What Were the Top
10 Pests of 2017?
The end of one year signals all kinds of
charts from ‘the best of…’ to the ‘the worst of…’. Pest control is no
different. But what pests did we deal with most over the course of last year?
Could 2018 follow the same course?
#1 Rats
The brown rat sends shivers down many
spines and with them seemingly not only getting bigger
but more prevalent in cities and town, the rat is top of the list when it comes
to pests we frequently deal with. We can’t see rats becoming less of a problem
in the coming year either.
#2 Bedbugs
Once almost eradicated from the UK, the
bedbug is back with a vengeance – and has been for the last decade. Our ability
to travel further and wider means that the opportunistic bug is more than able
to make their way from one country to another. Recent newspaper stories on
‘bedbugs on planes’ has added fuel to this argument. Bedbugs will remain a key
pest in 2018.
#3 Birds
Pigeons and seagulls have been the reason
for many calls to our office last year. Slowly, we are beginning to change our
ways so that there are fewer
opportunities for this birds to feed. Investing in humane bird proofing
measures is the only way forward.
#4 Mice
A rodent cousin of the rat, we have
received many requests for help with mice in outbuildings and cellars etc.
Inclement weather, as well as more building and construction,
has meant that the mouse finds his habitat increasingly under threat.
#5 Wasps and Bees
Neither of these insects will ever stop
being a hazard to human health where they nest too close to property. Bees are not protected in the UK, but
our clients have asked that we take care of them rather than exterminate. We
also less willing to share our homes with bugs and insects.
#6 Flies
Halfway through our list and we come across flies. Tending to swarm where
there is ‘rotting matter’ they can quickly turn into an issue. Less frequent
bin collections are part of the problem, as well as damaged bins.
#7 Moths
Moths fly in through open windows, laying
their eggs on natural fibres. The recent penchant for returning to natural
materials for bedding and clothing has been the driving force behind this
surprising increase in calls regarding moths.
#8 Cockroaches
For commercial food customers in Kent, in particular, cockroaches remain an issue of
which they are ever vigilant. With high cleaning standards as well as
preventive measures, we have helped hundreds of customers to keep food
preparation areas and kitchens cockroach free.
#9 Spiders
A wet autumn caused an influx of calls for
help with spiders in properties. Not everyone’s favourite creepy-crawly,
spiders in Kent don’t present a hazard to human health.
#10 Ants
Dry, warm springs followed by a warm summer
can lead to an explosion in the ant population. Ant powder may work on small
sights, but when there are breakaway colonies, the problem requires something a
little more.
Some pests on this list should only be
dealt with by a professional pest controller, but we have solutions for all
pests!
