Notices
Keeping rodents away or under control
1. No feeding of birds. Seeds attract house rats and mice
2. Waste and food stuff in sealed bins.
3. Clean up around fruit trees all fallen fruit to be removed.
4. Don’t put vegetable or fruit matter in compost heaps. If you have a compost
9
heap keep it out in the open.
5. In the house all food particularly grain and dog food in sealed containers.
Don’t clutter move stuff around weekly.
6. Make sure your dog or cat eats all its food don’t overfeed.
7. Seal all potential access points to your house with wire mesh.
8. Don’t allow trees to grow up against the roof or house as house rats use this to
access your roof.
9. No ivy this attracts snails and enables rats to climb to your roof. Rats eat
snails.
10. Keep the direct area around your house open not overgrown. This enables
predators to hunt any rats as they try to access your house.
11. Molyslip produces a non-toxic spray called Marder Spray in tests I conduct-
ed it repels rodents well indoors.
12. Traps do work they need patience. A good bait is chicken bones. Wire walk-
in traps are very good.
13. A rodent problem is a failure in sanitation yours normally!
Invasive plants
The canary bird bush (Crotalaria agatiflora) also called umthi wentaka in
isiXhosa is an invasive evergreen shrub characterised by flowers that look
like a family of canaries perching on a branch. This plant is indigenous to
Tanzania and Kenya and was introduced to South Africa as an ornamental.
Invasive populations of the canary bird bush have been found along
watercourses, roadsides, and
disturbed areas in the Gauteng,
Limpopo, North West and
Mpumalanga provinces, where
its spread poses a threat to bio-
diversity. The canary bird bush
is listed as Category 1a under
NEM: BA, meaning that this
species requires compulsory
control. Its flowering time is January-December.