Summer heat drives insects indoors

PESTS: Masterton people have been dealing with more cockroaches rather than flies this summer, as the dry weather forces them to seek refuge inside homes.

We might be praying for much-needed rain but be warned: The flies will come with it.

In the meantime, pest control services have plenty of other insects and spiders to deal with.

One Masterton pest controller says there have been few flies, but plenty of residents want to rid their homes of other insects, keeping him on the hop.

Dave Green, owner of Flies Go Pest Control, said he had been extremely busy this summer with the bulk of his call-outs for most insects other than flies.

Flies would be the expected hassle at this time of year, but instead it was complaints of cockroaches, whitetail spiders and ants, Mr Green said.

"It's been busy, full-on really apart from being a bit slow on flies. Heaps of cockroaches," he said.

He's not sure why there are fewer flies about but suspects the dry temperatures are to blame.

"It's been so dry I don't think it's been a very good breeding season for them. We haven't even been hearing from our regular clients this year."

Normally he would get a couple of calls a week about cockroaches, ants or fleas, but during the holidays he had been forced to cut the odd "fishing day" short and head back to deal with more than two call-outs a day.

"There have been a few more [pests] than usual. I've been coming back every couple of days to get it all done," Mr Green said.

Museum of Te Papa Tongarewa entomologist Phil Sirvid said the lack of significant swarms of flies was probably due to the dry weather the region had been experiencing.

This was not the case over the hill in Wellington where he lived, he said.

"It does vary but flies don't like the dry. They are probably still in the pupa stage. There is no shortage of them in Wellington at the moment."

But once it starts raining, be prepared for an influx of the pesky flying pests, Mr Sirvid said.

"Once we start getting a bit of moisture, they will make an appearance. You'll start seeing a significant amount of them when it does rain."

As for cockroaches appearing - if you are seeing them they are probably the "harmless native" Kiwi cockroaches which normally lived outside, coming inside for relief from the dry heat.

Most house cockroaches were rarely seen and normally scarpered when a light was turned on, the entomologist said.