Pest Info

Specialists in all aspects of pest control and fumigation

House Mouse

The house mouse is a world - wide pest of buildings. They are nocturnal creatures and are extremely inquisitive, exploring their surroundings mainly by touch, as their eyesight is not particularly good. A mouse can produce up to 80 droppings in 24 hours, so food and food preparation surfaces can easily become contaminated even when only a small number of mice are present.

Probably the most important disease carried by mice in the UK is Salmonella (food poisoning).

Here are some more facts about the House mouse.

Colour: Grey above, light grey below
Habitat: normally lives indoors, preferring dry nesting locations. Usually Ground living but can climb
Food Preferences: Food may be taken from a number of sources but cereals are preferred
Life Cycle: The gestation period is about 3 weeks and the size of litters can vary enormously, ranging from 4 to 16 per litter
The female produces 7 to 8 litters a year and sexual maturity is reached in 8 to 10 weeks
Lifespan can range from 6 to 12 months, which means that the maximum breeding potential of a pair and their young is about 2000 in a year, although mortality rates are high

German Cockroach

Sometimes referred to as the "steam fly" due to their preferred habitat of hot, moist environments. They can be a major pest of laundries, hospitals, kitchens, restaurants, bars and even blocks of flats.

They do not live deep within the building fabric but close to the surface and although this should make them easier to control, it does not. This is due to their liking of very small harbourages (down to 0.2 cm), making the location of these harbourages difficult, German cockroaches can survive quite happily inside coffee machines, under bar counters, around the door seals of refrigerators and even in sink overflows.

The large number of eggs in an ootheca along with the relatively short hatching time can quickly produce very large infestations.

Here is some more information about the German cockroach.

Appearance: Brown with two dark stripes on the thorax. Both males and Females are winged
Movement: Runs and climbs (stick pads on the feet)
Food Preferences: Omnivorous
Life Cycle: Between 35 and 40 eggs per ootheca, which hatch in 1 month. Each Female is capable of producing between 4 and 8 oothecae in a life time.
Oothecae are carried by the female until eggs are ready to hatch

Common Cockroach

The common cockroach is well - established throughout the UK, These insects prefer cooler environments to the German cockroach and tend to be found deep within building fabric. This makes infestations of the common cockroach difficult to control as getting insecticide to the harbourages can be difficult, if not impossible. These pests can be found almost anywhere, from kitchens to cellars, in wall cavities, around fire places, in rubbish dumps and virtually any work environment.

These insects are often confused with ground beetles.

Here is more information about the common cockroach.

Appearance: Dark reddish - brown to black in colour and 25-30mm in Length. Males have wings which cover 3/4 of the abdomen: Wings are absent in the female.
Movement: Runs
Food Preferences: Omnivorous
Life Cycle: 16 eggs are found in each ootheca, which hatch in about 2 Months. Each female is capable of producing between 5 and 10
Oothecae in a lifetime.
Oothecae deposited by female after a few hours.

Cockroach general

Although there are a great many different species of cockroach, there are only a very few which would be considered pests in the UK. These are the common cockroach and the German cockroach. Other species which can be found in the UK are the American, Australian and Brown - banded cockroaches.

Both the common and German cockroaches are nocturnal, coming out at night time to feed, and are capable of carrying a variety of disease - causing organisms, the most prevalent being salmonella (food poisoning). If food is left uncovered, it could easily be contaminated.

Female cockroaches produce "oothcae" or egg capsules which are resistant to water loss and provide a perfect environment for the eggs to develop.

Why should we control these pests? Well, if their disease - spreading potential is not enough, just the sight of these insects is enough to turn many stomachs.

Feral Pigeon

The feral pigeon is wide spread throughout the country and can be a serious pest in towns and cities. Nesting on buildings and ledges, they cause large amounts of fouling and damage to buildings and vehicles. Droppings can also make pavements, steps and external fire escapes slippery.

Pigeons can transmit salmonella (food poisoning), ornithosis and fowl pest.

Here is more information about the feral pigeon.

Colour: Vary greatly in colour. Common colours are blue, blue? Grey, Mottled pink? Red.
Nesting sites: Ledges.
Food Preferences: Seeds, green feed and domestic scraps. Feeding in cities, near roosting sites.
Life Cycle: 2 eggs per clutch with 2-3 broods each year.
Incubation period of the eggs is normally 17 - 19 days
Time in the nest is between 35 and 37 days

Larder Beetle

The larder beetle is one member of a group of insects commonly known as dermisted beetles. These insects attack animal furs, feathers and feed off meat scraps found behind and beneath units in meat processing plants, renders, butchers, fishmongers, delicatessen counters in supermarkets and, of course, beneath and behind cookers and refrigerators in the kitchen. Dermestid beetles fly and most to ultra violet light emitted by electric fly killers.

