About Ants
- There are more than 50 species of ant in the UK. The most common being the Black Garden Ant.
- Black Garden Ant colonies can grow up to 15,000 individuals; however, the average is between 4,000 and 6,000.
- Other common species of ant include: Carpenter Ants, Red Wood Ants and Yellow Meadow Ants.
- Some species of ant can have a primary nest with multiple satellite nests.
- UK native ant species do not transmit any health threatening diseases.
- The only way to eradicate an ant infestation is to spray directly into the nest. The queen is normally found in the middle of the nest and she needs to be killed to successfully treat the infestation.
- The most common places to find ant nests are: under paving, in wall cavities, dug into lawns and flower beds, and in trees. However, they can also be found in many other places around the home.
- Flying ants are sexually active members of the species. The male’s sole purpose is to fertilise the female and she will then fly off to create a new colony of her own.
About Bed Bugs
- Once bed bugs have fed they leave behind little black dots, this is their excrement.
- Bites are often in patches and tend to be around joints. Main areas for bites (but not always) are: knees, wrists, elbows and neck.
- Check for evidence. You’ll need to check mattress seams, headboards, bedside tables, chest of drawers, wardrobes, light fittings and electrical equipment. Pay special attention to the backs of furniture.
- Bed bugs are almost perfectly round, have six legs and adults are a dark brown colour.
About Beetles
- It is in its larval stage that the beetle causes damage to carpets and clothes. In its adult stage its sole purpose is to breed and lay the next generation of larvae.
- The larvae will only eat natural fibres and the most common types of these found in the home are wool, cotton, linen and silk. Wool is their favourite.
- Larvae prefer to attack the carpet fibres under static furniture as it’s the safest place. Always move your furniture around to locate areas that need treating.
- The most common beetles in the UK are the brown carpet beetle, the two-spot carpet beetle and the varied carpet beetle.
About Cockroaches
- The most common species of cockroach in the UK are the American, German and Oriental varieties.
- Cockroaches are cannibalistic (eating their own dead).
- Cockroaches thrive in warmer temperatures and therefore in a UK home they are most commonly found in the kitchen. Their preferred locations are behind appliances that give off heat, such as fridges, washing machines, cookers, microwaves and toasters.
- In larger buildings, cockroaches are also commonly found in boiler rooms.
About Fleas
- Fleas spend most of their lives at ground level and therefore their bites tend to be on the lower part of the body, most commonly around the ankles.
- They will only bite people when they do not have access to a host animal, such as a pet dog or cat.
- People react differently to flea bites but most will experience some swelling and itching. Sometimes bites will appear immediately while other times it can take several hours.
- Fleas can be carried from home to home by people as well as animals.
- You may see fleas on sofas, beds and clothing but they will always return to ground level.
About Flies
Blue and Green Bottle Flies
- Blue & green bottle flies feed and breed on decomposing organic matter such as rotting fruit and meat, dead animals, and garden composters.
- By the time you have noticed the adult flies it’s likely that the maggots are already feeding on whatever organic matter they were laid.
- They are the biggest and hardiest types of fly found in the UK and can be difficult to fully eradicate.
House Flies
- These are the world’s most common type of fly.
- They breed and feed in the same types of organic matter that are attractive to blue and green bottle flies but will also breed in any other areas that will give their maggot offspring enough food to develop, such as stagnant water and general waste.
- Due to the huge variety of potential breeding areas, house flies can be difficult to completely eradicate.
Fruit Flies
- As the name suggests, fruit flies mainly breed and feed on ripe, rotten and decaying fruit. However, they can also be found in drains, waste disposable units and bins.
- This type of fly is much smaller in size than the house or blue/green bottle flies and are therefore far more easily eradicated using a good insecticide.
Drain Flies
- Drain flies almost exclusively lay their eggs in stagnant or slow flowing drains and pipes.
- If you have drain flies in your house this would strongly suggest that you have an issue with one of your water pipes or drains. It’s far more common for the issue to be with an exit pipe that takes used water away from the house.
About Mice
- Mice live in hierarchical family groups consisting of an alpha male and female along with their offspring.
- A typical family group is around 4-6 individuals; however, this can increase quickly given the right environment and a good supply of food. A female can have 8 litters a year each with as many as 6 young. Then the young themselves will reach sexual maturity after 6 weeks.
- Mice are naturally inquisitive. They will come and inspect anything new and different that comes into their environment.
- Mice feel safer eating within an enclosed space, this is why we supply you with boxes rather than trays.
- Their incisors newer stop growing so they must continuously gnaw to keep them from getting too long.
- Mice prefer to run along boundaries, making it easier for them to look out for any predators.
- Mice will use cavity walls to move around the home, and will surface in the attic or anywhere a pipe cuts through an internal wall.
