We are dealing with numerous rat infestations at the moment - to be expected really!  One of the things we get asked about most is why rodents eat plastic and metals - cables, pipes etc. The simple answer is they don't! 

 

Rats and mice have incisor teeth that grow throughout the lifespan of the rodent. Consequently when a rodent can find a edge which can be used to file teeth down, they knaw on it - As you can see in the picture of a bait box. Knawing on plastic such as this is fine, but when it’s a copper or plastic pipe or a live electrical cable, the seriousness of the situation changes as do the outcomes. If you think you may have rodents in your property then have a good look in the loft etc. If you would like advice as to what to do, please contact us without obligation.

Last week was bed bug crazy, Bed bug treatment in Newbury, Bedbug control in Thatcham and Bed Bug removal in Andover. As the week went on we got busier undertaking treatments - to be honest I don't know why as none of them were related cases.

Obviously the level of infestation varies with each scenario. We had to explain to a client that keeping her son out of the room for a couple of weeks will not force the bed bugs to leave or die. As she discovered the first night her son returned to the bed he was bitten heavily. Bed bugs are very hardy and can go for extended periods (weeks and months if conditions are right) without a host to feed on. They detect our presence through the Carbon Dioxide we exhale when sleeping so will be alert to a host presence pretty quickly when the lights go out.

Detecting bed bugs is relatively easily - firstly bites will be evident on necks, arms/wrists and ankles. Looking at the mattress more closely may show small blood spots or even bed bugs themselves in the edge piping. The bed frame will also be a point of cover and show spots – this is bed bug excrement. The image below shows a recently treated bed frame. If you require assistance with bed bug removal please feel free to contact us. We will aim to be with you the same day and get immediate results.

 

We recently undertook a treatment to a clients roof space to control Cluster Flies. When accessing the loft space to complete the treatment we immediately identified the presence of that old enemy, Woodworm or Furniture Beetle.

 

A fairly swift diagnosis of woodworm was achievable due to the selective presence of the wood chosen in which the female furniture Beetle had laid her eggs - the younger yellower pine timbers have been left with a preference to use the harder, older purlin timbers. The dust is creted when the adult beetle emerges from within the timber after an extended period within the timber as a larve.

After completing a full survey we removed all items from the loft, cleaned the entire internal structure and used a modern, residual Insect growth regulator. This treatment is solvent free and far more pleasant for the technician to use and allows the occupant to return to the property within 4 hours. The treatment will remain active within the timber for a number of years and will breakdown the reproductive cycle. Job Done!

In the last ten days we have received numerous calls requesting assistance with Rat control. The cold has arrived and natural sources of food are drying up, just as putting food on bird tables increases. Guess what happens.......

In West Berkshire, North Hampshire we are constantly dealing with resistance to rodent bait (L120Q or Berkshire resistance). Baits from retailers are unlikely to have any effect and hence only professional grade products are going to have any impact. This all has to be part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) scheme where in an ideal world poisons are the last resort - certainly the poisons that we use, that do work, have to be used very carefully with significant consideration to non-targeted and secondary poisoning.  Safe trapping, Proofing and Prevention are the best tools. If you have a bird table make sure any foodstuffs are cleared from the floor regulary and don't overload the bird table, little and often will be much better for the birds and keeping rodents at away....

We always welcome contact for advice and any assistance from individuals or companies relating to rat control in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, Andover. No question is a stupid question in the world of pest management. 

A happy new year to all.

Over the last for weeks we have successfully dealt with what appeared to be a moderate rat infestation in a chicken shed. Prior to our arrival the client tried to address the issue with poison purchased from a agricultural retail outlet in Newbury. The Rats swiftly went through 6.4Kilos with the problem getting worse. The bait contained a posion called Difenacoum. 

Point of frustration here. The poison available from retail outlets within Hampshire and Berkshire is highly unlikely to scratch an infestation due to immunity. It has long been identified that there resistance to poisons within the local area yet non effective poisons continue to be sold at a significant price tag.  The problem is so severe that even professional poison concentrations will not work.

It was reported in Summer 2010 by the University of Reading that nearly 100% rats from west Berkshire demonstrated poison resistance. There are are only two poisons available that are known to be effective. They (Brodifacoum & Flocoumafen) are of such a strength that they can only be used inside premises by professionally trained individuals. 