There are particularly important pests of museums, where collections of stuffed animals can be destroyed. In this case fumigation should be considered.

Here is some more information about the larder beetle.

Appearance: 6 to 8 in length. Very dark brown to black in colour with a Whitish band across the fore - part of the wing cases (elyra).
All dermestid beetles have characteristically hairy larvae, some of which are capable of quite rapid movement. If handled, the hairs may lodge in the skin and cause localised irritation.
Life Cycle *The total number of eggs laid various from 200 to 800 and hatch in 3 to 9 days. The larvae moult 5 or 6 times and reach a length of 10 to 15mm.
The whole life cycle takes place in 2 to 3 months and the adult beetles may live up to 3 months.
The adults often hibernate in unheated premises

Wasp

There are 6 species of wasp commonly found in the UK but only two enter buildings. Wasps can be seen throughout the country but the wasp; tends to be shorter in the cooler north.

Wasps build elaborate nests made from a papery substance. This is produced when workers mix wood scraped from trees, fence posts of materials scraped from dried grasses with saliva. Nests can be located hanging from trees, bushes and hedges, or beneath roof tiles, in attics, garages, etc.

A wasp nest survives only for that season as the nest dies off in the late autumn, and although they will never re-inhabit an old nest, they may build a new one directly beside to an old nest. At the height of the season, there may be as many as 25,000 wasps in a very large nest.

Here is some more information about the wasp.

Appearance: Characteristic yellow/orange and black markings on the Abdomen. Males are about 15 mm in length and the workers 10 to 15mm. Can be distinguished from the many species of bee by the absence of the hairs on the abdomen.
Habitat: Anywhere a nest can be built, indoors or outdoors
Food Preference: Dead insects but specifically attracted by sweet substances.
Life Cycle: Young queens emerge in the autumn and seek suitable Hibernation sites such as garden sheds and beneath bark.
In the spring, she emerges and builds a small nest. A number of eggs are laid and when these hatch, she feeds the larvae herself. Workers emerge from the pupae and take over the task of Feeding the queen and larvae and expanding the nest.
Towards the end of the summer, the queen lays eggs which develop into males. These males mate with new queens which will then hibernate until the following year to start up a new nest. At the onset of cold weather during the autumn, the remaining wasps die.

Wasp General

Wasps and ants belong to the same order of insects - the hymenoptera. These insects are characterised by having two pairs of wings larger than the hind pair. A large number of members of this group of insects show that some live together in highly organised nests, with one or more queens, workers (sterile females) and males

Of those social hymenoptera, the most commonly encountered are the common wasp and garden ant. Both these species are capable of causing considerable distress when they enter our homes and workplaces, and of course, the wasp has its own defense - the sting.

Acrobat Ant

Size: Ranges form 1/8- inch to more than ?-inch in length. The most commonly encountered species are found at the smaller end of this size scale.

Colour: Ranges from black to dark brown red and black. The smaller species are typically uniformly dark in colour. A larger species common in Texas is red and black.

Acrobat ants are identifiable by the heart shape of their abdomen when viewed from above

Behaviour: When excited or disturbed, the acrobat ant workers run about their abdomens held high above their heads. Like most ants, acrobat ants establish well-defined trails between the nest and food and water sources. They feed on a wide variety of foods, but the workers are partial to the sweet honeydew produced by aphids, scales, and mealy bugs found feeding on many trees and plants. Fruit trees, roses, and many shrubs serve as hosts for and may contribute to ant infestations in homes and other buildings infestations inside are the result of workers searching for food.

Habitat: Acrobat ants are like carpenter ants in that they prefer to nest moist or rotted wood. Colonies are most often found in tree holes, dead limbs, stumps, and logs. Rotting areas in fencing, decks, and railings may also be nesting locations. Most infestations of acrobat ants originate from outdoor nests; however, if moist or rotted wood exists inside due to water leaks this ant will readily nest indoors. Such interior nests indoors. Such interior nests are typically found around the perimeter - in soffits, door frames, and skylights.

Tips for control: Acrobat ants are controlled by finding and treating wood where the ant colonies are located. Often, the nest may be located far above the ground in a tree where it is inaccessible to direct treatment. In such limiting interior invasion of ant trails is critical. Repairing water leaks out moist wood inside will help prevent infestations of both acrobat carpenter ants. Improving attic and crawl space ventilation is also limiting acrobat ant infestations.

General tips for limiting ant infestations include:

Eliminating piles of lumber, bricks, or other debris that could serve as a nesting site for ants.
Keeping landscape mulch less than 2 inches thick and at least 12 inches away from foundations.
Ensuring the sprinkler system does not spray directly onto foundation.
Sealing as many cracks in the buildings exterior as possible
Keeping tree and shrub branches trimmed to prevent touching the building.

