Biting Insect Control

Australia has a wide variety of biting insect pests, from mosquitos, fleas and bed bugs, to ticks and biting flies.  Each can be a nuisance to have in and around your property, and some can even pose a dangerous threat to you and your family’s welfare.  It is important to seek professional assistance from a pest control company to ensure a fast and effective solution to the problem.

Pest Ex has provided complete biting insect pest control services to Brisbane and the Gold Coast for more than a decade.  Their highly trained pest controllers are experienced in dealing with the detection and total eradication of all types of biting insects found in the region.  Their treatments are friendly, both to you, your family and your pets, as well as the surrounding local flora and fauna.

Don’t let one or two biting insects become a full scale infestation in your home or business.  Call Pest Ex today to find out how they can help you.

Common Problems With Biting Insects

We’ve all experienced being bitten by a mosquito, but what happens when you have swarms of mosquitos around your property that make any outdoor activity impossible?  Fleas and bed bugs can also be notoriously difficult to get rid of once they’ve made a home for themselves.

Some of the common problems with biting insects include:

• Mosquitos: Apart from being a nuisance when you’re trying to work, play or entertain outdoors, mosquito larvae can cause issues with rainwater tanks and any standing body of water around your property.   In particular, having a large body of mosquitos near you dog can increase their risk of getting heartworm, as mosquitos can be carriers of heartworm larvae (microfilariae).
• Fleas: Contrary to popular opinion, fleas do not just stay on your pets.  In fact, left to their own devices, fleas will take over your property.  It has been estimated that just one adult female flea will lay around 40 eggs a day.   Flea larvae and pupae can remain dormant in floorboards and carpets for weeks or even months, just waiting for the right moment to hatch and start looking for a source of blood.  This type of infestation can lead to time consuming flea eradication efforts and expensive ongoing flea control products for your pets and treatments for your home or business.
• Bed bugs: Like fleas, bed bugs can be hard to get rid of once they’ve decided to make your property a home.  Bed bugs prefer humans to feed on, and love to live in mattresses, bedding, clothing, carpet, cracks in floorboards and behind wallpaper.  They have a unique smell produced from the scent glands, and an infestation can completely ruin anything they choose to live in.

When it comes to biting insects, knowing that you have a problem is half the battle.  Putting up with an infestation of any type of pest or thinking that you can treat the issue yourself can lead to costly treatment down the track.  Don’t delay – call in the professionals today!

Biting Insects, Conditions And Diseases

One of the main concerns with many types of biting insects is the diseases and illnesses they can inflict on humans and animals.  Unfortunately, the health problems associated with mosquitos and ticks in particular can be nasty and long lasting, especially to younger children and the elderly.

Let’s look at some of the most common health risks associated with biting insects:

• Ticks – these pests can be nasty and in some cases, very dangerous to animals and humans. The anticoagulant they inject into the skin of victims (to prevent the blood from clotting) can lead to allergic reactions or even anaphylactic shock.  Symptoms include hives, nausea, headache and limb weakness.  In some cases, an allergic reaction can cause a condition called tick paralysis, with children being at particular risk.   There are a number of diseases associated with ticks, including Flinders Island spotted fever, tick typhus and some researchers believe there is a link between ticks and a Lyme disease-like syndrome.
• Mosquitos – unfortunately mosquitos thrive in the semitropical climate of Queensland, and the diseases that can be transmitted by these pests can be serious and even in some cases life-threatening. These include dengue fever, Ross River Virus and the Barmah Forest Virus.  In general, mosquitos are also known to transmit diseases such as Malaria, Japanese encephalitis and the Zika Virus.
• Fleas and bed bugs – while not been carriers of disease, these pests can cause a range of nasty reactions from their bites, including inflammation, welts and swelling and itching. The bites can also become infected and require medical treatment.
• Biting flies – March flies (also known as Horse Flies) can serious ruin your day outdoors.  Their painful bite can cause a number of severe allergic reactions including itching, wheezing, rash and cellulitis.  The flies are so effective as blood suckers that they are a known danger to livestock and other animals.

As you can see, having these insects anywhere near your property can at best be a nuisance, and at worst can pose a serious threat to the health of you and your family.

Checking For Biting Insects

Unlike nocturnal pests such as rodents, biting insects such as mosquitos and flies are generally easy to spot on your property.  Fleas, ticks and bed bugs can be a lot harder to detect, and you may see the bite or experience the reaction to it before finding the pest that caused it.  Finding biting insects in the vicinity of your property is important however, because it can indicate that there is an infestation.  Let’s look at some of the ways you can spot if you may have a biting pest issue in your home or business:

• You find evidence of mosquito larvae in any standing pools of water around your property, including rainwater tanks, pet water bowls or shallow creeks
• You, family members or guests notice bites on them after sleeping on certain beds or when they’re using bedding.
• You find evidence of flea activity in the property, either with dead fleas or live ones. Fleas will feed on humans if they cannot find an animal source.
• You notice pets scratching more than usual, or find fleas or ticks on them when grooming
• Livestock or other animals in your care are suffering from fly bites and are in danger of suffering from blood loss

Biting Insect Control Solutions by Pest Ex

If you do find evidence of biting insects, don’t assume that you can treat the problem yourself.  Many readily available pest control insecticides aren’t effective over the long term, and some may even be harmful be the local flora and fauna in your area.

At Pest Ex, we are experts at finding infestations at their source, using the right environmentally friendly products to eradicate the pests and ensuring that they can be managed on an ongoing basis.

Give us a call today to see how we can help.

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