Controlling Pests Around The House

Mozzie

This article is mainly about how we control mozzies (mosquitos), midges and other pests around the house on Russell Island in Southern Moreton Bay, but it also applies to some other of the many Queensland insects that are found in and around the home on the Southern Moreton Bay islands. We have found that by controlling mozzies and midges we have also reduced the numbers of most other unwelcome insects (spiders, ants, wasps, etc.).

I am Bryan, my wife Anita and I arrived on Russell Island in early 2006. We really love our house, which is on the water with some swampy areas in the vicinity. In summer we found the midges really bad, particularly in the mornings and in the evenings. The mozzies were also overwhelming in spring and summer. We were almost prisoners in our home, especially my wife, who seemed to be a real favourite and ended up with these big red bumps.  Anita and I almost left our beautiful peaceful island. Instead we decided to deal with the problem. It took us 2-3 years before we got to the stage we are now: we know what we need to do and can spend as much time as we like attending to our garden or just lazying on the balcony overlooking the water.

After looking at various mosquito traps and devices we settled on a device, which attracts mosquitos with a dark blue light (in particular the male mosquito, thus breaking the breeding cycle) and drowns them. At the time we had no fence around the house (and no garden of course). We put two of these devices at the back of the house, each attached to a tree at the two corners of the block, facing the house, approximately  1.5 metres above the ground. These worked very well and the mozzie population started to plummet.

The next problem we faced early one morning was that our "bugeaters" had disappeared during the night. We had no option but to replace them. By this stage the mozzie population was diminished to the point, where we only needed one device in our backyard.

From our experience it would appear, that if the population of mosquitos is very bad, it takes around 3-4 weeks to irradicate the bulk of these irritating, possibly dangerous pests using one device. Apparently this is tied in with the breeding cycle and once you get rid of the males, the population crashes very quickly.

Initially we bought devices, which were 240V, but found that because we are close to water and the air is a bit salty, the inner workings (the fan) would eventually rust and, I believe, seize up, which can cause a strong electrical arc. We have, however, been able to source a device, which is 12V, and thus, if the fan does seize up, the risk of arcing is minimal. Three or four times a year I also spray the fan area with a small amount of inox, which has reduced the rusting issue considerably. I have not had a seized fan since.

We now have little or no mozzies all year round. The exception being at the beginning of the wet season, when there can be a surge of mosquitos and it can take a week or two before they again become a rare appearance.  Also, when the wind blows from a westerly direction, we occasionally get a few mozzies blown in from across the island onto our back balcony, which is easterly facing, overlooking Canaipa Passage, but again, the bugeater does its job efficiently.

Midge bite

We find we do not need to run the device 24/7, but only during peak breeding season, when we turn the device on just before dusk and turn it off shortly after dawn, on days of low wind velocity.

It took us longer to figure out a solution for the reduction of what was a large midge population, albeit only in summer. We did find that the mozzie device also helped in reducing the midge population, but not enough to regain our outdoors in summer. We found a surface spray, Coopex, which - we believe - has been instrumental in the reduction of many insects (especially midges) invading our home area. Spiders would breed up, mainly in the garage, but as their numbers grew they would begin to invade the house. We find that an application of Coopex at least twice a year is beneficial. We had ever increasing numbers of many types of ants and nesting insects, which again, as their numbers grew, would invade the house. Since applying the spray, all the visible insects mentioned above, plus the midges, have reduced substantially in numbers.

As well as farm suppliers, some hardware stores also stock Coopex.

One of the farm suppliers of Coopex offers this recommendation for the use of the product:

Always add the powder to water at the rates given, and apply with a knapsack sprayer, bucket pump or other sprayer capable of giving a coarse spray directly onto exposed surfaces frequented by the pests. All dilutions should be applied to run off, i.e. 1 L of prepared spray per 20 - 30 m2, depending on porosity of the surface to be sprayed. Prepare a fresh suspension as required. Do not store diluted insecticide.

Where to Apply

• Ants - nests, runs, walls, drains and places where ants are seen.

• Bedbugs - cracks and crevices in adjacent walls, bed frames, mattresses.

• Carpet pests - infested area of carpet, particularly around edges and under furniture.

• Cockroaches - walls, cupboards, skirting boards, behind sinks, stoves and pipes. Pay particular attention to cracks and crevices.

• Fleas - skirting, floors and carpets, kennels, bedding and adjacent wall area.

• Spiders - exposed surfaces where spiders are seen, nests and known hiding places.

• Silverfish - walls, cupboards, cracks and crevices, ceiling and enclosed floor spaces.

• Houseflies, mosquitoes, biting flies - all exposed surfaces where these flying insects may rest, eg, walls, ceilings, verandahs, etc.

• Hide beetles - spray wet skins prior to or after racking.

Daddy Longlegs spider