The Archicentre Pest inspection service was started in 2005 in Melbourne, and in Sydney in 2006, which will gain a better understanding of the aspects of timber pest attacks every where in Australia.

The company examined more than 80,000 reports of inspections and through this analysis came to the conclusion that there is indeed termite growth within Australia and their homes. The analysis provided many different results. For example, they were able to determine that colder regions of the continent are less likely to suffer from termite attacks than the warmer regions were. This led to the conclusion that termite protection was in dire need in these warmer areas.

Of the areas inspected and analyzed, it was found that Western Australia saw the smallest increase of just 5%, Victoria was the next highest at a termite increase of 8%, South Australia, ACT, and New South Wales came in second with a 9% increase, and the number one jump in termites belonged to Queensland with a jump of a whopping 11%.

In the year 2006, it cost on average $2,500 to treat a termite infected home. While expensive, it was still far better than what it would cost to repair an infested home, which could cost around $4,500 or more depending upon the area in which you live.

Do you have termites? There are some things that you can be looking for. The first thing you want to do is check your stumps and concrete barriers, do you see any mud? You also want to look at the sub floor of your home, is there any damage? Now you want to actually check the inside and outside of your home. Look around a foot from the floor or ground, check to see if there are any termite signs.

Termites seem to be the most active if a home is surrounded by lots of trees. Homes that were built 30 year ago or older are often more likely to have termite infestation.  Many home owners however create virtual termite attractions. For instance the way a home owner landscapes their home, making untreated wood and the like a very enticing meal for some prospective and hungry termites. Things such as old logs around the lawn, or non treated wood fence posts are likely termite attractors. Putting mulch around the home all the way against the wall of the home may also cause a termite attack.

Many people will store wood in a shed or somewhere around the home in order to keep it dry. This is another attraction for termites. Even if homes have a concrete slab or have been treated, termites seem to find any wood in the construction materials of the home.

The only way to prevent termites from taking over your wood is to make sure that you are having termite checks and treatments regularly by a qualified pest control company.

One last thing, before you purchase a new home, make sure that you have an inspection done first. Make double sure that this inspection includes termite inspections. If you purchase a home without having this inspection, you may be looking at big costs to treat and repair the infestation, in addition to the money you just paid for your new home.

For more information or to arrange an inspection contact Pink Inspections on (02) 9529 2111 or contact us online.

Termites need food and water, just like any other animal. However, the favourite food of the termite is wood - which makes your home look like a 24 hour buffet to them! Termites feed on the cellulose in wood, which they convert to sugar in their digestive process. Termites get water from leaky faucets and standing water in or outdoors. Don’t give termites a free meal!

About twenty percent of homes in Sydney are already infested with termites. You can keep these destructive insects out of your home by taking preventative measures to protect yourself. First, make sure that you have no faulty parts in your ventilation system which allow for the build-up of water, which will attract these pests. Giving termites a drinking fountain is like inviting them into your home. Also check your foundation for any cracks which will make it easy for termites to get in.

Termites build their colonies and live their lives mostly underground. They build a labyrinth of tunnels which may go as deep as three feet underground. These tunnels often lead right into your home! When termites invade, they can undermine your home with their tunnels. To prevent termite incursions, you must be vigilant. Remember, these creatures can destroy your biggest and most important investment - your home.

You may not encounter a swarm of termites outside your door, or see any outward signs they are lurking in the shadows. To be on the safe side, it is in your best interest to terminate their existence before they take a big bite out of yours. The price you pay for termite protection now is well worth the expense, compared to costly repairs in the future.

Annual termite inspections protect your home and its value. When selling your property prospective buyers will expect proof of the house being termite free. If there are any indications of a previous termite infiltration, even if termites no longer exist, it can cost you losing valuable equity, just the fact that termites were once present. In high-risk areas, experts recommend timely termite inspections at least twice a year. This damage control stops termites dead in their tracks before you have to say”there goes the neighborhood.”  Termite infestation is a serious threat in Sydney. We cannot just sit back and hope the problem will disappear.

