Living well with insects, native animals and pests

Redback spiders

• Wear gloves, shoes and socks when handling garden pots, cleaning up garages, sheds and greenhouses, and when accessing narrow and confined spaces where redback spiders prefer to make their home.
• Always be careful when moving objects or cleaning up in places where you have previously observed redbacks ie. in the garage or garden shed, under plants pots in the sunroom etc.
• Shake out gardening gloves and shoes vigorously before use and never leave these items in an external location (inc garages).
• If you have been bitten by a redback, call an ambulance immediately and tell another person what has happened.

Rats and Mice

• Rats are much smarter and braver than mice, and are therefore harder to get rid of.
• Rats can become very dangerous if cornered, and can jump up and attack humans.
• If possible, catch the rat or mouse in a trap – be very careful if you have pets.
• Use peanut butter on bread, not cheese, to bait rat traps.
• Always avoid poisoning because the rodent will die in an out of the way place, causing a terrible smell that will be difficult and expensive to get rid of. Poisons may also inadvertently kill other animals.
• Increase hygiene in the kitchen and other areas of the house. Vacuum and sweep regularly. Wash dishes immediately and store, and cover the bin securely. Remove and dispose of animal scat as quickly as possible.
• Reduce rodents’ access to water.
• Rodent proof the house by sealing entry points – even very small ones. To check a suspect hole, scatter talcum powder or flour on the ground in front of the hole, and check later for tracks.

Mosquitoes

• Install flyscreens on windows and doors.
• Use a mosquito net over your bed, if the problem is bad.
• Use herbal insect repellents which can be bought at some chemists and health food stores (check internet for suppliers).
• Eliminate breeding grounds of still water – ie. in old bins, buckets, pots, paint tins, puddles etc.
• Introduce fish to garden ponds (not if the pond is a frog pond), or convert your pond into a frog pond (see the MBCL index page for more info).

• Place a hot poker on a piece of camphor wood – the fumes are repellent to insects.

• Juice from a bracken stem will help to relieve insect stings.
• Apply liquid ammonia to a bad mozzie bite for relief.

Cockroaches

• Many breeds of cockroach are attracted to water - limit their access as much as possible.
• Improve hygiene – wipe down benches after use, sweep and mop kitchen floors, wrap up rubbish in newspaper or plastic before binning, ensure the scrap bin has a lid.
• Address breeding areas – fill in cracks and crevices, particularly in warm areas, such as under the sink or behind hot water systems.
• Store food in air tight containers - remember that roaches can get into and live in your fridge for some time, so cover all items in there as well.
• Make a Natural Roach Trap - Put lard or a piece of banana in an empty margarine container – they can get in but not out. Place this in a typical roach haunt such as under the sink or any other place else with roach problems.
• Another natural alternative is a piece of banana in a jam jar, with the inside walls smeared with Vaseline. Then cover and dispose.
• Glue traps can be purchased from supermarkets.
• Another roach trap uses Vaseline smeared on cardboard with cat biscuits (ie. Go Cat) on top as attractors.
• Bay leaves repel and may kill roaches, as does moist cucumber.
• If your household is child and pet free, you could try a 50-50 mixture of borax and brown sugar – place in areas frequented by roaches, such as under the sink and at the back of cupboards.
• Or, do the same as above, but use pyrethrum powder instead of borax and sugar.

Flies

• Quickly remove dog or cat scat from around the home environment.
• Cover the compost bin.
• Install flyscreens.
• Hang an old fashioned fly proof entry screen, made up of colourful plastic strips, on external rear doors – eg. kitchens, laundries, and frequently used sheds and greenhouses.
• Improve hygiene in all rooms, especially the kitchen, and wrap up garbage before disposing in the bin.
• Place compost scraps in a bucket with a lid.
• Clean the kitty litter tray regularly.
• Some cats and small dogs are good fly-catchers, especially terriers.
• Use a flyswat, and hang flypaper in areas of concern.
• Make a natural fly killer – 1 teaspoon of cream, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper – then leave in a problem area (such as the kitchen) – it will kill flies stone dead.
• Make a natural external fly trap – place a bite-sized piece of meat that has gone off or is slightly off inside jam jar with the meat almost covered by water. The flies cannot navigate out of the jar and will become trapped for your collection and disposal.
• Place a hot poker on a piece of camphor wood – the fumes are repellent to insects.

Snails

• Set a natural snail trap – place a margarine container in the ground, with the top rims level to the ground – put beer or milk in the container – the snails can’t then get out – feed dead snails to chooks or dispose.
• Snails hate sawdust because it sucks away their moisture. Place sawdust around affected plants and areas. Replenish when required.
• Chickens love to eat snails (not poisoned ones) – handpick snails after rain and collect in a bucket to feed chooks.
• Piles of rocks or wood in a damp area are breeding grounds for snails – don’t put them near your vegetable patch.

