Landlords & Property Managers
Elite Pest and Insect Control (EPIC) was born and bred in Canterbury and have worked themselves into a Niche, Boutique Pest Management Enterprise that offers Peace of Mind, Personalised Service to every single client – Big, Small or in between.
Our boutique brand is built upon 55 years of cumulative experience shared between our staff.
We pride ourselves on setting up our clients for success. We give them ‘Peace of Mind’ in what could be described as a mysterious and often emotionally challenging business.
We love educating anyone with an interest in doing their own Pest Management at home and in doing so becoming part of a huge team of Kiwis Protecting the Unique Biodiversity of New Zealand. When we treat your environment for pests you can be sure we will leave you more knowledgable and more prepared than you have ever been before.
Ants
What do they look like?
Adult Ants species come in an almost endless variety of shapes and sizes but each will have one of the three different colony castes; Queen, Workers and Males. Queens are fertile females that lay eggs all day long. Workers are wingless females that gather food, feed larvae, maintain and clean the nest, defend the colony and do not reproduce. Male Ants are winged, and their only job is to mate with the Queens.
How Serious are Ants?
The biggest problem related to Ants in the home is food contamination. Ants can carry bacteria but finding ants in pantry goods, in the babies’ bed, on the kitchen table or anywhere except outside the home is an unpleasant experience that creates nuisances and inconveniences for your Tenants and Property Managers.
How did I get Ants?
Problem Ants colonise outside the home and come inside to forage for food and other resources for the colony. It can sometimes take years for Ants to come inside looking for food but when they have found a food source, they will come in large numbers to collect it. Sometimes Ants will infest roof voids and wall voids, making them difficult to control.
Can Ants be Treated Successfully?
Ant control can be very challenging and will often take months and years if an infestation is very high.
Entry or Access
Ants can enter through the tiniest of cracks, looking for food, water, sweet or fatty food in the kitchen or anywhere in the house food and water are found
Scent or Pheromone Trails
Ants leave an invisible trail which contains pheromones for others to follow once they locate a food source
Nest Locations
Ants will nest anywhere in and around the home, lawns, walls, tree stumps, under foundations, up in trees and roof voids
Nest Size
Colonies can get really big and are capable of uprooting and relocating very quickly when threatened
Can you do it yourself?
Most do-it-yourself approaches will only kill the Ants you can see. Effective treatments must use an Integrated Approach and be consistent and ongoing. Ongoing monitoring and control is essential to keep well Ants managed in the Tenant’s home and environment
What kind of Ant Treatment gets Results?
Treatments must start with the perimeter and work towards the exterior and interior of the tenant’s property. The interior treatment is essentially non-toxic so Tenants do not need to vacate.
Perimeter and exterior treatments include a granule application and water-based Non–Repellent application to the exterior surfaces of the home. Large numbers of Ants are knocked down and killed quickly, providing some immediate relief for the Tenant and Property Manager.
The interior must be baited. 5-10 Minute Bait Training can be provided for all Tenants and Property Managers to get the best long-term results out of the baiting process, the bait is taken back to the nest and fed to queens and the brood, the best time for baiting we believe is Winter when the nests have gathered together to conserve resources and Spring when the Queens are wanting to expand their colonies. Exterior treatments are recommended during the summer to stop ants from re-establishing on the property.
Ongoing monitoring and control is required all year round to Manage Ant Populations that will eventually migrate from neighbouring properties. We highly recommend talking to neighbours in the immediate area and encouraging them to get on board with an Ant Management Plan themselves.
Case Bearing Moth
What do they look like?
Size:
Adult Moth are small about 1cm, the larvae are about .5 – 1cm in length
Colour:
The Adult Moth has brownish-grey wings and the Larvae are usually white and wrap themselves in the organic material they are feeding on
Characteristics:
The larvae build cases of organic material around themselves and look like little rice grains
How did I get Case Bearing Moth?
