Pest Control - Ants

Brought to you by Proven Pest Control

The majority (probably 99%) of cases of ants in a house involve introduced species. Most common are the black or yellow Singapore ant (Monomorium destructor), yellow Pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis), black and white Ghost ant (Tapinoma melanocephalum), small black and yellow ant (Monomorium floricola), and the brown African big-headed ant (Pheidole megacephala). Or the Argentine ant (Linepithema hamile). 

Native ants rarely venture inside of houses, but those that do are predominantly tyrant ants (species of iridomyrmex) and sugar ants (species of Camponotus) all of which are easily deterred. These ants tend to only venture rather than nest inside of houses as they are scavengers and eagerly accept any scraps of food that they may find on the floor or bench. There are two biological factors of ants that are fundamental to their effective treatment. 

First. Only a small fraction of ants in a colony forage outside of the protection of the nest at any one time, thus killing foraging workers is not an effective means of control as the breeding rate probably exceeds the rate at which anybody can kill foragers. Second, foragers are sterile, so killing them alone has little to no effect on brood production. Instead, treatments must get to the reproductive queens to be successful. Only when the queens are killed are no more workers produced (typically) and the colony dies. 

Notably, the colonies of these introduced species of ants can be particularly hard to kill because they contain multiple queens, often hundreds in really big colonies. For these reasons, householders' efforts of using an insecticide such as fly spray on the ants, has no overall effect. 

Additionally, efforts to kill ants by increasing the concentration of the active will have the reverse effect and he less potent because the foragers die before passing the active constituent to the queen(s). Less is more when it comes to ant control.

In light of this biological knowledge, research has identified characteristics of active constituents of products that make them suitable for effective social insect management;

 1. They must be non-repellent at the concentration in the product, 

2. They must have a delayed action of at least 24 hours at the product concentration, thereby allowing trophallaxis within ant colonies. Whereby ants regurgitate liquid food to share with colony members, inadvertently distributing the toxicant to fellow workers, brood, and queens, and 

3. They should be fatal to the target ants at concentrations as little as 11100th of the original dosage to account for dilution during trophallaxis. In addition, surviving ants should not become shy of the product. 

The greatest breakthrough for ant control, particularly broad-scale control, was the creation of solid baits for ingestion, products requiring ingestion must still present the active constituent in a liquid form (dissolved in oil), because adult ants are liquid feeders, restricting the passage of solids into their gut within an infrabuccal pocket and only allowing liquid to pass into a crop, where it can he regurgitated to conduct trophallaxis. 

Solid matrices have two advantages over liquid treatments. First, solid matrices can consist of a potentially large number of combinations of protein and carbohydrates (e.g. dehydrated honey/peanut butter, fishmeal, and corn grit) that can be made to suit the dietary preferences of a target ant. This maximises uptake by the target species, especially over periods where their dietary preference change. 

Second, active constituents that require ingestion rather than contact, greatly reduce unnecessary non-target impacts because not all biota that come into contact with the bait will ingest it. The greatest hindrance to successful ant control appears to be the lack of a universally attractive and effective treatment product. 

Species do not have equal preferences for protein or carbohydrates and there can be great seasonal differences in dietary preferences within a species.  Efficacy is further affected by how food is managed within a colony (e.g. stored vs utilised immediately) and pathways by which nutrition is provided to queens. Most bait development has targeted fire ants. 

Solenopsis app., and unfortunately much lower efficacy has been recorded for use of these baits against other species. -Indeed, current products are largely considered inadequate to provide effective control of Argentine ant. 

This lack of product efficacy is greatest for species that prefer aqueous sugar matrices and are not greatly attracted to corn grit, or to the oil in other dehydrated solids. We already have a broad spectrum of active constituents that work successfully against most ant species. Ant management will be greatly enhanced by the creation of more products providing a greater range of attractive matrices.

Brought to you by Proven Pest Control. Serving New South Wales as a guaranteed, trustworthy business and will eliminate your pests of concern at an affordable cost.

Cockroach crawls into sleeping man's ear

                                                                               

Pest control company Proven Pest Control is warning Australians of the health risks associated with pest infestations, after a 2cm cockroach was removed from the ear of a Woy Woy man.

 The cockroach entered the man's ear while he was asleep and caused severe pain until it was removed by forceps at the Hospital. It is thought to be the largest insect found living in someone's ear.

It is not uncommon for bugs such as cockroaches to crawl into a person's ear while they're asleep. They are a nocturnal pest who prefer warm, moist places and will search for food during the night," said Michael Stevenson, pest technical manager at Proven Pest Control. 'Cockroaches can pose serious health risks. 

They can spread 33 different kinds of bacteria, six parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. 

They are a common cause of food poisoning, and can also trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks — especially in children.