Ants in the house

• Always try prevention methods first before attacking an ant nest.
• Strictly avoid all commercial ant baits – they can kill or harm other animals.
• Undertake prevention - remove the sugar bowl from the kitchen table and benches, and store sugar in an air-tight container.
• Increase hygiene – seal cracks and crevices in the kitchen and in problem areas, keep bench-top surfaces clean, always wash dishes after use, wrap up rubbish before placing it in the bin, keep household surfaces clean in areas where food is consumed.
• Store food in airtight containers and keep pantry shelves pristine.
• Wash cat and dog bowls after use.
• Be alert to ants on warmer holidays such as Christmas or weekend family picnics when foods like jam tarts or jam rolls are served.
• Plant herbs such as tansy and pennyroyal near problem doors, windows and floors. Dried tansy and pennyroyal are repellent to ants and can be scattered for effect.
• Guide ants away from the house by spreading bone meal in the garden, away from the house.
• If all other options fail, and you have tried your utmost, spray the ant nest with a solution of 1 part eucalyptus oil and 10 parts water.
• Juice from a bracken stem will help to relieve a bull ant sting and other insect bites.

Clothes-moths

• Avoid placing stained and/or soiled clothing in your wardrobes or drawers – dirty clothes attract moths.
• Consider covering important items with dry-cleaning bags or nylon clothing bags (provided by some stores such as Fletcher Jones), or simply keep the bag on after dry-cleaning. Place unused rugs or blankets in plastic storage bags.
• When you have the time, air any clothing or material that is used but not frequently washed – such as woollen jumpers and jackets, blankets, throwover rugs etc.
• Scatter lavender bags through your drawers and wardrobes.
• Eucalyptus oil in a small open jar will repel moths.
• Blocks of camphor wood are another alternative, but their effectiveness is questionable.
• To kill a moth infestation in fabric, place item/s in a black plastic bag in the sun for a few hours.

Silverfish

• Scatter lavender bags through the affected area – usually bookshelves or boxes of books.
• Rub lavender oil on suspect surfaces ie. lower level bookshelves near to windows or doors that are close to the outdoor environment. Do not rub on high quality fittings or furniture.
• Eucalyptus oil in a small open jar will repel silverfish.
• To kill a silverfish infestation, place item/s in a black plastic bag in the sun for a few hours.

Mould and mildew

• To deter mould, increase airflow to the affected area. Ventilation under the floor may sometimes be part of the problem.
• Scrub the area with water and soap.
• Eucalyptus oil removes and deters mould.
• Grout colourant can be purchased from a hardware shop or supermarket. Apply to a dry surface.
• Mould on house walls and ceilings should be manually removed and then painted over.

Good Garden Management

• Well considered gardens have healthier plants and are less susceptible to disease and attack. Ensure that your garden is well designed and thought out, and that plants are located in the best places/conditions.
• Don’t plant your vegetables in rows – it makes them more susceptible to pests and bird attack.
• Use a crop rotation system to maximise soil conditions and prevent disease.
• If a vegetable garden is unattended, grow lupins and dig back in, or slash plants and leave on the ground. This improves soil conditions with minimal effort.
• Plant flowers in your vegetable garden to attract bees (for pollination) and insect predators.
• Borrow, buy or download a book on companion planting.
• Chook-houses should be extremely secure and created using a fox-proof design encompassing an outside run. Foxes will cruelly slaughter chooks for fun, without necessarily eating any of them.
• If you want to prevent rabbits and canny fowls from entering the vegetable garden, you should install a fence with chicken wire that extends into the soil, with the wire facing outwards at a 100 to 110 degree angle – this will prevent access to some digging animals and impede sneaking through cracks (this may not apply to some uncontrolled dogs, especially foxes and terriers). Be very careful with gate design – a raised step gate is an option.
• Hens wings should be clipped if you don’t want them to fly over the fence and into the vegetable garden.
• If you are very serious about vegetable gardening, consider buying a fake hawk or bird of prey to scare birds – its much more effective than a scarecrow, but expensive. Consider making your own.
• Similarly, a terracotta or fake cat can scare away birds if placed in a visible location.
• Tree nets can be purchased for fruit trees and berries.
• Organic sprays for garden insect pests include soap and garlic mix, glue mixture, and buttermilk and flour – check the internet for recipes.
• Go to the Project Gutenberg or Many Books web sites to find free, downloadable books on organic gardening, composting and vegetable recipes.
• The internet is extremely good for finding information on growing individual plants (remember that Australia has different seasons to the UK and USA).

