In this blog post we look at who bedbugs affect because we think you’ll be surprised at just how many places they can be found.

For example, due to having people from all walks of life and backgrounds, bedbugs have been known to invade healthcare facilities and hospitals. They have also been found in mental health facilities and are commonly found in nursing homes as well.

If you own one of these properties, we recommend that you take steps towards preventing a bedbug infestation. Chances are if you have a property where multiple people stay overnight, you are at risk of a bedbug infestation.

Bites from bed bugs can occur in any social setting. They can also affect anyone.

If you stay in a hotel, hostel, apartment, caravan or other holiday accommodation you will be at risk of bedbugs. This is especially the case if the bed in the holiday accommodation is not checked after the previous guest, or before you lie on the bed.

Those living in shared accommodation such as HMOs, student halls or flats will also have an increased risk of being bitten by bedbugs. If you are a healthcare worker, you will be exposed to the risk of bedbugs. This is especially the case if you are completing home visits, end of life care or mental health assessments in the bedrooms.

Prisoners are also more at risk and vulnerable to bedbug bites, especially those in shared cells. While those in single cells will be less likely to be a risk, the risk of bedbugs and bedbug bites is still there. This is because the person that stayed in the bed before them could have taken bedbugs into the cell.

As you can see, a lot of people and properties can be affected by bedbugs. If you think you may have a bedbug problem, call our team. We will help rid you of your bedbug infestation and reduce the chances of bedbugs returning in the future.

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You could get fleas from visiting a friend with pets or from travelling in public transport where someone else has a pet. The pet doesn’t even need to be with them. Fleas can sit in a person’s clothes and then jump onto an office chair, clothing of the person next to them, a theatre seat, a hotel bed and more.

The danger of a flea infestation is because it can be relatively unknown for some time. Flea bites can also be extremely unpleasant. Just like ab bite from a bed bug, the skin can swell up. This will often result in an angry red bump that can be very itchy for says or even weeks.

Fleas are rarely alone. If you see one flea, chances are there are hundreds more in the vicinity. If not yet, then it could be soon!

Another danger of a flea infestation is the disease that they carry. Some of these diseases can be debilitating. Fleas can carry the bubonic plague for example. They can also be the carriers of spotted fever, typhus and cat scratch fever. Any of these illnesses can make a serious impact on your life. They can also drive pets mad with scratching and make them poorly too.

Fleas are not always easy to get rid of. This is why you should call in the experts to deal with your flea infestation. Fleas move around quickly. This means that they can’t be easily dealt with a quick spray or a pest trap. While regularly washing all your clothes and furnishing regularly and vacuuming often will help – it will not get rid of your pest infestation.

Experts report that if you see one or two fleas on your dog, this can quickly and easily become a full-blown flea infestation within as little as a week or two.

The only real way to get rid of a flea’s infestation in your home is with fumigation or a heat treatment. These pest removal techniques need to be completed by a professional. If you think you have a flea infestation in your home, contact our team. We can rid your home or business of your flea infestation with minimal disruption to your life.

Call our flea infestation team now to find out more.

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Wasps are notorious for building nests in places where people like to gather. This includes shaded spots in gardens, around your outdoor dining area or in the eaves of your home. Lots of wasp nests can also be found in attics and lofts. It is places like these that they can go undiscovered and relatively undisturbed until the warmer spring months when they come out.

A Queen wasp will emerge from their hibernation during the springtime. This is the time of the year when the days start to lengthen, and the weather is warmer too. The Queen wasps will come out of hibernation at this time and start building nests. As the summer progresses, more and more worker wasps will begin to hatch too. Wasps in the UK are most active during the warmer summer months.

While you may come across a lot of workers, it is only the female wasps they have a sting that they can use repeatedly. They will do this if they feel threatened.

