Rats and Mice
Rats and mice live where they can find food, water and shelter. In homes they can live in loft spaces, wall cavities, cellars and under floorboards. Outside they will burrow into compost heaps, grassy banks or under sheds. Rats also live in sewers and are good climbers and swimmers.
Rats and mice can transmit many diseases to humans including salmonella; toxoplasmosis and Weils Disease (which enters the body through cuts or contact with contaminated water). They can also cause damage to property through gnawing and burrowing.
If you see a rat DO NOT PANIC. Many rats seen in gardens are only ‘passing through’ as they forage for food. Sighting one does not mean that your property is infested. By reading the following information carefully you should be able to help prevent an infestation:
- Rodent proof your building: Rats can squeeze through a 15mm gap and mice only need a 6mm gap to enter your property and rooms. Check your property all over and use cement, filler or wire mesh to block all gaps larger than this. Check especially around where pipes and wires enter/exit.
- Dispose of your rubbish carefully: Household waste left lying around in plastic bags presents a valuable food source, not only for rodents but also for other foraging animals such as foxes, dogs and cats. Put your rubbish in your bin and make sure you put it out for collection on your allocated day. If you have more rubbish than your bin will hold keep it somewhere where rodents can not gain access to it until it can be collected. Alternatively take it to a civic amenity site. Remember to re-cycle to help keep your waste to a minimum
- Keep your garden tidy: Heaps of undisturbed garden waste provides ideal nesting sites for rats
- Check drain covers: Make sure drain covers and their surrounds are sound and in good condition. Don’t forget, rats live in sewers and drains! Defective drains allow rats to escape from the sewer system
- Do not feed the rats!: Food placed in the garden for the benefit of wild animals and birds can also provide a feast for rats! You should re-consider the quantity of food and feeding methods you use before you re-commence feeding in your garden, or better still, do not feed at all.
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Ants
- Ants can be controlled using products bought over the counter in, for example, DIY stores. The best ones to use are bendiocarb dust “puffer packs” (0.5%). These should be applied around nest entrances and along ant runs and in crevices where ants congregate.
- Seal any obvious cracks or holes being used by ants to gain access to inside. Use a general purpose filler or mortar/cement.
- Housekeeping – clean surfaces and floors thoroughly using detergent to remove food residue. Ants will only come where there is food to be had and they need very little to keep them going. Make sure you get well into corners to remove all traces of food and food residue.
- Outside – there is little use in applying any treatment outside, as the first fall of rain will see it washed away. Boiling water poured into cracks and crevices will have some effect and is probably the best, but most short-term, solution.
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 Wasps
- Wasps are one of the most disliked groups of insects but fear is misplaced as wasps rarely sting unless they are aroused or frightened.
- They are beneficial in Spring and early Summer when they feed their grubs mainly on insects. From midsummer onwards the worker wasps feed on ripening fruits. In late Autumn flies and other protein foods are collected for feeding the last brood.
- It is not necessary to always treat wasps if they are not a nuisance, because at the end of the season (Autumn) the colony will normally die off.
- Do-it-yourself treatment of both wasps and bees can be undertaken but extreme caution is strongly advised and it is only advisable to treat a wasps nest, in the evening or early morning when it is not so active and where the nest is visible and is less than the size of a tennis ball.
- Where the nest is not visible the entrance may be sprayed with a proprietary spray or powder, but extreme care must be exercised if working from a ladder.
- If the nest is larger than the size of a tennis ball, destruction of the nest normally requires specialist treatment from a professional pest controller.
- If insecticides are used you should follow the instructions carefully.
Dealing with wasp stings
- Wasps do not normally sting unless frightened or in defence of their nests. This habit increases as the insects become more irritable with the onset of cooler weather and the ingestion of fermenting, overripe fruit juices.
- The sting is caused by the injection of venom into the victim. Wasp stings can be treated with a cold compress and antihistamine creams applied within 20 minutes of stinging.
- A suitable antiseptic cream should also be rubbed into the skin to prevent infection. Multiple stings can have a dangerous cumulative effect, hence the need for caution. Seek medical advice promptly.
