Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provide information on how some problems with your home can lead to problems with pests.
Visit www.Citizensadvice.org.uk for more information about Repairs – infestations of pests and vermin, including:
- Who’s responsibility it is for dealing with infestations
- How the local authority can help
- Pest control
Find a Pest Controller
Visit the British Pest Control Association to Find a Pest Controller near you.
Pest control
Visit your local district or borough council webpages to find out more about pest control in your area, or Find your Local Council.
Boston Borough Council
City of Lincoln Council
East Lindsey District Council
North Kesteven District Council
South Holland District Council
South Kesteven District Council
West Lindsey District Council
Ants
Ants normally nest outside in the ground, and commonly beneath paving and in walls. They become a nuisance when they enter homes as they search for food, however they do not normally constitute a risk to the health of the occupants. The nests can be inaccessible and this makes their direct destruction difficult. Good hygiene and the removal of potential food sources, particularly sweet foods, can help to reduce the problem from foraging ants in the house.
British Pest Control Association - Ant Information
Bees
Bees do very little damage and are unlikely to be a threat to public health; it is advised to leave them alone. Generally, bees won’t sting unless provoked. It will only be necessary to treat bees which pose a particular danger e.g. at a school or nursery.
Refer to the British Beekeepers Association website at www.bbka.org.uk for a step by step guide which can help identify the type of bee and includes contact details for swarm collectors who will collect honey bees.
Living with bees [pdf / 2.28Mb]
Bees and wasps in the garden [pdf / 102Kb]
Bedbugs
Bedbugs do not fly so they must crawl or be transported in things like clothing, luggage or furniture. Bedbugs feed on blood and they can survive for long periods of time without feeding. In domestic premises, most infestations are found in the bedroom. Their hiding places will be close to where their host sleeps - in the bed frame, mattress, bedside furniture, skirting boards or wallpaper etc.
The female bedbug lays white eggs approximately 1mm long into cracks and crevices. They will lay about 200 eggs which will hatch in 10 to 20 days and will reach adulthood in about nine weeks. The adults live for up to 18 months, usually feeding weekly, but can survive for over a year without blood. Their presence can be upsetting and stressful, however they do not transmit any human diseases and most people do not develop any serious skin reaction.
You will need professional help in dealing with an infestation of bed-bugs.
NHS - Bed Bug Information
British Pest Control Association - Bed Bugs Information
EPM - Bedbugs Information sheet [pdf / 40Kb]
Cockroaches
Cockroaches can spread diseases such as dysentery, gastroenteritis, typhoid and polio. Cockroaches and their faeces can also cause allergic reactions. The most common species of cockroach in Britain is the German cockroach which is 10-15mm in length and of a yellowish-brown colour. Less common are Oriental cockroaches which are dark brown and up to 30mm in length.
The development from egg to adult can take between 6 to 18 months depending mainly on temperature. The adult has a life expectancy of around 26 weeks. Cockroaches can be found in premises where food is stored or handled, including in the home. They are nocturnal insects and can survive without food for several months but not without water, and will spend most of the day hiding in cracks, around drains, pipe work and service ducting.
Getting rid of cockroaches is difficult because their eggs are resistant to poisons and may lay dormant for months before hatching. It is therefore recommended that treatment is only carried out by professional pest control operatives.
British Pest Control Association - Cockroach Information
Fleas
Flea infestation is one of the most common health problems occurring in cats and dogs. Almost every dog and cat will become infested with fleas at some time during its life. The life cycle of the flea begins when the adult flea lays eggs in the coat of the pet. The eggs then drop off into the environment and develop to form the next generation of adult fleas. When it first emerges, the young adult flea immediately begins to search for a host and a blood meal. One to two days after landing on a host and taking her meal of blood, the female can start to lay eggs and the flea cycle begins again.
Prevention is always better than cure in the control of fleas. If a problem is identified, it is advised to take action as soon as possible.
Flea Information from RSPCA
British Pest Control Association - Flea Information
Play your part in the elimination process — Fleas [pdf / 28Kb]
Rats and mice
Rats and mice are common. If you see a rat or mouse outside your property on one occasion, there is generally no need to worry. However, if you continue to see clear evidence of their presence such as excavated holes in soil, small droppings or disturbed foodstuffs, then treatment will need to be carried out.
If the problem is inside the home, look to see how the rats or mice could be getting in, such as holes around waste pipes, around ill-fitting doors and windows or through broken drains. If repairs are needed, then arrange for these to be carried out.
Do not leave vermin problems to sort themselves out. Rats and mice can breed very quickly and a small, easily dealt with problem could quickly become a major problem with damage to property and greater costs of treatment.
British Pest Control Association - Rat Information
British Pest Control Association - Mouse Information
Wasps
Wasps are probably the most familiar and generally disliked of all British insects. Their bodies bear the characteristic black and yellow bands and have a narrow waist in the middle of the body. Wasp stings are usually more painful and alarming than they are dangerous; an initial sharp pain is followed by mild swelling and soreness, which first aid can relieve; if you are concerned, seek professional advice.
Sites commonly selected by queen wasps would be soil banks, roof spaces, hollows in trees and walls, etc. Sometimes wasps will have chosen sites in or very close to houses, and home owners are naturally concerned about their presence and may want them removing.
Consider whether or not it is absolutely necessary to destroy a nest, remember wasps are beneficial to your garden, helping with pollination and keeping other garden pests under control. The nest will die off naturally, even if left alone.
British Pest Control Association - Wasp Information
Bees and wasps in the garden [pdf / 102Kb)
Flies
Seeing a lot flies inside the house can be a sign of a problem.
Flies inside the house can be common when the weather is nice and the windows are open. However, an unusual amount of flies can be a sign of something more serious, like a broken appliance; gone off food or that someone inside is unwell.
If you are concerned about the safety of someone inside the house act immediately. If in doubt, call 999 and tell them that you are concerned for the safety of someone inside a home.
If you are concerned that something else is causing there to be more flies than there should be, you will need to try to find out the cause so that you can deal with it.
The best way to stop flies from becoming a problem in your home is to keep it clean and remove whatever is attracting them.
- Keep household waste and rubbish covered and a lid on the bin
- Keep things like compost or rubbish away from the house
- Add fly screens to windows to keep the flies out but let the fresh air in
- Clean up after your pets. Pet food and pet waste can attract flies
- Keep surfaces clean and store food correctly (don’t leave food out on surfaces)
- Always clean your surfaces before preparing food.
