Pest Control in Fordingbridge

Fordingbridge is a small town on the western edge of the New Forest, straddling the River Avon where the medieval bridge still carries traffic across the water. The town has a peaceful feel with its riverside walks, the old church and the cluster of period buildings around the High Street. The Avon is a powerful draw for rats. The river here is wide and slow, with overhanging trees and thick bankside vegetation that give rats everything they need. From the river, rats move into the gardens and buildings that back onto the water and the older properties in the centre of town with their stone foundations and cellar spaces are easy targets. We handle rat control in Fordingbridge throughout the year and the river is a factor in a large proportion of the jobs we do here.

The housing in Fordingbridge is a real mix. The old centre has listed buildings and cottages going back several centuries, while the estates on the edges of town at Whitsbury Road and Pennys Lane are more modern. The proximity to the New Forest means that the countryside is never far away and field mice are a constant presence on the edge of town. The older buildings in the centre are where we see the most mouse problems in Fordingbridge, simply because the building materials and construction methods of those earlier periods leave more openings for mice to get through.

The New Forest setting brings other pest considerations too. Squirrels from the forest edge can reach the houses nearest to the treeline and the mix of open heath and woodland supports large numbers of wasps during the summer months. Wasp nest removal in Fordingbridge keeps us busy from June onwards. The old outbuildings, garages and sheds that come with the larger properties in and around the town are frequent nesting sites and the heathland soils on the forest side of town are ideal for ground-nesting species. Fordingbridge is a lovely spot, but its riverside location and forest-edge position keep pest control a regular need.