Australians are not the only inhabitants of this great country who look forward to the warmer temperature of spring. Once the chill of winter disappears, all sorts of pests emerge from the bowels of your home as they look to find a mate and expand their population. As a first-time homeowner, you may be unaware that seasonal pest management is your best line of defence in keeping these creatures at bay. So, here are two particular pests who are likely about to make their presence known, and ideas on how you can keep their population from expanding.

Rodents

If you head into the dark spaces of your home, such as your garage, your wall cavities and the roof space, you will likely find evidence that mice and rats have been hanging out, keeping warm during the cold days of winter. However, once spring arrives, vegetation starts to grow again, which provides plentiful food for rodents. It is during this time that rodent breeding occurs faster than any other time of the year. Here are two pest control tips for rodents. First, you need to trap and remove the ones living in your home, and second, you need to block up any holes where they are gaining access so that they don't come back. Rodent bait is another way to kill families of rats, but it is advised that you leave rodent baiting to a professional pest control technician. They know how to make sure the bait is in the right spot to kill the rodents and that there's little chance of your family pet or child coming into contact with the poison.

Termites

During spring, termites start flying around looking for a mate so they can grow their colony. If you see a large pile of discarded small, white wings, then there is a colony of termites close by and they are looking to invade your home. Ways that you can fight back against termites and make your home less desirable include the following:

• moving any loose wood such as fire log piles well away from the home
• removing any dead, decaying trees from your property
• having a pest control company spray your home and property

Now is the time to call your pest control company and put a pest management plan into place before the pests at your home decide to make themselves known. A proactive approach is your major line of defence to encourage these pests to go elsewhere.