About Moths
- It is in its larval stage that the moth causes damage to carpets and clothes. In its adult stage its sole purpose is to breed and lay the next generation of larvae.
- The larvae will only eat natural fibres, and the most common types of these found in the home are wool, cotton, linen and silk. Wool is their favourite.
- Larvae prefer to attack the carpet fibres under static furniture as it’s the safest place. Always move your furniture around to locate areas that need treating.
- The adult moth lays between 200-300 eggs and this is their final act before dying.
About Rats
- Rats are social animals and live in hierarchical family groups comprising of an alpha male and female along with their offspring. A typical family group is around 4-6 individuals (this can increase quickly given the right environment).
- A female rat can have 6 litters per year with between 5-12 young per litter.
- They are neophobic, meaning that they have a fear of anything new in their environment. It can take a few days for them to inspect a new object before feeling comfortable with it.
- Rats are omnivores and eat pretty much anything. However, they will seek out food that they are familiar with and has the highest calorific content.
- Rats prefer to run along boundaries, making it easier for them to look out for any predators.
- Their incisors newer stop growing so they must continuously gnaw to keep them from getting too long.
- Rats will use cavity walls to move around the home and will surface in the attic or anywhere where a pipe cuts through an internal wall.
- The majority of rats in the UK live in the sewer system where they have an ample supply of food and water (however disgusting this is to you and me)
About Silverfish
- Silverfish prefer to live in the dark, damp places found in kitchens and bathrooms.
- They will feed on most things but are most commonly known to eat paper, wallpaper, dead insects, glue from books and natural fibres from clothes and carpets.
- Silverfish can also be found in open packets of cereal and pasta.
- If you have silverfish in your home it is likely that you have an entry point caused by water damage. It is also likely that you have high levels of moisture in your home or even an issue with damp.
About Spiders
- Spiders do a lot of good in the home by keeping fly and other insect numbers down; however, they are a cause of fear for some people and therefore may need to be dealt with as a pest.
- The only species of spider in the UK that can cause an irritating bite is the False Widow. These are normally no worse than a mosquito bite but some people can have an allergic reaction.
- Spiders seek shelter in our homes when the weather outside turns cooler and wetter.
How to Identify Wasps
There are several species of social wasps in the UK; however, the ones you will usually find disturbing your summer picnic are the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica).
There are some subtle differences in the appearance and nesting habits of these two wasp types, but for our purposes, they can be considered as one.
A wasp is easily identified, with its smooth, black-and-yellow-striped body and narrow connection between the thorax and abdomen. It also has a characteristic black mark across its otherwise yellow face. Don’t mistake bees for wasps. Bees often appear more rounded with a body covered with tiny hairs (these hairs, or setae, are used for pollen collection and distribution). Its stripes are also less distinct.
Wasp Behaviour
Despite their reputation, wasps are actually beneficial to our ecosystem as they feed insects, such as caterpillars and aphids, which can damage plants and crops. They also help pollinate plants and should be considered a gardener’s friend.
Adult wasps prefer to eat nectar (the insects are fed to their larvae) but are also attracted to other sweet foods and drinks you may have brought along on your picnic.
However, wasps can be aggressive and will sting to defend their nest. Sometimes, a wasp will even sting when not provoked. And, unlike a bee, a wasp has no barbs on its stinger; therefore, it can sting multiple times.
When a wasp stings, it releases a pheromone that can signal danger to other nearby wasps. This pheromone can trigger an aggressive response in other wasps.
Social wasps live in colonies, with a hierarchical system of roles – with the queen at the top. They commonly build their nests in underground holes, hollow trees, attic spaces, wall cavities, outbuildings, or other protected locations.
The Lifecycle of a Wasp
Spring
In early Spring, these fertilised females emerge as the next generation of queen wasps. Each queen then searches for a brand-new nesting site, where she will construct a nest from chewing plant fibres into a paper-like material.
Although the old wasp nests can survive winters, they are never re-inhabited.
Once the nest is ready, the queen will lay her eggs. Her first larvae will mature into infertile female workers. These workers serve various roles: to expand the nest, gather food and care for the queen and her young.
Summer
The queen stays in the nest and continuously lays eggs to expand the colony, which can grow to many thousands strong in a season. And it is during the summer months when the colony is at its largest, wasps are at their most troublesome.
Autumn
In the early Autumn, the queen’s egg production turns to larvae that will develop into adult male and fertile female wasps. After mating, which takes place away from the colony, the male wasps die, and the fertilised females continue the lifecycle by seeking sheltered locations to hibernate over the winter months.
Winter
The Wasp colony, as a whole, only lives for one year. So finally, as the weather cools further, food becomes scarce, and winter arrives, the old queen and all remaining worker wasps die off.