Will a pest business deal with mynas?

Closing the gaps they nest in is a proofing job a pest business can quote. Trapping is run as a council and community program in the Shoalhaven, through the men's sheds, not as a pest service. Our bird proofing page covers the proofing side.

Does Nowra need a termite inspection?

We haven't found a Shoalhaven-specific termite fact, so we won't guess at the local risk. Any house with timber is worth an inspection before you buy, renovate or sell; our termite inspections page explains what's involved.

Pest control Nowra: roof noises, mynas, ticks and tides

What's different in the Shoalhaven

Mynas nest in homes

Shoalhaven City Council asks residents to fix or cover holes in roofs and eaves so Indian mynas can't nest inside. It says their roosting and nesting raises aesthetic and health concerns, and that they compete with native birds for food and nest sites.

A community trap program

The council says Shoalhaven residents can get a myna trap through local men's sheds, including Nowra's, and can log sightings on MynaScan. That's a council and community program, separate from any pest job.

Big tides, more mosquitoes

NSW Health notes that tides over 1.8 metres can set off a hatch of the saltmarsh mosquito, Aedes vigilax, on the NSW coast. Expect more bites near the river flats and the estuary after a king tide.

Ticks off the bush tracks

NSW Health says ticks are common in bushland and long grass along the east coast, especially after rain. Check kids and dogs after a walk.

Bird, possum or rat: what's in the roof?

Daytime noise from the eaves in the warmer months points to birds. The Australian Museum says common mynas breed from October to March and like to nest in the walls and ceilings of buildings, and that roof voids get used as communal roosts.

Thumping and hissing after dark is more likely a brushtail possum. The Queensland Government describes deep coughs, sharp hisses and scampering across the roof at night as possums move between feeding spots.

Scratching, gnawing and squeaking at night, with greasy rub marks along a beam or wall, is the pattern Rockhampton Regional Council lists for rats. Rats also chew cables and food containers, so check the pantry as well as the roof.

If it's a possum, NSW law decides the job

The Australian Museum says the common brushtail possum is a protected species in Australia, and in NSW every native mammal is protected, with a licence possibly needed to harm one. So a possum in the roof isn't something to trap or chase out yourself.

The job is usually proofing the gaps once the possum is out foraging, plus lawful catch and release on your property where NSW allows it. Our possums and the law guide sets out the NSW rules in full, and the possums page covers what the work involves.

Your part, and the pest business's

You can

Watch the roof line at dusk and in the morning to see what comes and goes.
Photograph gaps in the eaves, broken vents and lifted roof sheets from the ground.
Keep pet food and bird seed inside overnight.
Wear long pants on bush walks and check for ticks afterwards.

Leave to a pest business

Going into the roof space to find nests, droppings and entry points.
Anything involving a possum, which falls under NSW wildlife rules.
Proofing gaps with mesh or caps once the animals are out.
Rodent treatment in the roof or subfloor.

Our take on pests in Nowra

Work out the animal before anyone quotes: listen at dusk, look for a nest poking out of the eaves, and note the time of the noise. Then tap what you think it is, and the pest business can confirm it on the visit.

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.

What have you seen?