29 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Flour Beetles

Small reddish-brown beetles about 3-4mm long that feed on flour and cereal debris in warm buildings. These beetles are often accidentally introduced into the larder in packaging or the ingredients themselves. The commonest species are the Rust Red

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Flour Mites

A tiny, slow-moving, white or pale-brown creature measuring a barely visible 0.5mm long, with eight legs. A pest of cereals and cereal products especially if they are damp. How to get rid of Flour Mites: Burn or otherwise dispose of infes

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Flour Moths

Moths whose grubs feed on stored food - especially cereals, chocolate, cocoa, dried fruit, nuts and any flour product. Adults are mottled grey and brown and measure 10-15mm long. Larvae are a dirty white colour with brown heads and grow up to 12-15

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Foxes

Many people are concerned about foxes affected by mange. A scruffy looking fox is not necessarily an ill fox. When moulting in spring, foxes look quite rough, but this does not mean they are mangy. They are typically found in woodland and open coun

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Fruit Flies

A family of very small (about 3mm) flies, some with prominent red eyes, characterised by a slow hovering flight in which the abdomen hangs down. All are associated with rotting fruit and vegetables or fermenting liquids. One species breeds in sour

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Fur Beetle

An oval black beetle 4-6mm long with a white spot on each wing case. Grubs are about 6mm long, with a tuft of golden hairs on the end of their bodies. They can often be detected by their cast-off skins as they moult. Grubs feed on fur, hair, skins,

09 October 2018

Pest advice for controlling False Black Widow Spiders

Several spiders in the genus Steatoda are mistaken for the rather deadly Black Widow Spider. These lookalikes are often grouped together as False Black Widow Spiders. While these spiders are venomous and their bites can be very painful

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Furniture Beetles

A small brown beetle, 2.5-5mm long, that is the adult form of woodworm. Emerges from infested wood between May and September, especially in June and July, leaving round exit holes 1-2mm in diameter. See Woodworm Having problems wit

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Gnats

The insect normally referred to as a gnat is actually a small mosquito - correct name: Culex pipiens. It is common in gardens on warm evenings. Another species, the true Window Gnat, is a slow-flying insect about 8mm long with wings more rounded th

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Green Bottles

Large buzzing flies about 9mm long with a characteristic bottle-green sheen on the back. Mostly carrion feeders that enter houses to seek places to hibernate and, in passing, may well alight on exposed foodstuffs. See Bluebottle

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Ground Beetles

These various large black or violet beetles that occasionally wander in from the garden or emerge from under doormats or not a pest and control is rarely necessary. The larger Ground Beetles can grow up to 25mm long and tend to wander into

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Harvest Mites

A very tiny creature living in long grass but which can be carried into homes on clothing or the coats of dogs. Can give a very irritating bite. How to prevent harvest mites If you live in an area where this is common, put a proprietary i

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Harvestmen Spiders

Harmless spider-like creatures with eight exceptionally long, thin legs. They do not spin webs but occasionally wander into homes. How to get rid of harvestmen spiders Spiders, like all our native wildlife, are an important part of our ec

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Head Lice

These aren't a pest problem, but a medical problem. The head louse is a blood-sucking parasite about 3mm long that adapts to the hair colour of its host. The tiny, pearly eggs or “nits” are cemented to the hair close to the scalp, and t

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Hornets

Twice the size of the common wasp and brown and yellow instead of black and yellow. It builds nests in hollow trees and similar sites. They only occasionally enter houses. For control methods, see Wasps.

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling House Dust Mites

Exceedingly common, these tiny creatures are of the genus Dermatophagoides. They are the primary source of the house dust allergens implicated in allergic, respiratory reactions such as asthma. Dust Mites feed on human skin scales and require both

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling House Flies

The Common Housefly and the Lesser Housefly are the most widespread household flies. The adult is 7-8mm long, grey in colour with black stripes on the back, with a single pair of veined membraneous wings. The large compound eyes take up most of the

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling House Moths

Textile pests and scavengers whose grubs eat natural fabrics. Similar to Clothes Moths. See Brown House Moth and Clothes Moth. Having problems with house moths? Use a trained professional pest controller. Search f

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling House Mice

House mice are a part of British wildlife - but when they take up residence with you, they can be a cause for concern. Active all year round, mice are one of the most common pest species in the UK. House mice are small mammals of th

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Lacewing

The pale green Lacewing is a harmless wanderer from the garden or woods where its larvae prey upon other insects. It has a pale green, soft body, about 15mm long, with richly veined transparent wings folded over it when at rest. The eyes are an iri

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Ladybirds

There are many types of ladybird in the UK, but quite recently, a new variety was introduced that has the potential to jeopardise the others. The Harlequin ladybird is found naturally in the Far East, including Japan and Korea. It was introduced in

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Larder Beetle

A relatively large (7-10mm) oval beetle, almost black but with a distinct pale band across the front of the wing-cases. The larvae are white after first hatching, but turn brown and are covered with tufts of bristly hair. They grow to 10-12mm long

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Lice

Small, flat, wingless, grey parasites about 2mm long with strong claw legs and which feed on human blood. There are two distinct forms of this sort of louse - the head louse and the body louse, but they are similar in appearance. The pearl

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Longhorn Beetle

The longhorn beetles are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterised by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. See Woodworm.

28 November 2017

Pest advice for controlling Maggots

The layman’s term for the legless, wriggling larval (first) stage of certain insects, usually the larvae of Flies. However, you can find larvae for all sorts of species of insects including Beetles, Moths and Fleas. How to get rid of M