Pest Control - additional information

Bees, Wasps, Rats, Fleas, Ants, Bed Bugs, Cockroaches, Pigeons and Mice

Wasps
 

Wasps are one of the most disliked groups of insects but fear is misplaced as wasps rarely sting unless they are aroused or frightened. They are beneficial in Spring and early Summer when they feed their grubs mainly on insects.

From midsummer onwards the worker wasps feed on ripening fruits. In late Autumn flies and other protein foods are collected for feeding the last brood.

Description

Wasps have a narrow waist in the middle of the body. The needle-like sting possessed only by females is concealed near the tip of the abdomen. Workers or queens are produced according to the diet of the grubs. Workers are smaller than queens and never lay fertilised eggs. Male wasps which are also smaller than queens develop from unfertilised eggs laid by queens or workers.

There are two main species of wasps in Great Britain. The common wasp and the German wasp both of which nest underground and cavities in trees, walls and roof voids.

Life Cycle

In Spring the queens leave their hibernating places and seek nesting sites. Having selected a site, the queen starts to build her nest with a papery material that she makes by chewing small pieces of wood mixed with saliva. The nest contains cells in which eggs are placed, when the grubs hatch the queen feeds them until they are ready to hatch as wasps.

By July there are enough adult workers to take over duties of building the nest and feeding the grubs. Nest building continues until the colony may consist of many thousands of workers.

During mid and late Summer, males and young queens are produced, the fertilised young queens fly off to hibernate in dry protected places such as roof voids. Males and workers continue to be active until late Autumn when the nest eventually becomes unused and is rarely used the next year.

Wasp Stings
The pain of a wasp sting is caused by a toxic fluid which is injected through the needle like sting as it penetrates the victim’s skin. Individuals react differently, some hardly affected, others suffer considerable pain and swelling.

Control Measures
Before the nest gets to the size of a tennis ball, it is possible for most people to deal with it themselves using a wasp spray. Once above this size, destruction of the nest normally requires specialist treatment.

Rats
 

Why have I got rats?
Probably not because you are particularly dirty. Rats are increasing in numbers year by year and it is quite likely that anyone could experience problems in their gardens. Rats need food, water and a harbourage (a living area); if any of these are missing you should not have a problem with them. However, as rats tend to wander over a wide area, only one of these elements may actually be on your premises, with the others being in neighbouring properties. So to prevent rat infestations, you and your neighbours all have a part to play.

Do rats pose a risk to my health?
Rats can be a health hazard because they may carry diseases that can be passed on to people and domestic animals through food or food surfaces that they contaminate. Diseases such as ‘Weils disease’ can enter the body through open wounds, so if you are working in an area where rats may have been, cover all wounds with a waterproof plaster, wear gloves or wash your hands regularly. Any surfaces that rats may have been in contact with should be disinfected. Any contaminated food produce should be thrown away.

What damage are rats likely to cause?
The two front teeth (incisors) of rats grow continually and they must chew things to keep them short. They can damage property by making holes in and shredding a variety of materials. Serious damage such as floods and fires can occur if they gnaw on plastic\lead water pipes or electrical wiring.

Where do rats live?
The most common places to find rats in a garden are, under sheds, in woodpiles and in compost heaps, all of which give rats safe refuge. The drainage system is also ideal because of all the food scraps that are washed away as waste along with an abundant supply of water.

What do rats eat?
Rats are omnivores so both vegetable and meat products are edible but the most common food sources within our environment are rubbish bags left outside containing waste foodstuffs/packaging, food left out for the birds and waste food scraps on compost heaps. A good rule is not to let rubbish build up and to dispose of food waste in a closed container that is regularly emptied.

Is there anything I can do to prevent rats?
Rats are able to enter buildings in a variety of ways. They often enter through broken airbricks and gaps around pipes or cables as they pass through walls. It is important to inspect the outside of your buildings for possible entry points. These may be surprisingly small.
Rats often live in garden sheds and over the winter months can cause considerable damage to anything stored there, as they tend to go unnoticed only coming out to feed at night.

If you feed the birds, feed them around mid-morning to ensure that all the food has gone by the evening, or use a bird table. Plastic compost bins should be placed onto a layer of garden wire mesh, which will stop rats from tunnelling into them from underneath. A build up of stored packaging materials such as polystyrene and cardboard provides rats with a nice dry harbourage and should be inspected or moved regularly. If sheds are raised up off the ground to allow cats or other natural predators access underneath, it will deter rats from living there.

