While commercial pesticides and other DIY pest control methods can be effective to some degree, the availability of such products and methods has had the unfortunate effect of leading people to believe that all pest problems are treated the same way. For example, a consumer may use an insect spray designed for wasps to control ants, only to discover it does not work. The truth is that different pests require different treatments.
In the world of insects, not every pesticide works equally well on all species. Trying to control wasps with an ineffective pesticide could result in a homeowner being attacked. Likewise, some types of flies are resistant to standard commercial pesticides. Some species of ants are the same way.
Whether you are dealing with insects or rodents, the best solution to your pest problem is to call the experts at Pest Control Services. We are a Newbury based business that has been faithfully serving Berkshire for more than 20 years. Our trained technicians have the skills, experience, and tools necessary to properly handle any pest problem. Call us for same-day service and a targeted one-hour response time. You will be glad you did.
Bees and wasps are typically summertime pests due to their preference for warm weather. However, even as autumn approaches, you may still have problems with large numbers of insects on your property. It is not until the cold weather truly sets in that we can rest comfortably until the following spring.
Honeybees are the least problematic of the two pests. In fact, these pose very little danger to human health. When customers call us for bee problems, we tend to relocate nests rather than terminate them. This solves the problem while still allowing the bees to continue contributing to the natural pollination cycle.
Wasps, on the other hand, can be dangerous whenever they are present in large numbers. They can be aggressive when threatened, so it is never a good idea to attempt to terminate a wasp's nest on your own.
If you are having a problem with wasps or bees on your property during early autumn, do not hesitate to call Pest Control Services. We provide service throughout Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. We are a family run business dedicated to providing the best possible service to our residential and commercial clients.
Cockroaches are disgusting insects capable of spreading disease very quickly. Most of the time a cockroach infestation is associated with dirty premises that allow the bugs to proliferate. However, that is not always the case. We have seen cockroaches in some very clean buildings through the years. The truth is that anyone can end up with a cockroach problem if conditions are right.
The reason cockroaches are usually associated with dirty premises is that such premises provide optimal living conditions. Remember, cockroaches are creatures that will eat virtually anything. A building that is not kept clean offers a plethora of food sources, ranging from food scraps to the bodies of other dead insects. Keeping a premises clean reduces the likelihood of cockroaches by eliminating food supplies.
The biggest problem with cockroaches is that they are rather prolific in their breeding. We would almost consider them the rabbits of the insect world. Where you see one or two cockroaches, there are likely hundreds more hiding in places where they cannot be seen.
For cockroach elimination in Newbury and Berkshire, call Pest Control Services right away. We've been serving the Berkshire area for more than 20 years.
There are some local councils that have negotiated contracts with pest control companies to provide services to residents at reduced rates. However, councils are not required by law to provide such services. They are required under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to take action to force landowners to deal with certain kinds of pest problems in order to prevent such pests from spreading to neighbouring land. They must also control pests on all council owned property.
Property owners also have an obligation under the law to deal with pest infestations so their neighbours are not affected. That is where we can help. Pest Control Services offers effective and reliable pest control throughout Berkshire from our Newbury headquarters. Whether you have mice in Hungerford, bed bugs in Thatcham, or woodworm in Newtown, call us for same-day service.
We pride ourselves in providing our customers reliable and safe service for full range of household pests. We are fully insured members of the British Pest Control Association and CRB-cleared for work in restricted and sensitive areas. We are here to provide the pest control services you need to keep your property safe.
For more than 20 years, we have been providing reliable pest control services throughout Berkshire and parts of Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. In order for us to continue to be successful, we have implemented a programme of Continued Professional Development (CPD) for our staff. This programme ensures we are always up-to-date in terms of best practices, legislation, and the latest pest control methods and strategies.
Pest Control Services are registered under the BASIS PROMPT scheme. In order for a company to achieve membership in the PROMPT scheme, it must possess one of the following:
• the RSPH/BPCA Level 2 Award or Level 2 Certificate in pest control or above
• the Royal Society of Health Pest Control Certificate
• the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) Diploma, Part I or II.
We are proud to say that our technicians are trained by the British Pest Control Association AND we are certified by the Royal Society for Public Health, meaning we meet all three requirements for PROMPT membership. When you choose Pest Control Services as your service provider, you are choosing a company that takes safe and effective pest control seriously. We are a Berkshire-based business located in Newbury.
Termites are known as 'white ants' in many parts of the world. The truth is that they are not ants at all; they are entirely different species with unique characteristics and biological markers. The only reason they are associated with ants is because of their physical appearance.
From a biological standpoint, it turns out that termites are more closely related to cockroaches. Research published in the Molecular Biology and Evolution journal suggests that termites and cockroaches share similar DNA structures that may go back to the same origin in the past. Where they now differ is primarily in food sources. Termites can digest cellulose, making them capable of sustaining themselves on wood and plants. Cockroaches need a more varied diet.
The good news is that termites are not much of a problem here in the UK. They were all but eliminated in the 1990s, leaving just a few pockets to be dealt with here and there. Pest Control Berkshire is more than capable of handling a termite problem in the unlikely event you should get a visit from the pests. That said, you are more likely be to be troubled by cockroaches or ants.
Bedbugs are hardy insects capable of getting inside a home and breeding for quite a while before being detected. They are very good at hiding, they can go up to seven months without eating, and a typical female can lay as many as 500 eggs in her lifetime. Just a small colony of bedbugs in your home could quickly mushroom out of control without you ever knowing they are around. Identifying the early warning signs can mean the difference between a manageable problem and a severe infestation.
