Common pest control in Inverclyde
Clyde Pest Control Services - keeping homes and business free from pests
This page describes the common pests found in this part of the world and the health risks they can pose to humans, domestic pets and the fabric of households and commercial premises.
Rodents
Rats and mice cause damage to furniture and fabrics by chewing to keep their teeth ground down. They can also cause electrical fires by chewing through cables and the parasites they carry can cause serious health risks including salmonella.
Squirrels can also damage wood and garden furniture as well as pipes and electrical wiring. When challenged they can be aggressive and also carry diseases similar to those of mice and rats.
Moles can cause serious damage to lawns and gardens with unsightly molehills and can contaminate silage. They also have the ability to transfer diseases such as Listeria and Foot and Mouth. They can be aggressive when caught and so will require trapping as the use of poisons is now banned.
Birds
Seagulls are noisy, brazen, scavengers, stealing food from the hands of humans – both adults and children – and the outdoor tables of pubs and restaurants. They also scatter refuse from plastic bags and litter bins thus encouraging further pest problems from rodents. Their excrement causes problems to cars, roofs, windows, outdoor furniture and pavements. In addition, there have been many reports of seagulls attacking humans and pets particularly during nesting times.
Apart from damaging rooftop surfaces and machinery such as air conditioning units, guttering and drains, feral pigeons can infect humans and pets with more than forty diseases such as paramyxovirus infection and paratyphoid disease. Air conditioning units can suck up dust, faeces and feathers of pigeons and deposit infection into commercial and domestic premises. One of the deadliest is Pseudo Tuberculosis, a common disease caused by mycobacterium, mainly Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Other diseases include Salmonellosis as well as the deadly Aspergillosis infection of the lungs. The equally dangerous Encephalitis, which can cause inflammation of the brain and lead to death, can also be traced to pigeons. The bird and its nests can also be the source of Ectoparasites such as ticks, fleas and mites that can migrate into the human domestic living areas. A dangerous infection, particularly to babies and pregnant women is Toxoplasmosis that invades human tissue and can severely damage the central nervous system.
Although not as severe as pigeons, crows and magpies are also capable of causing infections from parasites and the distribution of their faeces on outdoor furniture, patios and decks. Similar to seagulls, they are scavengers who tear open unprotected refuse sacks and can cause problems in outdoor eating areas.
Insects
Cockroaches are very common, especially in crowded housing environments. They can carry diseases and love to hide in wall and ceiling voids, rubbish or furniture. It’s essential to keep a tidy home and garden to prevent cockroaches.
Bees and wasps can be hard to identify, so you should hire a pest control specialist, as there are specific guidelines you must follow when dealing with bees, which are important for pollination.
There are eight species of wasps in Britain, but the two most commonly found in urban settings are the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) and the German wasp (Vespula germanica). Wasp nests are established in the spring by queens (mated fertile females) that survived the winter by hibernating. Nests are built in cavities under the ground, trees or buildings, and they consist of a paper-like material produced by masticated wood.
Bedbugs are small and as flat as a piece of paper so they can fit in the tiniest of gaps in furniture and fittings, which makes them extremely hard to eradicate. Bedbugs come out while we sleep to feed on our blood, attracted by our warmth and the co2 we give off.
Black garden ants are the most common variety across the UK and although they do not constitute any health problem to humans, they have a nuisance value in homes and workplaces. While ants often make an appearance indoors, they normally nest outside and so to avoid repeated infestation, the nests must be found and eradicated. However, as they farm aphids which may cause problems for gardeners.
Fleas are parasites that feed off the blood of birds and mammals. Apart from itching, fleabites can cause an allergic reaction in both animals and humans. To rid homes, pets and gardens of fleas, a comprehensive programme of eradication is necessary.
Black, oval-shaped, with a yellow band and large spots across the wing covers, the larder beetle is an aptly named pest that hunts for food in domestic and commercial food storage areas and are also partial to dried pet foods. Larder beetles often infest rats’ and squirrels’ nests hidden in walls, under floorboards and in attics and therefore advance easily into the home.
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