ZirconSky(Pty) Ltd t/a BUGMAN Pest Control ║

More than 3600 species of cockroaches live worldwide. We deal mainly with 3 species: In South Africa there are the German Cockroach, Oriental Cockroach and the American Cockroach. The female produces 4 – 8 egg capsules in her lifetime each containing 16 to 40 eggs. They incubate normally in 21 to 28 days. Adults live for 4 – 8 months.

Cockroaches can transmit dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid and poliomyelitis. Cockroaches feed on any type of decaying matter including faeces and then carry this filth into dwellings.

Generally 2 treatments are necessary due to the fact that juveniles need to be exterminated 30-35 days after the initial treatment.

Pigeons usually choose one mate for life. Two adult birds produce about twelve young every year. They are social and tend to live in flocks. They cause serious damage due to defecation on buildings. They harbour at least 7 ectoparasites that bite humans. 8 diseases are spread by pigeons, including encephalitis.

Sparrows, starlings, seagulls, Indian mynahs and other birds are controlled in a similar manner.

WOOD DESTROYING INSECTS (TERMITES, BEETLES AND WEEVILS)

TERMITES (SUBTERRANEAN & HARVESTER)

There are a number of insects that attack dead or dying trees, logs and branches. They are harvester termites, bark beetles and ambrosia beetles, some types of weevils and others.

Other insects attack and infect seasoned wood in houses and roofs. They are harvester termites, true and false powder post beetles and deathwatch beetles as well as carpenter ants and carpenter bees.

A registered Bugman Pest Control Specialist will suggest a remedy with SABS Approved pesticides to prevent damage of timber in roofs and furniture.

Subterranean termites harm colonies in the foundations of houses and cause extensive damage to wooden floors, skirting, cupboards, timber in roofs, etc. They can be recognised by the tunnels of clay they build around the area they colonise. Thousands of tiny white mushrooms growing on walls as in the soil around a house usually indicate a colony of subterranean termites.

Fleas attack warm blooded animals including humans, dogs, cats and rodents. They feed on blood immediately after they hatch out of eggs. A flea can jump up to 40cm horizontally. A female lays up to 1000 eggs in her life time and lays eggs after each blood meal. An adult flea is up to 3mm long. A bite is very irritating and causes red bumps on the host. Tapeworms can be transmitted by infected fleas and also murine typhus and tularoemia.

Scorpions are well known in South Africa. Some are dangerous because they have a large poisonous sting. They have large stings and small pincers. Scorpions are resistant to drought and can survive long periods without food. They live in gardens under rocks and tree stumps near houses. They pose a danger to small children and pets because of their sting.

Bedbugs are flat oval insects and live exclusively by sucking blood. Where low standards of hygiene are present, bedbugs are prevalent. A female lays about 250 eggs in her lifetime. Bedbugs hide in beds, bedding, skirtings, behind wallpaper, and wherever their human hosts sleep. The bed bug bite leaves a very itchy large whitish lump on the skin.

Fishmoths are thin, wingless, and covered with silvery greyish scales. They are about 12mm long with three long tails. They are destructive because they eat materials. They are active at night and live in damp cool places such as behind skirting boards and in garages and basements.

Ticks feed exclusively on the blood of vertebrates. Up to 10,000 eggs can be laid by a single female.

Flies reach a length of up to 12mm. An adult female lays about 5 batches of eggs each hatch being about 140 eggs. A fly lives for about 3 months. Maggots are fly larvae that live in decaying matter. Common house flies can travel up to 8km per day to forage. They are a serious health hazard as they spread intestinal worms, and can cause dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis. Flies liquefy food by regurgitating digestive juices onto the food they eat. They then suck this matter up.

More than 2 million people die yearly due to Malaria contracted from mosquitoes. The most common mosquitoes are the Malaria, yellow fever and common house mosquito. Only females suck blood as a meal. A female eats her own bodyweight in blood at each feed. The well-known buzz sound at night is only made by females in search of a blood meal.

The most common mite in the house is the dust mite. Many people are allergic to the faeces and excretions of dust mites. Mites feed on humans dead skin called dander. Mites are found in bedding, curtains carpets and most fabrics.

Crickets are nocturnal and cause damage to any type of fabric. The chirping sounds are irritating to some persons in a residential environment. Their faeces discolour some surfaces.

Depending on the species, rats can be up to 20cm in length with a tail of 20cm and can weigh up to 500 grams. A female will product up to 10 litters per year with an average of 8 per litter. An adult rat eats about 30g of food and drinks 30g of water daily. Rats can enter a bathroom through the water seal in a toilet or through roofs, doors and windows. Rats are active and forage at sunset. Mice on the other hand choose to forage and are active just before sunrise. Rats and mice knaw, burrow and climb as well as swim across water.

Rats and mice are a major health hazard as they may transmit Murine typhus fever, bubonic plague, Weils disease, ratbite fever, Salmonellosis and infection due to bites.

Control is mainly needed for Norway rats, roof rats and house mice.

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