Common Household Pests

Which pests do we encounter while living and working in Auckland? For Pest control professionals in Auckland, this is a question we are often asked.
There are many Animals and insect pests which we regularly encounter like Flies, House Fly, Lesser House Fly, the Blow Fly, Fruit Flies, and Mosquitos. Many are seasonal. But a few Insects and Animals persist year-round, although their behavior changes with the seasons.

Auckland is home to some 1.7 million people. Since we have a sizeable International Airport and the country’s largest port, it’s also the first stop for most visiting tourists and travelling business people. Unfortunately, it is also home to various insects and animals, which often become pests when they enter our homes.

Many Insects are beneficial, but we don’t want them nesting or visiting our homes uninvited. Others are introduced species and are pests no matter where they hang out, such as Wasps and Bed Bugs. Some Animals fall into this box too, like Rats and Possums. As introduced animals, they are considered pests, and Auckland Council has contracts out on them for eradication.

Auckland Central Suburbs all tend to have similarities in the pest control needs. These areas contain many older character homes, and while some are very well maintained properties and have been regularly renovated and updated, others are a little rundown. Furthermore, many of these homes are on sections with gardens containing foliage, hedges, and many leafy trees. Even a beautifully landscaped, well-maintained garden is an attractive environment for a variety of pests.

The housing style in these central Auckland suburbs also contributes to hosting certain pests. Many of the older character homes we see in Auckland inner city suburbs, such as Grey Lynn, Ponsonby, and St Mary’s Bay, are built on piles rather than the more modern concrete slab foundations. Houses on piles have a natural space under the house called often the subfloor. The subfloor of buildings is a favorite hide-out spot for rodents such as rats and mice, as they provide shelter and security, not to close to humans, which Rats and Mice tend to avoid. Mice often gain access to the interior kitchen areas from the subfloor through gaps in wooden floorboards, plumbing, and electrical routes.

Auckland weather is historically humid, and although not always obvious in the cooler seasons, humidity is increased with our changeable microclimate, often referred to as four seasons in one day. It may rain, and then a few minutes later, the sun is out, ramping up the humidity. One Insect Pest that loves this Auckland climate is Cockroaches. Both the outdoor types, such as the American and Gisborne cockroach, and the indoor nesting German cockroach favour a warm, humid climate and are very common in the Auckland central city suburbs. Much like us Kiwis, many Cockroach species appreciate the outdoors. And while we add mulch to our gardens and fresh black bark, the cockroach is preparing his home. While we are entertaining friends and family on the deck outside, cockroaches are hanging out on the other side of that same deck, waiting the eat the BBQ grease while you sleep. Cockroaches also often reside in the subfloor area with the mice and rats, as do white tail spiders.

Ants are another insect that’s really common in Auckland. Ants favour sandy soil as it’s easier to build a nest in, it’s well-draining, and easier to regulate the temperature inside the nest. However, Ants are extraordinarily resilient and will nest in various locations, including retainer walls, in the garden soil, and under plant roots.

Although not far from the suburbs, the CBD landscape is a different picture, with the landscape dominated by high-rise buildings for both residential and commercial use. Much of the building structure is made of concrete and steel and is often considerably more pest proof by design. There’s a lack of sections covered in landscaped gardens and trees. No one would describe Auckland Central City as Leafy.
So you might think Auckland CBD would be a pest free haven. Its not.
Rats network through the stormwater and sewerage systems underground. These Rats often venture out at night scavenging food from bar & restaurant rubbish bins, and they can gain access to high-rise buildings by venturing into the Aucklands basement carparks. Rats and Mice can climb stairs or climb up electrical and plumbing ducts. EcoSan has seen Rats and Mice in Auckland’s corporate buildings as high as the 20th Floor.

The German cockroach only nests indoors in the same location as humans, and they share our food scraps. Auckland Centrals residential apartments, Restaurants, Bars, and the corporate office kitchen are a haven for the German Cockroach. This insect pest can be introduced into the building in appliances, staff lunches, or food deliveries. When uncontrolled, they can move from one apartment or office to the next, multiplying their nests and becoming a systemic building pest.

Ants are also a common complaint in Residential apartments in Auckland City. A nest can start in the sandy foundation under concrete pavers outside or in an ornamental garden. The Ants will traverse all around the building, often following the exterior perimeter to gain access to individual apartments. Ants can start their journey in the machine room for air conditioning or hot water facilities or the internet panel and follow plumbing or cable conduits giving access to various areas in the building. Once Ants nest inside, they can be difficult to locate and take time to eradicate. Many Insect pests we find in Auckland CBD are most active at night, but Ants will work through the day; this makes Ants more inconvenient and annoying. They will walk all over the kitchen and outdoor furniture while people are busy preparing food or enjoying the balcony. So, of course Ants are a constant complaint in Auckland Central businesses such as Bars, restaurants, and hotels, and often require regular attention to keep them out.

Auckland Central City area is a tourist hub, plus there are many people travelling for business who visit here regularly. But they are not the only visitors to Auckland. Bed Bugs also enjoy globetrotting and often travel, and they’re always happy to meet new people.
EcoSan Solutions often has to treat rooms in Auckland Central Hotels and also Residential apartments where tenants are often transient, increasing the chance of Bed Bug infestations. Once they are introduced, they can spread around buildings through light fittings, power points, and laundry exchanges.

Almost 230,000 people live in West Auckland. Once New Zealand’s 5th largest city it covers 367 Square Kilometers of Auckland. West Auckland has a vast geography of both dense housing and large areas of natural land with differing landscapes. There are built-up urban areas Te Atatu, West Gate, and Hobsonville through to bush clad Konini and Laingholm and our wild beach Piha.
Waitakere is the greenest part of Auckland, with heaps of trees, and a dominant share of rainfall thanks to the Waitakere Mountains. So, we have our fair share of insects and pest animals too.

The most common pest control services EcoSan are called for in West Auckland are Rats, Mice, Spiders, and Cockroaches.
West Auckland is home to the flying Cockroach, A tan-coloured Roach which is particularly large. If you live in a home surrounded in bush, you may see a few of these.

The Norway rat and the Black Roof Rat are also common in West Auckland Suburbs. With plenty of food sources from the natural habitat and several freshwater streams, the Rats thrive in West Auckland.

The bush Clad areas in West Auckland are home to many varieties of Spiders. And although spiders are found all over Auckland, they are in higher numbers in West Auckland. For example, the famous Avondale spider, a type of Huntsman Spider, can be found all over West Auckland. Some specimens are huge, which is unusual in Auckland’s more temperate climate. Although they are not as large or numerous as in Australia, these Avondale spiders will be uncomfortably big for those with adversity to eight legs. But, somewhat reassuringly, they are harmless.

The White Tail Spider comes in two varieties. One is larger and the other smaller. The smaller variety is widespread in West Auckland and will hide between weatherboards, under houses, and in ceiling cavities. There can be many White Tails around the home, and they can go unnoticed. All spiders are predators of some type, but white tails hunt other spiders for food. When White Tails come inside in search of a meal, they can be a problem as they do bite and can leave painful swelling.

Along with many other pests, from scabies to possums, EcoSan Solutions has likely seen it before and we can help.
We Service Auckland Wide.