Posts Tagged ‘pest control news’

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Bedbugs Heading Towards Global Pandemic Level

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

There’s good news and there’s bad news.  The bad news is that bed bug numbers are increasing all over the world, including the UK.  The good news is that they are not dangerous.  Well, there is a possibility of an allergic reaction, but usually they just cause itching.  That is, if you ignore the fear and anxiety they create.

If you have a bedbug problem, call in the professionals

If you have a bedbug problem, call in the professionals

The idea of little tiny bugs living in your bed and then coming out and biting you and sucking your blood in the middle of the night puts some people on edge.  Quite understandably, actually.  Some people won’t sleep in a bed with bedbugs.  So they can cause quite a few problems mentally if not so much physically.  In the last posting we reported on the campaign to appreciate wasps more, and perhaps one solution here is to learn to love bedbugs.  Perhaps not to the extent that you do not try to get rid of them, but just so that, if they do happen to bite you, you allow them to have your blood freely.

This might seem silly to some people though, perhaps even sillier than a bed-bug-sniffing dog.  And yet that is exactly what certain hotels in the UK have been using to find bed bug infestations in their rooms fast.  This is actually quite important because hotels are where a lot of the bed bug problems spread from.  Bedbugs do not only live in beds, they also stow themselves away in luggage, clothes, any sort of nook or cranny.  People travelling then carry bed bugs with them, leaving them at new hotels for other people to pick up.  It only takes the dog three minutes to check a room, but if he finds anything he doesn’t kill the bugs himself, he just paws at the area for someone else to come and get rid of them.

Even if you do have a bed bug sniffing dog then, you are still going to need pest control specialists to come in and get rid of the infestation.  This goes for private individuals as well as commercial companies.  As stated, bed bugs can live just about anywhere during the day – they’re not too small to see as some people think – they’re just good hiders.  Pest control technicians will use chemicals to get rid of the infestation, but this is one of the other problems which it is thought has led to a rise in bed bugs, an increasing resistance to the chemicals used.

Whatever the cause, there is no quick solution to the potential pandemic around the corner.  According to one study, between the years 2000 and 2006 the number of calls to pest control companies to eliminate bed bugs rose, on average, nearly 29% every hear, which means that over that six year period the number of calls had nearly tripled.  And they continue to increase at about the same rate.

To make sure that it does not continue to spread, it is important to get rid of the problem quickly so that you are not inadvertently carrying them around with you.  So if you have a bed bug problem, call an expert in pest control to take care of it immediately.

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Stop Worrying and Love the Wasp!

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

When it comes to pest control, many people see wasps as one of the most frightening of pests, after all others might be a nuisance or unhygienic, but wasps can actually hurt!  That is why the conservationist agency, “Buglife” is probably going to have an uphill battle trying to get people to love wasps.  The centrepiece of the campaign is that we should not be swatting wasps, we should be just wafting them away calmly.

They have timed the campaign well, because it is at this time, towards the end of summer, that wasps start to get more aggressive and start going after the sweet food, such as what we like to eat at picnics.  The queen has already laid all of her eggs, and they should all have hatched by now.  This means that the wasps do not have to gather food for them, which is usually high in protein, and instead can go for the food they really want.  Like jam, ice cream, fruit… well, you know the food they like!

Also, they’re not going to survive past summer.  Only the Queen hibernates through the Autumn and Winter, the rest of them die off.  Of course the wasps themselves are not aware of this, or then again maybe they are and so they are going for the food they like now and don’t care who they hurt to get it.  Either way, wasps do tend to become a bigger problem around this time.  If you have a wasps nest close by, do not hesitate to call a pest control expert.

Buglife points out, however, that wasps actually are important to the ecology of the country.  They are not as important as bees of course, nor are they as friendly, however it is pointed out that they are good pollinators and kill other pests, such as spiders.  They also suggest that we appreciate the colour and “drama” they bring to our lives.

The problem here is that the “drama” that they bring to our lives is more like horror – we’re the one’s screaming and running away!  Or the ones sitting still and acting cool like we’re really supposed to.  In any case, when the drama is whether something is going to sting you or leave you alone, it might be a tall order to get people to embrace that.

The insignia for Buglife's Wonderful Wasps campaign

The insignia for Buglife's Wonderful Wasps campaign

The campaign, however, is not entirely without merit.  They certainly are pests, and if you have a nest close by you should certainly call in a pest control specialist.  However, even if you cannot find the appreciation of the wasp within yourself to prevent you from swatting at it when it comes near to you, there are practical reasons not to do it as well.  One is that if you miss, the wasp is going to be angry and probably is going to try to sting you.  So if you do try to swat, you better make sure you hit.  The other is that even if you do kill it, dead wasps let off pheromones that attract more wasps to the fight, so if there are any more wasps nearby you could be in trouble.

