Common Pests

What do they look like?

Bedbugs are flat, oval shaped insects about 5mm long. They are brown in colour but can become red after feeding.

How do you spot them?

Bedbugs usually hide in the cracks of bed frames and other furniture during the day, and feed at night. They may leave small dark spots of excrement on bed linen, but the most obvious giveaway is the bite. Bites are usually red and itchy. They can occasionally be found in lines on the skin.

How do they affect me?

There is no evidence to suggest that bites can transmit diseases. Bites can be uncomfortable and unpleasant but if washed and soothed with lotion such as calamine, they should not present a serious medical problem.

How do you control them?

Bedbugs cannot jump or fly, and can only crawl, or be transported by furniture or clothing. Regular cleaning and vacuuming of your flat can therefore help reduce the risk of infestation. Washing clothes and bed linen at the highest possible temperatures can also remove bugs from infested items.

Unfortunately however, there is no absolute protection and no preventative treatments available, although you may find some products, such as sticky tape for the legs of your beds to prevent them climbing, available at local hardware shops. The best protection you can get is to report any concerns you have early.

If you suspect your home has bedbugs, seek professional help immediately. The longer you leave it, the worse it will become, and the more difficult it will be to eradicate. Self treatment is unlikely to be successful. See your pharmacist if you need advice on medication for bites.

What do they look like?

The house mouse is slim, grows to a maximum of 25 grammes and has a pear-shaped body. It is good at climbing and squeezing into tight holes.

The long-tailed field mouse weighs up to 50 grammes and usually has brown fur on its back and grey fur underneath. Its ears are large compared to the rest of its body and it has small feet. The tail is the same length as the head and body but is much thinner than the tail of a young rat.

How do you spot them?

Mice leave little black droppings, smaller than an apple pip. They also gnaw on wire, wood and furniture and will take small chunks out of any food that is left lying around.

The house mouse nests behind wall boards, under floors and in partitions. They most active at night and concentrate on small areas if food is plentiful. They are less dependent on water and will normally obtain sufficient moisture from their food.

The field mouse is common on farms and not generally considered a pest unless it takes up residence indoors.

How do they affect me?

Mice are a major hazard to health. They spread many diseases, some of which can be fatal to man. They contaminate our living environments with their urine, droppings and fur, which must then be disposed of. They also damage property by gnawing through woodwork, wires, pipes and household items.

How do they live?

Mice live for about one year and can produce up to five young every four weeks.

How do you control them?

Mice are difficult to control because of the rate at which they breed and are able to colonise new areas.

If you make sure that your home is in good repair and that no food is left lying around you will not attract mice in the first place.

If you need help in treating a mouse infestation or have any further questions, contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

Britain has two kinds of rat:

The adult common rat weighs between 100 to 500 grammes. It has brown fur on its back and is grey underneath. The tail is shorter than its head and body.

The ship rat is far less common. It weighs between 100 and 300 grammes. It has black or brown fur with large almost hairless ears. Its tail is longer than the head and body.

How do you spot them?

Rats leave little dark brown droppings, about 20mm long. They gnaw on wire, wood and soft metals such as lead and aluminium.

The common rat can be found anywhere that offers shelter and food - including sewers. They are efficient burrowers and like compost heaps, areas under hedges and sheds where they dig shallow burrows and make nests with dry grass and leaves. In houses they nest in wall cavities and beneath floor boards.

Ship rats are normally be found indoors, mainly in port areas, but they may be transported inland, with cargo. They are agile climbers and jumpers, often nesting in roof spaces and upper floors.

Both species of rat are active mainly at night but can be seen searching for food and water during the day.

How do they affect me?

Rats are a major hazard to health. They spread many forms of disease such as Leptospirosis, Salmonella food poisoning, Typhus, Trichinosis, Tapeworms and Weil¹s Disease, which can be fatal to man.

They may eat food which is intended for human consumption.Through their gnawing habit they also cause considerable damage to woodwork, waterpipes, electric cables and so on.

How do they live?

Rats live for about a year. During this time a female may breed five times. The average size of a litter is between seven and eight.

How do you control them?

The speed with which they breed and form new colonies coupled with their ability to burrow, climb and jump make rats difficult to control.

Ensure that your property is in good repair making it difficult for rats to gain access. Remove any sources of food and water. Take care that all waste foods are disposed of into your wheeled bin and not left lying around in bags or sacks.

If you are composting, do not use meat or cooked products. Clear areas which may offer shelter and remove nesting materials such as piles of timber or areas of your garden which are overgrown.

If you need help in treating a rat infestation or have any further questions, contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

The garden ant is a large ant 3-5 mm in length and dark brown to black in colour.

How do you spot them?

The ant is an active insect and nests outside, in grass, walls and under paving. It enters buildings in search of food.

How do they affect me?

They are one of the most likely insects to move into your home in search of food.

How do they live?

Ants live for about two months, but in good conditions a nest can last for years. Garden ants mate in flight when winged males and females swarm between mid July and mid September.

After mating the male dies and the female loses her wings and buries herself in the soil over winter. In late spring the female lays eggs which hatch into white larvae in 3 - 4 weeks.

The larvae are fed by the queen and when fully grown pupate. The worker ants which emerge from the pupae feed new larvae and the queen.

How do you control them?

Ant nests can be located by following their trails, and by observing small piles of fine earth brought up from under paving stones.

Boiling water poured on the nest will control the infestation for a short time. Follow this by puffing an insecticidal powder product into the hole. Select a powder product which lists ants on its label.

