Midland's pest notes
Food businesses on notice
The City of Swan's factsheet says pests seen at a routine food business assessment bring an Improvement Notice, usually with 48 hours to act. It tells owners to watch for rodents, cockroaches, flies, ants, moths and weevils, and birds such as pigeons and seagulls.
Salt marsh mosquitoes
The City reports a significant increase in mosquito complaints, particularly from South Guildford and surrounding areas, with the summer saltmarsh mosquito the main species in its traps. It says frequent tidal flooding has been washing larvicide away. The City doesn't fog or spray.
Close to two rivers
The Midland Local Area Plan covers Midland, Woodbridge, Viveash, Koongamia and parts of Bellevue, Midvale and Middle Swan, and names a stronger connection to the Swan and Helena rivers as a priority. Riverside reserves are the sort of place tiger snakes turn up, since DBCA says they're often seen near water.
Rodents on both sides of the fence
The City controls weeds and grass in its parks and drainage basins. Inside your boundary it's up to you, and WA Health says keeping rats and mice off the property is a legal duty for owners and renters.
If you run a shop or cafe, ask the pest business
- How did they get in, and what maintenance will stop it happening again?
- Will I get a written report I can show an environmental health officer?
- What cleaning or housekeeping changes do you recommend?
- Which products can be used around food, and how long before we can reopen the area?
Signs a Midland business should act on
The City says pests are most active at night and hide in warm, dark places, so go looking with a torch. Check under sinks, behind appliances, in wall cavities and around cardboard. Pests seen during the day are a concern. Our commercial page has more on what a good service covers.
At home: termites and droppings
Your own look around every six months and an inspector's visit each year is what WA's Building and Energy recommends. Thin mud tunnels over timber and damaged wood are the giveaways. Leave them alone until the termite inspector has seen them.
WA Health says black, thin droppings 12 mm to 18 mm long, greasy trails and missing pet food point to rats or mice. If you hear gnawing in the ceiling, get onto it, because they can chew through wiring.
If a European wasp turns up
Swan is on DPIRD's list of areas with nests in the 2025 to 2026 season. Keep away and report it to DPIRD or through MyPestGuide Reporter. That one never comes to a pest business.
Where we'd start with pests in Midland
For a business, we'd do the torch check this week and fix the gaps, because a notice gives you very little time. For a home, get the termite inspection booked and the food sealed up. Then tell us what you've found and 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.
