Ever wondered what those small dark blobs are sitting on the kitchen bench near the staff tea & coffee supplies? Good chance they aren’t coffee granules that have missed the cup but are more likely droppings from your friendly office Asian House Gecko Hemidactylus frenatus   (not to be confused with the native variety)

Most of us would have seen these lovely little creatures around home and at work, defying gravity and scurrying across walls ceilings, normally with a mouth full of moth spider or some other creepy crawly. Yes the 6 -8 legged insect population has taken a hammering around home and work in recent years as the Asian Gecko numbers have exploded but before you get too excited about the lack of bugs and the great job this little creature is doing, there is a dark side to this ‘Doe eyed’ reptile that you should be aware of.

The Gecko Facts (Acording to the Qld DPI)

• They are an invader having stowed away on shipping arriving at Australian ports.
• They have thrived in our sub tropical climate
• They are a threat to local native species as they are aggressive and very territorial
• They are a potential health risk as they carry a number of parasites & mites on their feet  including that can lead to the transfer of round & threadworm.
• Those droppings we mentioned above are also known to harbour Salmonella bacteria
• They are also very fond of warm places and have become the mortal enemy of the printed circuit board. Just ask anyone who has had their expensive split system, air conditioning system destroyed by one of these small lizards running across expensive circuitry.
• From the perspective of cleaning, they make a big mess and I have already pointed out the potential health risks. Having a Gecko problem inside your building is akin to having a problem with Pigeons roosting outside, the end result…..a mess that regularly needs to be cleaned and adds to the cost of maintaining your facility.

Help is at hand though as there are a number of remedies available that have been designed to get rid of these pests

Remedies Available Include

• Cost effective and humane trapping devices
• Slip & slide treatments that effectively prevent Geckos from getting any grip when moving around walls and other surfaces
• Repellents that are designed to ensure they move out or away from areas where you definitely don’t want them.

Happy hunting.