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As spring arrives in the UK, it brings warmer weather and an increase in pest activity. Pests thrive in warm and humid environments. Spring is the perfect time for them to emerge from their winter hiding places.
Read on to learn more from our pest control experts about what pests you should be on the lookout for this spring and why
Insects such as ants and cockroaches, are cold-blooded. This means they rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperature. During the winter months, insect pests will typically be less active. However, as the weather starts to warm up, pests become more active.
In addition to the warmer weather, spring is also a time of increased moisture and humidity. This creates the perfect breeding ground for many pests, such as ants, spiders, cockroaches, and other insects, which can thrive in damp environments.
Black ants will usually live happily outdoors and are almost everywhere. However, on some occasions they will find their way inside a property. They will come inside because they are attracted by your food. They will crawl through small cracks and crevices to enter buildings. Often simply cleaning the floor and surfaces to remove all food, crumbs or drink spillages will solve the problem. If they continue to enter your home, there are some powders and sprays you can buy, but if you don’t wish to do this, or it doesn’t work contact us for professional help.
A larger concern is pharaoh ants, who are different from black ants and should be treated by a pest control expert. Pharaoh ants can cause structural damage to your property as they create tunnels to live and breed. They can also spread pathogens as they crawl over surfaces in your property.
If you suspect you have pharaoh ants, contact our pest control experts at once. We will find where the nests are located and how they are accessing your property. We will then apply the correct treatment to remove the colonies safely and effectively. Effective treatments can involve several visits, but we will give you an estimate of how long the process will take. It will depend on the size and complexity of the colonies.
Another common pest found in and around properties during spring are cockroaches. They seek out food and water sources and can easily contaminate surfaces with bacteria and other pathogens. Cockroaches can also be difficult to get rid of, as they can quickly reproduce and spread throughout a property. Often an untrained person will not find all the roaches or their eggs. This means the cockroaches will continue to survive and multiply. Because they are nocturnal, they often go undetected for a long time. Tell-tale signs of cockroaches, besides spotting one running across the floor, is a musty odour, small black droppings and shedded cockroach skins.
If you suspect you have cockroaches, please contact us for help straightaway.
Wasps are another common spring pest that can be dangerous to people who are allergic to their stings. Small wasp nests will start to appear in early spring and this is the best time to have them removed. If the wasp nest is out of the way and will not pose any direct threat, it can be left alone. However, if the wasps are worrying you, are aggressive and could pose a threat to public health then it’s time to contact a professional to remove the wasp nest on your behalf.
Pigeons are around throughout the year all year, however, as spring emerges, more of us venture outside for longer periods.
Unfortunately, that can mean more food sources such as picnic waste, takeaway leftovers and food crumbs for pigeons.
Pigeons will nest in roofs, gutters, ledges and even solar panels, close to a food source. Pigeon droppings can be a health hazard, as they can carry diseases. The droppings are also corrosive on buildings. It is important to remove and deter pigeons where they pose a risk to public health.
However, you must not attempt to remove pigeons yourself. In the UK, wild birds and their eggs are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This includes ‘pest birds’ such as pigeons, gulls, sparrows and starlings. The Protex Bird Control team will safely remove pigeons, and other pest birds from any building and implement deterrents to ensure they don’t return in the future. We will also safely clean any guano or droppings they have left behind.
Rats and mice are around in abundance all year long. Typically, we deal with more rodent problems during the winter. However, it is not unusual to find them in your property during the spring. Sometimes they will have already made their way into your home during the colder months and remained undetected. But despite spring and summer emerging, they won’t move from your property, when they are already comfortable. They will also enter properties during spring if they detect attractive food sources. Therefore, it is important to store food correctly and ensure rubbish is put inside a sealed bag in a bin with a lid.
Rats and mice can be dangerous, they can chew through electrical wiring, and spread diseases such as Salmonella, Listeria and Leptospirosis. The safest choice to remove rats or mice from your property is to contact a pest control expert. You will find remedies sold online or in DIY stores, but use these with caution. If not used correctly, these poisons can also pose a danger to children, pets and other wildlife. Also, they can take a while to work, so after consumption, the rat will return to your home to die. If not detected quickly, it will start to decay inside your property.
When we visit your property, our pest control experts will know, when and where to apply treatments safely.
To learn more about Protex Pest Control visit www.protexpest.co.uk
