Author Archives: The Pest Man

Eradicate Ants From Your Home – Permanently

March 15, 2009

Eradicate Ants From Your Home – Permanently

Eradicate Ants From Your Home – Permanently – Only the unfortunate people who have experienced it will know the true  of winged ants in their homes.
Suffering an infestation of ordinary wingless ants is bad enough but when they go through their yearly mating  cycle the situation can become insufferable.
Ants often build colonies under the floors and in the wall cavities of our homes and these colonies will survive for many years if left untreated becoming progressively more intolerable each year.Ants In My House
Our homes are warm and dry and provide the ideal places for a thriving ant colony; even ‘solid’ concrete floor is permeable to an ant.
Our room heating systems maintains their metabolism even in winter  and my earliest ant call-out was on my birthday, in early January!
Ants prefer a sandy soil and there are many locations in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester which tend to suffer more ant infestationsthan others, Southport, Blackpool, Bolton, Sale & Altrincham leap to mind as hot ant spots.
Unfortunately it is during their mating cycle that they are most troublesome. Here in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester this tends to be fairlyoften  around the third or fourth week in July.
Ants mate on the wing and around mid-summer they produce winged immature Queens and winged males which in  a more natural environment would fly off and mate on the wing. Many thousands of these winged ants are produced per nest and nests tend to synchronise  their release so that they mate with ants produced by other nests.
Invariably this process starts after two or three days of warm, dry weather  and will usually go on for about a week although smaller releases will continue throughout most of June, July & August.
Unfortunately when the colony is hidden beneath the floor of the dwelling the results can be catastrophic, literally thousands of winged ants are released into the lower rooms, congregating on windows as they head for the light.
This can be extremely distressing for some people leading to extreme emotional trauma to the degree that people learn to hate the warm months of summer and have actually sold their homes to escape the invasion of ants which they know comes each year.
The wet summers of the last couple of years has meant that ant problems were down on previous years but appear to have a way of catching up and 2009 looks set to be a very busy year.
Most people who have this problem attempt DIY solutions with powders from hardware shops etc but usually these efforts are in vain as they are not getting to the heart of the problem which is the colony itself, hidden away in the cavity wall or sub-floor area.
Fortunately for many people the answer is at hand.
At Harrier Pest Control (subject to site survey) we are able to cure this problem and issue an extendable three year guarantee.

The procedure which is carried out mainly from the exterior of the property, is perfectly safe for animals and children and produces no smell, involves drilling small holes into the cavity walls of the property, not unlike a damp-course injection and injecting an insecticidal powder into the cavity under pressure.
This forms an impenetrable barrier across which the ants cannot go and together with a precautionary internal spray treatment (if appropriate) will gradually bring the infestation under control.
The holes, which are only 8mm in diameter remain open so it is a simply matter of re-injecting the cavities every three years to extend the effectiveness of the guarantee indefinitely.
This procedure is best carried out in the early spring although it can be done at any time of year.
As a limited time special offer before our busy period begins  we are offering 25% off the usual cost until April 30 2009. Whilst we usually cover the whole of Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, we are prepared to travel further afield but this will increase the cost.
For a discussion or to arrange an appointment contact Harrier Pest Prevention on Free Phone 0800 019 8382 or

http://harrierpestprevention.com

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Problems With Pigeons in Our Lancashire Towns

March 13, 2009
Insects in Pigeon Guano

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Problems With Pigeons in Our Lancashire Towns – Ken Chadwick

Pigeons and doves are members of the Columbidae family and in nature live on cliff faces and rocky places.

The high buildings in we live and work make wonderful artificial ‘rock faces’ and hence our towns and cities are frequently infested with high pigeon populations fouling walkways, motor vehicles and statues.

Pigeon SpikesFrequently this problem is heightened by kind-hearted but misguided individuals feeding the birds.

However it is when these birds gain access into a roof void or upper floor of a building that the real problems begin.

Often pigeons will find a broken window or dislodged slate in the upper and often unused areas of tall buildings.

They rear the young ‘squabs’ usually only one or two per nest on a diet of various seeds and city detritus that they easily find on our busy streets.

There can be many nests in a typical roof void and a build-up of pigeon guano swiftly collects, sometimes over a foot in depth on a long standing infestation.

This pigeon dung itself is teeming with wildlife, yellow mealworm beetle, larder beetle, spider beetle and their associated larvae.Pigeon Deterrent

Often the first hint of a problem is when these insects start to migrate into the occupied areas of the building.

On no account should amateur attempts be made to remove this guano, breathing in the dust of pigeon droppings is associated with various respiratory disorders including ornithosis and specialist equipment is needed.

The solution to the problem is of course to prevent them from gaining ingress by sealing all holes and repairing broken windows.

