Airtasker<\/a> data, possum infestations are peaking right now, with demand for possum removal services soaring 40 per cent in August compared to previous months \u2013 and a 15 per cent year-on-year rise in September. <\/p>\nAnd while my possum-pocalypse occurred in SA, the nation\u2019s possum capital turns out to be Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Licensed Pest Technician and Tasker Ibby El-Jamal says Melbourne\u2019s Inner East is ground zero for possum chaos, with removal tasks there running at three times the national average. <\/p>\n
\u201cMelbourne\u2019s combination of possum-friendly old housing with gaps and roof cavities can make DIY removal tricky, which when breed like wildfire,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe noisy breeding and fighting is a nuisance at all hours, especially when it\u2019s dark, as they are nocturnal, and people would rather pay a pest control expert than do it themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat leads to high demand, as proven by the amount of possum removal tasks posted on Airtasker.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Supplied](\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg)
<\/p>\n
Possums are cute \u2013 until you wake up next to a dead one.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Possums making it into homes also tend to leave unwanted gifts.<\/p>\n
The Inner East is followed closely by Melbourne\u2019s Inner South, with both regions having a rate of tasks per 100,000 population 300 per cent higher than the national average. <\/p>\n
Sydney suburbs like North Sydney, Hornsby and the Northern Beaches also made the top 10 possum hotspots, but Melbourne still takes the crown, with 60 per cent more removal jobs than Sydney.<\/p>\n
So if you hear strange thuds in the night, it\u2019s probably not ghosts. It\u2019s possums. <\/p>\n
And if you\u2019ve got an enthusiastic pet like mine? Well, let\u2019s just say \u2013 consider investing in industrial-strength bed sheets.<\/p>\n
Top tips to prevent pests from taking over<\/p>\n
Focus on prevention first<\/p>\n
Block off entry points by sealing cracks, adding door sweeps to wide gaps, and even using mesh over weep holes. Simple steps like closing windows when you leave can also help keep out pests. The easiest way to deal with pests is to discourage them from getting in. Keep your home tidy, seal food properly in containers, wipe down benches regularly, and empty bins often.<\/p>\n
Act early \u2013 especially in spring leading into summer<\/p>\n
Experts say infestations spike in the warmer months as heat speeds up pest breeding cycles. With more food and water available, pests spread faster, especially in densely populated cities like Sydney. Prevention and quick action are key \u2014 deal with pests at the first sign before they multiply.<\/p>\n
Use possum repellent<\/p>\n
Deakin University data shows effective possum repellents include Tabasco Sauce, garlic, Indonesian fish sauce, and hot mustard which deter possums through two chemical senses: smell and taste.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve never been a fan of horror movies. Too much screaming, too many jump scares, and don\u2019t even…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":172054,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[64,63,128,338],"class_list":{"0":"post-172053","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-science","11":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172053"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172053\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}