Why should I treat Black Ants?

Worker ants will frequently enter dwellings foraging for food, particularly sweet substances. While not a risk to human health, they can be present in sufficient numbers to cause a nuisance. The ants will almost certainly be coming from several nests so locating one nest and destroying that will have a limited effect.

Preparation Prior to Treatment

Prior to treatment the effected areas should be cleaned, any cupboards emptied & toys, pets etc removed from the area.

Treatment

The infested and surrounding areas have been treated with an insecticide spray the insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non tainting & do not corrode or stain. The outside as well as inside areas would have been sprayed as the nests are usually outside but the insects may swarm or forage for food inside. A band of insecticide has been sprayed around windows, doors and walls to keep them out. The ants walk over the treated areas and return to the nest touching other ants and larvae with their contaminated bodies which passes on enough insecticide to kill the nest(s). This may take up to 2 weeks (if treatment is carried out before April or in cold weather the activity may continue sporadically for up to 6 weeks), immediate improvement is always noticeable but do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months.

What do I do afterwards? 

Do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months. The insecticide will slowly de grade but will break down straight away if you wash or vacuum treated surfaces. Immediately after treatment let the spray dry, do not clean or wipe up any puddles, if you touch the treated surface while still wet then wash off, do not let animals on the treated areas until dry. Flying Ants are the Queens and Drones that the workers have pushed out to start new nests for the following year, although the original nest may last several years. Occasionally Ants will swarm after treatment (usually late Summer), this will quickly die down as swarming ants come into contact with treated surfaces. The treatment is designed to keep ants out from inside areas. This treatment is guaranteed (treated areas only) for one month after the first spray, and is only valid as long instructions and advice on hygiene and other matters are adhered to. Insecticide treatments will only work on clean surfaces.

Why should I treat Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are found world-wide and throughout the UK. They are nocturnal parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and other mammals. By day they hide in cracks and crevices in beds, furniture, wallpaper and skirting boards, emerging when hungry, usually every few days, to feed. Bed bugs are not regarded as disease carriers but their blood feeding can cause severe irritation in some people, resulting in loss of sleep and lack of energy, particularly in children. Their bite often gives rise to a hard whitish swelling which distinguishes it from the flea bite. It leaves a dark red spot surrounded by a reddened area. Heavily infested rooms may carry a distinctive and unpleasant almond-like smell, which is given off by the bed bugs 'stink glands'. 'Blood spotting' on bed linen may also indicate activity as the fully fed bugs excrete excess water before returning to their narrow crevices.

Treatment

Once a bed bug infestation has been confirmed, it is important that a thorough treatment with a residual insecticide spray or powder is applied. It may be necessary to treat on more than one occasion to completely eradicate bed bugs.

To get the best results from a bed bug treatment it is important to carry out the following steps. Before the treatment -

All floors and upholstered furniture should be thoroughly vacuumed to remove animal hair, debris, eggs and pupae. Give particular attention to places you know the bugs are, such as bedrooms and other sleeping areas. You must then dispose of the vacuum bag in a plastic bag or in an outside waste bin.
Remove all bed linen and clothing from infested areas and wash on the hottest wash possible.
Remove all toys and loose articles from the floor so that as much of the area can be treated as possible.
Where possible, completely dismantle beds and other objects, which bugs could use as harbourage, to allow thorough treatment.
Empty wardrobes and drawers, and wash the contents on the highest possible wash.
Sweep and wash or vacuum all tiled, concrete and wooden floors.
Remove all children, pets and other people during the treatment and ensure that aquariums are removed or covered - fish are particularly susceptible to insecticides. Cover or remove any open food.

What do I do afterwards?

Don't allow any adults, children or pets back in the house until the treatment is completely dried - this normally takes a few hours in a well-ventilated property Don't vacuum for at least 10-14 days after the treatment. This will give the insecticide time to eliminate all stages of the bed bug infestation. Thoroughly clean all food preparation surfaces before you use them. You might still notice bed bug activity for several days after the treatment. This is not unusual, and may be because of newly hatched bed bugs that haven't come into contact with the insecticide yet. These insects will die eventually.

How do I know I have cockroach problem?

If you have a cockroach problem you will see dead & alive cockroaches.

Cockroaches are mainly nocturnal so they are more likely to be seen at night. They require high temperatures, although will survive and tolerate low temperatures (but will not thrive). Due to this they are most commonly found in kitchens, laundry rooms, boiler rooms & anywhere? where high temperatures occur. In a kitchen the favourite places for them to live will be inside fridges (fridge motors constantly give off heat), cookers, boilers & washing machines. 