Cluster Fly

Behaviour: A number of insects have discovered that heated buildings are ideal for surviving the cold of winter. Such pests include elder bugs, cluster flies, and ladybugs. As the weather cools in late summer and early fall the sun warms the southern and western walls of buildings. The warmth attracts these insects to buildings where they crawl inside cracks and stay there for the winter. This would be fine, but during warm winter days, some insects end up on the inside of the building.

Habitat: Cluster flies are actually parasites of earthworms. The adult flies deposit their eggs in the soil and the larvae seek out and live off of earthworms.

Tips for Control: The best ways to control cluster flies is by preventions described below. It takes a professional to find and treat the right areas to minimize the number of pests seen inside. If your home has experienced a problem with overwintering pests take the following steps next summer to prevent a recurrence:

Seal as many cracks and holes on the outside of the home as especially on the south and west walls where the sun heats during the late summer and fall.
Be sure that all the foundation and attic vents have tight fitting screens.
Check the soffit vents and any gable vents or turbine vents on the roof
Have your Terminix professional treat the outside west and south walls of the home near the eaves. This treatment should be completed in mid-to late august.

Dampwood Termites

Size: King and queen bodies range from 1/2- to 5/8-inch. Nymphs range up to 5/8-inch. Soldiers range up to 3/4-inch in length.
Colour: Kings and queens are brownish in colour.
Kings and queens have two pairs of wings that are equal in size and shape and extend well beyond the tip of the abdomen. They shed their wings after brief dispersal flights.
Behaviour: Dampwood termites are social insects that live in colonies consisting of several specialized forms. A mature colony may release winged males and females in late spring through fall, depending on the species. The swarmers have well-developed eyes, are pigmented in various shades of brown, and often have wings that are short in appearance. After pairing, males and females will shed their wings and may infest stumps and fallen logs. They now become a king and queen of a new developing colony. The majority of the dampwood colony consists of nymphs (immatures) that are pale and soft- bodied. Although they have no true worker caste, the nymphs perform the basic house-keeping duties similar to subterranean workers. This involves enlarging the gallery system, tending to the needs of the king and queen, care of the eggs and newly hatched young and obtaining food for other colony members.
Habitat: While subterranean termites may be found in every state except Alaska, the dampwood termites are much more limited in geographic distribution. They can be found mainly in the costal mountains and inland mountains of California, Oregon and Washington, and to a limited degree in Arizona and Nevada. Florida is home to a common species of dampwood termite. As their name implies, dampwood termites infest wood that has an excessive moisture condition, and therefore are not often found in structures.
Tips For Control: Because dampwood termites infest wood with excessive moisture content, it is unlikely they would infest a structure. However leaky plumbing, faulty gutters or downspouts, or snowdrifts against wood exteriors could result in the moisture levels required for infestation by dampwood termites.

Domestic House Spider

Size: May measure up to one inch in length with a leg span of up to two inches.

Colour: Brownish grey with a number of various markings.

The domestic house spider is closely related to the hobo spider and is difficult to distinguish from that species.

Behaviour: Domestic house spiders are funnel-web spiders, meaning they construct flat webs which have a funnel shaped retreat at the end. The females spend most of their lives in the webs, while the males and immature spiders may wander about in search of females or better nesting sites. It is usually these males or young spiders that are seen by homeowners. Unlike the hobo spider, which resembles this spider, the domestic house spider does not have a dangerous bite.

Habitat: The domestic house spider is found from central and northern California up through the Pacific North West in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. This species prefers to build its webs where a hole or crack exists in which it can locate its funnel retreat. Such webs are usually found in basements, crawl spaces, garages and outdoors in vegetation.

Tips For Control: The key for controlling the domestic house spider is to look for webs and remove them, making sure a treatment is applied into any crack associated with a web to be sure the spider has been killed.

Steps that should be taken to prevent new spiders from entering include:

Removing or limiting heavy, ground-covering vegetation near the building.
Sealing Cracks and holes in the building exterior.
Installing Tight-fitting screens on all attic and foundation vents
Sealing holes around pipes indoors to prevent spiders from entering the living spaces of the home by following plumbing lines in basements and crawl spaces.
Where numerous spiders are seen, a professional should be consulted conduct a thorough inspection and recommended possible treatments.

Carpet Beetle

Size: Tiny, round beetles with larvae that grow up to ?-inch in length; the adults grow to 1/6-inch.

Colour: While generally tan in colour, they are covered by tiny black, brown, and white scales, and have numerous tuffs or stiff hairs in the body.

