PROFILE
Our local spiderman There are no flies on Mike Ward, literally. The Ashburton pest-buster also deals to spiders, rodents and unwanted insects in all shapes and sizes. By Linda Clarke
Mike owns and operates Spiderban, an Ashburton-based professional pest service with clients from all around central Canterbury, and a database of customers from the West Coast to Queenstown. He uses a specially formulated synthetic pyrethroid to rid homes of flies, spiders and other creepy crawlies. From around $150, he will spray the exterior of a house to keep spiders and their unsightly cobwebs at bay for up to 18 months (with a free cobweb removal service). Mike hails from Christchurch and realised during a 10-year period as a commercial window cleaner, that cobwebs were a big problem with a lot of clients complaining only a few weeks later that the cobwebs had returned. In 1995 he set up Spiderban and the business quickly grew, with urban and rural clients. The chemicals used to treat spiders and other insects have changed dramatically since then. In the early days, the treatment often marked interior and exterior surfaces, and was an irritant for some people. This was especially true when applied incorrectly and often put people off having their homes treated, Mike’s professionalism has helped to change this view. “Now we use a synthetic pyrethroid, a third generation micro-encapsulated chemical. It is a surface treatment, so as the insect walks over the surface that has been sprayed it breaks the tiny capsule and dies. The chemical is odourless and a non-irritant.”
Mike eventually sold the business and moved to Ashburton (wishing he had done so years before), starting up Spiderban in Mid Canterbury. He has two vans up and running from Ashburton and is now training a new technician to operate to his high standards. He says staying up to date with developments in the industry is crucial, in terms of the health and safety of both himself and customers. His National Certificate in Urban Pest Management and Approved Handler in Pest Control help to achieve this, as do advancements in technology meaning the chemicals are less irritant and toxic only to their intended audience. The treatment for the interior is applied by a battery-powered motorised backpack sprayer that applies it in droplets just .25 microns in size. When applied by an experienced and qualified operator like Mike, there are no runs or streaks on walls or windows. Mike says he gets a lot of calls from stressed parents, worried about white-tail spiders they have seen and wanting protection for their family. Post-treatment, they call back, full of praise for a bug-free household. It’s not only homes that can benefit from a Spiderban treatment. Mike started cleaning dairy
above: Mike receiving Spiderban’s Business Growth and Development Award at the 2013 Ruralco Supplier Awards. main image: Mike standing with his two vans.
sheds two seasons ago and says the results are astonishing. He has before and after photos to prove the point. He says sheds where grain is fed to cows while they are being milked are dusty and cobwebs highly visible. He washes down the shed roof and spider-proofs it. The service has taken off with 25 sheds the first season and 46 this past season. The work is carried out while the cows are dried off and the shed not in use; he uses a chemical free washing process and then spider proofs with a dairy approved chemical. No matter the season, there’s always a problem with pests. Mike says the mild winter means spiders will be active earlier than usual—time to give him a call.
spiderban@xtra.co.nz www.spiderban.co.nz www.dairyshedwashing.co.nz
Spiderban Pest Control 166 Harrison Street Allenton, Ashburton 7700 Tel 0800 556 778 or 027 296 8234
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