Why should cockroaches be treated?

Cockroaches are a health hazard. If you are commercial premises and you have cockroaches, the Environmental Health Dept. may close you down, fine you or both. If cockroaches are left untreated the numbers will increase.

Preparation prior to Treatment?

The cleaner the infested areas the better chance of success any treatment will have. Clean under and in cookers, fridges etc. All areas up and down (cockroaches can climb) need to be cleaned and de greased thoroughly. Contact you neighbours or any building connected to yours to see if they have a problem. Treatments of large ?communal? type buildings will only work if the whole building is treated at the same time.

Treatment

The cockroach infestation will have been baited using an insecticidal gel or treated with an insecticide spray. If our technician has used a dust formulation, the insecticide is Ficam D powder. We use modern biodegradable insecticides that are odourless, non-tainting, non-corrosive and non-staining. In some instances, such as heavy infestations, infestations spreading from neighbouring properties, or unclean surfaces, more than one spray or bait treatment will be needed for complete control. In some cases it may be necessary to spray or bait on a monthly basis until the infestation is eradicated, especially in shared, communal or multi-occupancy buildings.

What do I do afterwards?

You will see dead cockroaches around for a few weeks after each spraying or baiting. Remove these to the outside bin for disposal. Try to refrain from washing down treated surfaces (for 2 months after last spraying), as this will wash away some or all of the insecticide or bait. The cleaner the premises are kept the more successful any treatments will be, and any infestations will be kept to a minimum. Insecticides work better on clean surfaces and cockroaches will feed on any sort of food debris, but this means keeping areas clean that are not usually seen (i.e. under ovens, wall floor junctions). Cockroach monitoring traps will be supplied to you to see if there are any cockroaches left or a new infestation has occurred. These are harmless sticky traps with a pheromone bait. They are a monitor only and will not act as a control.

How do I know I have flea problem?

When a house has a flea problem it is usually the case that people will experience bites. These are concentrated on the lower leg areas. Bites can occur on other parts of the body and on children are often more evenly distributed as they are nearer the ground and more likely to be playing or lying on the carpet areas. Different people react in different ways to bites. Some experience itching, swelling, some do not. Some people will react immediately to bites others it may take several hours. You may see fleas in the carpet or on your pet. The Flea infestation may have been caused by your own animals (if you have any), by a visiting animal, by previous occupants animals, or occasionally brought in by humans on their clothes. The Fleas live in the carpets and leave the carpets only to feed on the host animal, (usually cat or dog); if the host animal is not available then they will feed on humans, often preferring women and children to men. They will move on to beds & clothing but soon return to the carpet.

Why should fleas be treated?

The reasons for treatment are obvious: they cause discomfort to humans & pets. They can transmit tapeworm. Visitors will be bitten and may take fleas back to their homes.

Preparation prior to Treatment?

Flea treatments will not work unless proper preparation is carried out. Hygiene is paramount, the floor area of the house should be vacuumed and the whole floor area be sprayed with a residual insecticide, particular attention should be paid to the edges of carpets at the floor/wall join, underneath static furniture, under beds & the resting and sleeping areas of any pets. Upholstered furniture should be vacuumed and similarly treated (although not essential as fleas will eventually move onto the treated carpet surface) taking care to treat the space under the cushions of chairs and settees where debris has collected. If available, the bedding of the cat or dog should be replaced, washed or failing these very thoroughly sprayed. Baskets must also be treated thoroughly. The vacuum bag must be removed after this & placed in an outside bin. The pet should be treated with a formulation to treat fleas on an animal such as a flea collar, powder, spray or formulation such as Frontline. This must be ongoing. NEVER TREAT AN ANIMAL OR HUMAN WITH ANY PESTICIDE NOT SPECIFICALLY LABELLED AND CLEARED FOR SUCH USE. The floors must be clear of books, toys, boxes, magazines etc. areas under beds, settees and other furniture must be clear. The pet must be kept out of the house when treatment starts and people out of each room while the treatment is being carried out.

Treatment

The infestation will be treated with an insecticide spray. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and does not corrode or stain. They are not highly toxic towards mammals but are extremely so to all forms of crawling and flying public health pests. All your carpet areas will be sprayed and possibly dusted.

What do I do afterwards?