- Insect stings in the mouth or throat may cause swelling leading to asphyxia. To reduce swelling, suck ice and seek immediate medical advice.
- If the wasps are not causing problems, best advice is to leave them alone. Remember, they will die after the first few winter frosts. It is unusual for a queen wasp to establish a new nest in the same location the following year.
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Bees
- We do not provide a service for the destruction of bees, however, from time to time people will call to say that they have a nest on their property.
- We do not recommend treatment as bees are not a pest or threat. Bumblebees are in fact protected under the law and are declining in numbers.
- There will be occasions when it may be necessary to destroy a nest but generally every effort will be made to avoid carrying out control treatments.
- Bees are beneficial, as they act as pollinators of many fruit trees and other plants.
- Bees are generally harmless and will usually only sting if seriously provoked. The sting of some bees, such as the Masonry Bee is incapable of penetrating human skin.
- Masonry bees may need to be controlled on occasion but the real answer to the problems they cause is to re-point brickwork with good hard mortar.
- Honey bees are protected and under normal circumstances cannot be destroyed. If you think you have a honeybees nest a bee keeper should be called to visit and remove it.
- If it is absolutely necessary, a Pest Control Officer will call to see if they are a health risk, and if so, treat or suggest removal of the colony. There is a charge of £35 for this service (same as wasps) but the customer can apply for a refund of £20 if no treatment is applied.
Beekeeper
Alan Francis (Rossett) Will collect anytime – no charge.
07905 742791
01978 364552
01244 570727
David Reimerf (based in Holt)
01978 855901
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Fleas
Fleas are very common, and it is likely that every dog and cat will carry them at some stage during its life. Certainly every pet is at risk from fleas, especially during the summer, and in a warm environment such as a centrally heated home.
Since fleas, at various stages of their development, can be found both on and off the animal, complete flea control will involve treating both pet and its dwelling area. In order for you to achieve the best results the following MUST be carried out:-
- All floors and upholstered furniture should be vacuumed thoroughly to remove animal hair, organic debris, flea eggs and pupae. Particular attention should be given to the areas where pets have been allowed to roam and rest, such as under furniture, under chair and sofa cushions, cracks and crevices in floors and along walls. The vacuum bag will contain flea eggs and pupae, and so should be disposed of in an outside waste bin.
- All articles such as clothes, linen and toys should be removed from the floor so the entire surface can be treated.
- Heat destroys the insect, its eggs and pupae. Clothing and bedding should be washed at as high a temperature as the material will allow to destroy any eggs and larvae that they may contain. Alternatively, you should tumble dry them for at least an hour.
- All tile and concrete floors should be swept and washed or vacuumed.
- Any cats and dogs should be treated for fleas and with an insecticide recommended for this purpose – consult your vet for the most appropriate treatment for your pet.
- Pet bedding should be destroyed or washed in hot soapy water to destroy immature and adult fleas.
- Following treatment you should not vacuum for as long as possible – at least 14 days. The insecticide applied can.
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Cockroaches
Good hygiene practice is essential in the control of cockroaches, as is the reduction of access to food and water.
- Food should be kept in airtight storage jars and any crumbs or waste should be cleared up straight away. The same applies to household refuse-bins with snap on lids will go a long way in controlling other pests such as ants and flies.
- Cockroaches can survive longer on just water as opposed to just food so reducing supplies to water is essential in controlling cockroach populations.
- Fix any leaks and sweating pipes, provide ventilation to moist areas, mop up any spillage's, do not leave washing up soaking overnight and empty any pet bowls over night.
- The next step is to start to reduce potential harbourage in the infested areas.
- Removing any clutter where cockroaches might live i.e. loose wallpaper, and broken tiles, cookery books and loose papers are a also a perfect haven. Any holes, cracks or crevices should be caulked, painted or sealed shut bearing in mind that the first instar of the young German cockroach can fit in a gap of less than 1mm. Before starting, these areas should be washed to eliminate any eggs, food material or waste that has accumulated.