What can the Council do to help?
One of our pest control officers can visit your home and treat the problem. It is important that rats are kept under control so, if you are aware of an infestation in your area, please telephone us and we will investigate it.

We can also advise you on preventative measures and give advice over the telephone.

What action can I take myself?
Traps can be used but care must be taken on the placement, as birds, hedgehogs and other non-target animals can easily get caught. Poisoned bait can be purchased from most garden centres and some DIY stores. This has to be used according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the packet or container. Always make sure that any poisoned bait is protected from non-target animals.

Once rats have entered your premises they very rarely leave of their own accord so you will have to either call a pest control company or treat them yourself to help prevent any damage being done to your home and possibly to your health.

Fleas
 

Description

Adult fleas live exclusively as parasites of warm blooded animals, like cats, dogs and humans.

They will feed on a host which is not their first choice where circumstances dictate, most commonly cat or dog fleas can feed on humans. Cat fleas are responsible for 75% of flea infestation.

Life Cycle
The flea eggs 0.5 mm long are laid pearly white, oval and slightly sticky generally on the hair, bedding or clothing of the host. The threadlike larvae (1.5 mm) hatch in approximately a week and thrive in dark humid places. After 2-3 weeks and two moults they grow to 5mm long and spin their cocoons for pupation. Fleas formed in cocoons may ‘overwinter’ at this stage but otherwise emerge by the stimulation of vibration, usually of the host. This is why attacks sometimes take place when a premise has been left empty eg when a house is for sale, or the host returns from holiday! In favourable conditions the life cycle is normally completed in 4 weeks.

Control Measures
In most cases infestations can be traced to pets and control measures for the pet are therefore of prime importance. Detailed advice on pets should be sought from veterinary practitioners.

Control measures will include both hygiene management of the premises and insecticidal control. Regular and specific cleaning is vital, particularly of bedding, carpets, cracks and cervices. Insecticidal control can be used to treat infested premises and flea specific insecticides can be obtained from pet shops, garden centres and hardware stores. If insecticides are used you should follow the instructions carefully.

Treatment Advice
One of the most important things to understand when any treatment is carried out for fleas is the life cycle.

Here are some facts about fleas:-

• One flea can lay up to 25 eggs per day
• Fleas develop from egg to larvae to pupae to adult in 18-26 days (depending on temperature).
• Fleas can only lay eggs after taking blood from the host animal.
   
• Animal grooming – combing the pet with a comb will help to destroy eggs.
• Vacuuming the carpets and furniture will pick up eggs.
• Cleaning the area where the pet’s favourite sleeping place is.
   

The floors of your property will be covered by a layer of insecticide which is odourless and invisible. It has a very good residual effect which means that it will continue to work for some time if left undisturbed. Adult fleas will be killed within a few days but the floor should not be vacuumed, swept or washed if possible for one week after treatment because there will still be eggs which will continue to hatch.

As the eggs hatch and develop, you might find fleas reappearing 7-10 days after treatment. This is quite normal and provided the insecticide remains in place, it will kill them. This is why it is important not to carry out cleaning which might remove insecticide.

If you have a cat or dog at the premises, it should also be treated for fleas without delay using a veterinary recommended treatment. If you require further information on this, please consult your vet.

Causes of re-infestation

• Vacuuming before one week period.
• Bringing more fleas from other premises.
• Not treating your pet or not following the product’s instructions.
• If you still have fleas after a 10-14 day period, please contact us and we will arrange for a Pest Control Officer to investigate further.

If you still have fleas after a 10-14 day period, please contact us and we will arrange for a Pest Control Officer to investigate further.

Ants
 

Description
There are many species of ant, the commonest of which is the Black Garden Ant. A smaller species – Pharaoh’s Ant – occasionally nests in warm situations, usually kitchens, but the Garden Ant is most commonly found in houses, foraging for food. These ants nest in the soil, under paving stones or in the footings of walls where the nest entrance may be distinguished by small piles of fine earth which have been brought out.Though most varieties of ants are able to sting they seldom do so.