European wasps

• Always be alert to the possible presence of european wasps.
• Advise children to stay away from european wasps – they are at greatest risk in swimming pools where wasps seek water, or when eating or drinking sugary foods.
• Follow a european wasp to find out where the wasp nest is located. Seal up the entrance to the nest in a safe fashion – be very careful as wasps can become angry, and unlike bees, can sting repetitively.
• If a wasp is buzzing around a wall or eave, destroy the wasp in a safe manner as soon as possible, before it establishes a nest - badminton or tennis rackets can be useful for demobilising and/or killing a wasp at an arm’s length.
• Never drink from cans outside in warm weather.
• Avoid eating sugary foods outside during warm weather, as it may attract wasps, especially in parks and bushland areas.
• Be careful in and around swimming pools (and ponds) – wasps are attracted to water and can painfully sting you on the head or arms, if you are not alert.

Swooping magpies in breeding season.

• Magpies can strike humans on the head, when protecting the nest during breeding season (early Spring).
• Wear a hat and wave an umbrella.
• Put eye stickers on the back of your bicycle helmet.
• If near the home, befriend swooping magpies with occasional, irregular feeding – tinned or dry dog food is recommended.

Possums in the roof

• If you have serious problems with possums living in your roof, contact your local council animal management officer for advice.
• Do not move the possums yourself.

Snakes in the garden

• If you see a snake in your garden, do not approach or touch the snake, especially tiger snakes which can become aggressive.
• Contact a local herpetologist (snake expert) to identify the snake and if necessary, remove it to a safer place. You can also contact your local council animal management officer for advice.
• If the snake is harmless, you may decide to leave it where it is.
• Prevent snakes from entering your house by sealing cracks in the floor and walls, and by fitting flyscreens to all openings.
• If snakes are a major problem, at a safe time, clean up under the house leaving no hiding places and seal any entry points – speak to your local herpetologist or local council animal management officer before attempting this.

Fruit bats and fruit trees

• Flying foxes are protected in all Australian states, except Queensland.
• Damage to fruit trees by flying foxes is most likely to occur when native and indigenous plants have failed to flower significantly.
• Pick fruit early and immediately pick up any fruit that is lying on the ground – flying foxes are attracted by ripe and rotting fruit.

• Consider buying a fake hawk or bird of prey to scare away bats and birds from your orchard.
• Tree nets can be purchased for fruit trees and berries.

• Plant appropriate native vegetation in your garden and in local parks to attract flying foxes away from fruit trees.
• Lobby for the retention of local bushland.
• If you have strong concerns about bats living in nearby trees, contact your local council animal management officer for advice.

Destructive cockatoos

• Cockatoos need tall trees to peck and chew on. If cockatoos are damaging your house, consider planting tall eucalypts on your property in an appropriate location, or approach your local council to plant appropriate trees in a nearby park.

• Lobby for the retention of local bushland.

• Consider buying a fake hawk or bird of prey to scare cockatoos away from the vegetable garden or orchard.
• Tree nets can be purchased for fruit trees and berries.
• Strips of foil that flutter in the wind are a supposed detractor to destructive cockatoos.
• Destructive cockatoos can be scared away when attacking a house by banging pots and pans.

Swarming bees

• Swarming bees, which are seeking a new hive, are quite loud – you will probably hear their buzzing from a distance.
• If you hear or see swarming bees, fetch any children or pets, and then go inside and stay inside.
• If you have nowhere to go, cover up and lie down on the ground until the swarm has passed overhead.
• If you are concerned, call your local council animal management officer for advice.
• If the swarm has settled in your garden, you may contact an apiarist (a bee specialist) to remove the bees to another location.
• If you have a farm or large property, and bees have made their home in your garden, be careful when moving between the hive and their main water source.

Injured Animals – General Information

• Immediately report the occurrence of injured wild animals to your local council animal management officer or veterinarian.
• In most states of Australia, you must have a licence to hold native wildlife and your local wildlife authority should be contacted as soon as possible after acquiring an animal.
• Never give medicine to injured wild animals.
• Never approach injured kangaroos and wallabies – they can be extremely dangerous and you are most likely to exacerbate their injury.
• Never handle an injured wombat, as the animal will bite you fiercely.
• Never handle an injured koala, as it will fiercely bite and scratch you.
• Take extreme care when handling injured flying foxes – they will bite you fiercely if handled incorrectly.
• Never handle injured seabirds with strong beaks such as albatrosses or gannets, as the bird will fiercely peck you.
• Be extremely careful when handling any injured seabird, as they can peck and/or scratch you severely.
• Be extremely careful when handling any injured meat eating bird as they have sharp bills and claws.
• If you are concerned about an apparently helpless but uninjured young bird, observe it for at least an hour – the parents are most likely nearby.
• Many reptiles are accidentally ‘rescued’ when they are perfectly well – on cold mornings reptiles are inactive.
• Injured snakes should only be handled by experts.

Injured Waterbirds

• Information will be added to the web-site shortly.

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