- Any furniture suspected of harbouring cockroaches can be steam cleaned if appropriate.
- Vacuuming regularly, especially in out of the way areas can suck up cockroaches, their eggs and the material they feed on. Empty the vacuum into a plastic bag and put in an outside bin.
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Silverfish
- They prefer room temperature areas and high relative humidity 75% to breed and multiply.
- Control requires correct identification, surveillance, drying out the infested area(s) to below 65% relative humidity.
- Eliminate potential infestation sites by sealing cracks and crevices with putty or caulking.
- It is possible to remove them by physical means such as vacuuming.
- Prevent silverfish by clearing up areas where wood, cardboard boxes, old papers or books are stored, and where there is evidence of insect activity.
- You can treat silverfish with insecticide, applying it to areas such as cracks, crevices, under shelves around sinks, skirting boards, window frames, and where pipes pass through walls.
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Carpet beetle
- They will sometimes lay their eggs in discarded bird nests within a roof, so this is a place to check should you have a problem and remove if necessary. Animal remains and dead insects are sometimes the cause of infestation and should be removed if found.
- Heavily infested materials should be disposed of and heavily infested areas cleaned thoroughly, concentrating on cracks and crevices.
- Vacuum regularly (especially in areas under storage heaters or at the skirting junction.)
- If the problem continues, spray with an insecticide specifically for indoor use on carpet beetles/crawling insects. These should be sprayed on floorboards, in cracks and gaps around skirting.
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Plaster beetle
- In newly built and reconditioned houses and other buildings, small, black or brown insects may appear in appreciable numbers. These are known collectively as ‘Plaster Beetles’ and belong to at least two beetle families.
- These insects can be eliminated by ensuring that the premises are dried out. With the increased use of central heating, their occurrence in houses, etc, will be reduced. Insecticide aerosols for the control of crawling insects may be used as necessary.
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Earwigs
- Proofing Cracks and crevices on the outside of the building and around doors and windows should be sealed to prevent earwigs gaining access. These gaps if large should be sealed with strong cement or a mastic seal. Fitting of draught excluders on doors will help to stop earwigs getting in.
- Outside Removing accumulations of leaves, weeds, brick, wood and rubble from the outside walls and doors will help to remove their hiding places.
- Treating with insecticides Chemical control of earwigs is not usually necessary in the majority of cases. However if removal of nearby vegetation of proofing of entry points does not overcome the problem then the application of a residual insect spray or dust can be applied around the outside of the building, in cracks and crevices and around doorsteps.
- These products can be purchased from garden centres or hardware shops.
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Flies
- Prevent entry using fly screens – look for any openings around windows and doors that may allow access and seal with filler
- Look for and remove accumulations of refuse, animal faeces and other waste materials that provide food and breeding sites.
- Use fly spray or other shop bought product
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Psocids and other stored food pests
- These are common but harmless household pests found in and around dry powdery type foods, usually in dark humid places such as the folds of packaging in food cupboards.
- They are not the result of poor hygiene and are as common in clean properties as in not so clean ones.
- They are associated with damp and feed on mould caused by damp conditions.
- Remove the affected food immediately & dispose of.
- Check everything else in the cupboard
- Cans and bottles will be alright, but check that insects are not hiding under the labels.
- Treat the affected area with a household insecticide suitable for use near food.
- Clean out all dust and crumbs and make sure the cupboard is dry.
- Find the cause of the humidity and cure it – ventilate rooms.
- Store dry food in sealable containers in a cool dry place.
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Woodlouse
- Proofing – Cracks and crevices on the outside of the building and around doors and windows should be sealed to prevent wood lice gaining access. These gaps if large should be sealed with strong cement or a mastic seal. Fitting of draught excluders on doors will help to stop wood lice getting in.
- Cleaning – Control of wood lice in a room may be achieved by regular cleaning including vacuuming around floor edges, which should help to remove them. They should not re-appear unless proofing is inadequate.
