Legislation governs what we can do , and what we cannot do with poisons

Pestguard deal with many pests throughout the year, from Ants to Wasps , and from rats to mice.

“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional , wait until you hire a amateur”

http://www.npta.org.uk

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Have you got Pest  Insurance Cover linked to home insurance/

We at Pestguard strongly suggest that you ask your insurance company about home insurance for pest cover  as it can dramatically save you a lot of money in the long run .

A typical call out for pest control can range from county to county and can cost you  £45 to over £150 for some pests  per visit , and some call outs consist of at least 2 visits , and in the case of rats & mice up to 3-4  visits .

Your home insurance pest cover  will cover you for almost all  situations , from ants to wasps , and a lot more in between.

Just imagine a squirrel in your loft , it will destroy your insulation by making a nest (dray ) with it , chew through your electrical wiring,which may cause a fire,it will  chew water pipes , which then leak , causing flood damage , dislodge roof tiles , which again will let water into your loft causing more damage .

Rats will also gain access into your loft space doing the same amount of damage as a squirrel.

With all the floods we have had of late , the rats will have to go somewhere high and  dry and away from the water , (they dislike being wet ) and there is no better place for them than in a nice warm loft .

Rats will also gain access into your flooded property via toilets , so if you are unfortunate to be  flooded , plug your toilet,close the toilet lid , and place a heavy weight on top of the lid   to help stop them.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/461067/Plague-of-rats-latest-trial-to-hit-rural-towns-dealing-with-aftermath-of-floods-and-storms

 

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House  mouse     : mus domesticus

Technically there is no such thing as a “House Mouse” ……..The house mouse got it`s name by frequenting homes , and became “domesticated”  to our homes  over hundreds of years ,and is now  the most common rodent pest in most parts of the world and a prolific breeder ,a female house mouse can give birth to up to a dozen babies every three weeks. Thatâ€s 150 babies a year!

At  Pestguard get lots of calls for mice in the home , mainly in either the kitchen or loft areas .

If you have mice in the kitchen , look behind  the plinth at the base of your floor cupboards ,there you will see droppings  ( the size of a grain of rice) and other debris  that the mouse brings in to nest build , this can be chewed plastic bags, paper,cardboard, small amounts of broken plaster , bits of broken brick work ,straw,etc,etc.

The loft area is another favorite place for mice , and it`s mainly in the winter time that we only go into our lofts  to get the Christmas decorations out that we find evidence of mice as  it`s a nice warm and dry place for them  , and plenty of nesting material like loft insulation.

Check your loft spaces out on a regular basis for mouse signs ,and take action at the first sign of them .

Signs to look out for are the obvious ……….droppings,     and also look at the loft insulation …………holes and tunnels are a tell tale sign that there is activity going on .

Facts about mice 

House mice primarily feed on plants, but they will also eat meat and dairy products. They will drink water but require very little of it. They will eat their own droppings to acquire nutrients produced by bacteria in their guts!

Mice can spread disease through bite wounds and by contaminating food and water with their waste products.

• Mice eat 15-20 times a day, so keep your homes clean and do not leave food out.
• Be sure to empty kitchen and household garbage bins  frequently, and keep bin lids closed
• Check under your kitchen cupboards for droppings ,and also check your loft spaces
• Make sure that your home and storage areas are clean and dry.
• Make sure that you clean your sheds, lofts ,garages,and also look in dog kennels
• Close up any small holes and cracks they can come in through with either wire wool or cement.

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The brown rats “Rattus norvegicus” is the most common of our rats in the UK , most of us have seen one at some point in our lives ,either it be in a back street of even in your garden,but non the less we can do without them invading our property .

At Pestguard we get calls all the time regarding rats that have entered a property or a dwelling home ,sometimes in kitchens , lofts , garages , even living rooms and bed rooms ,  and a lot of the time its not down to a dirty home , its probably due to either food stuffs being left out , bird seed or bird food on the floor ,rubbish not being placed in bins correctly ,or it may even be a problem with the sewer drains  in your area , a collapsed drain  can be a warren for rats , and a easy access to our homes.