After treatment do not let domestic animals walk on treated surfaces until dry and if bare skin comes into contact whilst wet then wash. Cats especially can be susceptible to some insecticides, so it is best that animals are not let to walk on treated surfaces until completely dry. People can walk on treated surfaces provided they are wearing shoes; contact with the wet surfaces with bare skin should be avoided. Do not vacuum for at least two weeks, after the first vacuum change the bag and dispose of bag away from the house. For this first week of vacuuming, vacuum at least once a day but preferably twice. It is important to understand that the flea infestation will not be controlled immediately and may even increase slightly after initially seeming to die out within a 7-14 day period. So fleas may be present for up to 21 days after the spray. It is advisable that lawns are mown soon after treatment as in warm weather fleas may survive in outside areas. The animals should be fitted with fresh Flea collars or sprayed/dusted with a spray/dust made for this purpose. If the premises are not occupied there may flea activity for up to 3 weeks from the date of occupation. Do not avoid infested areas as fleas have the ability to remain dormant in their pupae cases for up to a year unless they stimulated by warmth, movement and carbon dioxide. Domestic treatments are guaranteed (treated areas only) for one month after the first spray, and are only valid as long instructions and advice on hygiene and other matters are adhered to, the guarantee does not apply to premises where more than 2 animals are present. In some cases it may be necessary to spray on a monthly basis until the infestation is eradicated especially in shared, communal or multi occupancy buildings. Insecticide treatments will only work on clean surfaces.

Fleas in an Office

In the case of an office type environment being infested with fleas it is vitally important that people with animals (especially cats) at home get their homes & animals treated. In most instances fleas will only feed on humans if the host animal is absent (or the infestation has built up to large numbers) so the person(s) with animals bringing the fleas/eggs into the office may not realize they have a problem at home. If this concern is not addressed flea problems will continue. For this reason office type environments are not guaranteed.

How do I know I have cluster fly problem?

If you have a Cluster Fly problem you will notice dead, dying or live flies around windows or in loft spaces. You may even see them sunning themselves on outside walls. The time of year is important. If you are seeing flies in the Summer then they are probably another type of fly, maybe a Bluebottle or related species or perhaps House Flies.

Preparation prior to Treatment?

There isn't much you can do prior to treatment but the insecticide sprays that may be used last much longer on clean dust free surfaces.

Treatment

The infested and surrounding areas will have been treated with an insecticide spray, powder or ULV fogger. The type of insecticide used will depend on individual circumstances and be decided by the technician. All these insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, and non-tainting and does not corrode or stain. They are not highly toxic towards mammals but are extremely so to all forms of crawling and flying public health pests. All the resting places will have been sprayed and possibly dusted.

What do I do afterwards?

After treatment do not let domestic animals walk on treated surfaces until dry and if bare skin comes into contact while wet then wash. As long as the surfaces that have been treated are not washed down the insecticide will remain active for up to 3 months. This really only applies to clean areas inside. Dying flies may be seen up to 4 weeks after treatment. There is a possibility that any survivors will build up their numbers to nuisance level again. In fact once a hibernation site is selected it will be used year after year. The treatment will not eliminate the fly infestation but kill the vast majority, flies will take time to die, how quickly depends on temperature and how much insecticide they have absorbed.

How do I know I have a wasp nest?

If you see wasps entering & leaving a hole in the ground, a wall, roof or any other part of a building between May & November then you probably have a wasp nest.

Do not be tempted to block the hole up, this will make them angry and aggressive but will not kill the nest, they will find another entrance. Some species of wasps will build outside in bushes and trees. You will see a grey or brown structure made of a paper mache type material. Wasps are aggressive and will sting readily if they think the nest is in danger.

Why should a wasp nest be treated?

If you don't treat a wasp nest it will eventually die out but before this happens the nest will produce approximately 100 fertile Queens that will hibernate and start nests the following year. Wasp nests can stain ceilings and even eat through them in some instances. Every year there are deaths from wasp stings. Although they do some good by feeding on flies, caterpillars and other insects the wasp numbers are probably artificially high because buildings supply unlimited nest sites which in purely natural conditions would be restricted to caves, hollow trees and other natural cavities. They cause massive amount of damage to fruits in the Autumn.

Treatment

The wasp nest will be treated using an insecticide called 'FICAM D* which contains the chemical Bendiocarb 1% w/w. This is a modern biodegradable insecticide that is not highly toxic to mammals, but is extremely so to the hymenopterous group of insects (Wasps, Bees and Ants). The entrance to the nest or the nest itself will be treated using this insecticide.

What do I need to do afterwards?

