Pest Control FAQ's

Top

Last revised: 6 October 2008

Question

Which types of pest do you treat?

Answer

Kennet District Council's Pest Control Officer treats :

Rats

Mice

Ants

Wasps

Fleas

Please telephone (01380) 724911 to get advice or make an appointment.

For more information including treatment fees & charges, please visit our Pest Control pages.

If you require treatment of other types of pests, please consult your local Yellow Pages.

Question

What can you tell me about cockroaches?

Answer

Kennet District Council do not treat cockroaches as part of their pest control service however other private pest control companies may offer a service.  

Telephone numbers for these can be found in local directories and Yellow Pages under 'Pest Control'.

About cockroaches

Members of the group are found worldwide in forests and fields, heath and moorlands, and some species are commonly associated with man’s habitation.

There is a strongly suspected linking with disease transmission in the “indoor” species of cockroaches, and a general public distaste over their presence in housing, and particularly in restaurants, kitchens and hotels.

Careful building surveys are needed to establish the true extent of cockroach infestations. Visual night inspections should be done also observation of physical signs such as egg cases, faecal spotting and a strong sour smell are characteristic of heavy infestations. The use of sticky traps is particularly useful in helping to establish the extent of an infestation.

Most treatments rely on residual insecticide treatments. Effectiveness will be increased by good hygienic practices, especially the removal of food residues and general cleaning of surfaces to be treated.

Top

Question

What are the fees and charges for Pest Control treatment

Answer

Follow here to see the current fees and charges for our pest control service

Question

I have wasps what can I do?

Answer

Wasps cause concern due to the nasty sting that they give and can be a pest especially if they have built a nest in or near your home.

Ideally it’s best to treat the nest, but if the nest is not accessible then the area of activity can be treated.

A wasp nest is made out of a paper mache type construction and it will only be used once in a lifetime. If you find an old nest, it is quite safe to remove it.

To treat nests, a powder-based insecticide is used and is sprayed into the entrance of the nest. The idea is that as all the wasps go in and out of the nest they pick up the poison and within 24 hours the nest is dead.

Environmental Health and Protection Services provide a chargeable service.

View Pest Control Charges for the treatment of wasps

You can arrange treatment by:

  • Telephone: 01380 724911

  • Email: kennet@kennet.gov.uk

  • Letter: Kennet District Council, Environmental Health and Protection Services, Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes, SN10 2AT.

Question

I have fleas what can I do?

Answer

There are two main types of fleas, Cat/Dog flea and the human flea. The most common being the Cat/Dog flea.

When fleas are found at a property several different treatments need to be undertaken:

  • Firstly treat any animals within the household that can carry the fleas.

  • Secondly treat all bedding and any other material surfaces that the animal can go on.

  • Finally, especially if there is a large infestation, you would need to treat the carpet.

If the problem seems to be only an odd flea or two then its simple enough to treat it yourself with household flea sprays.

For a larger infestation Environmental Health and Protection Services provide a chargeable service and will spray the infected rooms. The spray is an insect growth regulator insecticide that works by making adult fleas infertile and stops the pupae from becoming adult. This then stops the breeding and eventually cures the problem.

View Fees & Charges for treatment

You can arrange treatment by:

  • Telephone: 01380 724911

  • Email: kennet@kennet.gov.uk

  • Letter: Kennet District Council, Environmental Health and Protection Services, Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes, SN10 2AT.

Top

Question

I have rats/mice, what can I do?

Answer

Rodents are a common pest complaint due to their close association with human settlements and the diseases they carry.

The treatments for rodents are a slow realising anticoagulant poison. It comes in various forms such as grain and blocks and is used as appropriate depending on the area with the infestation.

Environmental Health and Protection Services provide a chargeable service for the treatment of rodents.

View Fees & Charges for treatment

You can arrange treatment by:

  • Telephone: 01380 724911

  • Email: kennet@kennet.gov.uk

  • Letter: Kennet District Council, Environmental Health and Protection Services,  Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes, SN10 2AT.

Question

What can you tell me about bats?

Answer

Bat facts....

  • In Britain it is illegal to disturb bats or the places where they roost more information on legislation is available at www.bats.org.uk

  • Bats are not blind, but they can also "see" in the dark by listening to the echoes of their high frequency calls

  • They have good steering - they won't get caught in your hair!

  • Bats do not build nests; they hang up or creep into cracks and crannies

  • Bats rarely live in belfries. They prefer somewhere quiet, not draughty, and free from cobwebs

  • Britain's commonest bat, the pipistrelle, is only 4cm long and weighs about 5 grams - less than a 2p coin!

  • Bats often choose modern houses as roost sites - about half of all known pipistrelle bat roosts known in the 1980s were in houses less than 25 years old· 

  • In winter, when insects are scarce, bats hibernate in cool parts of buildings, caves and hollow trees.

  • Bats can live for up to 30 years.

  • Bats are vital to rainforests, as many trees need bats for pollination and seed dispersal.

  • Bat populations are threatened not only by loss of habitat, affecting roosting sites and feeding grounds, but also by deliberate killing and over-exploitation for food.