To win the war against termites, you need to call in the professionals. A thorough termite inspection helps prevent, detect, and treat termite attacks. Reinforcements are needed to fight the invisible bugger who strikes without warning. Make a move toward a successful termite extermination plan.

For more information or to arrange an inspection contact Pink Inspections on (02) 9529 2111 or contact us online.

The fact of the matter is if you live in the Sydney area, you must be aware of the potential problems associated with termites, no matter whether you rent or own your home. Some people think they can save money by avoiding inspections. Well here are 10 facts that may just let you know what you are up against.

1. Termites are a major problem in Australia. If you have a home that is termite infested then the damage they can cause can be financially crippling. It is proven that there are millions of dollars in losses ever year in Australia due to termite damage.

2. An average 20% of homes in Australia received damage due to termites. There are an estimated 130,000 new termite attacks on an annual basis.

3. The losses reported from termites are five times more that the losses seen from a combination of flood, fire and storms.

4. The termites that are the most well known in the Sydney area are the Kalotermes, which are dry wood termites and the Coptotermes Acinaciformis, which are subterranean termites. These termites are very hearty and have been known to damage wood-framed homes as well as brick and steel with the same energy.

5. Termites are known to adapt and they tend to develop a taste for materials that are commonly used in the construction of homes.

6. One averaged sized termite colony can chew up a room’s floor in just 3 months - yes, termites have quite an irrepressible appetite.

7. Termites do not stop once they have entered your home. Instead they begin to eat things like shoes, clothing, electrical wiring and furniture.

8. If you discover a colony of termites in your home, you should not try to destroy them on your own as the will only come back stronger than before. The reason is that they can burrow into the soil to live and then return because they know where their food source is in your home. You should make sure to let a professional take care of it for you.

9. You may know that you can detect termites yourself by tapping on wood with a screwdriver handle. But you sure don’t know that even a mere tapping by a screwdriver handle on infested wood can break the wood. This also disturbs the termites, thus limiting your treatment options.

10. Only experienced and specialised termite inspectors, and no one else, are qualified to treat termite related issues.

Well, the fact is if you have a home or are planning to buy one in Sydney, you need to hire an experienced pest control agency that knows termites like the back of its hands. If you don’t, you will compromise on your health and wealth by ignoring or avoiding the problem.

For more information or to arrange an inspection contact Pink Inspections on (02) 9529 2111 or contact us online.

The government of New South Wales has introduced many new changes in the Home Building Act. Though many of the changes have already been written, many of the reforms have just now been implemented. These reforms aim at protecting the customers from any foul play. These reforms relate to a pre-purchase inspection, which gives an overall estimate of the property including whether there are any damages, cracks, or safety hazards.

A pre-purchase inspection report includes general information about the property. This report provides you enough information about the property to identify if there are some obvious problems. The inspection includes the interior, the exterior, the roof and the under roof space of the property. You can ask the inspector to inspect particular areas of the building as well, to ensure that all these areas are inspected to your satisfaction.

However, an inspection does not include every aspect of the property. It is only a general estimate of the property to see whether there are any serious defects in the property that may require expensive repairs after purchase. A pre-purchase inspection does not include a termite inspection. Although a pre-purchase inspection may cover obvious damage by termites, in order to see if there are any termite colonies, you need specific termite inspection.

Also, all property inspections must conform to the Australian Standard. The inspector must cover all the requirements of pre-purchase inspection stipulated in the Home Building Act. If your inspector is not aware of the new inspection criteria in the Act, his insurance may be compromised. Also, certain defects in your property may go unnoticed, leading to expensive repairs.

Before hiring the services of an inspector, make sure that your inspector knows about the pre-purchase inspection regulations, so that he is covered by his insurance policy.