After treatment the nest will remain in a hyperactive state for up to 3 hrs, but usually Wasp activity ceases much sooner. The 3 main points to remember are: 1- A treated nest cannot ever be reused.
2- A Wasp nest cannot move its location, once started it is there for the duration of its life (7-8 months), nor can Wasps move from one nest to another.
3- All nests start in the Spring, never later than May but the expanding populations are not often noticed until much later in the year. The population expands from 1, when the nest starts up in the Spring, to around 10 000 in the Autumn. The nest itself is made of a substance similar to paper mache, which will not rot or smell, so it is quite safe and hygienic to leave where it is. If the nest is accessible and you do decide to remove it, wait for at least four weeks as this will ensure that no one will get stung by any larvae that have hatched out after the queen has died, occasionally scratching may be heard from the nest during this period but as long as outside activity has ceased, don't worry as this will soon die out. If the nest is treated in the Autumn dying wasps, Queens and Drones may still appear for up to 20 days after treatment. Never block the entrance to a nest unless you are quite sure the nest is dead e.g. Wasps are not flying in and out of the entrance. The treated nest(s) are guaranteed never to be used again and the actual location of the treated nest(s) guaranteed not to be reused by other Wasps for the remainder of the calendar year.

Treatment of hornets

Hornets are less aggressive than wasps and should only be treated if they are in an area likely to cause problems. Hornets are treated the same as wasps.

See wasp nest treatment for further information:

How do I know I have a Moth/Beetle Infestation?

The Clothes Moth & Carpet Beetles are mainly a pest on carpets with all or some wool content or clothes. it is the larvae that cause the damage (these are grubs) the adults do not feed on wool at all but on pollen & nectar. It is usually undisturbed areas of carpets or clothes that have not been worn for a long time that are attacked. Often when a piece of standing furniture is moved you may notice damage or when a not often used item of clothing is removed from storage damage is noticed. The other types of beetle damage are either on grain, meal, leather & fur. The life cycle is similar in all cases, the adult beetles have a different diet to the larvae which are the ones that cause the damage. In these beetles you may notice damage in Leather or Fur clothing or adults in a kitchen near the food source. A good percentage of meal, grain, cereals or dried pet food have the eggs of these stored product pests on them but are often consumed or cooked before a problem arises but if the products are stored for a long time or fall some where in a kitchen where they are not cleaned up then problems can occur.

Why should they be treated?

Moths & carpet Beetles infestations will cause damage to clothes & carpets and if not controlled will increase in number.

Preparation prior to treatment

In the case of a carpet beetle or moth infestation all the carpet areas need thoroughly vacuuming, this includes areas under standing furniture, beds, settees etc. Wardrobes must be emptied and the clothes either washed or tumble dried. With stored product infestations the contaminated food must be disposed of in an outside bin and all cupboards, drawers & food stores emptied & cleaned. It is advisable to remove bird's nests and any damaged clothing as well.

Treatment

The infested and surrounding areas will be been treated with an insecticide spray. Also a powder might be used called Ficam D*. This contains an insecticide in a dust formulation @ 1% w/w Bendiocarb. All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non tainting & do not corrode or stain. They are not highly toxic towards mammals but are extremely so to all forms of crawling and flying public health pests.

What do I need to do afterwards?

It is important that you do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least one month or until you stop seeing dead or dying moths & beetles or their larvae. Once this period is over it is important to be very thorough when vacuuming especially the undisturbed areas. This in itself will help prevent re infestation in the future. A common cause of Moth infestation is when people store off cuts of carpets or bags of clothes in loft spaces or cupboards. When cleaning (after the 2 week period), close attention should be given to rugs and carpets, draperies, upholstered furniture, closets (especially those containing woolens and furs), radiators and heaters, corners, cracks, baseboards, moldings, and other hard-to-reach places. All areas, including carpet areas under standing furniture must be vacuumed on a regular basis. If an infestation is known or suspected, the contents of the vacuum cleaner should be disposed of immediately in such a way as to destroy the insects, to prevent a transfer of infestation from one part of the house to another. Abandoned nests of birds, rodents, and insects, (particularly bees and wasps) that are in or near the house should be removed, for the larvae of both carpet beetles and moths may feed on insect remains that they may contain. Bedding places of pets should be kept clean.

Small numbers of adult and larvae forms may be present for some time after treatment depending on temperature the extent and amount of infestation. Complete eradication may never occur as small numbers may breed under carpets where they will not come into contact with the insecticide. The small numbers left should not cause damage as long as a very high standard of hygiene is adhered to. Moths that are in the pupa stage at the time of treatment may still hatch into adults but will only live for 2-7 days (depending on temperature), the moths emerging from the pupa may do so over a period of several weeks depending on temperature & the time of year. Insecticide treatments will only work on clean surfaces.