Unseasonably warm winters mean insects that go dormant for the winter stay active. It means insects will breed earlier than usual, supported by accelerated life cycles; also due to warmer temperatures. Ticks, for example, are likely to start the phone ringing sooner than anyone would want due to their resiliency and a biology that supports activity in months most of us relax our tick prevention efforts. (Remember, treat your pets and your home year round for year round protection.) While we cannot control what mother nature does as she drops two-feet of snow in October, or  as you walk the dog in shorts January 14th (it was 68 degrees), you can protect your home and family from pests year round and be prepared for the unexpected twists and turns the weather is going to throw at you.

Mild winters also mean more rodent activity. Rodents that moved into structures in the fall for warmth, while happy with their new surroundings, could mean that rodent populations increase instead of decreasing as they should in colder months. More importantly, populations can quickly surge in the spring bringing ticks, fleas and other parasites that rodents carry along for the ride. Not a good scenario for pets or humans alike.

So if you’re noticing the odd fly or ants sporadically throughout the winter, or if the mouse activity you suspected suddenly ceases to make itself known, brace yourself. Spring’s true measure of pest activity now begins with winter’s puzzling display of climatic oddities.

How Mild Winters Affect Pests is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

This is certainly an interesting development in the world of contraband scent detection as the need for highly effective security measures is an ever growing and ever changing necessity of modern life. The system works using cassettes to capture and filter odors to the mice, and uses 4 to 8 “biosensors” (mice) kept in a mechanical enclosure. The odors are delivered via a mechanized system that streams air through the chamber holding the bomb and contraband sniffing mice. When mice detect a contraband odor, something the mice are trained to respond to, the mice run away from the compartment with the odor (a fear response) and into a compartment that is equipped with special signals that transmit the mice fear response (data) that is then captured in a computer and then analyzed and reported as good odors or bad odors (contraband) and alerting the operator.

The system was tested in a mall with 1,000 volunteers, many of which were outfitted with clothing items that carried the scent of explosives. The results speak for themselves as the test produced only one false positive. Those are good numbers by any measure! Rodent control has a new meaning with the advent of this cutting edge technology and if it is widely accepted, that’s even better.

Because most of us respond to mice in pretty much the same way, a loud gasp or shriek, the mice are not visible to the public. This is a very important job usually performed by bomb sniffing dogs and or expensive detection systems, so mice in a mechanical box, producing similar or better results than dogs or detection machines should garner a lot of attention and hopefully save a lot of lives.

Incidentally, the mice used for this work are bred and maintained in a sterile environment and cared for quite well. Bedding, food and water are all replaced on regular schedules, and the mice are retrained when and if necessary. The mice also work four hour shifts (not a bad deal if they get paid for eight hours) and are swapped out with a fresh workforce. While we normally dispense advice on how to get rid of mice in your home or getting rid of mice in your business, it’s nice to see that some mice have a higher calling than that of common pests.

Mice Declare War on Drugs and Terror is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Pest management professionals must be able to take in the full picture of the environment they’re working in and determine how to perform their task without causing undue harm. Throughout all aspects of their jobs, pest control experts can benefit greatly from a biology degree as it will give them the knowledge necessary to overcome the most trying obstacles in the course of their work.

Identification

The first step in pest management is identifying the problem. Pest management professionals need to be able to recognize signs of pest problems, track them to their source and then identify the specific species involved. Being able to tell one species of mouse from another could be the key to determining their habits and where they might be congregating or spreading from.

Extermination

Some pests are resistant to certain chemicals, whether by virtue of their species in general or through repeated exposure to them. Having a working knowledge of the biological factors involved in extermination methods and how to recognize resistances greatly benefits any exterminator in their trade. Often a client may wish for a more humane method of dealing with rodents and request that they be captured alive and released in the wild.