However this does not prevent them from roosting and occasionally even nesting on window ledges and fouling the masonry and walkways below which can become dangerously slippery due to their droppings in wet weather.

The solution to this problem is to apply pigeon spikes onto the ledges.

These are a pigeon deterrent and do not harm the birds in any way but make the ledges uncomfortable for them to land on and they move elsewhere.

Sometimes the only solution is to remove the flock and humanely dispose of them.

This can be achieved by shooting, although this is rarely practical in a busy city environment, or trapping the flock.

Trapping involves pre-baiting of an area until the birds are habituated in feeding there and then setting cage traps to collect the birds.

This is often an emotive procedure and is best done on flat roof-tops etc where the public cannot see the traps.

For help and assistance with your pigeon or general bird problems ring Harrier Pest Prevention on 0800 019 8382.

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Pest Control in Blackpool & Other Seaside Holiday Resorts

March 4, 2009
Pest Control in Southport & Blackpool

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Pest Control in Southport, Blackpool & Other Seaside Holiday Resorts

Seaside pest control brings its own set of special circumstances which sometimes require a different approach to more inland towns.

Firstly the very logistics of working in a busy seaside holiday resort can be problematic, even the basics of parking your van near the customers’ premises can be difficult especially when equipment needs to be carried. This can lead to increased charges which have to be passed onto the customer.brown rat

In summer premises are often open seven days a week and even twenty-four hours a day thus leaving little opportunity for the pest controller to go about his work.

This may not cause too much difficulty in routine preventative inspection visits but can cause extreme problems when infestation is detected in that often pesticides require premises to be vacated for a period of time.

In winter the opposite situation may occur where premises are closed for several months leaving a pest infestation to develop undetected.

Seaside holiday resorts usually have a large number of takeaways providing food to eat on the go and often will be littered overnight with uneaten food scraps providing food for rats and seagulls.

Often daily waste collections mean that bagged food waste is put outside overnight thus encouraging rodents.

Seagulls are obviously a nuisance with their noise and fouling but often will take food stuffs up onto roofs and ledges causing a build up of rotten materials which produce flies and maggots.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of seaside pest control is the resurgence of the bed bug which in recent years has seen numbers rise exponentially.

A high transient population of holiday makers often staying in inexpensive, high turnover accommodation means that the bugs can spread quickly throughout a resort and even expensive upmarket establishments are not exempt.

The very nature of a bed bug infestation means that it is difficult and expensive to cure and news of infestation is often of interest to local press who will often carry a story about a guest being bitten, thus ruining the reputation of the establishment.

Bed bug infestations require that the infested bedroom and those adjacent be treated thus losing revenue for the establishment.

A hotel or guest house could also find themselves liable for the cost of dealing with an infestation at the homes of their guests as the bugs are easily transported in luggage.

Pest Prevention carry out annual preventative inspections and treatment where necessary and can be contacted on 0800 019 8382 or

info@harrierpestprevention.co.uk




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Squirrel Floods House

January 30, 2009
A Salutary Warning For Home Owners (Ken Chadwick)

Most responsible home-owners and tenants will have buildings & contents insurance so that in the event of fire, flood or pestilence they will have cover for themselves and their………….wait a minute! Did I say pestilence?
Early last year I was called out to a local home, a pleasant modern detached house on a popular local development.Grey Squirrel
The owners had been away for a week’s holiday and whilst they were away little Mrs Nutkin had decided to build her nest ( a squirrel’s nest is called a dray or drey) in the loft of the property. Being a squirrel she was awfully good at chewing things and one of the things she decided to chew was the water

A closed bin lid is no protection

A closed bin lid is no protection

supply pipe to the header tank in the loft.
The young couple returned home to find the ceiling brought down, the house flooded and carpets and furniture ruined.
A nasty shock but at least they had insurance cover, they were always careful to ensure their cover was adequate……or so they thought!
Bad news was in store!
The vast majority of household insurance policies have a clause excluding damage by vermin, and as soon as they mentioned ’squirrel’ to their insurance company they immediately invalidated their claim leaving them pick up the cost of thousands of pounds worth of damage.
I wish I could say that this was a rare, isolated case but it isn’t.
As a point of interest here in the U.K. The law regarding squirrels is a little complicated.
Although the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is now endemic throughout virtually the whole U.K., it is still regarded in law as an illegal immigrant. It was imported from the United States and Canada in the 19th century and has gradually established itself throughout Britain.
However, despite the fact that they are common, it is still a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1984 to release a grey squirrel in the British Isles, so pest controllers trapping squirrels are not allowed in law to relocate them.Red Squirrel
Unfortunately the grey squirrel is a carrier of Squirrelpox virus to which they themselves appear to be immune but the effect has been to devastate our native population of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), the ‘Squirrel Nutkin’ of fame, whose numbers are now down to a few isolated populations.
Squirrels are rodents, the word itself comes from the Latin “rodere” - ”to gnaw, eat away” and this they do very well indeed, especially electrical wiring and water pipes when they enter your home.
If you have squirrels in the garden be afraid, be very afraid!