Another reform offers a five-day cooling off period to provide an extra level of protection for the buyer. The buyer can cancel the contract with the contractor during this period; however, he would have to pay 25% of the purchasing price to the vendor. This cooling-off period can be shortened by having a certificate signed by the two parties. But be careful: the cooling-off period does not apply if the property is purchased at an auction. The buyer can also inspect the property during this period of five working days.

For more information or to arrange an inspection contact Pink Inspections on (02) 9529 2111 or contact us online.

Fleas are tiny wingless insects that breed on the blood of animals and birds. If you have pets like cats or dogs, your house is a comfortable dwelling place for fleas. Fleas are extremely irritating for their hosts, since they cause an itching sensation when they suck blood from the body. This may cause allergic reactions in humans or pets. Flea bites can remain itchy or reddened for several weeks and often result in frequent scratching and biting in animals that can lead to a variety of more serious diseases.

Fleas also pose serious and generally underestimated threats to human health, since they can transmit various diseases between humans people. Today, most real estate agents want their renters to treat their houses with flea control pesticides, especially if they own pets. Normally this treatment is recommended when the rented house is being vacated.

If you have pets in your house, you need regular inspections of your house. Flea control is extremely necessary for the health of your family and pets. Choosing a flea control company in Sydney may be difficult. However, before choosing your flea control company, make sure that their pesticides are not detrimental to human health. They must be completely safe for your children, plants and pets.

Sometimes, the insecticides used by the companies can cause allergic reactions - you want to make sure that the chemicals used to treat your house have been fully tested and approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. The company must have competent and qualified staff that can perform flea cleaning with professional expertise. This includes treating your pets, which are especially susceptible to fleas. They must be thoroughly treated to ensure that the fleas, their eggs and larvae have all been eliminated.

The insecticides used by the company should provide long term flea prevention. If the treatment is not carefully executed, you may end up with an early re-emergence of fleas. Many of the insecticides available in the market can not deliver the desired results because fleas have developed resistance to these compounds. The remaining effective chemical compounds may be highly toxic for humans and pets. Therefore, you should choose a company that ensures human and pets safety, as well as complete elimination of pests. The treatment plans by your company must be certified by PestCert.

If you have a flea problem that you want taken care of quickly and professionally, you can contact Pink Pest Services for assistance with professional flea control in Sydney.

We are only too happy to assist.

There are almost 70,000 types of spider species worldwide, of which 2,000 are found in Australia. Amongst these numerous spider species in Australia, the Funnel-web and the Red-back spider are most dangerous. Spider bites can have a variety of symptoms that include rapid pulse and swelling. However, the majority of spiders can be a nuisance simply because they build unwanted webs in our houses.

According to Wikipedia,

The Red-back spider (Latrodectus hasselti) is a potentially dangerous spider native to Australia. It resembles a Black widow spider. It is a member of the genus Latrodectus or the widow family of spiders, which are found throughout the world.

The Red-back spider is commonly found in Sydney you can easily find them in heavily populated areas. They mostly live in warm areas like storage yards, industrial sites and inside of houses. They also hide in wood logs and junk piles. The female Red-back has 1 cm long body while males are smaller in size. Their webs are very unique because they are messy and always seem to have eggs in them. The Red-back spider loves to hide in protected holes and cracks and they eat small insects in bulk every day. They have also been known to kill and eat lizards.

The second most dangerous species of spiders is the Funnel-web spider. They are most commonly found in Sydney as well. Funnel-webs prefer to live in cool and moist areas. These spiders are large in size and a typical Funnel-web has a body length of 4.5 cm. This species is black in colour and is marked by its aggressive traits. Normally Funnel-webs have powerful teeth, used to stun their victims.

In summer and autumn, the males often wander into houses in search of females. The males, being the wanderers of this species are more dangerous than the females. Even though, most Australian spiders bite without injecting venom, the Funnel-web spider injects its venom into its victim every time.

If you are bitten by Funnel-web then you may experience a number of symptoms, including:

• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Profuse sweating

Although nobody has died from the bite of Funnel-web spider since the anti venom was introduced in 1980, I’m sure you’ll agree that’s it’s worth avoiding.