- Outside – removing accumulations of leaves, weeds, brick, wood and rubble from the outside walls and doors will help to remove their hiding places. It is preferable not to have plant pots and garden ornaments near the house. If you wish to keep them close to the house then frequent cleaning underneath and also under doormats is recommended.
- Treat with insecticides which are formulated to kill crawling insects, may be used to eradicate wood lice, but unless proofing work is carried out more woodlice will reappear. The use of a residual insecticide around wall edges will quickly reduce the population.
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Foxes
- The Council does not provide a fox removal service – private pest control companies may be able to help.
- The law prevents the use of poisons and other inhumane methods of control. Where foxes are causing a serious nuisance, humane methods can be used to deter them.
- Deny them an easy food source:
- Keep rubbish in bins until the day of collection wherever practical. Make sure bins have lids on and they are properly secured or build some sort of barrier.
- Remove possible sources of food such as scraps from compost heaps.
- Do not put out large amounts of bird food. Use special bird feeders and do not leave food on the ground.
- Do not feed dogs and cats out of doors.
- Make sure that small pets and chickens are housed in strong hutches or enclosures and that foxes cannot dig their way in.
- Deny them territory:
- Prevent foxes from gaining access to your garden by making sure fences do not have any gaps.
- Injured foxes should be reported to the RSPCA on 08705 555999.
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Bats
- Bats are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to intentionally kill, damage or obstruct access to any bat roost. If convicted a of up to £1000 per bat can be imposed. The Species Officer at the Countryside Council for Wales should be contacted for help, call 0845 1306229.
- The Bat Conservation Trust operates the National Bat Helpline. This was set up to provide information on bats. Telephone 0845 1300 228 (local rate)
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Bedbugs
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals.
Hatchling bed bugs are about the size of a poppy seed, and adults are about 1/4 of an inch in length. From above they are oval in shape, but are flattened from top to bottom.
Their colour ranges from nearly white (just after moulting) or a light tan to a deep brown or burnt orange. The host’s blood may appear as a dark red or black mass within the bug’s body. Because they never develop wings, bed bugs cannot fly. When disturbed, bed bugs actively seek shelter in dark cracks and crevices. Cast skins of bed bugs are sometimes discovered. Although such a finding confirms that bed bugs had been present previously, it does not confirm that any continue to infest the residence. Thus, inspect carefully for live crawling bed bugs. Because many other kinds of small brown bugs may be discovered, it is critical to ensure that the bugs are correctly identified.
Do bed bugs cause harm or spread disease?
Bed bugs seek out people and animals, generally at night while these hosts are asleep, and feed by piercing the skin. While feeding, they inject a tiny amount of their saliva into the skin to act as an anticoagulant. Repeated exposures to bed bug bites during a period of several weeks or more causes people to become sensitised to the saliva of these bugs; additional bites may then result in mild to intense allergic responses. The skin lesion produced by the bite of a bed bug resembles those caused by many other kinds of blood feeding insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas. The offending insect, therefore, can rarely be identified by the appearance of the bites. A doctor should be consulted to rule out other causes for the lesions and to offer treatment, as needed. The affected person should resist the urge to scratch the bites, as this may intensify the irritation and itching, and may lead to secondary infection. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious agents.
Where are bed bugs found?
Bedbugs are most abundant in rooms where people sleep, and they generally hide near the bed or other furniture used for sleeping. Bed bugs are most active in the middle of the night, but when hungry, they will venture out during the day to seek a host. Their flattened bodies allow them to conceal themselves in cracks and crevices around the room and within furniture. Favoured hiding sites include the bed frame, mattress and box spring. Clutter around the room offers additional sites for these bugs to hide, and increases the difficulty in eliminating bed bugs once they have become established.
How do bed bugs invade a home?
Because bed bugs readily hide in small crevices, they may ‘stowaway’ and be introduced to a property via luggage, furniture, clothing, pillows, boxes, and other such objects when these are moved between apartments, homes and hotels. Used furniture, particularly bed frames and mattresses are of greatest risk of harbouring bed bugs and their eggs. Thus, one should carefully scrutinise and consider the history of any used furniture. Because they readily survive for many months without feeding (up to 18 months), bed bugs may already be present in apparently ‘vacant’ and ‘clean’ apartments. Bed bugs can wander between adjoining properties through voids in walls and holes though which wires and pipes pass. In a few cases, bats and/or birds may introduce and maintain bed bugs and their close relatives (bat bugs and bird bugs).