Things that are likely to attract Moths into the homes could be, Moth infested material, pet hair around carpet edges and corners, and under furniture that isn’t moved very often. Woollen garments, undisturbed storage areas, drawers and wardrobes
How Serious Are Case-Bearing Moths?
The larval stage of the life cycle is the most damaging. The damage looks like holes or threadbare spots in the carpet. These pests are also capable of damaging clothes and furniture if the infestation is left to grow.
What are the Signs of Infestation?
Case Bearing Moths can be difficult to identify and the first signs of infestation may be missed until someone does a spring clean, or a Tenant moves out of the property. Small rice-like larvae covered in organic material can be found under beds, edges of the carpet, under and behind heavy furniture
What can I do?
Reducing food sources and habitats is critical to control these pests. Removal of food sources altogether may not be possible but regular vacuuming including around carpet edges and under beds will reduce the Case Bearing Moth population and potentially its food sources at the same time. Vacuuming is part of the Integrated Approach to Pest Management that will guarantee the best results.
What your Pest Manager will do
It’s very important that the infestation is taken care of by a professional with experience managing these pests. The following are some Integrated Approaches that can be used alongside a Pesticide Treatment;
Discard any infested food items
Dry clean all infested fabrics
Inspect, clear and clean wardrobes, drawers and other storage areas
Regularly vacuum high-activity areas and dispose of the vacuum bag
Store fabrics in air-tight containers
Wash infested fabrics and items in hot water or freeze them
Pesticide water-based solution
(Tenants must vacate the property for four hours to allow for the Solution to be applied then settle and dry. The property is safe to re-enter after four hours)
Fleas
What do they look like?
Size:
Fleas are small, Wingless and about 2.5 mm long
Colour:
Their bodies are shiny and red brownish in colour
No wings:
Fleas have no wings but are capable of jumping long distances
(Adults are parasites that draw blood from a host. The larvae feed on organic debris and faeces of adult fleas which contain undigested blood)
How did I get Fleas?
Fleas often come from a pet dog or cat. The flea will attach to the animal and then infest its fur and the places it sleeps indoors. Flea prevention can be difficult. A Proactive and Integrated Approach is recommended for anyone vulnerable to an infestation.
What does an Infestation look like?
Flea bites may leave Tenants with swollen and itchy marks, they may also cause allergic reactions in some people. Adult fleas may be seen on the host, jumping on carpeted areas and sometimes on beds.
How does treatment for Fleas work?
Dealing with a Flea issue requires treating animals, thoroughly cleaning Flea infested areas, treating them safely with a pesticide and taking preventative measures to keep Fleas from returning. We call this Integrated Pest Management.
The Flea Management Plan Includes the Following:
Identification
A positive identification must be made. This can be based on several factors including the presence of Flea bites on human hosts. The best ID is seeing the Flea itself
Education
Explain the Flea Life Cycle with Tenants and Property Managers. How their physiology, habits and behaviour affect the control plan and the overall results
Vets
Tenants are encouraged to contact a Veterinarian in their area for advice and purchase Flea Control Products. They can advise on the safe use of the products and how often they can be applied
Pets
Regular baths and grooming of pets and pet beds to prevent Flea infestations from re-establishing
Residual Solution Treatment
Explain the use of the residual solutions being used to treat the Flea Infestation inside the Tenants home
Vacuuming
Recommending using a strong vacuum to physically remove Flea eggs, larvae, pupae and adults pre-treatment, remembering to leave the vacuum out to be treated by the Pest Manager
Bedding
Reminding Tenants to wash all pet bedding frequently to avoid re-infesting the home with Fleas
Follow Up Inspections
Scheduling follow-up visits when necessary and ‘Peace of Mind’ visits for the Tenant and the Property Manager and reporting on treatment results
The most effective way to keep Fleas from getting inside is to eliminate outdoor Flea habitats and outdoor hosts. Keeping foliage against the house under control, gardens and lawns well maintained will reduce Flea habitat. Using exterior Flea control water-based solutions and vet approved Flea control products on pets will get the best long-term results.
