These wood-damaging pests are known to attack expensive antiques and even a building’s structural components. They are common throughout KwaZulu-Natal, in particular along coastal regions where the climate is conducive to breeding.

Wood borer beetles cause extensive damage to homes every year. Fortunately, a substantial amount of this damage is actually preventable.

Homeowners often don’t realise they have a wood borer problem until the resulting damage becomes visible, so early identification is important before they cause more harm.

There are four stages of wood borer development:

·       Egg -> Larva -> Pupa -> Adult beetle

Adult beetles lay their eggs in cracks in wooden objects, floorboards and timbers. When larvae hatch they immediately begin to burrow through the timber, making it very unlikely they would be seen. They’ll be hungry and your woodwork will be their only food source. Safely inside the wood, they continue to tunnel and feed for several years.

As the larvae mature and increase in size, they ‘bore’ towards the wood surface to pupate, and emerge as adult beetles.

Larvae live for 3 – 5 years, boring through timber before emerging to breed.

Signs of Wood Borer

• Eggs – these vary in size depending on the species, but all are difficult to spot with the naked eye.
• Wood Borer larvae – usually a creamy-white colour and curve-shaped.
• Fresh exit holes in timber – round or oval shaped with sharp edges, the holes will appear clean and fresh.
• Bore dust (also known as frass) – caused by emerging adult beetles, usually visible below the infested timber.
• Tunnels in the wood – also known as ‘galleries’, which are often hard to see.
• Weak and damaged floorboards – in extreme cases, a foot or chair leg going through the floor can indicate a more serious problem.
• Crumbling wood – around corners or edges to roof joists or floorboards.
• Dead beetles and small wings – usually found near the infested timber or around nearby windowsills.

Woodborer Treatment

Fumigation is largely avoidable, and early detection of any wood borer can be easily treated. While many homeowners have inspections done – as required by law in KZN – when they have sold their property; or only after an infestation is suspected, this is counter productive. We recommend annual inspection by a reputable, professional pest control company, as the earlier wood borer is detected the simpler and less costly the treatment.

Should an infestation be identified, there are two main treatment options, depending on the degree and stage of the infestation. If detected early enough, the best treatment option is spraying. However, if the infestation is rife, the home will need to be fumigated (tent fumigation).

If left untreated, wood borer can seriously weaken timber, which may lead to structural failure of timbers.

Commonly known as ‘white ants’, subterranean termites are social insects, much like ants and bees, with queens, workers and soldiers. They can cause extensive damage to the structure of a building if not managed or controlled by qualified pest professionals. Densely populated, coastal areas face a greater risk due to the large concentration of buildings and associated climate.

White ants build their nests underground, so wood damaged by these pests usually has an accumulation of soil or mud within the tunnels of the wood they are eating. As white ants only eat the softwood, damaged wood appears to be layered, the result of the workers not eating the hardwood portion. In addition, white ants feed “with the grain” rather than across the grain. While they feed off timber above ground, they return to, and live in underground nests.

Termite Treatment

General practice in KZN for effective treatment for white ants (subterranean termites) is preventative, in that it is done at the time of the construction. The compacted soil is sprayed with a registered termiticide, prior to the concrete slab being laid.

However, where infestation is detected in an existing dwelling, holes are drilled along all walls and the termiticide injected into them under pressure. In some instances the foundation perimeter would also be excavated and flooded with the chemical. All holes and excavations are repaired and are seldom noticeable on completion.

The most commonly found rat in KwaZulu-Natal is the Roof Rat. Also known as a Ship Rat, or House Rat, these rodents can be persistent and if they gain access into your home or business they can spread diseases, contaminate food, and cause considerable damage, such as:

·       Rats can damage your home’s insulation.

·       They can chew through floor joists and walls.

·       They can cause fires by chewing on electrical cables.

·       Rats can undermine hill sides, retaining walls and other such structures through burrowing activity.

The most likely mouse to be found in a domestic or business environment in the greater Durban area is the regular House Mouse. Mice are second only to humanity as the most populous mammals in urban areas. House mice are considered dangerous and destructive pests. Infestations should be handled swiftly and are most efficiently dealt with through professional pest control methods.

Rodent Monitoring and Baiting

Rodent lockable Bait Stations can target both Rats and Mice

It is extremely important to closely monitor and control mice and rats, as they can result in both financial and potential health risks. Food spoilage and loss – on an enormous global scale – can be attributed to rodents through contamination and physical damage/consumption.

It is estimated that up to a third of the world’s food supplies never reach consumers, due to losses attributed to rodents. Rodents are omnivorous, consuming all types of food and food based products and they require water, which can be sourced from various contributing factors; condensation from machinery and service pipes, air-conditioning outlets, and water pooling in drain traps to mention but a few.

There are 1000s of spider species, not all of which are dangerous. Spiders can be a particular nuisance in the home. They are attracted to warm, dark small spaces, like wall cracks, corners, air vents, and in the eaves of your home. Other species prefer to stay closer to the outdoors, weaving their webs in your garden or near your outside lighting. Most spiders are a nuisance primarily because of their webbing.

As the temperature drops in Autumn, spiders become more active, looking for a mate, and come out of their hiding places. Towards the end of autumn many die off, but some hibernate until the following Spring.

Spider eggs are laid into a silken sac, on average about 100 eggs in each sac, which may be fixed to a surface, hidden in the web or carried by the female. Signs of the sacs fixed indoors indicate that soon there will be more spiders around.

Spider Treatment

Flick Pest Control offers expert identification of your invading spider species and provide a professional service to control larger infestations.

Bed bugs are small reddish brown bugs. They are parasitic pests and both sexes and all stages of the lifecycle feed exclusively on blood. They prefer human blood.

Bed bugs can survive for over a year in cool conditions without feeding on blood. They can be found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, and furniture, behind skirting boards, electrical wall outlets, bed stands and picture frames. They are often found in hotels or B&Bs, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

The female bed bug can live for almost a year and may lay up to 500 eggs in this period. They are visible to the naked eye, being shaped and sized more or less like an apple seed.

Bed Bug Treatment

The most important factor in the control of bed bugs is applying an integrated pest management system whereby we educate the customer about what they can do from their side to reduce infestation. Knowing where to look and how to find them is key to treating this pest. Flick Pest Control effectively identifies the hiding places and spray treats these areas.

Also known as silverfish, these teardrop-shaped insects that measure up to 20mm in length, grow from egg to adult without visible change in appearance.

Capable of thriving in most climates, fishmoths prefer to dwell in dark, damp areas such as cupboards, kitchens and bathrooms. Known for their destructive feeding habits, they are especially attracted to paper and damp clothing, and often found in stored boxes in garages.

Fishmoths are nocturnal and move very quickly. They are secretive, and the severity of an infestation may go unnoticed for long periods of time, allowing for exponential growth, due to their high reproduction rate.

Fishmoth Treatment

Addressing a fishmoth infestation requires treatment of both adult silverfish and the area where they ‘hide’. Most DIY remedies prove ineffective over time, with brief periods of relief followed by another infestation. There are a variety of commercial traps on the market. However, these traps target individual insects and cannot prevent entire fishmoth populations.

Fishmoth infestations require professional treatment. A Flick Pest Control expert will be able to assess the situation within your home and determine the most effective methods of extermination for your specific problem.