Fascinating grey squirrel facts

· Their scientific name is Sciurus carolinensis.
· They were introduced from USA /Canada to approximately 30 sites in England, Scotland and Wales from 1876–1930.
· Grey squirrels eat seeds, buds, flowers, shoots, nuts, berries and fruit from many trees and shrubs. They also eat fungi and insects, and occasionally birds’ eggs and fledglings.
· They store nuts in the ground in the autumn, but do not remember where they store them. They rely on scent to find them.
· They can be right or left-handed!
· Squirrels moult their coat twice a year, once after winter and then in the late summer before the weather gets colder again.
· They do not have ear tufts.
· They can live to 5-7 years of age.
· They have four fingers and five toes.
· The upper fur is mainly grey with mid-brown along the upper back, and chestnut over the flanks, limbs and feet. Their underside is white. The tail hairs are grey, banded with brown and black and a white fringe.
· They weigh 450-650g.
· Their body is 24–26cm long and their tail is 19-24cm in length.
· Squirrels live high in trees in a nest made from twigs, leaves and moss. This is called a dray.
· The dray may be in a hole in the tree or set against the trunk and branches.
· Pregnancy lasts 44 days and their young are called kittens.
· Kittens are born with their eyes closed, without teeth and with no hair. After about seven weeks they look just like small versions of their parents and are ready to leave the dray.
· There are generally 2 litters a year (rarely 3), with 3–7 kittens in each litter.
· Average densities in broadleaf areas are approximately 8-18 grey squirrels per hectare, and 0.1-1 per hectare in coniferous areas.
· They do not hibernate over winter, but may be less active when weather conditions are bad.
· They can hang upside down!
· They can swim!
· Grey squirrels do not appear to be susceptible to Squirrelpox virus, but may carry and transmit it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Chadwick

That concludes this article entitled – Squirrel Floods House

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How To Destroy Wasp Nests

January 15, 2009

How To Destroy Wasp Nests (Ken Chadwick)

How To Destroy Wasp Nests – Although 11 species of true wasp are found in Europe, only two, the Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German Wasp (Vespula germanica) are important as pest species in the U.K. although in recent years the European Wasp (Dolichovespula media)  has made inroads into Britain after arriving on the South Coast in the early 1980s.How To Kill Wasp Nests

All three species over-winter as queens. The Common Wasp usually hibernates in buildings and the German Wasp typically over-wintering under the bark of trees.

In spring the queens leave their hibernating quarters to seek nesting sites which could be in a hole in the ground, a hollow tree or artificial structures such as eaves, lofts and attics, garden sheds etc.

The queen starts to build her nest with a papery material that she makes by chewing small pieces of wood mixed with saliva; this is known as ‘wasp paper’.

She will raise the first few workers by her own efforts and those workers will then commence the enlargement of the nest and caring for the immature wasps to follow.

Nest construction starts in earnest in June and will reach its maximum in size in September when 5 – 30,000 workers may be present. These workers will forage for food up to 400 metres from the nest.

The size of wasp colonies will vary from year to year, the severity of the previous winter is probably the key factor in determining wasp numbers.

how do i get rid of wasp nestsIn summer as nest building continues apace the wasp is a gardener’s friend as it enjoys a high protein diet of aphids, grubs and larvae but as summer turns to autumn the wasp turns to feeding on fermenting fruits, in short – alcohol!

It is now as the days shorten that the wasp becomes troublesome and pest controllers across the country are deluged with call-outs.

In the late autumn the nest starts to produce the new queens to continue the cycle into the following year and when the time is ripe the young queens leave the nest and mate before hibernating. The rest of the colony dies and the nest is never used again.

Individuals react differently to being stung by wasps; some are hardly affected, others suffer considerable pain and swelling and a few become seriously allergic which in a very cases each year results in sudden death due to anaphylactic shock.

It is always advisable to let a professional deal with a wasps’ nest. An insecticide will be used to cover the entrance to the nest. Returning wasps will carry the insecticide into the heart of the nest and within a few hours all wasps will be dead.

It is inadvisable to allow a wasps’ nest to remain untreated as the resultant queens produced by the nest will invariably nest nearby in the following spring resulting in many more nests the following year. For this reason several nests are often clustered together in a locality.

Ken Chadwick B.A. (Hons) is a Pest Controller and author on pest control issues. For further information please visit http://www.waspgo.co.uk

That concludes this article entitled – How To Kill Wasp Nests

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