Prevention

Many people assume that cleaning and de-cluttering alone will take care of their pest problem, but professionals know that’s not the case. There are many things that need to be done to make a home inhospitable to pests and prevent them from getting back in. Cleaning and clearing out clutter are definitely two of the main strategies involved, but people need to also make it difficult for pests to gain entry by filling cracks and gaps, covering drains and installing metal mesh over vents. With proper attention to detail and care, pest control experts can help their clients not only get rid of pests, but also ensure they don’t come back.

The Whole Picture

In addition to knowing the taxonomy of pests, exterminators also need to be able to identify the makeup of the environment they’ll be working in. They have to be able to identify beneficial creatures and determine how their methods will interact with the entire ecosystem of the house. Any pets must be taken into account and the pest technician must ensure that any chemicals used will not negatively impact creatures other than the pests they’re targeting. Animals other than cats and dogs–chickens, for instance–will react differently to chemicals that would not harm normal pets. Knowing how various plants and animals interact and how they’ll react to various chemicals and other extermination techniques will give a pest control expert a leg up in these tough times and can help them ensure more work by displaying their skill and expertise.

Learn To Know Your Enemy is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

I have just had my third routine visit from my local exterminator. It has been eight days since his last visit, when he laid down more bait, and we have not heard any noises in our attic for the past six days – so we were quietly optimistic.

Upon inspecting his bait boxes he could clearly see visible teeth marks in the bait – so there is one rat at least probably not feeling too healthy! He said there is still no obvious smell of rodents. A dead rat stinks apparently. He said if we notice lots of flies, which would be attracted to a dead rodent, we should call him, so he can dispose of the rat for us.

Also, another interesting fact: rats will eat dead rats! This is why you can continue to have a problem with rats, and no obvious smell, if the dead ones are being consumed by the live ones – pretty gross!

If a rat smells the presence of another rat, he assumes that environment is safe for him to enter also – another reason why it’s important to get rid of rats, so as not to encourage any more.

Also, did I not say it is very easy to blame the neighbours for your pest problem in my first post? Well, this has in fact turned out to be the case. We are all convinced the rats are coming into our roof space from next door. All the bait being eaten is located next to the shared roof wall with our neighbours.

Our exterminator suspects that the place where our roof joists enter into the brick wall with our neighbours could be a possible entry point, but even he admitted it is very difficult to tell how they are getting in exactly – rats can be very cunning!

He did give us one tip: if we notice any potential holes up there we should use a combination of wire wool and builders foam to block the access. Rats can chew through builders foam, but they don’t like the wire wool as it breaks their teeth, so a combination of both could be a better deterrent.

We have also found out that our neighbours have had a rat problem for a while, but they were dealing with it using DIY pest control products. I told our exterminator this, who said that this could be counter-productive to his efforts.

Apparently DIY baits available from hardware stores are often tastier to rats then the more toxic baits professional exterminators are licensed to use. The risk is that the rats will fill their bellies with the tastier DIY bait and not eat any of the more toxic bait, which is far more likely to dispose of the rodent. I am pleased to say though that this has not happened in our case.

For the moment, we are all happy that we may have dealt with the current rat problem successfully. It is important to continue to be very vigilant, because as long as our neighbours continue to have their fish ponds, a rat problem is likely to re-occur. And, as long as we don’t discover the entry point from the neighbour’s property into ours, our attic remains vulnerable.

We are just hoping for a rat-free Christmas!

Getting Rid of Rats in My Attic is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

And that is where I find myself today. My local pest control technician is coming out to investigate my loft. He assured me if there are rats or mice up there, he will be able to smell them. Which is just as well, as being a rhinitis sufferer, my sense of smell is non-existent. Of course, he did suggest it could be squirrels, which wouldn’t be quite so bad.

In fact, that brings me onto the question, which pest (if you HAD to have one in your loft) would you prefer: bats, rats, mice or squirrels? Well, my husband and I both agreed, we would much prefer bats to rodents. Of course I know that in the UK they are legally protected and it is a criminal offence if you:

1. Deliberately capture, injure or kill a bat.
2. Intentionally or recklessly disturb a bat in its roost or deliberately disturb a group of bats.
3. Damage or destroy a bat roosting place (even if bats are not occupying the roost at the time).
4. Possess or advertise/sell/exchange a bat (dead or alive) or any part of a bat.
5. Intentionally or recklessly obstruct access to a bat roost.