Getting rid of a wasp problem can often be tricky. It is possible to use sprays to keep them away, but these don’t always work. The most effective way to treat a wasp invasion is to treat the wasp’s nest. This will help you control the wasp problem and reduce the risk of fatal stings too.

Wasps will often build their nests outdoors in spaces that are sheltered. This could be in trees, within sheltered eaves and similar locations. However, if a was can gain access to the inside of your home there are lots more places that they can build their nests. These include your wall cavities, roof spaces, attics, lofts and internal garages or sheds.

While the average worker wasp will live 12-22 days, a Queen wasp can live for up to 1 year. They are social creatures and will build their colonies off how well they mate. Unmated wasps will eventually die off and effectively die of loneliness. By reducing the number of wasps in or around your home, you reduce the number of wasps that can mate.

Have you noticed lots of wasps in or around your home?

Maybe you have spotted a wasp’s nest that you’re concerned about?

We would recommend you call in our expert wasp removal specialists to get rid of your wasp problem and deal with your wasp nest safely and effectively.

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So, how can you avoid a bin full of flies this summer?

We have put together some tips below for you.

It’s an unpleasant problem for many, if not all homes. Flies in kitchens is disgusting and nobody wants flies infesting their home. Flies are attracted to bins because they include the food waste that flies feed on. A fly will enter the bin and lay their eggs on the food waste. The eggs hatch into maggots which then become flies. You lift the lid on the bin and out come the flies. This process of eggs to maggots to flies is sped up in the warmer months. This is how you can easily get a bin full of flies in the summer.

A great way to avoid a bin full of flies this summer is to have secure lids on your bins. This will help reduce the access of flies into your bin in the first place. The tighter the lid seals, the less chance there is of flies getting into your bin and laying eggs. If possible, have a cupboard in your home where the bins are stored. This will further reduce the possibility of flies getting into your bins.

Food debris will accumulate in your bins over time, even if you use bags in your bins. It is a good idea to clean your bins regularly when empty. This will help reduce the food debris that collects in the bin over time and remove the attraction for flies. You can call in professionals to clean your bin, or just use soapy water and a garden hose.

To prevent flies in your bin, you need to carry out proper and thorough fly control. If you have flies in your bin, these will eventually end up in your kitchen and throughout your home. In turn, they can then contaminate your food and spread diseases among your family. Flies can even spread bacteria and food poisoning.

If you are struggling with a fly infestation on your home, call our team. Our pest control experts can get rid of the flies in your home. They will also give you tips and ideas to avoid a bin full of flies this summer and in future years. Call us now to find out more.

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What Is The Scratching Sound In My Roof?

The sounds you could hear from your roof could be pests running across the ceiling. You may also hear screeching noises, yelps and even squeals. This is the pests marking their territory from other pests or breeding sounds.

How Do The Pests Get In The Roof?

Roofs are very attractive to mice, rats and other rodents – especially in the colder weather. This is because the roof offers comfort, warmth and a dry, spacious area to live. While mice and rats will often get into your roof by climbing the drain pipes, squirrels will gain access to your rood through gaps or cracks. Some pests will enter your roof through a chimney or migrate from another part of your home.

Why Are Pests In My Roof A Problem?

While the scratching sound in the roof can be an annoyance, it is not the only problem of pests in the roof. Once the pests are in your roof, they will begin to build nests and breed. Rodents multiple very quickly and can quickly cause serious damage to your roof, loft and home.

Rodents are known to gnaw on things. They do this to keep their teeth filed down. However, the things that they gnaw on can include roof timbers, brick, concrete and even metal.

If you have any electrical cables in your roof space, it is likely that rodents will chew on these too. In turn, this can cause interruptions to your power supply and even become a serious fire risk.

What To Do About The Scratching Sound In Your Roof?

Firstly, give it a few days. The rodents may find that your roof space is not ideal for them. Therefore, they will just be passing through and soon find a home in someone else’s roof.