How can you tell if the residence is infested?
Bed bugs infest only a small proportion of residences, but they should be suspected if residents complain of bites that occurred while sleeping. The bedroom and other sleeping areas should be carefully examined for bed bugs and signs of bed bug activity. Folds and creases in the bed linens, and seams and tufts of mattresses and box springs, in particular, may harbour bed bugs or their eggs. They may also be found within pleats of curtains, beneath loose areas of wallpaper near the bed, in corners of desks and dressers, within spaces of wicker furniture, behind cove moulding, and in laundry or other items on the floor or around the room. Sometimes, characteristic dark brown or reddish faecal spots of bed bugs are apparent on the bed linens, mattress or walls near the bed.
What should you do if you find bed bugs?
If you suspect you have bedbugs you should contact the Public Protection Department on 01978 292040. A Pest Control Officer will call to carry out an initial assessment. Any insects found will be sent to a qualified entomologist for identification.
Once their identity is confirmed, a careful plan should be devised to eliminate the bed bugs in a manner that promotes success while limiting unnecessary costs and exposure to insecticides. Don’t discard furniture and don’t treat until and unless you have a plan.
Private tenants should report bedbug problems to their landlord. If the landlord is not prepared to carry out the treatment, then the tenant should contact us, providing us with all the landlords details, and we will contact them directly.
What can you do to manage bed bugs?
Insecticidal treatment alone will not rid a property of a bedbug infestation. Managing bed bugs requires a planned approach that generally includes cleaning and room modifications, as well as insecticidal treatment.
Search for signs of bed bugs. Carefully inspect the bed frame, mattress, and other furniture for signs of bed bugs and their eggs. Although dead bed bugs, cast bug skins and blood spots may indicate an infestation occurred previously; they do not confirm that an infestation is still active. Search for live (crawling) bugs and ensure they are bed bugs before considering treating.
Reduce clutter to limit hiding places for bed bugs.
Thoroughly clean the infested rooms as well as others in the residence. Scrub infested surfaces with a stiff brush to dislodge eggs, and use a powerful vacuum to remove bed bugs from cracks and crevices. Dismantling bed frames will expose additional bug hiding sites. Remove drawers from desks and dressers and turn furniture over, if possible, to inspect and clean all hiding spots.
Mattresses and box springs can be permanently encased within special mattress bags. Once they are installed, inspect the bags to ensure they are undamaged; if any holes or tears are found, seal these completely with permanent tape. Any bugs trapped within these sealed bags will eventually die.
To help prevent bed bugs from crawling onto a bed, pull the bed frame away from the wall, tuck in sheets and blankets so they won’t contact the floor, and place the frame legs into dishes or cups of vegetable oil. Caulk and seal all holes where pipes and wires penetrate walls and floor, and fill cracks around skirting boards and cove mouldings to further reduce harborages.
Legal implications?
Landlords and property owners have legal obligations to provide safe and habitable accommodations for tenants. Certain infestations, including bed bugs, may constitute an unacceptable condition. Tenants have an obligation to co-operate with owners and landlords. This includes preparing the property so that the pest control operator can inspect the rooms and treat if necessary.
Wrexham County Borough Council recognises the difficulties of treating a property found to have a bedbug infestation. Left untreated, or treated ineffectually, an infestation will grow and spread and affect several people and properties. For this reason the Council has adopted a strategy to ensure that properties affected by bedbugs are dealt with effectively. The strategy involves using all the methods described in this leaflet to help ensure effective treatment is applied swiftly.
If you own your property, you should contact a licensed pest control operator who is knowledgeable and experienced in managing bed bug infestations. Wrexham County Borough Council offers a free inspection and advice service for bedbugs. Call 01978 292040 to arrange for a pest control officer to visit.