Protecting your home from invading rats can be a nightmare of a task , but with due diligence and some proofing , the risks of rats gaining entry to your home can be dramatically reduced.

Don`t  entice rodents to your garden or home by placing food on the floors for birds , place on a high bird table.

Don`t   leave rubbish, or food waste  in bags on the floor , place in the bin or on top  of the bin 

Don`t    leave dog food  out in the garden shed   

It is a myth that if you have rats , you will not have mice , they both will live happily together in the same area

If you see a hole that is big enough to get your fingers into , a rat will get in , proofing  it with either wire wool or cement the hole over .

If you have a gap under your door/garage door/shed door  , that is bigger than 25 mm , a rat can get under it …………proofing  with a brush strip .

Many people ask if a rat gets into my loft , can it get anywhere  else in the house , ………simple answer is YES  it can .

Once a rat gets into your loft space /attic , it can get into the cavity walls via the loft , and can pretty go where it likes …….sometime even under your foundations or cellar if you have one.

Appearance

Generally brownish grey in colour across the back and grey underneath. Colours may vary as black forms have been found.
The Brown rat has an average weight of 335g. It is 200-270 mm in length (head and body) and the length of the tail is 150-200 mm. The common rat has small ears and eyes and itâ€s body is of heavy build.

Life cycle

Common Rat colonies typically develop from a pair or a single pregnant female. Rodents can breed even more efficiently than rabbits and size able infestations can develop very quickly. Conditions that suit a rapid population increase are a good supply of food and water, suitable temperatures and an undisturbed cover. With these ideal conditions breeding will continue throughout the year.
Rats and mice are capable of reproducing from the young age of three months. Pair bonds are not formed and mating is carried out on an opportunistic and promiscuous basis. Mating is brief and can take place with a number of males. After mating and conception there is a relatively short period of of pregnancy (gestation) 21-24 days. The average size of the Common Rat litter is between 6 – 11.  The weaning period is 3 – 4 weeks.
Unlike most mammals rats do not have to wait until the original litter is weaned and the female has stopped giving milk before coming back into oestrus. This means that the female rat may be willing to mate and can conceive again soon after the original litter is born.
Rats have been known to live as long as two years or more in a laboratory. How ever in natural conditions it is thought that less than 5% of rats survive more than 12 months. Females tend to live longer than males.

Diet

Brown rats are omnivorous but prefer starch and protein-rich foods, such as cereals. Their diet includes meat, fish, vegetables, weeds, earthworms, crustaceans, nuts and fruit. They sometimes catch food to return to later.

How to spot for signs of a rat infestation

The most reliable way to tell if there is an infestation present is with an actual sighting of the identified pest. If Common Rats are seen frequently during the day this may indicate that a large infestation is present as rats are nocturnal by nature.
Rats produce a stale odour. This will be noticed when the infestation has been present for a while in an indoor area. The odour  can remain present for a little time after the rodents have been controlled.
Common rats can produce up to 40 droppings a day, they are on average about 12 mm in length and taper to a point at both ends. Fresh droppings are a tell tale sign of rodents present.
Rats tend to take the same path when traveling, which in turn creates a run that is visible  to the naked eye. Outdoors the trails of Common Rats can appear as continuous depressions in the grass or other vegetation. Eventually the rat runs will turn into well-worn dusty paths that lead from their burrows to their food and water supply.
Outdoor burrows are usually very easy to spot and are often situated on sloping ground, such as the banks of ditches or covered areas like tree roots. The entrance holes are generally 70-120 mm in diameter. The soil around the burrow will be trampled if it is well used and cob webs will be present if unused.

Damage to goods

Unfortunately, often the first sign of rodent activity is the discovery of partially eaten , spilled or hoarded food, damaged packaging material and other signs of gnawing. Damage is a frequent consequence of indoor rat infestations, gnawing of electric cables and wires in the loft area is a  common problem. Rats can be distinguished as their incisor teeth marks are about 3 mm wide.

Why is a rat a pest

Common Rats are generally considered a pest because of their adverse effects upon the human population.The most important of these are the ability to transmit diseases to man and his livestock and the economic damage they may cause to foodstuffs and structures. Rodents whether being seen or heard can be very distressing and causing abhorrence and fear to some. On these facts alone rodent control is justified.