However, if the problem persists are you can still hear a scratching sound in your roof, we recommend you do an inspection. Look for things like the pests themselves, nests or rodent pellets. If you spot any of these things, call in the experts. Our pest removal experts will complete a full and thorough inspection of your roof space and rid you of your pests and the scratching sound in your roof.

Call our pests removal experts on 0330 053 9001 now to find out more.

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However, when in the home, ants are just a nuisance and a very unwelcome guest. If you spot ants in your home, you want to act quickly. There are lots of things you can do to deter ants or repel them from your home. In this blog post we share some actions you can take to prevent an ant infestation in your home.

Like many common pests, ants prefer warmer weather. This is why they are often more visible in the spring and summer months. During the wet and rainy periods, ants will find dry and safe locations. This will often be a home within your home.

Keeping things sealed will avoid attracting ants. This includes food containers, sweet treats and lids on fizzy drinks for example. However, it also includes your home. Take the time to check for small holes and opening in your masonry walls. If you come across any then use an approved sealer to fill the openings. It’s a good idea to check the seals on windows and doors too as these can have gaps that you should fill.

Many old wives tales are not true and rarely work. However, the baking soda and sugar mix tale can work for ants as well as a small number of other insects attracted by sweet things. You need to mix baking soda and sugar, then sprinkle it around door ways and where you can see ants. The ants will be attracted to the sugar and carry the mixture back to their nest to share with the other ants. But the baking soda in the mixture will kill the ants and could help rid you of your ant problem.

If an ant infestation in your home is caught quickly enough it can be dealt with quickly and easily. There are some high-quality sprays and powders that can be extremely effective.
However, if you have an ant infestation in your home and you can’t get on top of it, call our team. We have ant removal specialists that will be able to inform you of the extent of your ant infestation and what pest control treatment can be used to get rid of the ants from your home.

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In this blog post we share what a pest management program is. We also look at why you might want to have a pest management program in place and what benefits you would gain from this.

What Is A Pest Management Program?

Also known as a pest management contract, this is a pest control company regularly visits your business. During this visit they will look around your site and look for signs of pests in your business premises. The pest control specialists will then create a report of the inspection. This will confirm any pests or signs of pests they have seen, along with any action that has or should be taken. They will also give you recommendations to ensure your business premises stay free from unwanted pests and the potential damage that they can cause.

Why Your Business Needs a Pest Management Program

The real question to ask when thinking about employing a pest control company to visit on a regular basis is how much your company reputation means to you. How damaging would it be to the reputation of your business if pests were seen? While our pest control services are more popular in the catering and hospitality businesses, these services are used by other industries too.

If you have stock rooms, dark or unused areas, cardboard boxes, shelter from cold or wet weather, fabrics and materials, wood or paper, food or water – then your business will be seen as an attractive home for pests. How much damage could pests in your business do? If they could harm your bottom line by the destruction of stock or making a bad impression of your business, then your business needs to have a pest management program in place.

The Benefits Of A Pest Management Program

By having a pest management program in place, you are complying with the Public Health Act and the Food Safety Act. In turn, you are showing EHO and HSE that you are proactive in protecting staff member and the general public from pests that could be damaging to their health. Having this program in place can also be used as part of your ISO 14001 accreditation.

You may have heard of the saying that prevention is better than cure. This is very true in the case of pests. Sometimes pests can go unnoticed for days, weeks or even months. Then when you do spot them, you have a serious pest infestation on your hands. Pest management is like an insurance for your business. Just like other insurances for your business, it will protect your business from nasty surprises, in this case – pests!

Want to know more about our pest control management services?

Call our team of commercial pest control specialists now.

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In this blog post we explain why your shop probably needs a pest control service.

Firstly, think about what is in your shop. There will be a lot of things in your shop that are attractive to pests. Think about any food you sell or store. Do you have a dark back room or storage area? Perhaps your stock comes in boxes with packaging materials? Is your shop warm, dry and a shelter from the weather? Perhaps you sell clothing too?
These are all things that will be attractive to pests looking for their next home and place to breed.

