The days are now shorter; your wardrobe is a little fuller with heavy jackets and maybe a few scarfs. You really don’t want to leave the heater or your warm couch. Yes winter is here and for the pest population this also is a time where they need to seek refuge from the winter chills. It’s hard to blame them but seeking refuge in your home can be a disaster.
Rodents
Rats and mice in the home is not something to be ashamed of you have not invited them in, they have made your home their own. They have found a warm, quiet area and they are here to stay.
The female rat is ready to mate at around five weeks old, her cycle is short, about 4-5 days so she is receptive to mating multiple times within the month. The gestation period for a rat is around 21-25 days and can produce 6-12 pups at a time. Her postpartum estrus starting after the birth gives her the chance to become pregnant almost immediately. Doing the maths on this, well that’s a lot of rats.
Like the rat, a female mouse is ready to mate at around 4-6 weeks with the gestation period being around 19-21 days. See will produce a litter of pups between 3-12 strong. And like a rat she can become pregnant with 24 hours of birth. She can nurse one litter while carrying the next. This gives her 5 to 10 litters a year.
With this being said, it is very important to maintain rodent control throughout the season. A small colony of rats or mice left untreated will bounce back rapidly.
A few key environmental factors can play a role in how often rodents can reproduce. A safe warm site for their nests, a good supply of food and protection from danger all play a part.
While the rodents are off playing happy families in your home, there are a few problems they are creating for you. Spreading disease, carrying fleas into your home and potentially creating hazards in the home. As they continue to chew through your wood, plaster and electrical wires, your home could be a ticking time bomb. The damage can be leading to potential fire hazards along with food contamination.
Keeping your kitchen area clean as to not attract rodents along with keeping your grass short around the home and any trees or bushes cut back away from the home will go a long way in deterring them. Food scraps stored on the bench or a bin overflowing is inviting them to stay. Beware if you have a bird cage, chicken coop or a rabbit hutch that these areas are a continued food source for rodents. Also, while we love to see the magpies on our lawn come in each morning for their breakfast, this is also inviting the rodents to join the party.
German Cockroaches
The most common cockroach to cause problems in your home or workspace is the german cockroach ( Blattella Germanica). They originate from Africa not Germany as the name might suggest. They are resilient and can be a huge problem once they have taken hold.
The germen cockroach is easy to identify; it is light brown/tan in color and has two dark brown parallel strips behind their heads. The young are a darker almost black color but will still show the stripes. Though they have wings they are most at home quickly running into the nearest hole or crack. Being small in size compared to a native cockroach gives them the perfect opportunity to hide in all places, finding the smallest of cracks to enter. Being smaller also makes it hard to see them hiding in your home.
Germen cockroaches like warm places with plenty of moisture. Dishwashers, fridges, washing machines just to name a few habitats the german cockroach loves to spend it’s time in. They have even been known to live it the family toaster. The weather does play a part when it comes to germen cockroach infestations, when the weather has turned cold they will stay indoors preferring your kitchen than your yard.
Germen cockroaches are prolific breeders and can soon become a major concern in the home.
They are also nocturnal insects; you may see them running away to hide at nighttime when you turn the lights on. Germen cockroaches will also produce a nasty smell in the home, their secretions are very unpleasant to the noise.
Housing keeping is of the upmost importance to help minimise cockroach infestations. Food areas should be kept clean at all times, do not leave food scraps on your benches. Avoid leaving dirty dishes laying around the sink and always empty the rubbish bin.