Apart from their general nuisance value in houses, they call attention to themselves in particular by their swarming mating flight on a hot sunny afternoon in July or August when they may be seen in vast numbers simultaneously about the district.

Control Measures
If it is possible to find the nest, pouring boiling water into the entrance hole could destroy it.

Using insecticidal powder into the entrance can sometimes control small infestations.

Insecticidal powder applied in a strip along the outside walls, can also provide a barrier. One of the most effective and the least unsightly methods of control is by applying small quantities of specific poison bait, obtainable from any chemists, in selected areas where the ants may carry this back to the nest.

The colonies finally die out but others may appear in time and the exercise may have to be repeated. Large infestations may require a combination of these methods. If insecticides are used you should follow the instructions carefully.

Bed Bugs

Life-Cycle
Bed bugs are round flat insects of a rich reddish brown colour that cannot fly. They must either crawl or be passively transported in clothing, luggage and furniture etc.

The female bed bug lays her eggs in cracks and crevices in the vicinity of the host, the eggs are covered with glue that cements them firmly in position. Bed bugs go through five nymphal stages where at each stage they require a full meal of blood before it proceeds to the next stage. In temperate climates bed bugs reach their peak numbers towards early autumn. They do not carry disease but their blood feeding can cause severe irritation in some people, resulting in loss of sleep, lack of energy and listlessness, particularly in children.

Treatment
The treatment involves the property being sprayed or dusted with a broad-spectrum residual insecticide.

Infestation can be due to poor housing conditions or brought in on luggage/old furniture.

If we are to carry out a treatment please clear the floor as much as possible, vacuum up before we visit, empty the vacuum cleaner outside and place the contents in a bin-bag, seal and put outside (preferably in a bin). Linen will need to be washed in hot water, beds stripped and any accumulated rubbish removed. You must not vacuum for 2 weeks afterwards. Tenants can remain in the house but cannot touch treated areas until dry, so pets and children must be kept out of contact with wet treated areas.

Advise that all fish tanks must be switched off and covered during treatment, which should take approx 2-3 hours. Occupiers and pets should not be present during fogging and will need to leave the property for 3-4 hours.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches can contaminate food with their excrement, give out an unpleasant odour, and many people can get allergic skin reactions to them. For these reasons they need to be effectively controlled.

Cockroaches are large robust insects with whip like antennae and two pairs of wings. The most common species found in the UK are the Oriental and German cockroaches. They can gather together in large numbers if left unchecked.

Cockroaches like the warm, humid conditions found in a typical home. Domestic conditions also give them a good source of food as well as shelter. They are nocturnal, spending the day in such areas as sinks, drains, the back of cupboards and around fridge motors.

Oriental cockroaches are often found in cooler and less humid areas such as drains and basements. They thrive in buildings with service ducts and complex plumbing.

Life Cycle
Oriental Cockroach
The female her eggs in a capsule containing up to 16 eggs and carries it to an area where the young can find food. The eggs hatch into small versions of the adults, or nymphs, after six to twelve weeks. The nymphs, which resemble the adults except for lack of wings, take between ten months and two years to grow to adulthood. Adults live for about 18 weeks.

German Cockroach
The egg capsules of German cockroaches contain up to 32 eggs. The female carries the egg case for some time and drops it when the eggs are close to hatching. The nymphs take approximately 14 weeks to grow into adults and can live for approximately 34 weeks.

Control
High standards of hygiene can stop cockroaches from getting food while sealing cracks and crevices, especially in areas where food is prepared, can deny the insects shelter. If you live in a block, treatment needs carrying out on a block basis.

You can treat cockroaches yourself using cockroach killing insecticide, applying it to areas where cockroaches shelter such as cracks, and around refrigerators and washing machines. You must follow the instructions on the product label.

Pigeon

The best way to control feral pigeons is to reduce their food supply. You should avoid unintentionally feeding the feral pigeons while intending to feed the small garden birds. This can be achieved, without encouraging feral pigeons, by putting all food in feeders or on a bird table adapted to prevent them access. Food for ground feeding birds should be put under a cage with a three-inch mesh size, which will only let in the small garden birds.

Origins of feral pigeons
Feral pigeons are intelligent and adaptable birds descended from wild rock doves. While rock dove populations have decreased in many areas, feral pigeons have increased, particularly in urban areas.