Once you have one pest in your shop, it can quickly become a disaster. It’s likely that the stock in your shop is worth thousands of pounds, if not more. Imagine if you came into your shop one day and all the boxes had been ripped open by pests. Further to this, there were pest faeces everywhere which have caused damage to your stock? If that happens more than once, you’ll quickly find the costs will really add up.

It’s important to look out for moths if you do sell clothing or materials. These pests can easily lay their eggs on clothing. In the right conditions, these eggs will hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars will then eat holes in your clothing and other materials. This is extremely common on materials that are in storage. This is because the moths, their eggs and the caterpillars can be left relatively undisturbed. It will be the same for blankets, furnishings, rugs and more.

If you own a shop, we recommend that you plan ahead for pest management. While your shop may not need pest control now, it is better to be safe than sorry. Our pest control specialists will visit your shop on a regular basis to see if you have a pest problem. If you don’t then you can sleep safe in the knowledge your shop is free of pests. If they do come across any pests, they can get rid of them for you.

One off pest control for shops doesn’t work. It needs to be something that is carried out on a periodic basis. This ensures that any pest issues are dealt with before they get too serious.
Want to know more about our retail pest control services?

Call our team now.

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We have put together a series of blog posts to help you with managing common summer pests, so they don’t ruin the mood at your outdoor event. We have previously shared advice for managing wasps and next up we will share tips on managing houseflies. In this blog post we share advice for managing the common summer pests that are ants.

While ants are very small summer pests, they can still cause a nuisance. The last thing you want to see is ants all over your table or food. Your friends, family and guests won’t enjoy feeling ants climbing up their legs either!

The most common of the ants in the UK that you will likely come across in your garden is the Black Garden Ant. You will often spot these in a trail leading to sweet-smelling food, and another trail leading back from the food to their nest.

An ant’s nest is usually a small pile of earth. However, even the smallest of disturbance to an ant’s nest will quickly cause a flurry of activity. This is because the ants will feel that they are under attack. A good way of dealing with ants is with sugar-based insecticide. The forager ants will take this back to the nest thinking it is a sweet treat. However, it will cause harm to the ants as it is eaten by the other ants.

It is worth noting that ants can make their nests under floorboards or in wall cavities. While this is less common, it can still happen in UK homes. If you have a lot of ants in your home and can’t find the source – this could be why.

Got an ant problem in your home?

Call our pest removal experts to help you out.

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However, there are a few things that can ruin the perfect summer evening. These are the common summer pests such as wasps, ants and houseflies. Managing these common summer pests is possible, if you know how. This is where we come in.

We have put together a series of three blog posts to help you with managing common summer pests. Our first blog post spoke about wasps. We then looked at managing ants in the summer. In this blog post, we look at managing houseflies this summer.

There are few things that will annoy you more than a housefly whizzing around, buzzing in your ear or flying in front of your face. Although they have the whole house and garden to soar around, their favourite place will always be exactly where you can see or hear them!

While houseflies are a nuisance, they also cause a more serious issue. Houseflies are excellent disease spreaders. This is because they enjoy feeding on rotting plants and animal waste. Further to that, it’s important to remember their feeding method. Houseflies eat their food and them vomit it up – onto whatever they are sat on. This could be your delicious burger or potato salad!

If a fly has landed on your food, it is recommended that it is quickly disposed of to avoid the risk of disease being spread through the food to your friends, family and guests.

You can repel and catch houseflies relatively easily. Things like window screens will stop them coming in your home. Sticky fly paper can also help catch the flies. There are some good aerosol insecticides on the market too.

However, if you find that you frequently have large swarms of houseflies in your home and there is no obvious source, it’s time to call in the experts. Our professional housefly removal experts can help rid your home of houseflies.

Call us now to find out more.

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