FLOODING IN NEW ZEALAND – PEST ALERT

Not only have the recent catastrophic floods over New Zealand, particularly Auckland, Northland and the Hawkes Bay, had a profound affect on the people of these regions, but there has been a fairly dramatic affect on pests as well.

In most cases there has not been an actual increase in pests, but they have been suddenly displaced from their natural habitat and have become more visible as they seek new shelter, food sources and drier ground.

Rats were most definitely taken by surprise as streams rose and nests became drenched and have been reported in some areas to appear like a “swarm” as they exited flooded streams and moved towards nearby currently abandoned and damaged homes. And as flood water receded the many drowned rodents became evident.

Houses without power for days or weeks now added spoiled food to the flood damaged food, left out for kerbside collection which has become a very attractive larder for these displaced rodents. Rodents, flies, cockroaches – the roadside rubbish build-up is having to be moved as fast as possible. Waste collection trucks have been battling with the volumes out for collection but some areas remain inaccessible due to washed away bridges, roads and slips.

We have had clients reporting great numbers of cockroaches – predominantly American cockroaches escaping flooded drains and seeking refuge in innercity garden beds. Auckland’s CBD Queen Street lies over the original Wai Horotiu Stream so goodness knows what it was like down there. The survivors had to hightail as quickly as possible!

And ants carrying eggs and seeking dry sites to settle and re-nest. We have seen so many examples of this over the last couple of weeks, some even huddling in our rodent bait stations – not a good place guys but I suppose it is dry and temporary! What we don’t need is for them to be seeking refuge in our clients’ buildings.

Being summer, with so much moisture around from the storms and floods, it is hot and humid. Wasps –although many are displaced too - love this weather and we, as are other companies, have had a sudden increase in call-outs to deal with them.

Orchards have been stripped of fruit in some areas, now rotting and fermenting, onion and maize fields washed away and all attracting every insect, bug and opportunist rodent.

Mosquitoes are breeding in the now stagnant water and drains, midges are swarming. The list of increased pest activity just goes on.

Saving people and their homes, and opening up flood torn access routes is a priority and there are teams working tirelessly but there is something we can do as Pesties – we are reaching out to our commercial clients and asking them to be vigilant at the moment. Contain rubbish, check the exterior of buildings for ant activity, ensure there is no stagnant water, and keep calling us when there is unusual activity. We have a team on the ground and will do all we can to help in these tough but very pest active times.

New habitats will be located, new food sources will be discovered and all will settle and dry out but until then these are very busy times for all pests great and small.

Wipm South Pacific

The Inaugural 2023 WIPM 2023 Excellence Award is up and running and is already gaining much interest in Fiji. Information and nomination details have been sent out to all pest management companies operating in Fiji and have been promoted throughout fijian TV. We are also looking forward to working and promoting the award with the Fijian Pest Management Association.