As the accommodation industry prepares for an influx of summer guests, now is also the time to prepare for the arrival of nuisance and potentially harmful pests; including a number of harmful pests. Unfortunately, no matter where you are in Australia, an increase in temperature over summer is normally an indication of increased local pest activity. The majority of common arthropod pests require a relative ambient temperature of around 27°C with an increase of humidity to trigger breeding and foraging activity.

Humans also become more active in summer with significantly more people making use of the extended daylight hours during summertime, particularly while on holidays, making them more likely to come into contact with and detect pests.

Put these two situations together and as an accommodation manager, you have a problem on your hands.

Housekeeping staff are already encountering increased pest activity with facilities in Sydney and Melbourne reporting a rise in rodent numbers while facilities in Queensland and northern NSW are battling cockroaches.

Other common pests, which are usually active during the summer months include:

Mosquitoes

Hot seasonal weather conditions including inclement weather patterns and seasonal rainfall periods readily support mosquito activity. Aquatic breeding sites are required for larval stages of mosquitoes (wrigglers) to survive in, before developing into pupae (tumblers) and emerging as adult mosquitoes all within several days.

Flies

As increased hot weather conditions prevail, various fly species often seek out moisture and available food sources in which to feed and lay their eggs. The abundant organic materials at this time of the year; including decaying vegetation, often provides suitable feeding materials for flies to survive on.

European wasps

Wasps are also active during these hot humid weather conditions. Nests are concealed in wall cavities, roof voids, hollow tree trunks and under ground. Emerging wasps exit and re-enter via a specific entrance. These colonial insects inflict multiple painful stings on hosts, attacking beehives, damaging soft fruits and attacking livestock flesh. They are attracted to picnic areas, where these insects are attracted to foods, drinks and outdoor BBQ areas.

Ticks

Ticks also favour these warm seasonal conditions that promotes plant growth for suitable grazing animals, providing available hosts for the ticks to feed on.

The most common ticks found within eastern seaboard coastal regions are paralysis ticks. These ticks seek warm-blooded animal hosts on which to feed, before descending to lay eggs amid the long grass environment.

Ants

Numerous species of ants; both tropical and subtropical genera, adapt to our surrounding environments. These colonial insects establish nests within various structures; trees, shrubs, wall cavities, roof voids and internal areas within houses, where they send out foragers to obtain food and moisture to maintain their survival. This form of survival enables the ant colony to remain viable throughout the entire year.

While the specific pests encountered may differ according to the geographical location and corresponding climatic conditions according to Amalgamated Pest Control general manager, Mick Farr, the key to controlling problems in accommodation facilities is universal no matter where you are.

“The best form of defence is attack,” Mick said. “Accommodation managers need to be pro-active in their pest control treatments and make sure they have planned for the annual onslaught of increased summer pest activity.

“Chemical treatment, while the primary control method in an effective pest management system, is not the only factor that should be considered. The safest and most effective pest control system also examines physical, cultural and biological options to create an integrated pest management program.

“Physical control includes examining the physical environment to make sure it is not aiding the survival and breeding of pests. This involves examining the structure of a building as well as things such as the surrounding landscaping.

“Cultural control means looking at things such as hygiene, sanitation and improving ventilation while biological control is looking at the possibilities of introducing other parasites or predators to eradicate a particular pest.

“A qualified pest control technician should be able to identify and evaluate each of these options when creating an effective pest management system. Pest control companies that only look to chemicals to control problems are often providing a quick bandaid to a problem rather than an ultimate solution.

“A truly proficient pest control technician will provide recommendations on storage, hygiene and stock management in combination with the most effective treatments available to provide a complete management program that in turn gives clients peace of mind.

“My other recommendation to accommodation managers is to make sure they call someone at the first sign of trouble. Too often busy accommodation managers will see a pest and think it is only one or a small issue that they can deal with later. With such increased pest activity in summer you need to act quickly to avoid an infestation.

“It is much easier, quicker and cheaper to deal with smaller situations than an infestation.”