My living nightmare started two nights ago, when we first heard scurrying noises in the part of the loft, directly above our master bedroom. If you had to choose a nice sound to lull you to sleep, it is often dolphin music or something similar from mother nature, instead we had to contend with scratching noises and the pitter-patter of feet running in the loft void above our heads. It certainly was not calming!

Of course, my husband and I are now trying to work out how the pest – whatever it will turn out to be – gained access into our property in the first place.

Possible access points for pests:

1 – Air vents: we do have several air vents in the outside bricks of our house and we have never had them void-filled – ooops!

2 – Roof: we have never checked very closely to see if there are any small holes in the roof, which could provide access. My husband has been up there on the ladder to clear the gutters once a year but that is it. I smugly pointed out to him that actually a mouse can squeeze through a hole no bigger than a biro – as fascinating as this fact may be, it certainly did not help move our discussion along!

3 – Adjoining property: always easier to blame someone else for your problem, but the fact is even if you have defended your home against pests to a military standard, if your adjoining neighbour’s property has not done the same, pests could gain access to your home through theirs!

4 – Bird feeders – I have complained about this before. Our neighbour feeds the birds regularly but not just by leaving food on the bird table but also by throwing bread onto the grass – I know this can encourage the local vermin. Although not directly to blame for pests in my house, they certainly increase the potential risk factor!

So, I suppose the lesson here is not to become complacent. Just because I have been able to educate myself on common pests and pest control by working in this industry for the past four years, does not mean I should not practice what I preach.

Anyway, let’s see what my friendly exterminator finds in my loft later today. Will keep you posted folks!

Are There Rats or Mice in My Loft? is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Traditionally hallowe’en costumes have focused on the theme of witches, vampires, devils, ghosts, bats and spiders but more recently it seems like anything goes.  This tiny super hero will be sure to see off any baddie and the cockroaches and rodents will be scuttling off when they see him coming!

Snug As A Bug

This Hallowe’en cutie (pictured right) is as quiet as a mouse, oblivious to the powers of the tiny super hero keeping our streets free of vermin.

Cute Cat

If you have a rodent problem perhaps cat girl can help out. Cats have been used for centuries to control mice and rat populations and today they still have a strong instinct to hunt mice and rats, even if they aren’t even the tiniest bit hungry. Though I suspect this gorgeous feline would prefer to snuggle up on the sofa and chew her tail.

Ladybird or Harlequin?

I blogged recently about annoying Harlequins invading my house in their hundreds but this little lady bug does not look like a pest. More like an angel disguised as a ladybird.

Halloween Super Heroes is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Here comes the part I find amusing. We love to decorate with things that usually elicit a scream and a panicked called to the exterminator. Everywhere I look I see spiders: large ones and small ones. Some spiders are hanging on a web, some spiders have blinking eyes. One crafty neighbor of mine rigged a spider to fall from overhead on top of the unsuspecting Trick – or – Treaters ringing his doorbell! That was devilishly cool. And yet, when the real thing (a spider or a rat) pays us a visit, no one I know grabs it, bags it and says, “we’re saving this fine specimen for Halloween decorations!” File that one under scary and odd… Renfield.

Beware of real spiders like the black widow and the brown recluse. Each of these spiders can bite as a defensive reaction and can cause painful allergic reactions and can be potentially fatal to children and the elderly. Bats, while cool to look at from a distance, should be dealt with by a professional that complies with your states bat protection laws if found in your home or business. Mice and rats pose several health risks because they contaminate food and surfaces they come into contact with and also carry other insect pests like ticks and fleas. Unfortunately it’s the time of year these critters show up and want to hibernate or set up camp in our homes to escape the cold.

