4 Common Pests Every Australian Homeowner Needs to Know 

Being a proud homeowner means keeping your residential property in top nick. Regular maintenance on your house ensures the infrastructure is solid. Adding a fresh coat of paint every couple of years, looking out for damp issues and performing regular home repairs are tasks every homeowner needs to do. 

But, have you considered the common pests found in Australia that can be a threat to your home? So, they need your attention too. These little critters can cause more damage than you expect if you don’t use the pest control Albury Wodonga residents have been using for years to protect their residential properties. Do you know what to look out for when identifying these common pests?

Read on as we talk about four common pests every Australian homeowner needs to know about so you can call in pest control before serious damage is done!

Why You Need to Identify Common Pests on Your Property

You may be familiar with the cockroach scuttling across your kitchen sink or the wasps that have set up home above your front door. They may seem innocuous although you would do everything possible to prevent being stung by angry wasps! 

But, did you know common pests found in your residence often become a serious problem when not dealt with in time? 

Common pests can create any of the following issues:

• Infrastructure damage.
• Spread illness and disease, threatening the health of you and your family.
• Threaten the wellbeing of your pets.
• Destroy plants and vegetables growing in your garden.

By identifying the following four common pests, you’ll be able to do something about the problem before it turns into a bigger and more expensive issue. 

1. Termites

If you don’t keep your eyes open for termites, they’ll be in the structure of your home before you realise it. These creatures target anything made of wood including floorboards, window frames, doors and even the wooden walls of your house. Large colonies of termites will nest underground which is why they often go undetected by homeowners.

These highly destructive termites are small, ant-like insects with soft bodies. Their diet is made up of timber products. They build nests in the base of trees such as the Eucalyptus, under a patio or concrete flooring of a house, in leaking pipes and even broken roof tiles. If you see mud tubes on your walls, along your floor, or even in your garden, you have an infestation of termites. 

2. Timber Borers

Besides termites being a real threat to your house and garden, termite borers are another common pest you should look out for. These beetles will attack timber flooring, wooden window and door frames, and furniture made from wood. They do this by the female adult borer laying eggs in anything that’s wooden, including trees. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the timber. 

You know you have a problem when you start seeing holes and piles of insect frass on wooden infrastructure and objects. In serious cases of infestation, you’ll need to remove and replace all damaged wood which is an expensive exercise for any homeowner. Moderate infestation in your home will need three years of ongoing treatment with insecticide, so you need to take action quickly once discovered. 

3. Bed Bugs

Bed bugs like to hide in areas close to where you sleep such as headboards, bed frames and box springs. At night-time, they surface looking for food which includes your blood! If you start experiencing itchy skin and red, splotchy marks on your face, neck, hands and arms, you could be living with a crowd of bed bugs in your bedroom. These tiny creatures can also cause an allergic reaction which leads to blistering or hives. 

While not a serious health hazard, you want to keep your home free of these pesty parasitic insects to avoid skin issues and loss of sleep. These bugs are brown in colour with long, oval-shaped bodies. They’re not easy to see, with the adults measuring 5mm to 7mm long. They take on a bloated shape resembling a balloon when done sucking on your blood. 

4. Silverfish

Another common pest not easy to see is the silverfish. This pest will feed on items made from cotton or synthetic fabrics, paper, and glue. Silverfish are nocturnal insects, silver-grey in colour and have tapered tails. They’re agile creatures and you often find them dead in your kitchen sink or bath tub after a night of roaming for food. Silverfish take up residence in damp areas such as your bathroom. 

While not dangerous to humans, an infestation can cause damage to your books, clothing and food packaging. They can spread germs when feeding on your oats, sugar, coffee or flour. These creatures can also start eating through your wallpaper if you don’t deal with them sooner than later. 

Final Thoughts

Common pests such as bed bugs, termites, silverfish and timber borers need to be dealt with before becoming an infestation in your home. Management of these problem creatures can be done easily enough when you hire the services of a professional pest control company. By performing regular inspections, you can rest assured your residential property is free of infestation by any of these common pests.