Hot, humid, and wet, Brisbane’s summer can be a joyful time but also an intense one. While it may include its share of positive experiences, Christmas holidays, extra family time, and beach trips, it also has its challenges. Heatwaves can push temperatures up to 40°C, humidity gets sticky and uncomfortable, which leads to storms and heavy rains battering down. Summer is also the season when common pests such as cockroaches, spiders and ants become more active around your home and property.
‘Why are pests more active during the summer?’ is a question many Australians ask as a swarm of disgusting intruders shows up uninvited in their home or at their BBQ. Unfortunately, summer is a time when pests seem to flourish, ready to spread disease, damage your home, cause allergic reactions and generally spoil what should be a relaxing time.
On Brisbane’s northside, Blue Chip Termite & Pest Control offers both residential and commercial pest-proofing solutions. In this article, we explore why pests are more active during the summer, let you know which signs of an infestation to watch for, and show you how to pest-proof your home.
Why Pests are More Active During Summer
Insects thrive in warm conditions, and Brisbane’s subtropical climate makes it a compatible habitat for them to thrive. Queensland potentially has more insect species than any other state or territory in Australia, numbering in the tens to hundreds of thousands. Many types of insects emerge from their winter resting phase in the warmer months as young adults eager to feed and procreate, and these insects are typically the ones that show up at our social occasions during the season.
Why are pests more active during the summer? The season brings them favourable conditions to flourish. The key factors include:
Warmer weather
Cold-blooded insects like ants, cockroaches and mosquitoes find their bodies work best in heat. When summer brings warmer weather, these pests’ metabolism increases, allowing them to grow and reproduce much faster than the rest of the year. Heat prompts insects to grow faster and lay more eggs, leading to larger swarms appearing more quickly.
More moisture
In Brisbane, summer brings higher rainfall and increased humidity, which allows pests like termites and cockroaches to breed faster.
Longer days
In summer, the extra hours of sunlight give pests like wasps and ants additional time to find food, mate and build colonies. This extra activity gives them more time to increase their presence around your home.
More outdoor activities
People change their behaviour in summer. They dine outside more frequently, leaving food scraps or drinks behind for pests to feed on. People often leave their doors and windows open to allow cool air into their homes, bringing an influx of pests along with them.
The Signs of Common Pest Infestations in Summer
Persistent pest sightings are the most common indicator that you have a problem you can no longer ignore. But sometimes the signs are more subtle, and you may not notice them until the damage has been done. The most common signs of a pest infestation include:
Strange noises
Pests tend to be more active at night, and you may hear them before you see them. If you have a rodent infestation, you might hear scratching or scurrying at night. Termites make clicking and rattling sounds as they tunnel through wood.
Droppings
Spotting droppings around your home or yard is one of the clearest visible indicators of a pest infestation. Different pests produce different droppings; insects often leave tiny droppings that look like pepper or coffee grounds.
Odours
Different pests have different odours, but strong odours are very common. Rodents often have a nauseating musky smell, cockroaches have an oily stench, and a rotting stink is often a sign of fly larvae feeding on waste.
Nests
All kinds of pests build nests. Termites build mounds or mud tubes while rats build nests from soft materials like fabric or paper.
Visual signs
There are a lot of small tell-tale signs: gnaw marks on food packaging or furniture, egg capsules, shed skin, or wings. All of these things can add up to indicate the presence of pests.
Structural and property damage
Sadly, damage to your property can often be the first sign of an infestation. Termites are among the worst offenders. They eat the insides of wood, build mud highways to travel around your home and create cracks in the walls and foundation.
How to Pest-Proof Your Home Before Summer
Knowing how to pest-proof your home makes it easier to relax and enjoy your summer. The most effective pest-proofing solutions for your house include:
Seal entry points
You may have fly screens on every door and window, but underneath doorways is still a popular route for insects to take into your home. Rubber stops are readily available and prevent insects from taking this easy option, while sealing other cracks and holes, like those around pipes and cables, also helps. Make sure the fly screen on your doors and windows is free from holes and tears.
Maintain your garden
Insects such as spiders, ants and cockroaches use vegetation leaning against the wall of your home as a bridge straight into it. Trim your shrubbery, grasses, and branches away from your exterior walls to deny them the opportunity.
Keep your home clean
Pests love crumbs, moisture, food scraps and anything else they can feed on. To keep them away over the summer, keep your house clean. Wipe down benchtops, empty bins, don’t leave dirty dishes out too long and clean up any messes properly. Store all food (including pet food) in sealed containers.
Organise a professional pest inspection
Even clean homes with no visible signs of insect activity can sometimes harbour secret infestations. Organising a professional pest inspection before summer gives you the chance to address problems early, before they can spoil your summer later on.
Pest-Proofing & Infestation Treatment with Blue Chip
Now that you know why pests are more active during the summer, it’s time for a proactive approach. Blue Chip Termite & Pest Control provides summer pest-proofing solutions in Brisbane to cover every part of your home. We have more than 20 different types of chemicals and baits, and if your pet infestation is outside, we’ll use them in every crack to keep these intruders away.
Blue Chip makes it easy to get rid of ants before a small issue becomes a huge infestation, with treatments like different specialist ant sprays for different areas and a full perimeter wall spray.
Our cockroach infestation treatments include a tailored treatment plan to eliminate cockroaches from your property, as well as cockroach baiting and spraying around the outside walls, gardens, and eaves. For indoor use, we use a surface spray containing a growth inhibitor chemical to help with more severe infestations.
As a small business in a competitive space, Blue Chip sets itself apart by focusing on honesty and reliability. We keep up to date with the latest technologies, use only the highest-grade chemicals and keep our prices the same year after year.
For the right pest-proofing solutions, call Blue Chip on 1300 438 2583 or get a quote online.