What's different around the lake
Termites are the owner's job
Lake Macquarie City Council's tree policy says protecting buildings from termite attack is the property owner's responsibility, using the methods in Australian Standard AS 3660.2. It also says the council won't normally treat termites, bees or pests in trees, stumps or timber on road reserves and public reserves.
A saltwater lake and busy creeks
NSW SES describes a large coastal saltwater lake with suburbs around it. Cockle Creek and Dora Creek can overflow in heavy rain, North Creek has flooded roads at Warners Bay, and king tides reach low spots near Bowman Street in Swansea. All of that leaves water lying about.
Mosquitoes need very little
The council says some mosquitoes breed in very small amounts of water, and a neglected pool can be a haven. Its list is fly screens, clearing rubbish that holds water, and covering septic and rainwater tanks.
Mynas under the eaves
Indian mynas nest in hollows, nest boxes and accessible roofs, eaves and other building cavities, the council says, and it doesn't supply traps. If birds are getting into your roof, bird proofing is the job to ask about.
Big black spider? Treat it as the real thing
The Australian Museum puts the Sydney funnel-web's main range from the Central Coast south, and we haven't found an official record of it around the lake. Other funnel-webs live in moist forests across eastern Australia, and mouse spiders and black house spiders get mistaken for them. healthdirect says to treat a bite from any big black spider as a medical emergency: call 000.
What's yours, and what goes to a pest business
You can
- Keep gutters clear and fly screens whole.
- Keep the pool maintained, because a neglected one breeds mosquitoes.
- Fix leaking taps and downpipes near the walls.
- Look in the meter box for a termite notice, if your home has one.
Leave to a pest business
- Termite inspections and treatment.
- Rodent baiting in locked stations.
- Wasp nests. Stay well back and keep pets away.
- Proofing the roof against mynas.
Protected, so not a pest job
Flying-foxes are protected, and the council says state government approval is needed to move them on. Magpies are protected too, and their swooping generally lasts about six weeks in early spring, so taking another route is usually the answer.
Which part of the lake are you in?
Three spots have their own page: Cardiff, Charlestown and Toronto. Anywhere else around the lake, tell us your postcode and what you've seen.
Where we'd start with pests in Lake Macquarie
Check the meter box for the termite notice that modern homes should have, and book a termite inspection if you can't remember the last one. Then look at the pool and the gutters before summer.
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.
