What's different in Keysborough
Houses, not flats
A council housing report using 2011 Census figures says just 1.5 per cent of the 6130 homes in Keysborough were flats, against 21 per cent across Greater Dandenong. So most pest questions here are about a whole building: roof space, slab, garden and fences.
Termites
The city says it's not a declared termite area, but it recommends regular inspections for signs of termites and termite protection when doing residential building work.
Low, damp country
A council column places a Green Wedge zone in Keysborough South, and the council says a large part of its Green Wedge is former swamp land, the Carrum Carrum Swamp, so it's low lying and can be slow to drain. We don't know how far that reaches on any one street. If your yard stays wet, deal with it: termites like moist ground and mosquitoes need standing water.
Frederick Wachter Reserve
The master plan for this Keysborough park says it supports the wetland and biodiversity opportunities there, so expect birds and other wildlife around it.
Possum removal in Keysborough
Greater Dandenong spells this one out. Only common brushtail possums living in buildings can be trapped, for release on the same property, and common ringtail possums may not be trapped. It also says relocation of possums is prohibited. Victoria's rule adds that the release must be no more than 50 metres from where it was caught, after sunset on the day it was caught.
So a pest business should be offering to close the way into your roof, not to take the animal anywhere.
Rats, mice and pets
The council warns that rodenticides can harm and kill local wildlife and pets through direct and secondary poisoning. That's a good reason to tell the technician about dogs, cats and anything else in the yard before any baiting, and to ask which product they'll use and how it will be secured.
Ask before any termite work
- What did you find, and which parts of the house did you get to?
- Is anything damp around the slab or weep holes that I should fix first?
- What treatment are you suggesting, and why that one?
- How often should it be inspected, and what would any warranty cover?
If it were our place in Keysborough
We'd fix drainage around the house first, because it helps with termites and mosquitoes at once, then book an inspection if it's been a while. Anything you've spotted, tap it with your postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