Rock doves were first domesticated in Mesopotamia in 4500 BC and are believed to have been introduced to Britain by the Romans. Dovecotes provided winter food (both the eggs and young birds were eaten), the droppings were used as fertiliser and the birds were also important as message carriers. Homing pigeons played an important role in both World Wars.

Today many varieties of domestic pigeons are bred for racing, appearance or behaviour. The 'fancy' birds cannot survive long in the wild. Feral flocks made up mainly of escaped dovecote birds and racing pigeons are found throughout the world. In towns and cities many people enjoy feeding and watching them: this unfortunately encourages them to breed all year round and they can become a nuisance.

Behaviour
Feral pigeons form large flocks that roost on buildings, on ledges, sills and sloping roofs and under bridges. They prefer to eat grain and seeds, sometimes damaging flowers and leaves in gardens, but have adapted to become efficient scavengers – on rubbish tips, in the streets and at railway stations, and even on the mud of tidal rivers and the seashore. They will take food from birdtables and eat household scraps. In cities, they eat such quantities of white bread, cakes and buns that they often suffer from Vitamin B and calcium deficiency. They tend to feed where drinking water is readily available, and often feed at night in areas with artificial lighting.

Feral pigeons nest on ledges, roofs and in holes on buildings, bridges, piers, columns, and even cranes. If they can find an entrance they will nest in lofts. Pairs may stay together for life. They normally lay two eggs, (one per day), which are incubated by both parents for 17-18 days. The young birds, or 'squabs', are then fed on 'pigeons milk'. This is produced in the crops of both parents and is regurgitated to feed the young birds. It is rich in vitamin A, has 60% protein and 40% fat but no carbohydrate. After four or five days partially digested grains are also given to the young. At about 35 days, young birds leave the nest and follow the male to regular feeding sites. The female may have already started a second brood.
Like rock doves, feral pigeons can breed all year round if there is a good food supply. Rock doves have two peaks in their breeding season, from April-June and August-September. Only a quarter of the population will breed in the winter. Feral pigeons may raise between three and six broods a year, and young birds may begin breeding when six months old. It is easy to see why their numbers increase so rapidly.

Pigeon problems
Damage: pigeon droppings are acidic and cause damage to buildings and machinery, and also to lawns and shrubberies. Nest material, droppings and feathers can clog drains and air vents.

Public health: pigeons carry many diseases, some of which can be transmitted to humans if droppings contaminate food stores, bakeries or canteens. They also carry a mite which causes skin disease, and feather dust can cause allergic alveolitis or 'pigeon fancier's lung'.

Feral pigeon flocks can harbour Newcastle disease which can be passed to domestic poultry if their feed is contaminated by droppings.

Accidents: droppings fouling pavements can make them slippery and dangerous. In cities pigeons can startle motorists and may be responsible for some traffic accidents.

Large numbers can drive small birds away from feeding areas, and may reduce their populations.

Controlling factors
Feral pigeons have few natural predators. They are occasionally taken by cats or run over by cars.

Crows, magpies and large gulls may take young birds or rob nests. The main influences on their numbers are the availability of food and, to a lesser extent, nest sites. The best way to control pigeons is to reduce the food supply by persuading people to stop feeding them so that the large flocks disperse, and to put rubbish in secure bins so they can't scavenge. Reducing access to nest sites will also help to limit the population.

Deterrents
'Pigeon proofing': tightly stretched polypropylene or galvanised wire netting is often used on railway arches and bridges to stop pigeons nesting. However, if the netting is loose or deteriorating, birds can get in and become trapped. On buildings, a less visible method is to fit rows of spikes, boards sloping at 45 degrees, or sprung and tensioned stainless steel wires across ledges and window sills. Please contact the RSPB if you would like more information on pigeon proofing.

In warehouses, stores and canteens, rapid roll doors or curtains of heavy duty plastic or rubberoid strips will let pedestrians and fork-lifts in but keep the pigeons out. Air blowers, blowing outward, also deter birds. Pest control firms can advise. Please take care not to displace birds like swifts or house martins, as they are fully protected. Please contact the RSPB if you would like further information.

Smell deterrents, high frequency sound, and model birds of prey have very little effect on pigeons. Some local authorities use falconers' birds to deter town centre flocks.