I have to admit, it’s always fun to see which home out-haunts the next and to count just how many rats, mice, bats, snakes and spiders you can fit onto a 22×12 porch that also shares space with Dracula and a Mummy tucked into two life-sized coffins, two black cats and four carved pumpkins. Throw in a haunted soundtrack with the screams of ghastly ghouls and goblins, and your Halloween wonderland is complete. Now that is scary.

Spiders Rats and Bats Have Their Day is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

But what should you look out for?

• Wood – Evidence of boreholes or “frass”/sawdust which indicate an infestation
• Textiles – Small holes or areas where the material is wearing thin
• Paintings – Small surface holes, rear smears/marks or exit holes
• Paper – Holes or tattered edges where the paint or colour appear to have been erased

These symptoms could be a sign of all kinds of  pests feasting on your artwork, e.g. beetles drilling into your picture frames, moths chewing on delicate materials, silverfish moving across pages, flies droppings from when they are trapped in spiderwebs, rodents nibbling frames, carpet beetles chewing their way through rugs/carpets. Although to be honest, if you have got these problems with your artwork, the chances are you might also have a larger pest problem at home too.

Pests generally need warm, humid or dank conditions to survive and reproduce in the home. Therefore you should try to keep artwork in a cooler ambient temperature, not in a damp basement or cellar and away from direct sunlight to avoid fading. Where possible, allow air to circulate around it and do some spring cleaning when possible, taking the opportunity to check the front and back of each piece. Museums, art galleries or sites with larger collections of valuable artwork will have an Integrated Pest Management programme in place to avoid such problems, but  a treatment known as Controlled Atmosphere Technology CAT can manage/resolve any pest infestations.

If you do spot some damage on a piece of artwork at home, seal in plastic until you are able to get it repaired/restored professionally to avoid spreading the contamination. Personally, I know I’d be so upset if any of the family portraits got munched by pests. Actually, I think I will take my own advice and check all the pictures this weekend, you know, just to make sure.

Pest Control to Prevent Artwork Damage is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Tonight the moon will be 222,175 miles away from Earth. The average distance of the moon from Earth is roughly 240,000 miles which makes the moon (when it is visible) around 12% larger and brighter, and makes for some great photography.

When the moon is closer to earth there are slightly higher and lower ocean tides. There evidence the reproduction system of marine invertebrates and badgers are influenced by the moon and moths use the light of the moon to navigate.

Let’s hope that nocturnal pests like bed bugs, cockroaches, moths, rats, mice and urban foxes aren’t lured out in force tonight.

Nocturnal Pests and the Dark Supermoon is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog

Spiders, fleas and stink bugs all hasten to avoid this sucking, whirring appliance which will bring a speedy end to their terror.

Fleas lay lots and lots of eggs which can lie dormant for a year. Flea larvae live around and feed upon the organic flecks of skin and other similar materials that collect wherever pets spend time. Food and other debris tends to be pushed to the edge of the floor so vacuum regularly, right up to the edges and in any cracks and crevices to get rid of the flea eggs and larvae. Be sure to empty the bag as fleas can hop right back out again. By vacuuming regularly you will keep the eggs from hatching and avoid a flea infestation.

If house spiders have you climbing the walls, vacuum their cobwebs. This will reduce their food source and may deter them from viewing your house as a larder. For those terrified of spiders the vacuum cleaner is a great means of removing the problem at more than arms length.

Vacuuming enables you to remove stink bugs without smashing them which releases the stench. You can also catch them in a box or jar and brush them inside gently with a lid.

To ensure stink bugs don’t make an entrance back into your home check the areas around the windows, doors and vents in your home for cracks or openings where a stink bug could enter.

Foam strips, purchased at any hardware store, are ideal to fill gaps in windows, or use caulk. Dispose of the stink bugs by placing them outdoors, or freezing them in a sealed container such as a glass jar will kill them without releasing the stink.

Vacuuming thoroughly and often will also deny cockroaches food sources such as crumbs.

Good housekeeping is key to keeping the creepy crawlies out of your home, so keep your vacuum cleaner close.

Pest Control Weapons is a post from: deBugged - The Rentokil Blog