A ACLEANAFFECT

Controlling Pests Show No Mercy! As the temperature increases so does the activity in the worlds of pests - particularly the insects! Thousands of germ carrying bugs are currently multiplying in the warmth and protection of your home. In your cupboards, in and under your beds, in your rugs and carpets, and in the roof cavity above your head. To stop them in their tracks you need a Pest Controller with attitude! The Acleanaffect Pest Control Team are mass killers - in the nicest possible way ... And we have the mass extermination gear to do a complete, effective, and economical job of ridding your home of these critters. The tools we use are environmentally safe and scientifically formulated. And we use only the very best up-to-date but proven techniques. We use the "less is more" policy and strictly monitor the type and amounts of insecticides we use. Click HERE and HERE to check out our Pest Control Invoice - it will give you a clear indication of the thoroughness of what we do and how we do it! We handle all of the following problems, with the exception of Termites, and with the addition of Ants and Fleas. Ants and fleas have not been included in the following information due to their ubiquitous presence and the Public's common awareness. Please refer to the Termite section below for our referral recommendation. All you have to do is to contact us for a Quote - and the job's already half done! Tips for a Rodent Free Roof! If you can hear the patter of little feet over your head in the dead of night and they're lighter and more delicate than the heavy "thump" of possums then you're almost certainly hosting a family of rats. To prevent re-entry once they have been evacuated try these following tips: Remove any "bridges" to your roof or eaves by trimming back any overhanging or close branches. Block all openings or cracks (even small ones) that may allow access to the roof cavity Repair damaged insect screens. rats can chew through nylon screen but find copper or Stainless Steel very difficult Tidy away any food scraps - including open-lid garbage, particularly at night Transfer any uneaten pet food to containers at night, including bird or chicken feed.

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Dust Mites: Dust mite allergy is a response to a microscopic organism that lives in the dust that is found in all dwellings and workplaces. Dust mite allergens, perhaps the most common cause of perennial allergic rhinitis, usually produce symptoms similar to pollen allergy and can also trigger asthma. Mites are a member of the arachnid family, which includes spiders, chiggers, and ticks. Dust mites are 8-legged spider-like creatures that are about 1/3 mm long. They feed on human skin, pollen, fungi, bacteria, and animal dander. The food consumption and development of the mites increases with higher relative humidity (70 to 80%) and common indoor temperatures. Dust mites and their droppings are known allergens. It is a protein in the mites and their faeces to which people develop an allergic response. When these droppings come in contact with the skin or are inhaled they may cause allergy, asthma, and/or eczema symptoms. A gram of house dust may contain 100 to 500 mites, and each mite produces 10 to 20 waste particles a day. This waste is extremely tiny and light, and thus easily forms aerosols which can be inhaled.

Cockroaches: Cockroaches could be confused with members of the order Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers) but they do not have well-developed hindlegs for jumping. Most cockroaches lay their eggs in a brown oblong case called an ootheca and in many species these are carried around by the female for some time before being deposited on the ground.

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Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal and by day hide in dark places such as under rocks, dead wood and bark. They are mainly scavengers, feeding on dead organic matter such as plant matter. Fossil cockroaches have been recorded in deposits dated to as far back as the Upper Carboniferous, about 305 million years ago. During the Carboniferous they were one of the most abundant of the insect orders in terms of number of individuals. Cockroaches are very closely related to termites and praying mantises. Depending on species, adult cockroaches can range in size from 3 mm to at least 65 mm long. Cockroaches are flattened in appearance which enables them to crawl into narrow crevices. In some species males and females look superficially similar but in others the adult females are winged and the adult males wingless. Eggs are usually laid in a packet called an ootheca. The ootheca is formed in the female and as it exits it is stamped into shape by the ovipositor valves, and hardens on being exposed to air. The shape of the ootheca is usually species specific. The female carries the ootheca round on the end of her abdomen for varying lengths of time before dropping it on the ground or gluing it to something. After depositing it, females of some species cover the ootheca with debris so that it is difficult for it to be located by predators and parasitoids. The hatched nymphs are similar in general shape to the adults but are smaller, lack wings and genitalia are undeveloped. They hatch more-or-less simultaneously from the ootheca by swallowing air and inflating themselves, in this way splitting open the two halves. They pass through a series of moults before reaching the adult stage. Predators of cockroaches are many ranging from invertebrates such as ants through to vertebrates such insectivorous frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Cockroaches protect themselves from predators mainly by hiding away, but produce defensive secretions if attacked. These secretions can also render them distasteful. Internal parasites include amoebae, ciliates, nematodes and Nematomorpha. The vast majority of cockroach species (more than 99% of them) live in the wild and are of no economic importance. However, there are a few species that thrive in and around human habitations. They are pests because they destroy food and contaminate it with their smelly excreta. They can also eat book labels and bindings.

