What's different in Hurstville
Mynas like a town centre
Georges River Council says Common Mynas nest in cavities, including roof spaces and exotic palm trees, which is why they're widespread in urban centres and less common in its natural areas. Their noise and odour can foul a shopping strip.
Council won't trap them for you
Council says it doesn't offer trapping to residents. It contracts myna control around certain council buildings and focuses on education. On private property, proofing is your call.
Myna or miner?
The Common Myna has a brown body, a glossy black head and white wing patches you can see in flight. Council says it's often confused with the native Noisy Miner, a lighter bird, and native birds are protected in NSW.
Funnel-web range
The Australian Museum gives the Georges River as the southern end of the Sydney funnel-web's main range, and Hurstville is on the northern side. Call 000 for any big black spider bite.
Living in a unit block
In NSW, whoever arranges pest work in the common areas of a residential complex, including a strata managing agent, must give residents a pesticide use notice at least 5 working days before. Emergency work on rodents, wasps, bees, venomous spiders or fleas can go ahead sooner if a notice is displayed and records are kept.
Inside your own unit, German cockroaches are the likely issue. The Australian Museum says they gather near warm spots such as water heaters, and in cupboards, drawers and appliances. One unit treated alone can leave the neighbours' population untouched, so raise it with the committee if others are seeing them too.
If your strata committee is getting quotes
- Will the treatment cover shared bin rooms, risers and car parks as well as individual units?
- What notice will residents get, and who sends it?
- Which product will be used, and what's its full name?
- What should people with pets, fish tanks or allergies do on the day?
- What follow-up is included, in writing?
Keeping mynas out
- Cover outdoor bins.
- Feed pets inside and don't leave food out.
- Avoid feeding any birds.
- Cover cavities under roofs and eaves. Council suggests spikes, and our bird proofing page covers other options.
Our take on pests in Hurstville
Identify the bird or the insect first. If it's mynas, get the cavities covered before nesting season. If it's cockroaches in a block, talk to the neighbours and the committee before booking one unit on its own.
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.