Treatment for bites depends upon the type of spider

General spider bites

Most spider bites are harmless and will require no first aid. If a person is bitten by spider then the patient should be kept calm and restricted from unnecessary movement. Keep in mind that the patient can be cured, as anti-venom is available at most hospitals. As a precaution, a pressure bandage should be applied on the infected area. This will compress the tissues while reducing the flow of venom. A second bandage can be applied to stop the affected limb from swelling by using a support. This will also restrict the movement of muscle to reduce the blood flow so that the venom does not reach the vital organs of the body.

Red-back spider bites

As the venom of the Red-back spider diffuses very slowly in blood any attempt to immediately halt its movement would only increase the pain. Do not bandage, but proceed to a hospital to receive anti-venom. Avoid any unnecessary movement.

Funnel-web spider bites

Bandage as recommended for General Spider Bites above. Also, using an icepack on the infected area will reduce the swelling of the patient.

However, it is suggested that you stay away from places where spiders prefer to live. You should try to seal all cracked surfaces and protected holes inside your house, to prevent any spiders from living there. This can be an effective way of avoiding spider bites.

If you’re concerned about spiders and need some help exterminating them, you can contact Pink Pest Services for assistance with professional pest control in Sydney.

Termites are a group of social insects that can damage your property. These insects live in colonies. Today every one out of five houses in Sydney is under attack by termites. Buildings in termite areas are prone to serious damages. The termites feed on materials like wood and cellulose and can cause great damage to furniture. They also feed on dry walls and you can see mud tubes on the walls in the case of a termite attack. Especially if you are living in Sydney, you need to be checking for any signs of termites. Timely termite inspection can save you from a lot of trouble.

More about termites attacks…

You may not be able to notice the termite attack unless it becomes very evident. Signs that you should look out for are as follows:

• Discarded wings of termites in your house
• Cracks and bubbling in the paints of the wall
• Mud tubes on the wall of your house

Termites make the wood hollow from within, so you can detect termite infestation by tapping the wood. If it sounds like its hollow then termites may have found their way inside your furniture and it’s time to get an inspection. If the wood sounds unusually hollow, it’s probably time to contact Pink Inspections for a professional inspection that can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

You may ask why termite inspection is necessary. Termites may go undiscovered for a long time unless no serious damage has been done. Your insurance may not cover the damage done by termites either. Your property becomes susceptible to such damages if you are living in a termite prone area. So instead of leaving your precious investment at risk, you should opt for a termite inspection of your property to make sure that it is protected. Detection of termites and their treatment is the best way to save your investment. Your inspection should also be consistent with the Australian Standard.

Inspection of your property once in a year may work in areas where termite attack ratio is very low. However, it is recommended that your property be inspected for termites at least twice a year in higher risk areas such as Sydney. Conducting inspection once in every two years may be dangerous because a single termite queen can lay thousands of eggs in one day. Since termites grow at a rapid rate they can easily damage large portions of your house within a two-year timeframe.

Termite inspectors look for insects and organisms that destroy wood. Termite remnants can be found near wooden structures like furniture or boxes, especially in the kitchen area. Your attic should also be examined for termites - their discarded wings may be found in the spider webs that populate many attics. The termite colonies tend to avoid bright light and open air and mostly they remain under ground or within the wooden structures. Inappropriate drainage systems and direct contact of the wooden structures with earth increases the risk of termite infestation. Improper ventilation may increase the chances of termite attack. Therefore, you should try preventing your house from termite invasion with timely inspections.

If you’d like more information, take a look at our article: Termite Pest Control – The Difference Between Free Termite Quotes and Thorough Termite Inspections.

For more information or to arrange an inspection contact Pink Inspections on (02) 9529 2111 or contact us online.

We have noticed a larger than usual number of pest control clients requesting help to eradicate “German” cockroaches recently.

German Cockroaches are properly called Blattella germanica, and to the naked eye they are simply a smaller version of the “Australian” cockroach.