Some pest control firms use a gel composed of urea/formaldehyde and epoxy resins, which is applied in a strip along sills and ledges. The soft strip yields under the weight of the birds and makes them feel unstable. However some of these products solidify and need to be renewed regularly. Others break up under extreme weather conditions, allowing the liquid centre to ooze out and stick to birds' feet and feathers, as well as defacing masonry. The RSPB does not recommend these products.

Legal control methods
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 feral pigeons may be killed or taken by authorised persons, using techniques that are not prohibited by the Act, to prevent serious damage to agriculture, to preserve public health/air safety, or to conserve other wild birds.
However, it is an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 intentionally to kill a racing pigeon.

Local authorities have the power to take action against pigeons.

Three methods are used.

Traps baited with food are the most effective. These must be emptied regularly and the birds humanely destroyed. Every flock in the infested area must be tackled at the same time. If this is done, 70% of the birds can be caught.

Pest control companies, service companies and local authorities can obtain a licence from MAFF to use grain treated with alphachloralose, which stupefies the birds so that they can be caught and humanely destroyed. Great care must be taken to prevent harm to other birds and animals.

Shooting, outside working hours, may be a last resort. All of these control methods are expensive and will only have any long-term effect if food and nest sites are also limited.
If this is not possible it may be better to accept the problem and spend money on regular cleaning of buildings and streets.

Mice

Description
An adult house mouse usually weighs about 1oz or 25gm. The colour of its fur is usually brown on its body and grey on its under parts. The ears are large in relation to its body, whilst the tail is the same length as the head and body combined.

Distribution
The house mouse appears to have originated in Central Asia. In this country it is found in a wide range of urban and rural buildings. Although mainly a house dweller it may live outdoors for part or all of the year.

If it gains entry into the house it may be found in kitchen cupboards, under floors, in roof spaces, in pipe or cable ducting or in airing cupboards. Mice are most active at night.

Life Cycle
Mice breed efficiently and a female mouse of eight to twelve weeks old can produce five to ten litters of young a year, with a litter size on average of five to six young.

If conditions are favourable for the survival of the young the female can conceive again soon after the litter is born.

The young are born blind and helpless but by fourteen days old they are covered in fur, the eyes are open and the incisor teeth are showing.
Mice generally live for less than one year and only a very small percent will live to a year or longer.

Mice can be hazardous to health. They are responsible for the spread of many diseases. They will also contaminate food with urine, droppings and fur. They can also cause considerable damage by gnawing at woodwork, water pipes, electric cables and household items.

Control Methods
If you think you have a mouse problem then you will need professional help in controlling the infestation. The first indications of a problem are scuffling noises, live sightings and droppings (small spindle shaped up to ¼" long), gnawed foods and musky smells. Nesting materials can also sometimes be seen.

Mice can be particularly difficult to control because of the rate at which they breed.

However the following simple rules may help to minimise the risk of an infestation:-

• Do not leave any excess food waste outside overnight.
• Make sure food preparation areas and work surfaces are thoroughly cleaned.
• Place all household rubbish in the dustbin, keep the lid shut.
• Ensure any holes around waste pipes, under doors or in air vents are less than 6mm.

Advice
The Council offers free investigation into mouse infestations inside occupied domestic homes. Where appropriate, rodenticides may be used to control the problem. If the problem with mice is in an outbuilding or garage attached to the house advice will be offered but treatment may not be carried out as simple proofing methods will often control the infestation. For further information you should contact the Fylde Borough Council Pest Control section.

The Council does not however offer treatment for mice infestations outside and that includes detached garages, out buildings and sheds. Telephone advice will be offered on common proofing issues.

Safety
All rodenticides are applied by qualified staff and are placed to ensure the safety of the public and the environment.

If you intend to carry out your own treatment read the label of the rodenticide container before you buy it to ensure it is suitable for mice.
Always follow the manufacturers instructions carefully when putting out rodenticides. They should not be accessible by other animals, birds or children. They should also be placed so that they do not cause damage to the environment.

Bees

We cannot treat bees as they are a protected species;

Please contact either:

Clare Cantrell
63 Heyhouses Lane
Telephone 01253 720946

Mr Craig Hughes
Keeps Barn Farm
Crossmoor
PR4 3XB
Telephone 01995 672582
Mobile 07976 636683