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Johannesburg – An Urban Jungle or a Pest Sanctuary?
Johannesburg is often referred to as the economic hub of South Africa, so it’s no wonder that it has become a large, sprawling city with umpteen suburbs with numerous towns and human settlements across the greater region. People continue to flock to Johannesburg for work and hopefully, a better quality of life.
Green Urban Jungle
Residential properties, office parks and shopping malls abound. Additionally, Johannesburg is considered to be one of the greenest cities in the world; its “urban jungle” is even clearly visible from outer space. (One forgets that insects and other pest species love a jungle).
Everyone recognises that insects and creeping crawlies have a vital role to play in the greater scheme of things. Birdsong is beautiful and nature is wondrous. All should be well in Utopia, right? Unfortunately, this is not always so.
Blurred Boundaries
It’s actually to be expected that mankind and nature’s large and tiny creatures are often in conflict, competing for the same space, especially in a densely populated city like Johannesburg. Nature’s creatures, especially insects, are oblivious to man’s boundaries; they continue their activities and seize opportunities to build nests and source food as, when and wherever they can.
However, man draws the line when an incursion into his personal domain occurs. When he’s being invaded by pests and he doesn’t like it one bit.
He’s oblivious to the fact that his lifestyle is so attractive to these pests. Man’s structures, buildings and gardens are excellent and very convenient sources of shelter and easily obtainable foodstuffs. That’s primarily why pests move in, much to the chagrin of the person who has paid a lot of money for the privilege of being there.
Destructive Termite Activity
A termite infestation spells trouble for owners of structures, proud gardeners and farmers, particularly those engaged in crop agriculture. Harvester termites attack seedlings, leaves and grasses, dead or living, and are capable of harvesting between 1 and 3 metric tons of plant matter per hectare.
The enormous, robust termite mounds often seen in the veld in different parts of the country bear testament to the presence of an enduring colony of harvester termites, although their colonies also extend underground. In a garden, they can totally destroy a once verdant lawn within a few months, leaving behind a patch of sad, bare dust.
Harvester termites may enter homes, where they damage curtains and carpets. They reproduce prolifically. Within the nest, a queen is capable of laying up to 25 000 eggs per day, so an infestation is a serious matter, best controlled by registered specialists, such as Bugman Pest Control, Johannesburg.
An invasion of subterranean termites is generally even more serious and should be treated as such, again by qualified experts if control is to be effective. The subterranean species attacks wooden components in buildings and structures, causing structural damage, which may be extreme to the point of being irreparable.
Your roof trusses, wooden doors and window frames, solid wood floors, cupboards, furniture and skirting boards are all at risk when these hordes of termites arrive.
The Answer – Pest Control
Prevent your urban jungle from becoming a pest sanctuary. Contact Bugman Pest Control, Johannesburg to sort out your termite problems. We’re registered with the Department of Agriculture and only use SABS approved pesticides in the control of termites and virtually all other household and garden pests. |