Private tenants should report bedbug problems to their landlord. If the landlord is not prepared to carry out the treatment, then the tenant should contact us, providing us with all the landlords details, and we will contact them directly.
Remember that successful treatment of an infestation requires careful planning. DO NOT EXPECT INSECTICIDAL TREATMENT ALONE TO SORT THE PROBLEM. You should expect a Pest Control Operator to request that the property is properly prepared before treatment is applied (see Bedbug treatment – What you should do).
It is important to remember that it is the treatment that you are paying for, not the result, and it may take several treatments to completely eradicate the pest.
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Bedbug treatment – What you should do – BB3
If you find your property is infested with bedbugs you should employ a professional pest control officer to treat the problem. However, there are a number of things you should do before any treatment is carried out.
Before Treatment You Must:
- Vacuum all floors and upholstered furniture thoroughly to remove any debris, eggs, pupae etc. especially in bedrooms and other areas used by people for sleeping. The vacuum bag must be carefully disposed of. Put it in 2 plastic bags before putting it in an outside waste bin.
- Hard floor surfaces should be swept and washed or vacuumed.
- Empty wardrobes, drawers etc and wash the contents on the hottest wash possible.
- Strip the beds and wash bedding in the hottest temperature the fabric will allow (check manufacturers guidelines).
- NB: Clothes and bedding should be placed in bin bags in the affected room before being carried to the washing area so insects do not fall off during transit.
- Alternatively, you should tumble dry all clothing and bedding for at least an hour on high heat.
- Remove all articles from the floor (books, toys, magazines etc) so that as much of the area as possible can be treated. Pull furniture away from walls to allow treatment behind.
- Where possible beds and other known harbourages should be dismantled to allow them to be thoroughly treated. With box-beds the fabric covering the underside of the bed should be removed.
- Children and pets should not be present during treatment. Fish tanks should be removed or covered. Any open food should also be covered or removed.
- Whenever possible the only items in a room when treatment commences should be the bed, mattress and empty furniture.
After treatment
Keep out of the property until the insecticide has dried. You should expect this to take 2-3 hours.
If it is not possible to stay out of the house, you should, as far as possible, stay out of the treated area(s).
You may see some bedbugs for a number of days after treatment. This is due to eggs hatching. The insects will die once they come into contact with the insecticide.
Do not vacuum for at least 3 weeks following treatment. The longer you leave the area without vacuuming the greater the chance that treatment will be successful.
Remember – DO NOT VACUUM FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AFTER TREATMENT – at least for 3 weeks but ideally up to 6 weeks.
Future Control
- High standards of hygiene and housekeeping alone are unlikely to control an infestation. However keeping a house clean will reveal the presence of bedbugs at an early stage, making control easier and reducing the chance of widespread infestation.
There are a number of things you can do to help prevent bedbugs re-infesting your house.
- Change linens at least once a week, and wash at the hottest temperature the fabric will allow (check manufacturers guidelines).
- Vacuum around the home at least once a week, paying special attention to areas surrounding bed and furniture posts.
- Temperature can have an effect on bedbug activity, therefore keep bedrooms cool, especially at night, by turning heating down or off, or leaving a window open.
- Look for holes in the floor and walls where bugs may be hiding. Seal gaps in furniture, floorboards and cracks in wallpaper and other such areas where bed bugs can hide during the day.
- If you are moving into a property for the first time: -
- Check rooms carefully before you occupy them – in particular look around the edges of carpets and in the folds around the edge of the mattress
- Consider purchasing a new mattress
- Consider having carpets steam cleaned
- If you are travelling, carefully inspect any room you're about to inhabit.
- After you return from a trip, check your luggage for any insects that might have hitched a ride.
Advice from Wrexham County Borough Council Pest Control Service is free of charge. If you have any doubts or concerns about bedbugs now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 Contact Information
For further information contact:
Wrexham Council
Public Protection Services
High Street
Ruabon
Wrexham
LL14 6NH
Tel: 01978 298989
Email: contact-us@wrexham.gov.uk
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