IF YOU MUST CONTROL RATS IN YOUR OWN HOME . THEN PLEASE USE *TRAPS INSTEAD OF POISONS,THE SMELL OF A DEAD RAT UNDER  THE FLOOR OR IN THE WALLS CAN LAST FOR UP TO TWO WEEKS , AND THE SMELL IS NOT PLEASANT  

* PLEASE CHECK TRAPS AT LEAST TWICE A DAY FOR DEAD OR TRAPED RODENTS

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rat

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So with the help of my trusted trapline  traps , Pestguard placed 16 mole traps  in the  customers lawn………

24 hours later ………..two very dead moles caught ……….result.

All trapline traps remain in place for a further 24 hours , or until no more signs of mole activity.

Lots of people try setting mole traps themselves which they have bought at a local store , only to find that either the mole has “back filled ” the traps and set them of prematurely , or that they are  set incorrectly within the mole run…………lots of these traps a cheap import traps with very weak springs .

Pestguard recommend that if you are to use your own traps , it pays to buy the best, so spend that little bit extra , and buy a reputable trap .

Pestguard have been treating for moles for the past 30  years , and are a  members of   Mole Catcher UK and as such have a vast understanding as to how moles behave and work , and how and where to set traps in the correct manner.

If you have a mole problem then call Pestguard today……….you know it makes sense

**************************************************************************************************

2015

Update on the mole trappings for the past 2 weeks  16/3/2015

There is a vast increase of moles through out the North East that Pestguard are getting called out to treat , we think as a result of the mild weather.

Pestguard were called out to a playing field with a considerably amount of mole hills showing

Trapline

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They  are a destructive animal that will kill anything that it can catch , including rabbits,voles,rats,mice,ducks,fish.

There habitat will consist of many miles of river banks, ponds, lakes , and even shore lines throughout the UK.

Mink  (mustela vison)  will be found hunting around the waters edge looking for the opportunity of a free meal ,they will invade all rabbit sets , and kill  what ever they find , they will also invade other dwellings that are also close by , like chicken runs in gardens,and even search for food in garden sheds.

Control of these deadly critters should not be taken lightly,and by no means by the untrained or unskilled person as it is a specialist job that requires specialist equipment and understanding of there habits,together with knowledge of there habitat.

Brian Sowerby at Pestguard has been trapping and controlling mink for the past 27 years ,and is well versed in there control.

If you suspect that you have mink (mustela vison ) on your rivers, lakes or ponds , then contact Pestguard as soon a possible,or contact your local council who will have details of who to contact .

River Wear in Durham has reports of mink as does the river Tees in Stockton

Mink Raft below

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HOW TO GET RID OF MOLES 

Moles can be a  real problem in any garden or on your lawns, and before you know it, you have a  lawn or garden  that resembles  a plowed field.

There are a number of ways people have tried to rid them from there lawns  and gardens , some not legal , but many have tried them  most have  failed .

The best solution……………………… is to hire a professional mole catcher .www. pestguard1.co.uk

Mole traps are the best  option , but again not many people know how to go about setting them properly , and for that matter , which trap to use.

Pestguard have been treating and catching  moles for the past 30 years, and as such, have a understanding of how moles work ,and what they do at certain times of year.

Mole control is what it says it is “Control” , Pestguard will maintain a level of control in your garden against moles .

WILL I  STILL GET MOLES ?

Most people will ask if they will still get moles in there garden after treatments ? , the unfortunate answer is  yes there is a possibility you will , if steps are not taken to help get rid of the tunnels that they make , the best solution we find is to use a garden fork in between the tunnels and collapse the tunnel  , hence making it more difficult for other moles to move in .

Have a look around your property ,over your garden fence / walls  does your neighbor have moles ?, if so then the likely hood is you will continue to get moles from adjoining properties.

We encourage customers to ask there neighbors to help get rid of there mole problem also , we do combine charges for for multiple jobs ,its well worth asking .

Does this look all to familiar? , Do you have a mole problem ? then call Pestguard today.

school field

School field below 

Tags:  Moles

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