  • Of the 16 species left in Britain, 6 are Endangered or Rare and 6 others are Vulnerable.

Useful websites

www.bats.org.uk (External link)

www.englishnature.org.uk (External link)

Top

Question

What can you tell me about “Silverfish”?

Answer

A primitive insect usually associated with warm, damp or humid areas such as bathrooms.

Can be treated by drying out the areas affected and/or treatment using crawling insect sprays or powders.  

Kennet District Council does not treat “Silverfish” as part of their pest control service however other private pest control companies may offer a service.

Telephone numbers for these can be found in local directories and Yellow Pages under 'Pest Control'.

Question

What can you tell me about “Wooly Bears”?

Answer

They are the larvae of the varied carpet beetle and will damage natural fibre and leather products. They often come into the house via bird’s nests in roof spaces or infected carpets etc and they like dark and poorly lit areas.

Treatment of carpets and other items can take place by thorough vacuuming or washing in the case of clothing also treatment with crawling insect insecticide where appropriate. Areas to consider when treating are airing cupboards, blanket chests, lofts or under furniture.

A major infestation may require professional treatment.

Kennet District Council does not treat “wooly bears” as part of their pest control service however other private pest control companies may offer a service.

Telephone numbers for these can be found in local directories and Yellow Pages under 'Pest Control'.

Question

I have seen a swarm of bees, what can I do?

Answer

Kennet District Council do not treat bees and unless they are threatened, bees will not sting. Swarms can occur but they will only last for a couple of hours as they try to find somewhere to set up a nest.  

If a swarm does concern you or you find a nest then you should contact a local beekeeper or a private pest control company who deal with bees.  

Telephone numbers for these can be found in local directories and Yellow Pages under 'Pest Control'.

Question

What advice do you offer on flies?

Answer

Every year, the Environmental Health Services receives many complaints about fly infestations, particularly during the summer and autumn months. Flies are common in rural areas where there are poultry farms, stables and piggeries, providing an abundant supply of manure in which they can breed. This makes the tracing of a course of a particular infestation very difficult and time consuming. Flies breed in specific areas according to type.

There are many types of fly but the following are the most common cause of problems:

  • Common House Fly (Musca domestica)

  • Lesser House Fly (Fannia canicularis)

  • Autumn Fly (Musca autumnalis)

  • Cluster Fly (Pollenia rudis)

The Common House Fly

The female house fly can lay 120-150 eggs at a time and, depending on the temperature, the eggs can hatch into maggots within 8-48 hours. The maggots then burrow into a food source. The new fly can emerge any time from four days in the summer months, to several weeks in the cooler weather. In this country, the earliest flies tend to emerge in May and the greatest numbers are usually found during August and September.

Breeding more or less ceases in October, except in heated premises. During the winter, the House Fly's cycle is longer. The flies will breed in suitable indoor places and in decaying animal or vegetable matter, including rubbish heaps and horse manure.

Control

The Common House Fly is best controlled by taking preventative measures at source. Dustbins should be kept clean and all perishable food should be wrapped up. Once flies are in the house, fly papers, although unsightly, are effective, as are some of the 'knock down' sprays.

The Lesser House Fly

The Lesser House Fly has a similar life cycle to that of the Common House Fly, although it does not tend to move between waste matter and human food. It was once common in chicken manure but less so today. It is identifiable by its quick darting movements.

Control

As with the House Fly, control measures should be taken at source. Rubbish tips should be managed properly and any adult flies that emerge can be controlled by daily spraying.

The Cluster Fly

This fly gets its name from its habit of clustering like a swarm of bees. It is larger than the Common House Fly and can be easily identified as it folds its wings over its back.

The Cluster Fly enters a house during autumn to hibernate and leaves again in spring, often causing a nuisance at these times. In the autumn, the flies tend to collect on the outside of buildings on warm elevations and later find their way inside to cluster - sometimes in their thousands - in roof spaces, under tiles and in sash windows.

One building in a row, no different from the rest, may be heavily infested and its neighbour completely unaffected. The Cluster Fly is a parasite of earthworms, which are usually readily available in any domestic garden.

Control

To kill the occasional fly, a 'knock down' spray can be effective. When flies are particularly troublesome, fly strips can be hung up in the roof spaces and any dead flies can be cleared up using a vacuum cleaner. Food should be kept covered at all times to prevent contamination.

The Autumn Fly

The Autumn Fly is similar in appearance to the House Fly. Its name originates from the fact that it only appears in houses during the autumn months. This fly breeds in cowpats, in rural areas, where they are in plentiful supply.

Control

Control measures are the same as those for the Cluster Fly.

General advice

If the fly nuisance recurs then it is best to exclude flies by keeping doors and windows shut or installing fly screens or curtains. Avoid excessive use of fly sprays since these are also harmful to human health if used incorrectly.

The Council cannot provide any treatment for house flies.

If you wish to purchase equipment or services to control flies in your own home then contractors can be found under Pest Control in the Yellow Pages.

Back to Top