Control flying ants by using an appropriate insecticidal aerosol for flying insects. A residual insecticidal laquer can be applied anywhere you can see ants run. Attention should be given to small cracks. Some products cause the workers to destroy their own nests. The workers are attracted to the bait and carry the insecticide back to the nest.

Ensure that sugary foods are kept in sealed containers and all food spillages are cleared up.

Some products on the market are harmful to pets, others are not. It is important that you read the label and follow the instructions taking all the necessary precautions when applying the product.

If you have any further questions about ants please contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

Pharaoh's ants are very small and pale coloured.

How do you spot them?

Nests are found in cracks near to central heating boilers, hot water tanks and ovens. Hospitals and bakeries are the most common premises affected. They are unable to breed outdoors as they need temperatures of at least 18ºC (65ºF) to flourish.

How do they affect me?

They can crawl into sterile packets in hospitals or into food preparation areas and spread germs.

How do they live?

In a typical nest, 50,000Worker ants will travel along well-defined trails to collect food and water to take back to the nest. There it is used to feed up to 400 egg laying queens and 100,000 young immature stages. There are often several different nests in infested premises.

Colonies spread to new sites by small groups of workers carrying some brood away from the nest. A temporary resting place such as a pile of laundry or cardboard box may be transported to another building and thus start up a new infestation.

How do you control them?

It is very difficult to completely eliminate an infestation using ordinary insecticides. It is essential to get enough poison into the actual colony to destroy the queens and brood, not just kill workers on their travels. It is also vital that all of the colonies in the block are dealt with at the same time or the problem will recur within a few months.

If you think you may have a Pharaoh's Ant infestation, contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

Adult fleas are 2-7 mm and are long and brownish in colour. Their bodies are compressed from side to side and they have large hind limbs for jumping.

How do you spot them?

Fleas live as parasites on warm blooded animals. Both the cat and dog flea also feed on other animals and man. Fleas can also be found in the host's bedding.

How do they affect me?

Fleas inflict unpleasant bites on their host. Flea bites are a tiny dark red spot surrounded by a reddened area. The bite will remain irritating for one to two days. In some cases they lead to hypersensitivity.

How do they live?

Flea eggs are laid in the fur or feathers of the host or in its bedding or resting material. The eggs hatch after one week into white thread-like larvae. The larvae thrive in dark, humid places such as carpets and animal bedding.

After two or three weeks when they are fully grown the larvae spin a cocoon and pupate. The adult usually emerges within seven weeks but can remain as a pupa throughout the winter only emerging when triggered by the movement of a suitable host. The complete life cycle will normally last four weeks but may take longer at low temperatures.

How do you control them?

Thoroughly clean all infested clothing and bedding. Thoroughly clean the infested area by vacuuming carpet edges and soft furnishings. Remove all accumulations which may act as a breeding site.

Check your pets for fleas and treat if necessary with flea powder or a flea collar. If you need help in treating a flea infestation or have any further questions contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

Cockroaches are large insects which range in size from 10-23mm in length, they have long antennae and two sets of wings.

How do you spot them?

Cockroaches are nocturnal by nature and spend the day hiding in cracks around areas like sinks, drains, cookers and the backs of service ducts.They may be seen if you come home in the dark and put the lights on. They also emit an unpleasant almond like smell - only noticeable if the infestation is large.

How do they affect me?

Cockroaches can carry dysentery, gastro-enteritis typhoid and food poisoning organisms. Germs can be spread from the body of the cockroach or from the droppings they leave behind. Cockroaches will feed on almost anything including faecal matter. Contamination occurs when the cockroaches come into contact with foodstuffs.

How do they live?

The female cockroach can produce up to eight purse like egg cases at monthly intervals. The egg cases contain up to 30 eggs. The nymphs emerge from their eggs in 2-4 weeks (up to 6-12 weeks for oriental cockroaches). The nymphs are like the adults but smaller and lighter. The insects take some months before they mature.

How do you control them?

Good hygiene is the key to keeping cockroaches out of your home. It denies a food source and makes them easier to spot.

All cracks, crevices and other building problems that could provide a dark enclosure for cockroaches should be repaired as quickly as possible. Pipe work should not be boxed in as it provides an excellent hiding place.

Most over the counter insecticides are largely ineffective against cockroaches. If you have an infestation, contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.

What do they look like?

Small winged flying insect with a sting in its tail. It makes a distinct buzzing noise.

How do you spot them?

Wasps are common throughout Britain. They are social insects forming colonies inside nests specially constructed in soil, barks, roof spaces and in cavities in trees and walls. They are frequently found in domestic housing.

How do they affect me?

When disturbed they will attack in an aggressive manner, inflicting a nasty sting on their victim.

How do they live?

The fertilised queen wasp emerges from hibernation around mid-April and searches for a suitable site for a nest. By late summer the normal wasp nests will contain from 3,000 to 5,000 individuals and be up to 30cm across. With cooler weather, the workers and mates may become tired aggressive towards anyone interfering with them. The cold winter weather kills off all the workers and males - only the queen survives.

How do you control them?

Locate the nest and apply a residual insecticide. In general non-excitant sprays based on carbonate or organophosphorus, active ingredients, carbaryl benidocarb, idofenphos etc., are to be preferred to Pyrethroid based products. Do not use domestic aerosols.

In general dust formulations applied to alighting areas or nest entrances are likely to be even more effective than liquid sprays. Again they should be applied to entrance sites preferably using injection tubes.

It is pointless destroying the nest until a colony is established and this usually occurs sometime in June. The queen may abandon the nest or be killed by a drop in temperature which will result in the nest being destroyed.

If you have a wasp nest in your home, contact us by phone: 020 7641 1522, or fill in the form here.