If you ever have to ID a German cockroach, you should know that they are typically about 1.3 cm to 1.6 cm in length and tan to light brown in colour.

They may also have two dark parallel streaks running from the head to the base of the wings. Although it has wings, it is unable to sustain flight.

According to Wikipedia,

The German cockroach is originally from Asia and very common in Russia, not in Germany, and it is also very closely related to the Asian cockroach, to the extent that to the casual observer they appear nearly identical and may be mistaken for the other.

So it appears that this is a case of mistaken (national) identity.

Seriously though, owing to their compact size, ability to breed quickly and their speed and agility, German cockroaches can sometimes prove difficult to eradicate.

If regular cockroach baits don’t work, you can contact Pink Pest Services for assistance with professional cockroach control in Sydney.

We are only too happy to assist.

Will termites replace fossil fuels as a power source?

From Wikipedia:

One of the US Department of Energy’s most enduring goals is to replace fossil fuels with renewable sources of cleaner energy, such as hydrogen produced from plant biomass fermentation. Termites may help reach this goal through metagenomics.

Termites are capable of producing up to two liters of hydrogen from fermenting a single sheet of paper, making them one of the planet’s most efficient bioreactors.

Termites achieve this high degree of efficiency by exploiting the metabolic capabilities of about 200 different species of microbes that inhabit their hindguts.

…

The microbial community in the termite gut efficiently manufactures large quantities of clean hydrogen. By sequencing the termite’s microbial community, it may be possible to get a better understanding of these biochemical pathways.

Termites eat wood, but cannot extract energy from the complex lignocellulose polymers within it. These polymers are broken down into simple sugars by fermenting bacteria in the termite’s gut, using enzymes that produce hydrogen as a byproduct. A second wave of bacteria uses the simple sugars and hydrogen to make the acetate the termite requires for energy. If it can be figured out which enzymes are used to create hydrogen, and which genes produce them, this process could be scaled up with bioreactors to generate hydrogen from woody biomass, such as poplar, in commercial quantities.

Sceptics regard this as unlikely to be a carbon-neutral commercial process due to the energy inputs. For decades, researchers have sought to house termites on a commercial scale (like worm farms) to break down woody debris and paper but funding has been scarce and the problems of developing a continuous process that does not disrupt the termites’ homeostasis have not been overcome.

So it looks doubtful that termites will become the source of a fossil fuel revolution, but they could be one piece of the puzzle toward finding alternative energy sources in future.

We know they are one of the most annoying little pests that not only cause a lot of itching and discomfort but can destroy a good night’s sleep.

Let’s assume that you have completed the Bedbug pre-treatment checklist and have booked an appointment with a Sydney bedbug eradication specialist.

The next step is the treatment itself. Here is a summary of what will happen if the treatment is compliant with the Bed Bug Code Of Practice.

During the treatment your pest control technician will:

• Conduct a detailed inspection of the infested areas.
• Vacuum to remove bed bugs and their eggs.
• Conduct a treatment using a steam cleaner.
• Apply an approved pesticide as necessary, to cracks, crevices and other harbourage points.
• Conduct a gas treatment (where applicable). After the gas treatment, the property will need to be vacated for at least 4 hours.

After the treatment, we recommend that you:

• Open all doors and windows and allow the property to ventilate.
• In the case of Pink Pest Services, we conduct a follow up inspection in approximately 14-21 days. Where further activity is located, an additional treatment will be carried out as required. It is not uncommon to locate further activity during this follow up visit.

In some cases, it can take up to a month to achieve full control of an infestation, as the bed bugs come into contact with the treatment agents applied.

Where a Free Service Period has been offered, we return and retreat, as required, any area covered by the initial treatment, at no expense to the client, for the period as indicated on the initial quotation.

Before engaging any pest controller, we recommend that you check to see that a Free Service Period has been specified because bedbug treatment most often requires multiple visits.

For more information or to arrange a treatment contact Pink Pest Services on (02) 9529 5222 or contact us online.