Welcome to the new look “Pest News”. This is our first issue for 2004 and we wanted to let you know what has been happening at Childs Pest Services and why you haven’t heard from us lately.

After watching all the renovation and makeover TV programs, and looking at our logo, stationery and whole company image, we decided that we were in bad need of a makeover.

Sandy was fortunate enough to meet a very clever lady - Debbie O’Connor, the owner of a business called White River Design at a meeting in Penrith.Whilst Sandy has a great eye for detail, logo designing is a specialised talent, so we enlisted Debbie’s fantastic help, and after a brief on what we required, we now have a great new look.

First of all, many of you may have seen our vehicle out and about lately, sporting its new signage.We now have a great new uniform complete with our logo; plus all of our stationery, fridge magnets and our yellow pages advertisement; all carry the same appearance. We felt that this would help you, our valued customer, recognise that we are serious about our job. In an industry where professionalism is the exception rather than the rule, we wanted to stand out as someone you can rely on to be professional and deliver first class service.

If you think that your business could use a fresh new look as ours did, then why not give Debbie O’Connor a call. She has a very professional approach, and also if you are stuck for ideas, can make some valuable suggestions. Debbie is a Home Based Business and has recently been given the privilege of “revamping” the logo for Penrith City Council.

If some classy new business cards are all you require, then Debbie can design and have these printed as well. Glenn loves our new cards - as he often remarks how they don’t end up “dog-eared “ like our old ones did.

Ants can be a nuisance when attempts are made to establish plants through direct seeding. Workers will forage for the newly planted seeds, removing them to their nests and causing reduced germination. Some ants build nests in walls and foundations, or indoors in potted plants, enclosed areas, and even in cavities in toilets and sinks.

In almost all cases nests are limited to pre-existing cavities or spaces between objects or in rotten wood and seldom will ants attack solid structures. Thus they generally will not cause structural damage to buildings but will take advantage of existing deterioration. Outdoors, nesting activity can result in excavated soil being deposited in gardens and on brickwork. In most cases this causes little property damage but some species, especially species of Aphaenogaster, can form large numbers of chambers close to the surface. These chambers can cause soil to become soft and uneven, causing serious problems when found in golf courses or some types of pastures or crops. A few species will occasionally attack electrical wiring, apparently being attracted to either the insulation or the magnetic fields produced by the wires. In these situations extensive damage has occurred.

Ants often move nest sites when disturbed, or with a change in food supply. This can make control and remove of ants difficult. They may leave for short periods only to return later when a new food source is located and they can recolonise from nearby nests very quickly.

Several species of ants pose serious health threats to people who are sensitive to their stings. These include species of Myrmecia in southern regions and Odontomachus in northern areas. In extreme cases hospitalisation may be required. Other species are known to carry diseases and can pose a threat in hospitals and veterinary clinics (some introduced species of Monomorium and the Argentine ant, Linepthema humile). Fortunately these cases are uncommon in Australia and in general ants are mainly a nuisance pest rather than a health problem. (Info courtesy of the CSIRO website)