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Silverfish: Silverfish are small, soft insects without wings, usually around 1 to 2.5 mm in length. Their colour can vary from silver-white to brown. The abdomen has three filaments extending from it. Silverfish are not often seen by homeowners because they are nocturnal and can run very swiftly. They prefer vegetable matter with a high carbohydrate and protein content. However they will feed on almost anything, including dried beef, flour, starch, paper, gum, glue, cotton, linen, rayon, silk, sugar, moulds and breakfast cereals. Silverfish normally live outdoors under rocks, bark and leaf mould, in the nests of birds and mammals, and in ant and termite nests. However, many are found in houses and are considered a pest, or at least a nuisance, by homeowners. Adults lay eggs in small groups containing a few to 50 eggs. The eggs are very small and deposited in cracks and crevices. A female normally lays less than 100 eggs during her lifespan of two to eight years. Under ideal conditions, the eggs hatch in two weeks, but may take up to two months to hatch.

The young nymphs are very much like the adults except for size. Several years are required before they are sexually mature, and they must mate after each moult if viable eggs are to be produced. Populations do not build up rapidly because of their slow development rate and the small number of eggs laid. As household pests, they feed on cereals and non-food items such as paste, paper, starch in clothes, rayon fabrics and dried meats. Sanitation alone will not eliminate an infestation, although it may prevent new ones from starting. A large infestation usually means the house has been infested for some time. Residual insecticides (aerosols) will help to control these pests. Removing old papers, boxes, books, and clothes from storage areas will help remove food and hiding places. Moth crystals or balls will also help.

Spiders: Queensland's spiders range in size from the minute (Jumping Spiders) to the gigantic - from smaller than the head of a pin, to bigger than a hand span (Giant Green Huntsman Spiders). Some weave intricate webs and never budge (Tent Spiders), while others are constantly roving (Swift Ground Spiders). Some have snake-like fangs and bite (Mouse Spiders), while others can be as elegant and harmless as a butterfly (Magnificent Spiders). Some live underground (Trapdoor Spiders), some hang out in trees (Triangular Spiders), some even walk on water (Giant Water Spiders). Their behaviour can be both spellbinding and spooky, beautiful and bizarre. Our intrinsic fear of spiders - and their various leggy relatives - has much to do with the fact that many of them pack a nasty bite (Redback, White Tail, and Funnel Web Spiders). Without antivenom, certain spider bites can kill us. Our pets can die from spider bite in a matter of minutes. The Funnel-Web Spider, for instance, is one of the most venomous critters in Australia.

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The spider bite not only contains venom, but also a 'digestive aid' that liquefies the insides of their prey. Spiders can't chew like insects, so digestion begins inside the body of the prey. The contents of the prey are then sucked up by the spider via channels inside their fangs. Around the typical Queensland home, spiders can make excellent guardians against the steady stream of irritating and destructive insects. Take the Brown Huntsman, for example. Unfortunately, most household spiders are swatted or sprayed, clearing the field for fruit-nibbling, curtain-chewing, jumper-munching insects. The roving Wolf Spider, for instance, is one of the few predators of that curse of the Australian east coast - the Cane Toad. And the frail-looking Daddy-long-legs will make short work of any Redback or Brown Huntsman that wanders into its web. Love them or loathe them, spiders command respect.

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Bedbugs: Bed bugs were once a common public health pest worldwide, which declined in incidence through the mid 20th century. Recently however, bed bugs have undergone a dramatic resurgence and worldwide there are reports of increasing numbers of infestations. Australia has also been included in this trend and has been at the forefront of documenting this phenomena and providing information on the ecology and control of this important public health pest. Bed bugs are wingless insects, roughly oval in shape, 4-5mm long when fully grown, and are fast runners. They are rust brown in colour and change to a deeper red brown following a blood meal. Bed bugs are dorsoventrally flattened and being thin means that they can hide in narrow cracks and crevices, making detection often very difficult. The two main species that bite humans include the common bed bug, and the tropical bed bug. The presence of the former species has been long known in Australia, whereas the tropical bed bug was only recently recognised in Australia.

