Appearance:

• Workers 4-5mm long.
• Queens 15mm long.
• Dark brown-black in colour.
• 1 small segment at waist point (pedicel).
• No sting present.

Lifecycle:

• Queens over winter in soil. The eggs are laid in late spring and the larvae hatch 3–4 weeks later.
• Larvae feed on secretions from the queen’s salivary glands until the first worker ants emerge.
• Worker ants continue with larval care, nest building and food foraging.
• Fertile males are produced later in the season.

Habits :

• Foraging worker ants follow well–defined trails around food sources. Sweet foods are preferred but high protein foods will also be taken.
• Swarming characteristics – mating between queens and fertile males takes place on the wing during late summer and the males perish after mating.
• Nest locations – often outdoors in soil and below paving slabs on the sunny side of buildings. Nest locations can be identified by the presence of finely powdered soil around nest exit holes.

Appearance:

• Workers 1.5–2mm long, yellow–brown with brown abdomen.
• Males 3mm long, black and winged.
• Queens 3.5–6mm long, dark red in colour with wings.
• Black eyes. 2 small segments at the pedicel.

Lifecycle:

• Multi–queen colonies.
• Swarming can take place at any time of the year.
• Winged adults seldom fly so rarely seen. Wings are soon lost after mating.

Habits :

• Well–defined trails are laid which are often associated with heating systems. Feeds indoors on high protein foods — meat, fats, blood, dead insects, etc.
• Swarming characteristics — new colonies are often formed through nests that have been disturbed e.g., as a result of insecticide spray treatments. Each queen produces up to 3500 eggs in its lifetime.
• Nest locations — deep seated in cavities in heated buildings. Often found in hospitals. Associated with humid conditions. Colonies can range from a few dozen to 300,000 individuals.

There are around 6500 species of fly living in Britain. Fortunately the pesticides that are used for fly eradication cover all types and species. Various different techniques and time frames can be given for treatments but please feel free to contact our customer service staff who will be more than happy to explain the different services we offer. The following is a list of species of fly you will be likely to encounter:

• Filter fly
• Bluebottle
• Lesser house fly
• Fruit fly
• Horse Fly

House Fly

Appearance:

• Length: 5-8mm with a wingspan of around 13-15mm.
• The thorax is grey with 4 dark stripes.
• The abdomen is buff-coloured and occasionally transparent.
• The larvae are white and taper to a point at the head end. 10 – 12mm long when mature.

Lifecycle:

• Adult life of 1-3 months she is capable of producing 4-5 batches of 100-150 eggs. The eggs hatch in 8 – 48 hours, the maggot larvae burrow away from light, after 3 moults reach maturity at a length of 10-12mm.The full cycle is generally completed between 1 and 4 weeks, depending upon temperature and food sources. In warm environments houseflies remain active and reproduce throughout the year.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Found in almost all types of human habitations throughout the world.
• Breeds in moist decaying food matter.
• Taste-sensitive cells are located on its feet as well as on its mouthparts.

Important:

• The adult fly transmits disease by contaminating food with disease organisms it has picked up on its hairy legs or has ingested and then regurgitated.
• It is often a carrier of such diseases as typhoid fever, cholera, dysentery, trachoma, and anthrax.

Appearance:

• Head and body length: 25-26.5cm.
• Weight (adult): about 500gm.-
• Tail length: around 22cm
• Grey fur with large bushy tails

Lifecycle:

• Squirrels breed around February/March and occasionally again in June/July
• time.
  They can have 1 – 3 litters a year and around 1 – 7 young per litter.
• The gestation periods last around 45 days, weaned after 8 – 10 weeks.
• Capable of breeding at around 7 months but on average this takes place at around 10 – 12 months.
• In the wild less than 1% lives for more than 6 years but have they have been known to live to 8 or 9 years.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Squirrels are commonly found in deciduous and mixed woodlands, they are also found in hedgerows, banking, gardens, trees and farms.
• Dreys (nests) are compact and sphere-shaped. 30-60cm in diameter and surrounded by twigs, dry leaves and grass inside.
• Squirrels feed on acorns, tree shoots, flowers, nuts, fruits, roots and cereals. Food is eaten at ground level.
• Their range covers 2-10 hectares and they bury spare food 2-5cm below the soil or in tree hollows.
• They are diurnal, active before sunrise and after sunset.
• The peak of activity is in the autumn.

Important:

• Squirrels can nest in lofts, wall cavities, and the void in-between false walls.
• By gnawing they can damage tree bark and the fabric of buildings.
• Grey squirrels are widespread and not protected in the UK.

Appearance:

• Average 60 – 90cms head & body length but can reach 1.5m.Male
• Foxes average weight is about 10kgs and the female Fox is 8kgs.
• The colour of the Fox’s fur varies and can range from yellowy orange, through red to black.
• Most common characteristic of the fox is white fur on the chin, chest and end of the tail.