Having said that, if you have a wasps’ nest on or near your property, you probably won’t need any encouragement, but don’t try to grin and bear it.  The sheer number of wasps can cause a lot of problems.  Although obviously do not try to kill them yourself, call in a professional pest control technician who will be able to do it for you.  If you don’t have a nest close by though, then why not stop worrying, and love the wasp!

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A New Pest Control Method for Mosquitoes

Monday, August 30th, 2010

One of the best pest control techniques is prevention.  We might complain about our British Summer sometimes, especially when it is raining, but mosquitoes are loving it.  They have been on the increase this summer, and you might have been unlucky enough to notice if you have been bitten.  Often they’ll get you when you’re sleeping so you won’t notice until the morning when you suddenly have an itch that you really shouldn’t scratch.  There are of course ways to combat this, such as a mosquito net.  Now, however, there is a new one.  Pretend to be their predator.

Mosquitoes could be warned off if you smelled like a predator

Mosquitoes could be warned off if you smelt like a predator

As recently reported, using the natural predators of a pest is a tried and trusted pest control technique.  But you might well be thinking that you actually are a predator anyway – if you see one, you’ll squat it.  Ideally though, you don’t want them anywhere near you in the first place, which is what this new spray is said to achieve.  The theory is that you spray this concoction on yourself, then although it is odourless to the human nose, to a mosquito it smells like a backswimmer.  A backswimmer is an insect which lives around water and feeds off the larvae of mosquitoes and other biting insects.  The reason it lives around water is that mosquitoes use stagnant water to lay their eggs in, where they become larvae which swim before finally becoming adult mosquitoes.  Therefore, when mosquitoes smell these backswimmers, they tend to stay clear.

Of course a mosquito is not going to confuse you with a pool of stagnant water, but when it is collecting blood, it is always for their eggs.  Generally, mosquitoes live off nectar but when they are ready to lay eggs they need extra nutrients, and that is when they collect blood.  Therefore it stands to reason that they do not want to be around the predators of their larvae, even when they are just feeding for them.  If they thought it out properly, perhaps they would not be so concerned, but then again the logical capabilities of a mosquito are questionable.

The problem with using sprays at the moment as a pest control technique is that so much is needed to be used.  The advantage of this spray over other sorts of mosquito-repellent sprays is that not so much of it should be necessary.  Mosquitoes are not going to want to come near if they get a whiff of the backswimmer anywhere near the area so all over application should not be necessary.  Nevertheless, at the moment one of the problems with it is that it does not last very long, but research is being done so that it can last longer, removing the need for frequent reapplication.

This spray is being developed at Haifa University in Israel, and the lead scientist, Professor Leon Blaustein, claims that it could also be used to limit their breeding practices.  This of course would make it an even more appealing method of pest control.  One of the reasons for a rise in the number of mosquitoes in Britain at the moment is the increasing appeal of water butts.  As it is stagnant water, it is a perfect place for mosquitoes to breed.  Blaustein has suggested that if this chemical is sprayed at sites such as this, mosquitoes will not want to breed there so their numbers will be limited.   If something of this sort is not achieved, unfortunately the number of mosquitoes may increase even more.

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What Do They Send in to Get the Hawks?

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Two companies have decided to use very traditional pest control solutions to deal with their pigeon problems.  In Newbury, a car company wants them kept away from their car park, while in the East Midlands airports want pigeons and other birds out of the airways so that the way is clear for planes to land at the airports.  The answer that both have come to is hawks.

A hawk, patrolling the skies above a car park in Newbury

A hawk, patrolling the skies above a car park in Newbury

Although actually the skies in East Midlands will be kept free of real birds, for the mechanical birds, by an eagle owl (called Elliot) who will help to keep pigeons as well as all other kinds of birds grounded.  Our title question is of course not entirely serious, but you might be wondering why sending another bird into the environment is going to keep the air free of birds.  After all, it can’t be everywhere at once.

The answer to this can be seen more clearly on a smaller scale.  With the car park in Newbury, that is exactly what we have.  Pigeons perching in trees overhanging the car park, you can imagine the mess that is often made on the cars, not to mention the walkways.  You can see why they would want to get rid of them.  Pigeons are difficult to deal with, however, because they operate over such a wide expanse.  Usually the best pest control technique is to control the environment so that favourable conditions do not arise.  When it is a public space, however, that is very difficult.  You can’t really prevent scraps of food being dropped places.  You also can’t get rid of places to perch.  One way you can control the environment though, is not by taking favourable things away, but by adding unfavourable elements.   That’s right, this is where the hawk comes in.