Here are some tips that may help prevent a serious cockroach infestation:

• Do not leave dirty dishes in your sink overnight
• Keep all food in the refrigerator or in containers
• Regularly remove garbage from your home, especially your kitchen Inspect deliveries of food and other consumables before taking inside Install tight fitting fly screens and draft excluders on door bottoms to seal tip gaps
• Keep pet food stored in airtight containers where possible
• Regularly clean and maintain bird aviaries and other animal cages
• Clean out gutters regularly and repair leaking taps
• Don't let water pool in areas close to the home Keep lawns cut short and gardens maintained
• Book a yearly pest inspection with a reputable pest controller 

Brought to you by Proven Pest Control. Serving New South Wales as a guaranteed, trustworthy business and will eliminate your pests of concern at an affordable cost.

Pest Control Woy Woy - Prices from $80

Pest Control in Woy Woy




Proven Pest Control Woy Woy has prices starting from $80 and they are dedicated to providing a premium pest control service to the Woy Woy area at a fraction of the price.
The Proven Pest Control team values and cares about their customers, which is reflected in their customers loyalty to them. We pride ourselves in offering friendly, personalised professional service. Some would call it “Old Fashioned Service”.
Proven Pest Control offer only the highest standard of treatments to Australian Standards to safeguard your home, family and business.
There are many options for pest control in the Woy Woy – from eco friendly and toxic free treatments, to electronic and ultrasonic. If you have any concerns about the well being and safety of kids or pets, just ask. We’ll be happy to explain what we do and design a plan that’s right for you.

visit our website at: www.provenpest.net/woy_woy

11 Simple Ways to Become More Mindful

Providing Pest Control in the Central Coast

 Can you remember the last time you truly tasted your food, or enjoyed the company of your family or friends, or even stopped to appreciate the scent of a beautiful flower, or breathe the fresh air? If the answer is no, then it could be time to integrate mindfulness into your daily routine.

What exactly is mindfulness?
Jon Katbat-Zinn, founder of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) technique describes it as “the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally".

"That sounds pretty simple,” he continues, “but actually when we start paying attention to how much we pay attention, half of the time our minds are all over the place and we have a very hard time sustaining attention."

      Proven Pest Control service all areas in the Central Coast including:

Avoca	Bateau Bay	Erina	Gosford	Terrigal
Toukley	Wamberal	Wyongah	Wyoming	Woy Woy
Kulnura	Berkeley Vale	Wyong	Summerland Point	Avoca Beach

A myriad of benefits

While it can seem like a challenge at first, there are plenty of benefits to being more mindful – it can help with stress by decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, help you perform work and study tasks more successfully, even help with technology addiction, depression and result in brain changes that may protect against mental illness.

The good news is, you don’t need to block out hours of your day to sit cross-legged in the lotus position, you can achieve it just by paying a little more attention throughout your day.

Here are 11 every day situations you can practice being more mindful:

1. When you’re talking to someone
Ever talked to someone who isn’t listening to you, but instead waiting for their time to talk again? Truly listening to someone is one of the biggest compliments you can give – in fact, it’s one of the hallmark lessons in the self-help classic How To Win Friends and Influence People.

“Listening is the intentional choice to fully pay attention to the other person—from the tone and texture of their voice to their emotional state and body language,” says Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D, clinical psychologist. “Next time you ask your loved ones how their day was, make sure to really listen. Take in what they’re saying without projecting what you feel or expect onto their words. Remember how you feel when someone is actually listening. Offer that to others.”



2. When you’re eating

When was the last time you truly savoured your food, or even tasted it? We’re in such a rush to satiate our hunger that we take for granted what it has taken for the food to get to our plate. That apple you munched on for morning tea had to have the correct amount of sunlight, water and soil. Those carrots in your salad had to be transported, manufactured, and shipped. It had to be prepared. 

It’s simply mind-blowing when you think about the amount of time, energy and resources that has gone into preparing our food - so appreciate it by eating slowly, and deliberately.
“Everything has a vibration,” says Executive Chef Martin Buchele from Spa Village Resort Tembok Bali, who practices vibrational cooking. “We are all energy, so if you want feel good, you have to put yourself into the vibration of feeling good. So if you want your food to not only taste good but absorb the maximum amount of nutrients, then you have to love your food.”

Practice mindful eating by saying thanks before every meal, paying attention to the taste and textures and really focus on the act of eating.

3. When you’re cleaning

Many of us are constantly on autopilot, caught up in the mundane. But there can be beauty in the mundane, with many experts saying that this can be the perfect time to practice mindfulness just by paying a little more attention to your daily activities while you’re performing them.

How? Well, take inspiration from the Zen proverb: "When walking, walk. When eating, eat."
So when you’re washing dishes, vacuuming, or cooking, try and remain fully present.
Notice the sounds, the sights, the textures and feelings that are around you. If you find this a challenge, then take the advice of Jeffrey Brantley, MD, author of Calming Your Anxious Mind, Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind.