Lifecycle:

• Breeding season lasts for three months over the winter period. Foxes gestation period is about eight weeks.
• Litter sizes range from one to ten ‘kits’.
• ‘Kits’ leave their Mother at between 6 and 8 months old.
• Although a fox could live well beyond 10 their life expectancy in the wild is short and probably only averages between one and two years.

Habits:

• Foxes tend to make their homes in woodland and farmland.Except for breeding females foxes do not tend to sleep in their ‘dens’ but may sleep in the open.
• Foxes are nocturnal creatures but do occasionally venture out in daylight.
• Foxes are curious animals but also wary of contact and are unlikely to approach a human and have seldom been known to attack fully grown domestic pets such as dogs and cats.
• The foxes diet is variable – whilst they are omnivores and eat chickens, rats, mice etc they also like berries, fruit, vegetable and grains. Foxes will, in fact, eat pretty much the same as a human being which is why they scavenge in dustbins.

There are around 800 different types of moths across Britain, and 2400 species recorded in the British Isles. Fortunately the pesticides that are used for moth eradication cover all types and species. Various different techniques and time frames can be given for treatments but please feel free to contact our customer service staff who will be more than happy to explain the different services we offer. The following is a list of the species of moth you will be likely to encounter:

• House Moth
• Case-bearing Clothes Moth
• White-shouldered House Moth
• Indian Mill Moth
• Tropical Warehouse Moth

Common Clothes Moth

Appearance:

• Length: 4 – 7mm long overall.
• Long thread like antennae, long legs with spines at joints.
• Forewings are shiny golden with no markings. Trailing edge of the wings is strongly fringed.

Lifecycle:

• Eggs – are laid amongst fibres and fabrics. These will hatch at above 10°C in 1 – 5 weeks.
• Larva – whitish caterpillars that form silk tunnels, camouflaged with fibres and debris. They leave the tunnels at night to feed and hide during the day. Development takes 2 – 7 months.
• Pupae – inside last larval skin concealed in fabric. These develop from within 2 weeks – 2 months.
• Adults – the female moth is quite sedentary, but the males do fly on occasions. Adults do not feed and are short lived.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Attacks particularly textiles and animal products, for example wool, fur, silk, skins, feathers and leather.
• As they avoid the light they are often found in old wardrobes and furniture.
• Can also be found on clothes, carpets, curtains, sofas.

Important:

At one time the common clothes moth was by far the most economically important clothing hosehold pest in Britain, an estimated £12millions worth of damage was caused by this one species alone.

Description of Appearance:

• Length: 29-33cm.
• Weight: 260-580g.
• Grey, slightly iridescent feathers on the neck that shine pink and green in the sunlight.
• Other colours include white, brownish-red, and mixtures.

Lifecycle:

• They can produce up to 9 broods per year but 2 – 3 on average.
• 2 eggs in each clutch new ones can be laid when their young are just 20 days old.
• Eggs have a 17 – 19 day incubation period.
• Young birds spend 35 – 37 days in the nest.
• Their lifespan is around 3-5 years in the wild but up to 35 years in captivity.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Nests are built by the female using material collected by the male.
• They roost together in buildings, ledges, lofts, walls or even statues in towns and cities.
• Pigeons feed on seeds, bread, vegetables, meat and other food discarded by humans.
• Pigeons are able to dip their bills into the water and drink continuously without having to tilt their heads back.
• Young pigeons are known as squabs.
• They are fed from a special substance produced in the pigeon’s crop known as pigeon milk.
• When disturbed, a pigeon in a group will take off with a noisy clapping sound.
• This informs other pigeons that there is danger present.
• They are capable of rapid dives and changes in direction and most of the time will easily out manoeuvre a bird of prey, as they can reach speeds of up to 50mph.
• They are resident and do not migrate.

Important:

• Do not feed pigeons around your building. This could lead to them nesting nearby.
• Their acidic droppings can erode most surfaces, causing structural degradation to your building.
• The best known disease passed from birds to man is Psittacosis. Fouling can be a public health hazard and must be cleaned regularly.

Appearance:

• Length: 10 – 12mm
• Thorax: Black with Yellow on its sides.
• Abdomen: Yellow with Black bands.
• Antennae: Black. Legs: Yellow.
• 2 pairs of membranous wings.