Now, to illustrate the somewhat counter-intuitive point that was being made about how the addition of an owl can keep airways clear of birds when it can’t get all of them, it is quite obvious that fear is going to be a factor.  The hawk patrolling the car park is not going to kill all the pigeons.  But it might get a couple, or at least chase them.  Now, are they going to stay perching in the car park, or go next door or into the woods?  They’re going to leave, most likely.  Of course one owl is not going to get all the birds to leave the East Midlands, which would of course not be a good thing anyway.  But by having it operate close to the airports, birds will become more cautious around the airport.  Perhaps air traffic control will have one eagle owl to navigate around rather than a multitude of other birds.

When it comes to pest control, natural methods are often the best.  Controlling the environment is the way to keep anything in or out of it.  Of course when a problem becomes severe, chemical or other extreme methods of pest control become necessary.  The problem will quickly return if the environment is still ripe for it however.  In most cases this means maintaining high standards of cleanliness, however when that is not possible or effective, introducing predators is also a good way to deal with a pest problem.

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Problem Pigeons and Gallivanting Gulls give Councils Conundrums

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Two Councils are considering how to deal with problem birds at the moment.  West Berkshire Council is considering putting pigeons on the pill in a bid to keep their numbers low.  The quantity of pigeons around the town of Chaddleworth has become such a nuisance to local residents that drastic measures are ready to be taken.

In fact, putting the pigeons on the pill is the more humane solution being suggested, others would mean killing them outright.  One of these suggestions would mean bringing in shooting clubs to take care of the bird problem, but this is being treated as a last resort.

Mean Gulls Torment Bath

Mean Gulls Torment Bath

One of the main problems that the pigeons are causing in the area is making paths slippery with their mess.  There is a railway bridge on Hungeford High Street which pigeons like to roost under, and the path underneath has become particularly slippery when wet.  For this problem, however, the Council are in discussions with Network Rail to arrange bringing in pest controllers to come and deal with the problem.  The pill will of course only stop pigeons in the area from continuing to breed, it will not do anything about the ones which are already there.

The solution of how to get the pigeons to take the pill is a very simple one, they are merely mixed in with some grain and then thrown to them.  Of course this is no guarantee that all the pigeons in the area will end up getting them, and results from the efforts would take some time to see.  It is yet to be seen whether the Council will put the initiative in place.

Meanwhile Bath and Northeast Somerset Council have got an ever increasing problem with the gull population in Bath.  Not only do they have the problem of mess, making the beautiful city a sight less attractive, but the gulls are actually quite aggressive.  Regular complaints are received of gulls ripping open plastic gulls.  They have also been known to take food off peoples plates from outside cafe tables, and there have even been reports of them attacking dogs.

If this is starting to sound like a Hitchcock film, well you probably have an over active imagination.  However these scavenging birds feeding off scraps of food left around really are pests, even if they are often not thought of that way in the traditional sense.  If you think of a whole town or city as being equivalent to a private residence, however, then they would be about the appropriate size for a traditional sort of “pest”.  In fact both the Councils in these cases are said to be bringing in pest controllers to deal with the problem.

In the end, however, on whatever scale, pests are generally caused by the same thing: lack of cleanliness.  When the area is the size of a city, however, then it takes so many people acting responsibly together, including people who are just coming to visit, that it is extremely hard to get the whole place cleaned up.  In the case of both pigeons and gulls though, this is still the only long term solution that there is.

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Rats and Bedbugs increasing in Hounslow

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

A freedom of information act request on Hounslow Borough Council in London recently confirmed that there has been 15,000 pest control related incidents reported in the borough over the past 3 years. Pests are clearly on the increase – But is this a surprise?

From our experience the major pests we have treated in Hounslow of late are bed bugs and rats.
Bed bugs prefer a warm environment and lots of carbon dioxide (CO2). This is why they are usually found around the bed at night and bite marks usually are more apparent on the upper part of the body (CO2 in breath).
The rise in multi let occupancy accomodation in the area has increased the bed bug population exponentially by prevailing to the conditions required by the critters. Bedbugs were almost wiped out in London in the 60’s but recent increase in foreign travel for holidays has also helped spread the infestation of bugs in the area.

The rat problem is due to a number of other factors. Waste disposal is certainly one key to eradicating rats. If we were to have 2 bin collections a week the number of rats present would undoubtedly fall considerably as without a food source rats cannot survive.
Another issue with rats in London is ineffective methods of removal. This is generally because a lot of people are choosing to try and treat for rats themselves before getting professional help.
If rat poisons are used in these circumstances, often second-rate chemicals and incorrect dosages mean rats thrive on these products and in fact find it quite edible!
This means we often find areas where rats are resistant to some chemicals, making the knowledge of a professional pest controller all the more important.

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KFC Branch in Hygiene Breach

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has been found to have breached hygiene regulations in one of Britains most popular branches.

The company said it admitted to not having proper pest control at it’s branch in Leicester Square, London, while attending a hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in central London.

Environmental health officers from the City of Westminster Council said cockroaches, rodents and flying insects were found during a routine inspection of the property located at Coventry Street back in 2008.