Tenants must vacate the property for four hours to allow the solution to be applied then settle and dry. The property becomes safe to re-enter after four hours. We recommend you air the house for 10 minutes when you re-enter.
Rodents
What do they look like?
Rodents are mammals that, like humans, can be found throughout the world, they are the second most successful mammal on the planet and deserve lots of respect. They have oversized teeth for chewing and can cause a huge amount of damage if left untreated.
How did I get Rodents?
Rodents are rapid breeders and can breed all year round in ideal conditions. A Rat may have 5-7 litres of 7-12 young per year. Rodents will thrive in almost any habitat that has access to food and water. It is impossible to keep them out of the home. Rats can get through holes the size of a 10-cent piece and smaller, mice can use gaps the size of an old five-cent piece and smaller in some cases.
How do I stop rodents from coming Back?
Keep any possible food sources away from Rodents. Keep food in sealed containers. Pet food needs to be in airtight containers and not left out for grazing. Dry goods, grains and cereals need to be in sealed containers to prevent contamination. Fruit and vegetables should also be stored properly. If you have fruit trees or other food trees, be sure to pick up any fallen fruit, this is a huge attractant for Rodents in the area.
If you live beside a small creek or river, be sure to put monitoring devices on the perimeter of your property to catch Rodents early and before they get a chance to establish themselves on the property.
How do I Manage Rodents in and around the Property?
Rodents are extremely adaptable and can be difficult to manage. If left, an infestation will cause considerable damage to your home-owners assets. The urine and droppings can also contaminate the surfaces they come in contact with.
The help of your neighbours can be very effective in the prevention and management of Rodent issues. Good cleaning and sanitation are required on the inside and outside of the home. Homes can be rodent-proofed by identifying and sealing as many possible entry points as possible. Removing foliage from the exterior of the house and cutting trees back and down by at least 2 metres will also limit Rodent access into the home.
Removing food sources from the property and any clutter and other items on the exterior of the property, garage and house will also contribute positively to managing rodents for your Tenants.
Keeping lawns and gardens well-maintained will also help manage Rodent activity.
Wasps
What do they look like?
Varies depending on the species. NZ species, Tenants and Property Managers will deal with mostly are: The German Wasp and The Common Wasp
Wings:
Most have two pair of wings and a pinched waist
Colour:
Wasps range in colours but New Zealand wasps are mostly bright yellow and black
Size:
Vary in size but commonly 1-2 cm in size here in NZ
How did I get Wasps?
Eaves, soffits and gutters on homes are popular Wasp nesting sites as are old dead tree stumps and dead trees. Smells from barbecues and sugary spills are also attractive to Wasps. Nests that die over winter or are treated during the summer are generally not reused by subsequent generations of Wasps.
How do I identify a Wasp Nest?
A nest is easy to identify by consistent comings and goings from one spot either on the house or in the ground, old and dead trees or tree stumps. Feeding behaviour can be observed on certain shrubs and trees, especially willows, buxus and old man’s beard. We recommend these are removed entirely or managed with a Wasp Trap.
How are Wasps Treated?
Inspection
Determining if the issue is a nest or feeding behaviour, can be done on the phone with the tenant but sometimes a house visit is required
Reporting
Explaining the overall control plan and results of the treatment. Scheduling follow-up visits as required
Education
Explaining the behaviour of wasps and their habitat and integrating this knowledge into control and monitoring methods for the tenant’s peace of mind
Environmental Controls
Removing dead or dying trees and tree stumps, keeping foliage, grass and garden areas well maintained, essentially removing access to the wasps’ sources of food
Sanitation
Keeping all exterior areas of the house clean and tidy, with regular maintenance checks to reduce access to the wasps’ preferred nesting sites and food sources
Pesticide Treatment
A dust treatment with an insecticide that guarantees results. Removal of dead nests is not required
