Bill Frame

Hi About to come out to North Perth such as ocean reef;Connolly areas, have read about the above on various web sites but can any-one tell me what the problems are really like, are you really covered in mossy bites and full of flies with snakes slithering around all day, lol, or is it more of a case of getting used to the pests,
thanks
Bill

Japonica

I'm SOR in Perth, so can't speak to the local area.

Flies are usually only really terrible from mid-Nov until about the end of January...they start to die off after that...

Mozzies...I've never noticed them to be too bad...evenings sure...wear repellant if it's a problem.

Snakes...I've only seen one in ~18 months...it was dead and lying at the entrance to the bush reserve (hit by a car most likely).

You didn't mention spiders...ha...there's quite a few. Some people get the house sprayed if that's an issue.

Dorothy

First, Ocean Reef and Connolly are not North Perth. They are suburbs all their own in the City of Joondalup which is about 25 km from Perth.

As for snakes and mosquitoes and flies, yes we have those here. Mosquitoes like stagnant water, so if you have a pond or live near a lake or swamp they will be more prevelant than if you don't. Flies are a problem for a couple of weeks in the spring then they seem to get fewer as summer goes on. Snakes? In 4.5 years in Australia the only snake I've seen is one that was obviously run over by a car beside a nature preserve near Scarborough.

Bill Frame

Hi Thanks for the reply, as far as i was aware they are north of Perth along the coast areas,didnt realilse it was a touchy subject

HelenTD

There is a suburb called North Perth (there is also South Perth), so it gets a bit confusing if you use North Perth when you mean northern suburbs.

Most people would not see a snake over the year, but they are here. We last saw one last February in Perth, on the beach (we also saw an adder on the beach in Dorset in June). You have to be aware of where and when they are likely to be active and steer clear.

I hate flies, but they are only likely to be a nuisance outdoors as houses have fly screens. You soon learn to get in and out of the house quickly and close the flyscreen doors to stop them coming in. We find them a problem all summer, but they are really pesky when they first hatch in about November.

Mossies both me all year and I get bitten during the day in areas where there is water, eg by river or park near a lake, but if there was only one mossie in WA it would find me. There are mossie repellants you can use.

As others have said, spiders are also an issue, and you quickly learn to recognise redbacks, which you are more likely to encounter outside, so you carefully check outdoor toys, seats, under logs, bricks, etc. and destroy.

You can have your house treated, inside or out, but with small children about, some wouldn't want the chemicals used.

mvagusta

Hi Bill, I've been twice to Perth south of the river. Once in oz winter and recently in the summer.

In winter I never noticed anything although it's the equivlent to a good Scottish summer.

The oz summer is very warm (38c on Christmas day). The flies are not like Uk flies and they constantly land on you. It can get a bit annoying to say the least.

If you can get some of this as they don't like it. Lifesystems Expedition PLUS 100+ 100ml Spray.

I've never seen a snake and I've been in a few places where you would expect to see them. That also goes for Mosquitoes.

There are a few spiders about although they tend to be outside.

James

Alfresco

Very touchy.

Dorothy

Not a touchy subject however if you plan to live here you should probably know the difference. It would be like me saying I am moving to London when in fact I'm moving to Staines. They're 2 different cities, although in fairly close proximity to each other.

freebo

Found this on our patio, this morning and photo'd it for FB friends back in the UK, biggest damn fly I ever saw I put the USB stick there for scale. Also - it wasn't dead, as I found out when I moved it

Alfresco

That's massive!

Great pic.

freebo

Never saw it airborne but it was twitching, now its gone

Does anyone know what species it is, I lived in QLD for about 5 years in the 90's don't remember ever seeing a fly that size!

HelenTD

BE's junior entomologist says it's a cicada http://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/2...apache-cicada/

freebo

Thanks, that would be it, hear them all the time (like now) but never saw one before.

HelenTD

The noise can be quite irritating if one gets inside the house. Alternatively, you can think of it as part of the sounds of summer in Perth.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Yep, its a cicada, and I've seen them bigger and uglier than that one.