“Use the sensation of the breath as the anchor for awareness in the present moment,” he tells mindfull.org. “Establish mindfulness on the narrow focus of just the breath sensation.”

4. When you’re waiting

Any time we’re on public transport, waiting for a meeting or for a friend to arrive for a coffee, most of us reach for our smart phones. Instead, use this opportunity to be mindful by calming the mind.

Allow yourself to feel the breath as it goes in, and the pause between in and out, then out again. Don’t control the breath, just bring attention to the direct sensation of the breath. Do this at least five times, and watch your stress levels dissolve.

5. When you’re worrying

As the saying goes, worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening, it just stops you from enjoying the good.

If you’re guilty of this then learn to recognise when you’re doing this, and practice bringing yourself back to the present.

“Whether or not you think of yourself as being an anxious or fearful person, mindfulness practice can help you deal with your reactions to life’s inevitable threats—both big and small,” says Ronald D. Siegel  PsyD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School.

“Sometimes the best solution is just to focus on what you can control; that may be as simple as your breathing,” adds Chip Conley, author of  Emotional Equations: Simple Truths for Creating Happiness & Success. “Get in touch with how the anxiety feels in your body. Gain some control over your breathing, then shift to how you can influence your thinking. As you build some momentum in seeing your ability to cope with a widening sphere of influence, you’ll build your sense of confidence so that you can handle what life is throwing at you.”

6. When you’re angry, sad or frustrated

Being mindful doesn’t have to mean you’re happy all of the time. If you’re often trying to bury feelings of anger, guilt or frustration, then the best thing to do may be just to ‘feel it.’
“Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment,” says Jon Kabat-Zinn.

When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you’re feeling intense emotions.

Once you recognise that your emotions and thoughts are fleeting, it can free you from negative thought patterns.”

Recognise that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative thought patterns.

6. When you’re being creative

Many creative endeavors we enjoy get pushed to the wayside when we’re busy or stressed, but being creative is a great way to practice mindfulness and let your brain press ‘restart’. 

Being creative can be amazingly relaxing – it might be baking, colouring-in (there are many adult colouring books on the market), singing in the shower, sculpting with Play Doh, painting, even baking. While doing these activities, stay in the moment, quieten down your thoughts and get into the flow.



7. When you’re trying to multi-task

Are you a master of multi-tasking? You might be rendering yourself less effective. Studies have found that when people are dividing their attention, it takes them 50 per cent longer to accomplish that task, and are 50 per cent more likely to make errors, according to the Huffington Post. 

“Rather than divide our attention, it is far more effective to take frequent breaks between intervals of sustained, one-pointed attention," Real Happiness at Work author Sharon Salzberg writes in a Huffington Post blog. "Debunking the myth of multi-tasking, we become much better at what we do and increase the chance of being able to remember the details of work we have done in the past."

8. When you’re in nature

Spending time in a beautiful space in nature – and truly appreciating the colours, sounds and textures around you is one of the most powerful ways to give yourself a mental reboot. 

According to phys.org, research has found that being outdoors can relieve stress, improve energy levels, memory and attention. Simply going for a walk can be an excellent way to calm the mind and gain new perspective, and even help put the brain into a meditative state.



9. When you’re tuned into technology

If you’re guilty of staring at your phone when you eat out with friends or family, then you’re not alone. But many experts warn our addiction to our devices is stealing away precious moments. “If the device is shaping your agenda for the day, determining your emotions, and dictating what you focus on and how you spend your time, your device is controlling you,” says Kelly McGonigal, PhD, a health psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University.

“Create some barriers, such as no technology at the dinner table, or just make it more difficult to access by unplugging it, putting it in a drawer or on flight mode,” she says. “Reflect on whether your device is contributing to or taking away from your quality of life. Notice the benefits of disconnecting.”

10. When you’re doing nothing

That’s right, just do nothing. “Just sit in silence. Become aware of your thoughts,” says Leo Babauta from ThirdAge.com. “Focus on your breathing. Notice the world around you. Become comfortable with the silence and stillness.”

11. If all else fails, laugh

A crucial part of mastering the art of mindfulness is refusing to get invested in the constant pull of emotions. But if you can learn to laugh and keep an even keel through difficult situations, you’ll be better armed to cope with them suggests research from the University of California and University of Zurich.

But you don’t need a university study to tell you that laughing brings us in the present moment, and can help us maintain a elevated mood, cheerful personality and a sense of humour. Try it. Next time you find yourself getting drowned in the stress of life, take some time out to remember a funny moment, and watch your mood transform.

For great rates on pest control, call us today on 1300 08 25 52

                                   Or visit our website at: http://www.provenpest.net/