Behaviour: Fabric pests such as carpet beetles, although not particularly dangerous, can sometimes cause irreparable damage to personal belongings. These beetles are able to digest animal hairs and. Therefore, feed on almost any item made of natural fibres, particularly wool and cashmere.

Habitat: Outdoors, carpet beetles are found in birds nests and animal dens where they can find the animal hair and feathers on which they feed, indoors these pests will be associated with woolen silk and other natural fibre. Carpet beetles may also be found living under carpets and rugs and in where hairs or dead insects have accumulated. Carpet beetles require a comprehensive pest service in order to locate the areas in which they may live.

Tips For Control: Your Terminix service professional can rid your home of these pests, but these are a few steps you can take to protect your clothing until your fabric pest problem can be controlled:

Do not store boxes of clothes in the attic, garage or basement, if possible.
If clothing must be stored in boxes, thoroughly clean the boxes before storage and seal all corners and openings with tape.
Prior to storage, clean woollen and natural fibre clothing according to the seal all
corners and openings with tape.
In closets, store natural fibre clothing items by covering them with individual plastic covers.
Consider storing clothing in large zipped plastic units.
Use mothballs to help deter fabric pests, but be aware that they may leave an odour that could require dry cleaning.

Norway Rat

Size: Larger rodents that may grow to a body length of 10 to 12 inches. Seldom will a rat weigh more than one pound.

Colour: Can vary from grey to brown to black.

Norway rats, found throughout the U.S have a heavier body, smaller eyes and ears and a shorter tail. Rats are more prevalent in urban and rural areas, and are found in homes less often than mice because of larger size.

Behaviour: Few people really like rats or mice, and no one wants them in their house. Rodents live everywhere outside and could enter at any time but fortunately, this does not occur often. Usually, most home invasions occur in the fall, not because of cooler weather, but because the seeds and plants on which rodents feed outside are gone. Rats and mice must then seek new food sources. Unfortunately, one of these sources may be your home. Rats are excellent climbers and are capable of gaining entry through holes around soffit vents and around cables entering the building, through holes in gable vents and around cables entering the building, through holes in gable vent screens, and through turbine and box vents on roofs. Many garage doors on homes allow enough space for rats to fit underneath, as well.

Habitat: Outside, rats live in fields, wooded areas, vacant lots, farms and just about anywhere people have buildings. Rats are seldom a problem in homes except in urban and rural areas. This is due in large part to their other size since rats need a hole about the size of a quarter in order to gain entry into a building. Rats however, may find harbourage in many areas around the home especially in stacked firewood, stones and bricks, and piles of leaves or other debris.

Tips For Control: The best way to avoid invasions of rats is to (1) provide as many little harbourage as possible that might attract rodents and (2) seal as any holes and cracks in the outside of the home as possible through which rats might enter. The following recommendations should be followed to help prevent rats from seeking the food and shelter provided by your home.

Keep firewood stored as far from the home as possible and store it off the ground. During the winter, store only enough wood next to the house to burn every couple of days
If possible, remove any piles of debris, stones, and bricks etc. If these are near the foundation of the home they serve as harbourages to attract rodents. Once there, it is any easy step for rodents to enter the building itself.

Honeybee

Size: 1/2-inch in length.

Colour: Golden yellow in colour with bands of brown.

Most everyone recognizes the honeybee common to any flowering garden.

Behaviour: Honeybees are the only type of social bee that establish colonies that may survive a decade or longer. These bees forage on pollen and nectar from flowering plants and use these materials to produce the honey that will feed the colony through the winter months. Waxy honeycombs will fill the nest cavity, a fact that makes removal of honeybees from buildings a messy chore. All honeybee colonies produce queens and drones in the spring. These swarms may be clustered on a tree branch, a fence, or a building as the bees rest before flying off again to find suitable nesting site. Because hundreds of bees are part of this swarm people are often concerned about the possibility of the bees attacking. Usually the bees in this swarm are docile and nonaggressive unless vigorously disturbed.

Habitat: Un the wild, honeybees most often nest inside cavities within trees but they will also nest within caves and cracks in rock formations. Occasionally, a colony will decide to nest inside a crawl space, attic a wall void, or a chimney in a home.

Tips For Control: Because the Africanized honeybee cannot be distinguished from its native cousins without detailed scientific measurements any honeybee nest or swarm found in the south western states should be respected at a safe distance. Only experienced beekeepers and/or swarms of honeybees. Never attempt to treat such nests without the proper training and equipment.

Once the colony inside a wall or attic has been eliminated, the building owner will need to open the wall and remove all the honey and honeycomb if not removed, the, honey will rot, produce strong odours and seeping stains and will attract other insect pests.