Lifecycle:

• Between 10 – 20 are laid in cells inside the nest.
• Larvae – legless grubs are fed in the cells by workers on insects and spiders while the queen continues to lay eggs. These develop in around 4 weeks.
• Up to a 1000 throughout the summer can be laid by the queen.
• Pupae – these develop in about 2 weeks with in the cell. Once hatched the sterile female workers continue to help build the nest and feed the larvae.
• Adults – Towards the end of the summer the queen lays more eggs which produce male wasps called drones and fertile females which will be the queens of next year’s nests. These swarm out of the colony and mate. The males die shortly afterwards. At the end of autumn the wasp nests die and the only wasps left alive are the young mated queens which hibernate for the winter. It is not uncommon to find hibernating queen bees in and around your home throughout the winter.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Common throughout Europe.
• Usually nest in wall cavities, lofts, hollow trees and bushes.
• Nests are made from wood (paper) which is chewed from trees, reeds or garden fences mixed with saliva.
• They are produced each year and are set horizontally.
• The colony size can be up to as many as 25,000 individuals with around 10,000 of these being workers.
• They feed on fallen fruit, nectar and carrion, but mostly catching other insects.
• Common wasps will also attempt to invade honey bee nests to steal their honey.

Important:

• A sting may introduce a condition known as anaphylactic shock (an extreme reaction to the toxins in the wasps’ venom) which if not medically treated can result in death.
• Their venom contains a pheromone which acts as an alarm causing other wasps to become more aggressive when a wasp has stung something or has been killed.
• Do not try to block up the hole from the outside as this can trap and anger the wasps and lead to them trying to find a way out through your premises.
• It is dangerous to swat a wasp near its nest site or to attempt to remove the nest yourself, as wasps can sting repeatedly.
• Later in the season as larval rearing is reduced the adults search for sweeter substances.
• Wasps also become more irritable as the cooler weather sets in.

Appearance:

• The eggs are tiny and hard to see with a white cap
• Adults – around 6mm their bodies are oval and flattened.
• Recently fed they will then change to a red – brown colour.
• They have piercing mouthparts adapted for sucking, simple antennae, legs and claws for clinging on to hosts, whilst feeding.

Lifecycle:

• Eggs – Up to 200 are laid in a life time.
• 4 – 5 are laid per day and are glued in cracks and crevices.
• Newly hatched nymphs are no bigger than a pinhead.
• These only hatch above 13°C.- Nymphs – 5 moults taking from a few weeks to several months depending on food and conditions.
• Limited access to a blood meal extends the development time. As they grow, they shed their skin.
• A blood meal is needed between each successive moult.

Habits & Behaviour:

• They can be found in any cracks and crevices such as: headboards, behind peeling wallpaper, broken plaster, light switches, plug sockets, under carpets and skirting boards.
• Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices but are also found in soft furnishings such as clothes, mattresses seams, curtains, bed sheets.
• Feeding usually takes around 10 minutes and although nocturnal they may appear in the day when hungry.
• Bed Bugs prefer to hide close to where people sleep.
• They lay dormant and wait until a host is asleep before feeding.
• Many people will be bitten without even seeing any evidence of the bugs.- Although Bed Bugs prefer feeding on humans, they will also bite other warm-blooded animals, including pets.

Important:

• Bed Bugs can be transported on clothing, in luggage, bedding and furniture but are very rarely found on hosts.
• They can ingest 7 times their body weight in blood.
• This enables them to go for prolonged periods without feeding.
• The adults are highly resistant to starvation (up to one year) and low temperatures so thorough treatments of surrounding areas must be carried out.

Various Species:

• Cat Flea (Ctenocephalidesfelis)
• Dog Flea (Ctenocephalidescanis)
• Human Flea (Pulexirritans)
• Bird Flea (Ceratophyllusgallinae)

Appearance:

• Length: Around 2mm.
• Compressed flattened bodies with over lapping toughened plates.
• Long well developed hind legs for jumping.
• Greyish through to dark mahogany in colour.
• Mouthparts adapted to piercing and sucking with small eyes and they are covered with backward-directed bristles and spines.

Lifecycle (Based on Human Flea):

• Eggs 0.5mm pearly white they are laid in carpets, between floorboards, on fur, bedding and on clothing.
• These hatch in 2 – 3 days.Larva – whitish up to 5mm long they thrive best in dark humid places like underneath furniture, after 2 -3 moults these are fully grown in 3 – 4 weeks.
• Pupa – cocoons incorporating debris to feed from they are spun by the larva. The development time is dependent on the temperature. Their emergence is in response to vibration. Adults – once emerged from the flimsy cocoon they rapidly find a host for their first blood meal.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Adults can survive several weeks without a blood meal
  The larvae thrive in dark, humid places such as animal bedding and carpet fluff, and feed on organic debris and adult flea excrement.
• Adults feed on the blood of the species to which they are adapted but will feed on other animals in the absence of the normal host.
• Living on our pets and irritating humans a source of blood is valuable part of the diet.
• Adults can survive several weeks without a blood meal.

Important:

• Wall-to-wall carpeting provides a relatively undisturbed environment for flea larvae to develop, whilst central heating has served to ensure the ideal temperature conditions.
• Irritation and allergic reactions can be cause from bites. Scientists believe that fleas were the cause of the plague being transferred to humans back in 1665.
• Fleas can be vectors of disease or may transmit parasitic worms.
• These can sometimes be transmitted to humans.