We appreciate that it may sound as though we are trying to drum up business, but please don't waste your money on poison from consumer outlets, you are only likely to feed the problem. Please call us, obligation free for best advise on what to do to if you do have a Rat infestation in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford or the surrounding area - 01635 250 852

Everything we do is client focussed. Any business that does not bend over backwards for their clients needs to rethink the game plan - particularly in the current economic environment. After 20 years of operating as a local business we still continue to strive to better our service delivery. Having said all that, its not often we get the opportunity to demonstrate the lengths we go to.

Having recently and successfully dealt with the rats in a client loft space, it was not until after we had completed our service that the client advised he had previously had two larger pest control companies in, who did nothing more than put their heads up through his loft hatch and advise that they couldn't work in such a confined space. Evidently the problem did not get resolved as the poison needed to be placed at the point of consumption. This involved working our way through a very dark and dirty roof space, and manouvering past a very tight chimney breast. Yes, it required a bit of effort and no it wasn't pleasant. But its what had to be done to get the job done properly. The picture below shows the area available to our kit, poison buckets and a lardy technician. Not bad for a big lad eh!

When it turns cold rodents feel it as well as us. The fields and parks are no longer providing a source of food or protection and so vermin will seek what we refer to as harbourage. In simple terms warmer, dry cover. In a case we dealt with today that cover happened to be the roof of a thatched cottage and boy, haven't they set up home. You can see from the damage done to the thatch that it is not only the infestation that has to be removed but the cost of getting the thatch repaired will be significant. 

Like a fire, rodents need three key elements to survive - Food, water, shelter. If you take one away, the population will naturally reduce. Make sure, if you have an older property that climbing plants and vegatation is not providing a means for vermin to enter your roof space. 

Every week we have many people say to us how interesting our jobs are. And they are right. The interpretation that pest controllers are old men who carry the title of 'The Rat man' couldn't be further from reality. Whilst the pest control industry is not regulated as much as it should be (to remove the cowboys who turn up, shower a bit of poison or insecticide around and disappear) there are a lot of us that know a fair amount about the habits, characteristics, biology and ecosystem of the insects and vermin we are catching. In conjunction with every situation being different and needing to be alert to the consequences of our actions (which yes, can be fatal) there are some real moments of life not being too bad. Whilst on a client site mole trapping today I had the pleasure of being in an idillic environment - clear blue skies, mist rolling over the hills, not a sound in the air, it crossed my mind that as well as having a varied and interesting role, my office is pretty decent too - here's a picture. Its a hard life....

When passing through Yattendon from one our commercial clients I noticed the Christmas Tree Harvest has begun! I didn't think festive season was that close but apparently it is.... So for all those doubters amougst you I stopped and grabbed a picture - not going win any prizes I know but at least it may prompt you into starting to think about the mad season...

On that note many businesses and households will stock additional produce to cover demand up to and over the seasonal period. Rodents are hungry at this time of year and will seize on anything that wouldn't normally be accessible - that includes rubbish as well as fresh produce. Bear this in mind and get valuable stock stored properly and get rubbish disposed of. Of most importance don't let organic debris build up around buildings.

Consider the following if you think you have an infestation of bed bugs. Have you or an occupant recently stayed away from home or had guests staying? Beds bugs are good travellers well adapt at surviving long haul flights.
Recently bought used furniture into the property? Got Itchy bites, likely to be red (not always) on exposed skin evident after sleeping at night? (Bed bugs are nocturnal and bites may appear on pets too)

• Seen very small red spots around the edges and underside of mattresses, joints in beds frames, skirting boards, sockets and general cracks and crevices?
• Identified small brown, oval insects within the mattress/sheets up to 6mm long? 
• Bedbugs are not easily rid and are even known to be resistant to certain professional insecticides.  Treatment to control bed bugs is only successful when access to concealed 'nests' is gained.

In worst cases 2-3 insecticide treatments may be required to achieve complete removal. Bedding and mattresses should ideally be removed and disposed. Contact us on 01635 250 852 for a discreet and obligation free chat.