The center of the Tweed Valley, tucked comfortably between the Burringbar & Border Ranges on the sleepy Tweed River, Murwillumbah is a very special place with a unique environment. The warm climate with high annual rainfalls and rich red volcanic soil equate to a sub-tropical micro-climate that is incredibly unique. It means fantastic land for agriculture as well as a thriving ecosystem that will grow almost anything with ease. However, where there is abundance in food and water as well as a warm climate, there’s pests.
What pests regularly cause problems around Murwillumbah? What can you do to keep them under control? Continue reading to get an experts perspective.
1. Rats, Mice & Snakes:
Eastern Brown Snake eating a rat.
Rodents and predator snakes are always a problem around sugar cane farms, and we discussed this in our article on Pottsville. If you’re not familiar with rodent management, please download our homeowners guide here. When it comes to the far more dangerous predators such as Brown Snakes, it’s important to create an environment that isn’t inviting them to your home. If there’s no food (rodents), no shelter (long grass, bushy gardens, piles of timber etc.) & no water, snakes have little reason to come onto your property. It’s virtually impossible to snake proof any property, but you can avoid inviting them by eliminating the draw cards.
This can be challenging, but snakes are dangerous, and rodents damage property regularly, so it’s worth the effort.
If you feel rodents are getting the upper hand on your property, please give us a call.
2. Ants:
Bull Ants, Green Ants, Black Ants, Coastal Brown Ants, the list goes on when it comes to nuisance ants around Murwillumbah. Black ants in particular can cause damage to a home because they love to build nests in wall cavities and roof voids, sometimes even taking over a pantry or drawer. Obviously, ants are a natural part of the environment, and aren’t a pest by default like termites or fleas, but don’t try to eliminate them from inside your home without professional help. We regularly see people spend huge amounts of time and money on trying to fix it before calling us, by then they have exposed their family to huge amounts of hardware store pesticides and the problem has only got worse. Call a professional before it gets out of hand, we can fix the problem with targeted baiting and natural products.
3. Timber Pests:
Murwillumbah is home to some beautiful old homes, but thanks to the climate we enjoy, borers and termites are a big problem. Back when I was doing my Timber Pest Management accreditation, most of the case studies we looked at for borers were from Murwillumbah. Termites are a big issue in town, and I have seen several houses severely damaged so it’s important for home owners to be vigilant.
The most important thing you can do for your home is ventilate, ventilate, VENTILATE! Borers and Termites thrive in poorly ventilated homes. If you have a home on piers, make sure the gardens and cladding doesn’t hinder airflow. This will discourage termites, considerably slow down any borer activity and stop moulds and fungi growing which can harm your health. If you think you have active termites or borers, it is essential that you get a professional to at least take a look at it for you to ascertain whether it’s a threat to your home. You can even text message a photo of what you’ve found to us at 0434 001 617 and we’ll be able to tell you straight away, but remember, every home should have a full Inspection at least once a year.