There are five juvenile stages known as nymphs, which are miniature versions of the adults in appearance. Each nymphal stage requires at least one blood meal to moult to the next stage and it takes 5-10 minutes for complete engorgement to occur. The entire nymphal development takes 6-8 weeks, while the adult bed bugs can live on average for 6-12 months. All nymphal stages and adults of both sexes require blood for nutrition and development. After mating, each female lays 2-3 eggs a day throughout her lifespan. The cream coloured eggs (1mm in length) are cemented on rough surfaces of hiding places, and will hatch within around 10 days at room temperature, but longer in cooler conditions. The mouthparts of bed bugs are especially adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Like most blood sucking arthropods, they inject saliva during feeding, which has anticoagulant properties. Bed bugs respond to the warmth and carbon dioxide of a host and quickly locate a suitable feeding site. They tend not to live on humans and the only contact is for a blood meal. Most blood feeding occurs at night, and they generally seek shelter during the day and become inactive while digesting the blood meal. However, bed bugs are opportunistic and will bite in the day especially if starved for some time. They can survive for long periods without feeding. While their preferred host is human, they will feed on wide variety of other warm-blooded animals including rodents, rabbits, bats, and even birds. They shelter in a variety of dark locations, mostly close to where people sleep. These include under mattresses, floorboards, paintings and carpets, behind skirting, in various cracks and crevices of walls, within bed frames and other furniture, and behind loose wallpaper. Bed bugs tend to stay in close contact with each other and heavy infestations are accompanied by a distinctive sweet sickly smell. Blood spotting on mattresses and nearby furnishings is often a tell tale sign of an infestation. Bed bugs are one of the great travellers of the world and are readily transported via luggage, clothing, bedding and furniture. As such, they have a worldwide distribution. Skin reactions are commonly associated with bed bugs, which result from the saliva injected during feeding. Some individuals however, do not react to their bite, whereas others note a great deal of discomfort often with loss of sleep from the persistent biting. The most commonly affected areas of the body are the arms and shoulders. Reactions to the bites may be delayed; up to 9 days before lesions appear. Common allergic reactions include the development of large wheals, often >1cm, which are accompanied by itching and inflammation. The wheals usually subside to red spots but can last for several days. Bullous eruptions have been reported in association with multiple bed bug bites and anaphylaxis may occur in patients with severe allergies. In India, iron deficiency in infants has been associated with severe infestations. It has been suggested that allergens from bed bugs may be associated with asthmatic reactions. Bed bugs have been implicated in the transmission of a wide variety of infectious agents, although their status as vectors is uncertain. It has been suggested that they might play a role in the spread of hepatitis B, however, experimental evidence does not support this. Note that an irritation or bite experienced in bed may not necessarily be due to a bed bug infestation.

Rats and Mice: Many wild rats carry a number of diseases and parasites, but which diseases, and what percentage of the rat population is infected, vary with the population under study. Wild rats carry mycoplasma, though the percentage of the population that is infected may vary from place to place. Although Plague is not present in Australia, wild rats in countries prone to this disease are not carriers.

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However their fleas do carry plague. When rats catch the plague, they die from it. Other wild rodents who are resistant to the plague carry it in their bloodstream, and the plague is transmitted from animal to animal and to humans via their fleas. Wild rats are also not considered to be carriers of rabies, even in countries exposed to this disease. Field Mice, like rats can carry disease and parasites. Their main irritation for humans is that can cause immense food and grain spoilage, leave disease-inducing faeces, and are often in plague proportions.

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Carpet Beetles: Several species of carpet beetles enter houses. The adult black carpet beetle is dull black with brown legs. Adults of other species of carpet beetles (Common Carpet Beetle, Varied Carpet Beetle) are mottled with white, brown, yellow or black. Carpet beetle adults are about one eighth of an inch long. They fly readily and are attracted to light. Many of the adults feed on flower pollen. Carpet beetles breed and feed outside on dead animal material and in bird or rodent nests of dropped feathers and hairs. Old wasp nests under eaves and in attics may also serve as carpet beetle breeding sites, since wasp skins provide a suitable food source. Removal of wasp nests, Mud Dauber nests is a must in carpet beetle control and elimination.

