Frequently asked questions about pest control

Here are some of the frequently asked Questions.

Question: Do wasp nests die in the winter ?

Answer: Yes as winter starts to set in the nests die off with the 1st frosts being the most sure fire time that the nest will be dead. The queen however will have left the nest to hibernate over the winter and then proceeds to find a new site in spring/early summer.

Question: How many wasps does a wasp nest hold ?

Answer: The average football sized nest will house around 5-6000 wasps although these wont all be present at the same time due to foraging etc.

Question: What are Wasp nest made of ?

Answer: Wasps make their nest from mashed up wood which can come from fence panels tree bark etc. This is then mixed with saliva and wax which creates a paper like substance. This paper like substance will form in any space and over many objects. As an example I have seen a wasp nest being built over a childs plastic chair against the partition wall of the neighbouring property. The appearance of a wasp nest is creamy white with a swirly appearance.

Question: Is my wasp nest live still ?

Answer: The biggest visual indicator is if you can see wasps travelling to and from the nest. The second way is if you are face to face with a nest there will be visible workers crawling over the nest its self. Be careful if you are using a torch in a dark space inspecting a nest as the wasps will leave the nest and head towards the light source.

Question: Do I need wasp nest removal ?

Answer: Once the nest has died off the wasps will not use it again the following year. There are occasions in which I have seen where the nest is situated on a chimney stack in the loft. The heat from log fire in the stack keeps the nest going long after other nests have died off. Most company’s who attend to deal with a wasp nest will not remove it on the day. It could be more dangerous, unnecessary and sometimes inaccessible anyway.

Fleas

Question: Which flea treatment is best for cats and dogs ?

Answer: My experience over the years is that an up to date treatment from a local vet is the best course of action. Treatments from the local pets at home or Amazon as an example tend not to be as effective.

Resilience from insects is built up quickly. When they are subjected to the same treatments over and over the efficacy of those treatment starts to wane. So a good Quality residual insecticide treatment with an up to date vet prescribed treatment will knock down the most stubborn of problems.

Question: How long can fleas lay dormant ?

Answer: In normal temperatures and conditions fleas may remain dormant for up to 6 months. Normally they are in shaded areas away from light. They will emerge when they sense a change in either carbon dioxide, temperature or a mixture of both.

Rats , Mice and Squirrels

Question: Scratching sound in a loft ?

Answer: Scratching sounds can be any number of animals in your loft /attic. More often than not it is three usual suspects which are Mice, Rats or Squirrels. However that is not always the case. This is why it is important to get the correct identification before any treatment is carried out. The other things that can make a scratching sound in the night, such as birds or even bats.

Question: Scratching sounds in the wall what could it be ?

Answer: More often than not it will often be either Mice or Rats. These are generally the only animals in the uk that we find going into the cavities of the wall.