Rockingham's own notes
Salt marsh around Karnup
The City says flood plains along the Serpentine River and Lake Amarillo suit the salt marsh mosquito, so numbers usually run higher there, particularly around Karnup. A December 2023 report for the City found the problem more widespread than previously thought, with significant breeding in the Serpentine wetland chain and in Paganoni and Anstey Swamps.
Tides set it off
The Peel Mosquito Management Group, which the City belongs to, says a tide of 0.76 m is enough to start hatching on most breeding sites. It also says people within up to five kilometres of saltmarsh, brackish or freshwater wetlands face more risk of Ross River and Barmah Forest virus, generally peaking between September and January.
Where European wasps hide
The City lists pampas grass, kindling boxes, weatherboard housing, under floorboards and the ground. If you suspect one, stay clear and report it to DPIRD or through MyPestGuide Reporter. In WA that's the state's job, so it doesn't come through our form.
Portuguese millipedes
The City says they aren't harmful to humans, but they're drawn to light at night and can end up indoors. DPIRD says they're common in the south-west of WA. Turning off outside lights near doors is a fair first step.
What's yours, and what's a pest business's
You can
- Empty containers and pot plants that hold water, and keep the pool chlorinated.
- Screen rainwater tanks and vent pipes with mosquito-proof mesh.
- Keep food areas clean: the City calls cockroaches a major health hazard there.
- Photograph anything you can't identify, from a distance.
Leave to a pest business
- Termite inspections, and any treatment that follows.
- Rats and mice that keep coming back.
- A resting swarm in an awkward spot. The City says it usually moves on within 24 hours, and to call a pest business if it can't wait.
- Paper wasp nests close to a door.
Termite and building inspections in Rockingham
For early detection, WA's Building and Energy suggests an inspection of all accessible timber and likely entry points every six to 12 months. If you spot mud tubes or damaged wood first, don't spray or cut anything out. Call it in and leave it as it is.
A building and pest inspection is really two jobs. The timber pest report comes from a pest business, and the building report comes from a building inspector. Our guide to timber pest inspections shows what each covers.
Checking who turns up
WA's business register isn't open to the public, so ask for the Department of Health registration number, which should also be on the vehicle. Ask for a written quote with the technician's licence details too. The WA rules page has more.
Where we'd start with pests in Rockingham
If you're near the river or Lake Amarillo, we'd clear the water around the house before spring and cover up at dusk. Then we'd put a termite inspection on the calendar. Something else worrying you? Send us what you've seen 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.
