Pest Control
We have been delivering effective and efficient pest control in London and Surrey for over 10 years.
From our experience, unfortunately the cause of most animals and insects becoming a pest is the way humans are living. It’s not always the case, but more often than not, human behaviour creates issues. For example, sea gulls at the seaside are seen as a pest but years ago, it was us humans who were feeding them the fish and chips they now crave.
Regularly changing bed sheets and vacuuming your mattress will keep bed bugs at bay and keeping food well-secure and open bags and boxes tied up will deter flies, mice and rats. We go into more detail about pest prevention elsewhere on this website.
The important thing to remember is that it is essential to get rid of pests as soon as you spot a problem. Many of the pests breed very quickly, which causes much of the pest problem as they can be so difficult to get rid of. It is essential to maintain good hygiene and cleanliness. Below is a breakdown of what common problems can be found in homes and businesses:
MICE
Don’t be fooled by their size either –mice can climb up to 30 metres and get into lofts and insulation!
Signs of mice infestation
A smelly odour, gnawing on food packets and wires, droppings, smear marks on doors, mice tracks, seeing mice – dead or alive, holes.
RATS
Rats are an incredibly serious problem if they get into the home so if you think you have rats in your house, call Pest Tec immediately- don’t delay. Rats carry serious diseases such as Weil’s disease, salmonella and toxoplasmosis (harmful to pregnant women). They also cause untold levels of damage as they chew and gnaw through wires, cables, structures and more.
Signs of rat infestation
There are some signs to look out for including, obviously, if you see or think you can hear rats in the home (it will be a scurrying and scratching sound), rat droppings look like thin rods, damage to wires, cables and bite marks to skirting boards and other furnishings, footprints and tail marks and smears left on doors and windows.
MOTHS
While moths do not present a risk to the health of us as humans, they are a real pest when it comes to our carpets, curtains, clothes and any other fabrics. Moths love to chew through this material which can become incredibly expensive for homeowners and business owners if repeat infestations occur because they hide well. In fact, moths like dark corners of the home to rest and nest so the most likely place to find them is in wardrobes and rarely used cupboards.
Minor issues can usually be sorted with a DIY product but if the problem is more widespread then there will be a need for Pest Tec to come and solve the infestation.
Signs of moth infestation
These include damaged materials, leather, clothes, moth larvae, cocoons
PIGEONS
Pigeons are described by some as flying rodents because they have become such pests in the last few years. As scavengers, they look for easy food supplies and are usually found in town centres or other urban areas. Often, pigeons can breed all year round making them a very hard-to-manage pest.
Pigeon droppings are awful as they can cause damage to things such as eroding the metal on a car. The droppings can eat through the metal and affect the colour of cars. The droppings can also cause illness in humans so it’s important to wash the droppings off very quickly.
Pigeons are also disease carriers and they can pass on salmonella to humans.
Signs of pigeons
Their droppings, their noise, seeing them and nests
FLEAS
Fleas live on warm blooded animals and feed on their blood. This causes irritation and can cause intense problems. Some people react very strongly to flea bites and may have to take antibiotics and experience painful bites which can swell slightly and emit a discharge.
Fleas and very small and they do not have wings but they are able to jump large distances with their powerful legs.
This is why fleas need a professional pest control company to deal with them so call Pest Tec today if you are experiencing problems with fleas. You should also contact your vet and use flea medication and shampoos on your pets.
BED BUGS
These bugs are very small and are called bed bugs because they are almost always found in bedrooms and love to hide away in beds. They find any crack to lie in and like places such as inside the rim of mattresses, cracks and creases in headboards and where the wall meets the floor of a room. They can live in sofas too.
Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to control and exterminate because they are small and widespread. They are also a growing problem and can become immune to treatments so there are always new chemicals and ways emerging to treat this pest.
Signs of a bed bug problem
As they are so hard to spot, being so small, it is often only when bitten that people realise they could have bed bugs. One bed bug also bites more than once, often in the same area so if you are bitten in different places on the body it is a sign you have more than a few bed bugs.
FLIES
Flies are a common problem with both businesses and home owners. Flies are often found around the home, especially in the summer months. Usually some spray or fly trappers will solve any issues with quite a few flies making themselves at home. But like with many other pests, if there are large numbers of flies in your home and you are finding it difficult keeping them under control then call Pest Tec today and we will eradicate your problem quickly and efficiently.
WASPS
Wasps are very unhelpful guests in most homes. Able to sting several times, wasps can get angry quickly and don’t like being disturbed. If you find a wasps nest in your home (usually found in walls) then call Pest Tec immediately. They will need to be treated with specialist sprays and removing them can become hazardous. This is not one recommended for DIY, Pest Tec are experts in Wasp Control, Wasp Removal and Wasp Nest removal.
COCKROACHES
Cockroaches love warm and humid environments and therefore are most often found close to water, in places which do a large amount of washing (hotels for instance) and also the heating areas of large buildings.
It is incredibly difficult to kill off this elusive pest because they are so hard to find.
Signs of a cockroach infestation
Seeing cockroaches in your home or at your place of work (they are nocturnal so this would generally be at night), obnoxious odours on your food.
Cockroaches carry disease and can cause food poisoning.
GREY SQUIRRELS
Don’t be fooled by the initial cute and entertaining side to grey squirrels. If cornered, these pests can give a very good bite and tend to become aggressive. They usually find their homes in lofts and roof areas, or in barns and other outbuildings.
Squirrels are confident and courageous and are not afraid to damage property. They become a nuisance by biting and chewing on things. Heir sharp teeth can gnaw through most materials, causing a lot of damage.
Signs of a grey squirrel infestation
Scratching noises and droppings (similar to rats)
ANTS
Ants can be treated fairly easily with a DIY spray or powder for small issues but again, with larger or repeat infestations it is important to call in a pest company. At Pest Tec we will deal with any ant problems professionally and efficiently. We know the difference between the three main types of ant found in the UK and how to tackle them each.