KFC said it also admitted failing to provide hygienic facilities for handwashing and failing to keep the restaurant clean and in good order during Thursday’s hearing.

The firm, based in Woking, Surrey, also admitted poor design and construction of the premises resulting in inadequate food hygiene practices.

After the hearing, KFC spokeswoman Nina Arnott said: “These charges date back to August 2008 and, as soon as we were made aware of the results of the inspection, we took immediate action to bring the restaurant back up to our strict hygiene standards.

“A new manager has been installed and the restaurant has performed well on recent EHO (environmental health officer) inspections.

“It has just undergone a complete renovation and we are closely monitoring to ensure that our high standards are maintained.”

KFC will be back before the court later this year.

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East Anglian Pest Control Services (E.A.P.C LTD) in Suffolk

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

East Anglian Pest Control has launched a new website.

The new site gives potential clients a full list of the services they offer and the locations they cover (including Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas of East Anglia)

East Anglian Pest Control was started by Richard Harvey. With over 20 years experience, Richard and his operatives have completed training with all the major pest control companies. They are at ease working in high risk sites such food production areas or hospitals. They often work in warehouses, retails stores, breweries, horse studs and the like, but are also comfortable outdoors looking after agricultural pest control, bird proofing etc.

If you need pest control services, pick up the phone and have a chat. They’re happy to give honest advice and offer free surveys for contracts. Naturally, they’re fully insured and complete health & safety checks before any work starts.

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Blitz the Baddies: Brand new and totally effective products to combat bugs from Blitz

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Blitz is the brand new and 100% effective preventative and eradicator for a wide range of pest control problems across the hospitality and travel industries.

Blitz products kill bed bugs, dust mites and mosquitoes, and are:

  • Effective
  • Kill on contact
  • Contain natural active ingredients
  • Health and Safety Executive approved
  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine approved

Blitz Bed Bugs

Bed bugs thrive in places with high occupancy, such as hotels and hostels, and on public transport, such as planes, trains and buses. They can be spread on clothes, bags and furniture.

And they multiply quickly – one female bed bug could lead to around 3,000 in three months if the infestation is not treated effectively. They feast entirely on human blood.

Bed bugs can live for as long as 18 months before their next feed, although they typically seek blood every five to 10 days. Female bed bugs can lay up to five eggs a day and 500 during a lifetime. Bed bug infestations are on the rise in the UK and around the world, and this is partly due to an increase in international travel and banned toxic products. So it’s time to get aggressive with the problem.

Fast acting, Blitz Bed Bugs kills 100% of bed bugs within 48 hours, and contains active natural ingredients based on chrysanthemum extract, unlike other products on the market.

The Blitz Bed Bugs product range has been clinically proven to kill bed bugs. It’s very simple to use; just point to the infected area and spray. The product starts to work immediately and because it contains only natural active ingredients, the area can be used by guests straightaway, so you’re not losing valuable revenue. The bugs will not revisit the treated area for three months.

Blitz Dust Mites

Mattresses, pillows, carpets and upholstery are all hotbeds for the common dust mite, which can trigger a number of allergies including asthma and eczema attacks. Unfortunately there’s no cure for dust mites, you can only control the levels of them in your business.

One treatment with Blitz Dust Mites kills 80% of the problem; it starts to work from the moment it’s sprayed, using only natural active ingredients derived from chrysanthemum extract, which is harmless to the environment. No product on the market will completely eradicate dust mites, but Blitz dust mites has been clinically proven by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical medicine to control dust mite problems when used regularly. Just point and spray.

Blitz Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are attracted to humans for various reasons, including body warmth, movement and carbon dioxide.

One of the best ways to prevent insect bits is to use essential oils derived from natural sources as a repellent. And that’s exactly what is contained in a bottle of Blitz Mosquitoes. The formula is made up of a potent mix of lemongrass, citronella, lavender, eucalyptus and citrepel to create a fresh smelling product that is one of the most effective mosquito repellent ever tested at the London School of Tropical Medicine.

Available as a roll-on applicator, Blitz Mosquito protects against biting insects, ticks and leeches and does not contain any DEET. It’s effective for up to 10 hours.

This powerful insect repellent is suitable for both children and adults in both high and low risk areas where malaria and other insect transmitted diseases are prevalent.

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The Rat Pack Online Community Launch

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

After the success of The Rat Pack television show on BBC One, Environ Pest Control, the company behind the show, have launched a community section on their website.

Ask Ricky and Jimmy a pest related question, upload your own pest photos and meet others in the community.

You can also view behind the scenes images from Tim’s rat cam and view photos shot on location during the production of the television show.

Environ Pest Control are experts in London Pest Control and as seen on the show can handle all types of pests from bedbugs to wild rabbits. Cathing rats with Charlie, London’s only rat catching terrior, remains their specialty.

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