Problem Solver

Small, dark-brown insects.

Oval insect with flat body that feeds on blood.

Insects with a 12-18 mm long cylindrical body, dark brown to black. Rounded wings almost cover their bodies.

German, American and Oriental species from light to dark brown (5-50 mm). Eggs are laid in capsules that hatch in two weeks. Become an adult in 6-8 weeks.

Small, flat, light brown insects that jump.

The house fly has a soft tongue hanging from its head and breeds in dung and refuse.

Silver-grey insects, up to 1.5cm long that live for 2-8 years.

Measure 4 to 5 mm in length and have coarse hairs on their bodies. They are generally carrot shaped to oval-shaped and brown to tan in colour, with white and tan stripes.

Distinctive black and yellow colouration. Narrow waist between thorax and abdomen. Very similar to the German wasp, but lacks the three distinctive dots at front of head.

Small (less than 1mm long) mites with 8 legs, very mobile. Oval in shape with a sparse covering of short hair. Semi-transparent in colour until blood has been digested when they appear reddish.

Long, thin insects with wings that make a distinctive sound.

Rodents that nibble everything to keep the length of their fast-growing front teeth under control.

Spiders have eight legs (four pairs), no wings and antennae, but vary in size, shape and colour.

Commonly referred to as ‘white ants’. Worker termites are tiny soft-bodied creatures, and whitish or creamy in colour, therefore given the nickname ‘white ants’. Soldier termites have larger armoured heads, with protruding jaws that look like pincers, which can be orange, brown, yellow or red in colour and are used to crush intruders. Swarmers are winged termites and usually swarm during daylight. Their wings are brownish grey, and front wings are larger than hind wings.

Small, red-brown in colour, and lacking any ornamentation. Although not sufficient for formal identification, it can be recognised by its red-brown, elongated body shape.

Black or brown with greyish ‘hair’ on upper bodies and wing cases, and shiny spots that resemble eyes. Only the larvae feed on the wood. Larvae take 2-3 years to mature, depending on the moisture content of the wood. Larvae usually mature in spring, and the mature adults then cut holes 6-10 mm in diameter to exit the wood. Adults are most active in summer.

Black to brownish green with a dirty white strip along the sides.

There are several different types of ants, all of which live in colonies, commonly in and around homes.

Small, soft-bodied, pear-shaped insects, usually green or black in colour.

Yellowish or brownish green with a tan or greenish-brown head mottled with darker brown. The smooth, hairless body is marked with three dark longitudinal stripes, one along each side and one down the back. A full-grown army worm is 30-35 mm long.

Medium-sized yellow beetle with black spots. Active during mid to late summer. Feeds mainly on pollen.

Soft, scaly insect with large egg sac of ribbed white wax.

Medium-sized, shiny brown, night-flying beetle.

Small to large beetle with yellow and black bands across wing covers.

Small pink insect, covered with a white waxy layer.

Dark grey moth.Larvae are pink with a brown head at maturity.

Dark grey to black in various sizes.

Dirty-grey, hairless worms.

Medium-sized flies, usually brightly coloured.

Small four-winged insects, covered in fine white powder.

Colour is usually a combination of brown, grey or green.

White or light brown termites, 10 mm long with dark brown head.

Greenish-brown caterpillar.

Larvae tunnel within the leaf tissue forming the characteristic mines, then cut a semi-circular opening in the tissue and drop to the soil to pupate.

Larvae have distinctive yellow and black bands around the body.

Green caterpillars identified by characteristic ‘looping’ of body.

Small, oval-shaped, light pink stationary insects with white waxy thread.

Thick-bodied insects about 3-5 cm long, with large beady eyes and shovel-like forelimbs highly developed for burrowing and swimming.

Similar to fruit flies.

Tiny mite with red body. A fine web on the underside of leaves typically indicates that red spider mite is present.

May occur in a variety of colours including grey, white, reddish brown or purple. It may be round or pear-shaped.

Brown or grey in color. Snails carry a shell, slugs do not. Leave shiny trails.

Caterpillars are light or dark violet to pinkish-white in colour, often with a distinctive grey tinge. On hatching, caterpillars are blackish.

Tiny, slender insects with four oar-like wings, fringed with long hair. Seldom seen with the naked eye.

Bur clover is a summer annual weed. Stems can be up to 60 cm long and tend to trail along the ground, but may grow upright. The trifoliate leaves resemble those of clover and usually have reddish-tinged mid-veins. Small, bright yellow flowers form in clusters at the end of stems. The first true leaf is rounded with a single leaflet. Later leaves have the characteristic clover like shape.

Blooms with small yellow flowers containing only five petals. Grows with multiple stems that spring out from one crown. The fruit appears a week after blooming and seeds are firm and stiff, with two sharp spines 10 mm long.

A creeping perennial that is typically about 10 cm tall, though stems can grow up to 50 cm long. The green or reddish stems are slender and hairy, and stems that trail on the ground will root at stem joints. Leaves are often purplish and are borne alternately along the stem at the end of long stalks. Leaves consist of three heart-shaped leaflets with hairy undersides. Leaves will fold down around the stem at night or when the plant is stressed. One to five bright yellow, five-petalled flowers occur in clusters at the tips of the stalks. Flowers produce elongated, lantern-shaped seedpods, which are long, green, hairy and five-angled. Each seedpod holds 10-50 seeds.

Normally perennial, forming thick mats by means of stolons and rhizomes. The leaf blade is flattened with a sharp tip, and can be hairy or glabrous (hairless).

Prostrate herb with perennial root system and annual above-ground growth. Taproot often large and woody. Stems silky hairy.

Grass-like perennial to 60cm, with a strong garlic smell. Bulbs have 10-15 mm diameter, with offset bulbs. Leaves are 2-5 cm, linear, fleshy, keeled, 20-60 cm long, with white papery sheaths. Usually die back in late spring. Flower stalk three-sided, 20-60 cm high, fleshy, soft, sheathed by leaves at base. Flowers bell-shaped, 10-15 mm long, five petalled, white with green stripe on petals

A perennial with trifoliate leaves, stems that root at the nodes, and white flowers. White clover is often planted in pasture and forage mixes, but also occurs as a weed in lawns, turf grass, landscapes, and orchards.

A showy daisy flower that is popular in gardens but tends to escape as a weed. Flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter, solitary (one per stem) and red, white, pink or purple, all with prominent yellow centres. Leaves are very fine and fern-like.

The dandelion has a thick, fleshy taproot, with many branched crowns and milky juice. Stem is very short and wholly underground, producing leaves at the ground surface. Flower heads are golden-yellow and 2.5-5 cm in diameter, with yellow ray flowers, borne on a long, hollow stalk.

Normally perennial, forming thick mats by means of stolons and rhizomes. The stems (culms) take root at the lower nodes. The leaf blade is flattened with a sharp tip, and can be hairy or glabrous (hairless). The leaf sheath is round and glabrous; the ligule has a ring of hairs or a short membrane.

Black spots with yellow borders on older leaves. Leaves turn yellow and fall off. Continue spraying weekly until the fungus is controlled. Preventative treatment is advised.

Greyish-white powdery growth on younger parts of plants. Causes stunting and shrivelling of leaves.

Red to brown raised spots, usually on undersides of leaves. Causes premature defoliation.