Pest Control

If left unchecked, mice numbers can double every two months. Whether it is for your residential home or a commercial business, we will carry out an initial inspection to decide on the best course of action.

Mice are a considerable nuisance in the home. Not only do they contaminate food sources but they carry diseases which can affect humans and our pets. They are not pleasant to see, and they give off a nasty smell which can be awful to live with.

People suffering from a fear of mice should opt for our mouse proofing service as soon as possible – it is the most effective way to keep them out of your home. Do not be fooled by their size either –mice can climb up to 30 metres and get into lofts and insulation!

Signs of mice infestation
A smelly odour, gnawing on food packets and wires, droppings, smear marks on doors, mice tracks, seeing mice – dead or alive, holes.

Rats are an incredibly serious problem if they get into the home so if you think you have rats in your house, call Pest Tec X immediately – do not delay.

Rats can be very persistent even gnawing through metal to get in, and if they do gain access into your home or business premises, they can spread diseases, cause damage and contaminate food. Rats can cause other problems, so it is vital to eliminate a rat infestation quickly as rats can:

Damage property with constant gnawing, rats can damage insulation, chew through floor joists, pipes, doors, floorboards. Rats will also shred nearly anything for their nests, from paper to linen and plastic. Contaminate foodstuffs as pathogens are in a rat’s urine and droppings, these can transmit diseases such as Weil’s disease (Leptospirosis), Rat bite fever and Salmonellosis.

Signs of rat infestation
There are some signs to look out for including, obviously, if you see or think you can hear rats in the home (it will be a scurrying and scratching sound), rat droppings look like thin rods, damage to wires, cables and bite marks to skirting boards and other furnishings, footprints and tail marks and smears left on doors and windows.

While moths do not present a risk to the health of us as humans, they are a real pest when it comes to our carpets, curtains, clothes and any other fabrics. Moths love to chew through this material which can become incredibly expensive for homeowners and business owners if repeat infestations occur because they hide well. In fact, moths like dark corners of the home to rest and nest so the most likely place to find them is in wardrobes and rarely used cupboards.

The two most common types of moths are:

• Clothes and carpet moths – the larvae of clothes moths eat through and cause damage to fabrics such as wool, cotton and carpets.
• Food moths – food or ‘pantry’ moths eat stored food products in kitchens and larder storage areas.

You will know that you have a moth infestation by noticing the damage that they have caused to fabrics or you will see them. Minor issues can usually be sorted with a DIY product but if the problem is more widespread then there will be a need for Pest Tec X to come and solve the infestation.

Signs of moth infestation
These include damaged materials, leather, clothes, moth larvae, cocoons.

Pigeons are described by some as flying rodents because they have become such pests in the last few years. As scavengers, they look for easy food supplies and are usually found in town centres or other urban areas. Often, pigeons can breed all year round making them a very hard-to-manage pest.

Almost universally disliked and sometimes described as ‘rats with wings’, feral pigeons can become a pest problem when they nest and/or roost on your property. They are not nasty or aggressive birds like gulls – the main problem they pose is their droppings. This attracts insect pests and has the potential to spread nasty infections. Wet droppings on slippery surfaces can also be extremely dangerous, not to mention unsightly.

Pigeons also carry mites and fleas. As well as ‘proofing’ your premises to stop birds entering, our work includes the removal and proper disposal of all fouling, which can be several feet deep in premises that have been left unchecked. Our aim is to leave your property clean and tidy, and protected against further pigeon problems.

Signs of pigeons
Their droppings, their noise, seeing them and nests.

Fleas live on warm blooded animals and feed on their blood. This causes irritation and can cause intense problems. Some people react very strongly to flea bites and may have to take antibiotics and experience painful bites which can swell slightly and emit a discharge.

The thought of fleas is enough to make most people’s skin crawl and itch, but a flea infestation can happen through no fault of your own. Unlike other pests’ fleas do not have wings they get around by jumping from surface to surface.

Pets can pick up fleas from other animals or places and give them a ride home, or the pupa can lay dormant and unseen in flooring until you move in. Once you find fleas, you will want to get rid of them fast before they become established in your home or business.

Therefore, fleas need a professional pest control company to deal with them so call Pest Tec X today if you are experiencing problems with fleas. You should also contact your vet and use flea medication and shampoos on your pets.

