Climate change has had unprecedented effects on virtually every aspect of life on Earth, and pest control in your home is no exception. Inform yourself better by reading our expert guide, below.
What Exactly is Climate Change?
With so much media coverage on the issue of climate change, you would think that everyone understands the issue. This is not the case, as there is a lot of misconception around the term. Climate change results in changes to the Earth’s climate system overtime, which results in new weather patterns that remain in place for an extended period. This length of time can be as short as a few decades to as long as millions of years.
Warming Temperatures and Pests
Climate change is slowly warming temperatures all over the world, and this is causing pest species to reproduce at faster rates than their predators, driving the need for advanced pest control. Regions that were once would have been too cold for pests will now comfortably host them. Brisbane has always maintained its subtropical climate. Pests thrive in this climate like mosquitos, ants, and termites. It’s being predicted that temperatures will soar in Brisbane over the next 30 years, further increasing their lifespan.
Pest Migration
Pests have a home distribution range that is determined almost exclusively by temperature. When pests like insect species migrate to regions where they’ve never lived before, the environment isn’t prepared for them. This means that pests will do far more damage than is natural, much faster. Not to mention that homes may need to prepare for these new species of pests. It’s believed by some experts that some termite species in Brisbane may have expanded their range further north than ever before. This calls for greater pest control. It’s clear that pest migration caused by climate change is drastically altering the balance of nature in Brisbane and the world.
Winter Survival
The life cycles of many insect species revolve around winter. Mosquitoes, wasps and bees, grow, feed, and reproduce to prepare for winter. The arrival of winter generally kills off the entire generation of insects. A new cycle then begins in warmer months with a new generation of insects. Climate change has changed winter. Winter has become milder in some regions, including Brisbane, making it easier for insects to survive. Insects like mosquitoes can live until spring. These survivors still breed offspring which means greater insect populations for the rest of the year. If insects keep surviving winter, their populations will keep growing at an alarming rate.
Population Control
Aside from the mild winters, climate change has accelerated pest population growth in other ways. Insects are cold-blooded, which means temperature is the number one determinant of their activity level. Warmer temperatures bring higher daily and seasonal insect activity, longer feeding periods, and faster reproductive cycles. Insects are living longer, traveling further, and reproducing quicker. This means a huge increase in pest population. Increasingly, pests are getting into homes in Brisbane and across Australia, requiring adequate pest control to stop them.
If your home has a pest problem, or you suspect a pest problem in your home, contact the specialists in pest control for the Brisbane area — AJG Pest Management.
