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Frequently asked questions
Should I just DIY my pest problem?
Ofcourse this is an option.
There are a number of effective DIY product in our online store for problems such as flies, fleas, silverfish, mozzies, spiders and many more. Philip is happy to help you decide which product is best for you or if your would like him to come to you and take the problem off your hands.
In order to properly deal with a pest problem the appropriate gear and products need to be purchased. This can seem cheaper initially but it soon adds up. If not well applied it is more likely a re-infestation will occur which will mean buying more of the products - which will end up costing more.
Philip has been properly trained in the safe use of the chemicals used in insect treatment and uses an integrated approach to managing pests - meaning a trap or bait is often not enough. He has the knowledge to assess each environment and plan accordingly.
What if the problem re-occurs?
This can happen sometimes. Ecomist Canterbury guarantee 3 months pest free after treatment. If reinfestation occurs Philip will visit at no charge with in that 3 month period.
Is it safe?
We recognize these concerns, and we will carry out treatment with these sensitivities in mind.
We practice integrated pest management which reduces the reliance on pesticide use.
Our technicians will work with you to identify conditions that are conducive to pest infestation and we will make recommendations that you can take to reduce or eliminate these conditions.
Our treatment is tailored to specific pests and conditions. We strictly adhere to the manufacturer's label, instructions, and recommendations about the proper and appropriate use and application of chemicals.
If you are you are in your 3rd trimester (Nervous System Development stage), we strictly recommend not to use any spray application inside your house.
Is your Insect Killer a natural product? How does it work?
Just to clarify terminology up front; pyrethrins are the active ingredients (with the insecticidal activity) found in pyrethrum (the concentrate from chrysanthemum daisies).
We quite often say that our Ecomist Insect Killer with Natural Pyrethrins kills and “repels” insects.
Pyrethrins act on the nervous systems of insects; initially hyper-stimulating the nerves, then later blocking nerve synapses leading to death. The repellency effect of pyrethrins is related to each insect’s individual response to the stimulation of their nervous system.
Mozzies respond slightly differently when they come into contact with pyrethrins. When they annoy us, most of time they are looking for a blood meal so that they can lay eggs. When pyrethrins affect their nervous system, they are unable to detect the things they look for when hunting for a meal (water vapour, carbon dioxide, heat), so they vacate the area until their body parts that allow them to detect meals are functioning properly again. If they are able to, they then continue searching for a meal elsewhere.
The Phototropic Effect of Pyrethrins
Insects affected by pyrethrins, tend to fly in a crazed manner towards light; it’s called the phototropic effect.
If it is light outside, they will most often head for windows or doors, banging into them repeatedly as they keep trying to fly towards the light. If the window is slightly open, then they’ll be able to exit to the great outdoors where they’ll most likely die. If not, their crazed buzzing causes them to come into contact with even more pyrethrins which ultimately results in death.
The main benefit of the phototropic effect is that flies will most often move away from food and food preparation areas in search of light. With manually administered insecticides the likelihood of flies landing in food or in the food prep area is high.
Frequent, small doses of pyrethrins (as in that dispensed by Ecomist Dispensers), keep a certain amount of pyrethrins circulating in the air. This forces insects coming into area with an Ecomist Dispenser to move in the direction of a light source, which is normally behind them if they’ve come in from outside. That keeps them out in the first place, which is what you want!