A female carpet beetle lays about 100 eggs that hatch in a week or two. The black carpet beetle generally has only one generation a year, but other carpet beetles may have as many as four generations a year. Developmental time may take longer if food is scarce. The larvae begin feeding as soon as they hatch. Larvae are often attracted to soiled fabrics (such as clothing soiled with body oil or perspiration) and cracks and crevices where lint, food crumbs or dead insects accumulate. Carpet beetle larvae may also feed on stored cereals, dry pet food and wool piano felts.

Clothes Moths: A small yellowish to gold moth with narrow, slightly pointed wings. They are not attracted to lights and usually hide when disturbed. Female clothes moths lay 40-50 eggs that hatch in 4 to 21 days. Larvae like to feed on soiled material, spinning silken mats or tunnels and incorporating textile fragments and bits of faeces into the construction. The life cycle is about 65 to 90 days.

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Clothes moths can feed on wool products, such as clothing, carpets, rugs, furs, fabrics, blankets, and piano felts. They may feed on fabrics of vegetable origin (cotton) if the fabrics are mixed with wool or soiled with food particles. Clothes moths can do serious damage to small or large wool rugs. The caterpillars can feed on the underside of the rug for a long time-doing considerable damage-before they are detected. Articles must be protected from clothes moth attack, either by frequent cleaning or storing in insect-free environments. Wool rugs should be inspected and cleaned (if small enough) on a regular basis. Most damage is done to clothing and fibre left undisturbed for a long time or to clothing soiled with beverages, urine, oil, and sweat.

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Termites: Termite workers and soldiers resemble ants, but do not have the "waist" of an ant. Most termites are pale in colour, soldier caste with a darker head (although there are some pale ants too). Like ants, termites are social insects and live in colonies. Some species build characteristic mounds, while many others live entirely underground. Termite species are commonly classed as either "subterranean", "drywood", or "dampwood" termites. Their distribution is Australia-wide, but more diverse in timbered and northern (tropical) parts of the country. Termites feed on cellulose in the form of living or dead plant tissue. They live in colonies consisting of a the primary pair (queen & king) assisted by a large number of workers together with fewer soldiers which defend the colony from predators. Certain, usually stormy weather conditions trigger mating flights in which winged males and females leave a parental nest to mate, disperse and establish new colonies.

Most pest species in Australia are subterranean and need contact with the soil and moisture to survive. Their nests may be visible as a mound, concealed underground, in damp timber, or in a tree. From the nest, workers make subterranean tunnels, sometimes more than 50m long, to remote feeding sources. Where buildings are attacked there may be more than one entry point. Timbers vary in their susceptibility to attack, but those that are susceptible include both soft and hardwoods. Infested timber is often hollowed out. Damage to house frames may be extensive and need costly repairs. In the worst cases the house may be condemned. Subterranean termites are estimated to cost Australia tens of millions of dollars each year. Prevention is considerably better than cure. The secret is to keep buildings isolated from attack. Preventive measures include physical barriers, chemical barriers, baiting systems or the use of termite-resistant building materials. Timber pergolas, verandahs and steps should not be in contact with the ground. Do not plant trees, shrubs and climbers against a building, and be aware that nests in mature eucalypts, tree stumps and hardwood sleeper walls are potential sources of building infestations. If the building is on a slab, avoid mounting soil or mulch against external walls. Never stack or lean timber against walls. If the floor is on stumps or brick piers, inspect the "ant" caps regularly for breaches, and make sure no flooring timbers are in contact with the ground. Where a building is found to be infested, the infestation can only be chemically treated by a licensed pest controller. Controlling Termites is a very specialised profession which requires very specific focus, training, and equipment to be successful in protecting a client's home or property.

Accordingly we refer all inquiries on this matter to the Sunshine Coast's absolute specialists. His name is Peter Arnold of  "The Termite Doctors". Peter has a battery of methods to unearth these very difficult-to-detect critters, including two incredibly efficient and well trained Termite Detection Dogs, Millie and Sherlock. Click on their Logo to access their website.