Pest Advice

Here are some of the more common pests that you will encounter within the home and work environment and a small insight to there biology and the importance for control.Here are some of the more common pests that you will encounter within the home and work environment and a small insight to there biology and the importance for control.

Biology 

Rats occur in a wide range of habitats, in and around buildings, in sewers, landfill sites and on agricultural land. they feed on a wide range of cereal based foods and other food stuffs. Unlike mice they require access to water. They exhibit Neophobia, that is to say they usually avoid new objects, gradually becoming familiar with it over some days.They become sexually mature at an age of 12-16 weeks, have a gestation period of around 22 days and produce a litter of between 5-12 young. Litters per year 3-6.

Importance

As you see from above, a single female rat in or around your property can quickly become a real problem if not dealt with. In addition, its gnawing behaviour may cause problems, especially where plumbing and electrical wiring could be damaged. Rats also can carry several diseases which can be passed on to humans.

House Mouse Mus musculus

Biology

House mice occur almost entirely in and around buildings, where they feed on a wide range of food stuffs. They are describe as erractic feeders, taking a small amount of food from several seperate locations, provided there food is moist they do not require access to water. As a mouse moves throughout its territory it indiscriminately leaves its droppings and urine. They become sexually mature at an age of 5-6 weeks, have a gestation period of around 22 days and produce a litter of between 4-8 young. Litters per year 5-8.

Importance

Again if the problem is not caught early you can quickly have a population explosion, and with its gnawing behaviour it may cause problems, especially where plumbing and electrical wiring could be damaged. Mice also carry several diseases which may be passed on to humans, especially in the kitchen environment where food stuffs are prepared.

European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

Biology

Rabbits are widespread and may become established in suburban and urban areas where suitable habitat exists. They live in groups in a warren system. They reach sexual maturity in 3-4 months, have a gestation period of around 28 days. Litter size averages around 5 but up to 12 is not uncommon. Breeding occurs throughout the year but is generally between March and October.

Importance

Rabbits cause serious problems by feeding on agricultural crops, killing of young trees by stripping the bark. The burrowing can damage gardens, parks, pasture land. this could cause serious problems with horses and riders if the ground subsides.

Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Biology

The Grey squirrel is now widespread throughout England and Wales, they are active during the day and feed on seeds, nuts, insects, birds eggs and increasingly adapting to many human foods. Breeding takes place from December 

through to July. Gestation period is 6-7 weeks, 2 litters per year and litter sizes range between 1-8.

Importance

They are becoming a major pest in the forestry industry where they cause serious damage to trees by stripping the bark. In urban areas they are becoming more serious when entering roof spaces damaging roof timbers, plumbing and electrical wiring.

European Mole Talpa europaea

Biology

Moles are solitary by nature and live for the majority of their time in tunnel systems. The breeding season is from February to June, the gestation period is 4 weeks.

 They have 1 litter per year and litters average 2-7, they are fed by the mother for 4-5 weeks, after this period they leave the nest and feed themselves. Shortly after this they leave to find their own territory, during this period they tend to move above ground, this is the time when cats bring them to the doorstep.

Importance

Where grass is grown for silage, this rapidly deteriorates if contaminated by earth from molehills. Agricultural crops growing above the tunnel systems could become stunted or die due to the soil drying out. Molehills deny grass from growing but allow weeds to grow leading to rapid deterioration of pasture land. Riders and horses are at real danger if the tunnel system subsides and generally molehills look unsightly on lawns, playing fields and golf courses.

Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris

Biology

The queen emerges from hibernation in the spring to build a new nest, once the nest is established in the summer it may contain several thousand worker wasps. Early autumn the queen will produce new queens and males which then leave the nest and mate, the fertilised queens will then go into hibernation to start the process again in the spring. The old queen along with the workers will die.

Importance

Wasps are a pest in orchards and around soft fruit production, also around food processing and production premises. They have an unpleasant sting and unlike bees they can repeat stings. They can cause alarm when gathered in large numbers. Every year 1-4 people die as a result of being stung by a wasp, hornet or bee.

European Hornet Vespa crabro

Biology

The life cycle is similar to that of the wasp, differences being they are alot larger and the nest at its peak in the summer will contain several hundred.

Importance

Similar to the wasp and although they are in general less aggresive than the wasp its sting is still unpleasant.

Bumble Bee Bombus spp

Biology

The life cycle is similar to that of the wasp and hornet. At its peak the nest will contain a few hundred. There are 24 species in the UK, eight of which are common. The Tree Bumble bee has become more common recently and this will nest in bird boxes, roof voids and cavities where as most other species will nest in holes in the ground.

Importance

Bumble bees play an important role in pollinating many crops and flowers, although worker bees are capable of stinging, they are not aggresive so rarely sting.

Most pest control organisations do not destroy bumble nests as a matter of principle.

Common Garden Ant Lasius niger

Biology

Garden ants usually nest outdoors in lawns, flower beds, beneath patios and the base of walls. During the summer on one or two warm afternoons winged females (queens) and males take flight, during this flight they will mate. Once mated the winged female will dig into the soil to overwinter and in spring will start a new colony.

Importance

Ants create problems when they enter premises to seek sugary foodstuffs, also if the colony is within the premises and the swarming flight does occur then large numbers of ants could be trapped within the building.

Red Ant Myrmica rubra

Biology

Red ants as per the Garden ant usually nest outdoors under rocks, patios, fallen branches or in tree stumps. As with garden ants the red ant preforms the same swarming to mate and start new colonies.

Importance

Red ants create problems when foraging workers enter premises to seek sugary foodstuffs, and if the swarming flight occurs inside.

This species stings readily producing a reaction similar to stinging nettles.