Ants in your Workplace

Ants are one of the most common pests found in KZN. There are several known ant species and they occur throughout all seasons.

Ants live for about seven years and a queen can live up to 15 years. The size of a colony can vary and grow up to 500 000 working ants. What most people do not know is that when the colony feels threatened, they can quickly uproot and relocate. Therefore, self-treatment is ineffective as it’s mostly focused on ants that can be seen and not exterminating the source of the colony.

The objective of a professional pest control company is to locate and treat the nest. Ants nest in the soil, inside walls, roof cavities, and moisture-affected timber. It is difficult and time-consuming to locate these nests as they can be some distance away from affected areas or in inaccessible locations.

Bed Bugs in your Workplace

Bed bugs are small reddish-brown bugs. They are parasitic pests and both sexes and all stages of the lifecycle feed exclusively on blood. They prefer human blood.

Bed bugs can survive for over a year in cool conditions without feeding on blood. They can be found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, and furniture, behind skirting boards, electrical wall outlets, bed stands and picture frames.

They are often found in hotels or B&Bs, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

The female bed bug can live for almost a year and may lay up to 500 eggs in this period. They are visible to the naked eye, being shaped and sized like an apple seed.

Cockroaches in your Workplace

The three species of cockroaches commonly found in South African homes are the German cockroach, the Australian cockroach, and the American cockroach, all of which prefer warm, moist areas. Their nests can often be found near plumbing fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens, in cupboard cracks or under drawers, inside appliances or underneath the fridge.

Cockroaches are treated by the placement of baits/gels in hiding and/or feeding areas and by the application of new generation pesticide formulations, to cracks, crevices, cavities, the rear of appliances and other potential harbourage areas around machinery etc.

Gel baits

The gel bait acts as a food source for cockroaches. After being consumed, the bait interrupts the breeding cycles because of cockroaches transferring the bait to each other through their carnivorous nature and habit of grooming each other.

Treatment

New Generation Low Toxic Chemicals. The products Rainbow Hygiene uses are new generation, low toxic gel baits, and insect growth regulators. When used properly, and in conjunction with each other, both products provide effective long-term control of cockroaches.

 

→ Read about Cockroaches’ survival skills

Fish Moths in you Workplace

Also known as silverfish, these teardrop-shaped insects that measure up to 20mm in length, grow from egg to adult without visible change in appearance.

Capable of thriving in most climates, fish moths prefer to dwell in dark, damp areas such as cupboards, kitchens, and bathrooms. Known for their destructive feeding habits, they are especially attracted to paper and damp clothing, and often found in stored boxes in garages.

Fish moths are nocturnal and move very quickly. They are secretive, and the severity of an infestation may go unnoticed for long periods of time, allowing for exponential growth, due to their high reproduction rate.

Treatment

Addressing a fish moth infestation requires treatment of both adult silverfish and the area where they ‘hide’… Most DIY remedies prove ineffective over time, with brief periods of relief followed by another infestation. There are a variety of commercial traps on the market. However, these traps target individual insects and cannot prevent entire fish moth populations.

 

Fish moth infestations require professional treatment. One of Rainbows qualified technicians will be able to assess the situation within your home and determine the most effective methods of extermination for your specific problem.

 

→ Read about xyz

Fleas in you Workplace

Fleas are a common problem in homes, especially those with domestic pets. You may discover a problem with fleas even if you do not have pets, if previous owners of your property kept cats or dogs.

Fleas may also be carried on other, especially hairy, animals like rabbits, rats, mice, and livestock such as pigs.

As parasites, the greatest concern about the presence of fleas in your home or business comes from their bites. Although these are not painful, they can result in an uncomfortable itch or rash. Your pets could also develop allergies to flea saliva.

Treatment

In some cases, DYI treatment as advised by your vet, or previous experience is effective. If however the fleas keep coming back, or you want to ensure complete removal, professional pest control is required.

 

Our trained technicians know exactly what to do when it comes to getting rid of fleas in your home. They understand the habits of different types of flea and can offer the most appropriate and effective solution. All our treatments are safe for your family and pets.

 

→ Read about xyz

Rats & Mice in your Workplace

The most found rat in KwaZulu-Natal is the Roof Rat. Also known as a Ship Rat, or House Rat, these rodents can be persistent and if they gain access into your home or business, they can spread diseases, contaminate food, and cause considerable damage, such as:

→ Rats can damage your home’s insulation.

→ They can chew through floor joists and walls.

→ They can cause fires by chewing on electrical cables.

→ Rats can undermine hill sides, retaining walls and other such structures through burrowing.

The most likely mouse to be found in a domestic or business environment in the greater Durban area is the regular House Mouse. Mice are second only to humanity as the most populous mammals in urban areas. House mice are considered dangerous and destructive pests. Infestations should be handled swiftly and are most efficiently dealt with through professional pest control methods.

Treatment

Rodent lockable Bait Stations can target both Rats and Mice

 

It is extremely important to closely monitor and control mice and rats, as they can result in both financial and potential health risks. Food spoilage and loss – on an enormous global scale – can be attributed to rodents through contamination and physical damage/consumption.

 

It is estimated that up to a third of the world’s food supplies never reach consumers, due to losses attributed to rodents. Rodents are omnivorous, consuming all types of food and food-based products and they require water, which can be sourced from various contributing factors; condensation from machinery and service pipes, air-conditioning outlets, and water pooling in drain traps to mention but a few.

 

→ Read about xyz

Spiders in your Workplace

There are 1000’s of spider species, not all of which are dangerous. Spiders can be a particular nuisance in the home. They are attracted to warm, dark small spaces, like wall cracks, corners, air vents, and in the eaves of your home. Other species prefer to stay closer to the outdoors, weaving their webs in your garden or near your outside lighting. Most spiders are a nuisance primarily because of their webbing.

As the temperature drops in Autumn, spiders become more active, looking for a mate, and come out of their hiding places. Towards the end of autumn many die off, but some hibernate until the following Spring.

Spider eggs are laid into a silken sac, on average about 100 eggs in each sac, which may be fixed to a surface, hidden in the web, or carried by the female. Signs of the sacs fixed indoors indicate that soon there will be more spiders around

Treatment

Rainbow Hygiene offers expert identification of your invading spider species and provide a professional service to control larger infestations.

 

→ Read about xyz

Termites in your Workplace

There are about 2750 species of termite worldwide. They can be divided into three groups based on the location of their colonies: subterranean, dry wood, and damp wood termites. Of these, subterranean and dry woods are primarily responsible for damage to human-made structures.

Termite (white ant) infestation in commercial properties can be costly to treat, as the factories, warehouses or shops are typically large. Termites attack the wooden structures, wooden shelving, pallets, cupboards, etc. The insects gain access through cracks in the concrete slab, through expansion joints, the foundation walls or even subfloor (cavity areas) underneath a building.

Treatment

The general practice in KZN for an effective treatment for white ants is preventative, in that it is done at the time of the construction. The compacted soil is sprayed with a registered termiticide, prior to the concrete slab being laid. It is important to have this done by a registered professional pest control company.

 

However, where infestation is detected in an existing dwelling, holes are drilled along all walls and the termiticide injected into them under pressure. Where required, the foundation perimeter would also be excavated and flooded with the chemical. All holes and excavations are repaired and are seldom noticeable on completion. The earlier the infestation it detected, the less costly and disruptive it is to treat.

 

→ Read about xyz