These bugs have existed for thousands of years and have honed their bug hitchhiking and hiding skills to perfection. They will have been unknowingly picked up from existing bedbug infestations – attaching themselves to your clothing, bags, backpacks, luggage, or hiding inside fabrics, furnishings, and cracks and crevices in used furniture.

The most common species of bed bug in the U.K is Cimex lectularius. Males and females are blood-sucking and will take a blood feed from people, but female bed bugs tend to bite more frequently as they need the blood to develop their eggs. they can move easily between rooms, spreading a bed bug infestation to other areas.
Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to control and exterminate because they are small and widespread. They are also a growing problem and can become immune to treatments so there are always new chemicals and ways emerging to treat this pest.

Signs of a bed bug problem
As they are so hard to spot, being so small, it is often only when bitten that people realise, they could have bed bugs. One bed bug also bites more than once, often in the same area so if you are bitten in different places on the body it is a sign you have more than a few bed bugs.

Flies are a common problem with both businesses and homeowners. Not only are flies unsightly and annoying pests, especially when they are in large numbers, but they also transmit pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli. Cross-contamination is a big concern, especially for premises that handle food.

Flies are often found around the home, especially in the summer months. Usually some spray or fly trappers will solve any issues with quite a few flies making themselves at home. But like with many other pests, if there are large numbers of flies in your home and you are finding it difficult keeping them under control then call Pest Tec X today and we will eradicate your problem quickly and efficiently.

Wasps are often mistaken for bees and are also confused with other stinging insects. They are also notorious for building their nests in places where people like to gather. Wasps are very unhelpful guests in most homes. Able to sting several times, wasps can get angry quickly and do not like being disturbed.

Queen wasps emerge from hibernation in Springtime, when the days lengthen and the weather warms to start building a wasp nest, with more worker wasps hatching as the Summer progresses. Wasps are most active in the warmer summer months. In the UK, the Common Wasp and German Wasp cause the most annoyance and painful stings. Even with their distinctive yellow and black body, they can still be confused with hornets.

If you find a wasp’s nest in your home (usually found in walls) then call Pest Tec X immediately. They will need to be treated with specialist sprays and removing them can become hazardous. This is not one recommended for DIY, Pest Tec are experts in Wasp Control, Wasp Removal and Wasp Nest removal.

Cockroaches love warm and humid environments and therefore are most often found close to water, in places which do a large amount of washing (hotels for instance) and the heating areas of large buildings.

Discovering there are cockroaches in your home or business is distressing and, due to their lifecycle, can be an uphill battle to control. Cockroaches (otherwise known as ‘roaches’) are common insects, with around 4,600 species worldwide. About 30 cockroach species are associated with human habitats and five of those are well known as pests. It is incredibly difficult to kill off this elusive pest because they are so hard to find.

Signs of a cockroach infestation
Seeing cockroaches in your home or at your place of work (they are nocturnal so this would generally be at night), obnoxious odours on your food. Cockroaches carry disease and can cause food poisoning.

GREY SQUIRRELS
People think that squirrels are cute and cuddly, but they cause more problems than rats. Squirrels are incredibly determined creatures and once they enter your loft it is exceedingly difficult to get them out and keep them out. Rats, on the other hand, tend to enter lofts by accident and do not normally try to find their way in again.

SQUIRREL PROBLEM?
Squirrels like to build nests in warm, secure places – like your loft or chimney where they can chew through water pipes and electric cables.
Squirrels are confident and courageous and are not afraid to damage property. They become a nuisance by biting and chewing on things. Heir sharp teeth can gnaw through most materials, causing a lot of damage.

Signs of a grey squirrel infestation
Scratching noises and droppings (like rats)

Ants can be treated easily with a DIY spray or powder for small issues but again, with larger or repeat infestations it is important to call in a pest company. At Pest Tec X we will deal with any ant problems professionally and efficiently. We know the difference between the three main types of ant found in the UK and how to tackle them each.

There is one main Ant species that causes the most infestation issues in the UK, the Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger). The Red Ant (Myrmica rubra) a problematic Ant that can sting humans and therefore cause irritation. There are many other types of ants and it is important to identify the type of ant you are dealing with to be able to resolve the problem.
Most ant colonies have a queen, the queen stays in the nest, which in the case of the Black Garden Ant is generally located underground. You need to kill the queen to achieve total eradication of an ant problem and please consider that there could be more than one nest! The queen ant lays many thousands of eggs during her extensive lifetime (up to 30years!)