporary solutions because most ants hide underground. After several days, they will just resurface or relocate. It is for this reason that you should let a pest control company handle the problem.

These professionals will locate and treat the nest of the ants, which is by far the most effective way to control these pests. The liquid insecticide they use will stay in the soil for a long time, flooding galleries and tunnels. Indeed, this is considered ideal for nest and barrier treatment.

6. Bed bugs

Bed bugs are tiny, but they can become your worst nightmare. These parasitic insects are about 5-6 mm long, feeding on human blood. If you wake up with red or bite marks on your body, these are most probably caused by bed bugs.

Check your sheets for any signs of faecal matter and blood. It is highly recommended that you use a magnifying glass to look through your sheets – you may see these live tiny insects crawling.

Getting rid of bed bugs takes a lot of work – vacuuming your furniture and beddings is not enough. So it is important that you call specialists to help you.

A pest control team would follow specific protocol to successfully eliminate bed bugs from your home:

• First, you will be asked to isolate all your clothing and other items by placing them inside a bag to contain the bed bugs.

• These items will then be washed in hot water with a specialised detergent.

• After that, a thorough inspection will be performed. Once the existence of bed bugs is confirmed, they will perform stream treatment to all infected areas followed by a chemical treatment.

• Lastly, a follow-up inspection will be done to make sure that your home is free of bed bugs.

Pest infestation will lead to problems like structural damage and health consequences for you, your family, and even pets. Whenever you notice any sign of infestation, be it with termites, ants, rodents, possums or bed bugs, it is wise to call the experts to perform a thorough inspection. This is the only way to determine and locate any pest activity in and out your property.

Most importantly, an experienced pest control team will know how to safely get rid of them. With effective routine pest control inspection and treatment, you will soon be living in a property that is free of any type of pests.