We recommend that customers look for two things that could be early warning signs of bedbugs: stains and shedding. Where the former is concerned, bedbugs leave behind stains comprised of blood and faeces as they move about. The stains are extremely difficult to remove from linens and carpeting, so they should be easy to spot. As for the latter, bedbugs shed dried skin as they age. You will notice little flakes of a brownish colour in your linens if bedbugs are there.
A bedbug infestation requires an experienced pest control company such as Pest Control Services. Call us immediately on 01635 250 852 if you suspect you have bedbugs in your home.
The mating season for moles generally runs from February through until May. In the months leading up to mating, moles can do significant damage as they burrow through gardens, paddocks, and farmlands looking for food. However, there are steps you can take during the autumn months to minimise the risk of moles invading your property.
First, be sure to turn the soil in your garden, plot, or field after you have harvested, removing weeds and any remnants of the harvested vegetables. Rotting vegetation enriches the soil and gives earthworms (the major food source for moles) plenty of food to consume. You can limit moles by limiting the number of earthworms in the soil.
If you use mulch on your property, remove it during the autumn months to allow as much heat as possible to escape. Temperatures cold enough to freeze the soil will be a big help in keeping the animals away.
Lastly, do not wait to call Pest Control Services at the first signs of a single mole. We are the mole trapping experts in Newbury, Hungerford, Thatcham, and the surrounding areas. For more than 20 years, we have been offering mole catching and termination services throughout Berkshire.
Pest Control Services employs only fully trained and certified technicians to provide service to our clients. Proper training and certification is important to us. And even if it were not, the law requires it for all professionals. Pest control technicians are regulated under the Health and Safety Executive.
Any technician born in 1965 or later must possess a valid Certificate of Competence in order to use a commercial pesticide. There are only two exceptions to this rule:
1. applying of pesticide to his/her own property or property owned by his/her employer; and
2. using a pesticide under the supervision of a certified trainer for the purposes of employment training.
At Pest Control Services, we take great pride in the quality of service we offer to our customers in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, and all of Berkshire. To that end, we make sure all our technicians are trained to the highest standards possible. Whether we train them ourselves or they come to us from another organisation, each of our technicians possesses a valid Certificate of Competence and an attitude of professionalism. Certificates are issued by the National Proficiency Test Council and the Scottish Skills Testing Service.
What is considered 'traditional flea season' in the UK runs from late April through until early November. This is the time of year when fleas are most problematic for cats and dogs. Why? Because the spring encourages reproduction in fleas just as it does with most other species. The insects flourish during the warmer summer months only to slowly fade away in autumn.
Pest Control Services urges our customers who have dealt with fleas in the past to be diligent during the traditional season. Pay special attention to your pets, including routine flea inspections and the use of appropriate medicines and repellents. With that said, however, consumers should not assume that fleas could not be a problem from December through until March. This is simply not true.
Fleas are now a year-round problem in modern homes with central heating. Rather than the winter season providing natural pest control for these insects, fleas can now find the warmth and security they need indoors. This suggests it is possible for you to begin having a problem in the spring with fleas that have spent the entire winter in your home. If you have a flea problem, call Pest Control Services.
Veterinarians estimate that as many as nine out of every ten dog owners do not adequately treat their animals for fleas. This could be because so many do not realise that flea-related problems go above and beyond just excessive scratching. A flea infestation can lead to significant health issues for your pet.
For example, excessive scratching can be the result of flea allergy dermatitis. This is a condition that results from an allergic reaction to flea saliva, potentially causing your dog to rip out its fur to expose bare skin. Flea infestations can also lead to canine anaemia or, even worse, tapeworm.
If you are among the dog owners who do not utilise preventative treatments for fleas, we urge you to start doing so. If you do end up with a flea problem regardless, contact Pest Control Berkshire. We will come in and eradicate the pests before they cause significant problems for your dog. We want your home to be free of fleas just as much as you do. Pest Control Berkshire services Hungerford, Thatcham, Newbury, and other towns throughout Berkshire. Our service area extends 25 miles from our Newbury office.
Pet owners are well aware of the fact that fleas can be a big problem during the late spring and summer. However, what about the colder autumn and winter months? That depends on where you live and what the climate is like. Fleas are pretty resilient as long as they are not subject to extended periods of extremely cold weather. This is one of the reasons they tend to be problematic in the autumn.
When the cooler weather of autumn begins to set in, pet owners are less likely to be worried about fleas. The insects begin their dormant stage as the temperature drops. However, one or two warm days can bring fleas right back out. On a warm day, your pet could easily become a carrier to bring fleas into your home.
We encourage pet owners to be as diligent about fleas during the autumn as they are during spring and summer. Call us if you discover a flea infestation in your home, no matter what time of year. Pest Control Services has been successfully treating flea infestations in Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford for more than 20 years.
We have all seen the comedy routines involving middle-aged women standing on chairs and screaming hysterically in fear of mice walking through the kitchen. In reality however, things rarely work that way. It is typical for people to figure out they have a mice infestation from the signs left behind, rather than actually seeing the creatures themselves.
Because mice are nocturnal, they do not often come out during the day where they can be seen. They are active at night, when you are sleeping. Their nocturnal behaviour gives them access to the food sources that they are after without having to worry about predators.
One solution for combating mice is to get a couple of house cats. Another solution is to call Pest Control Services. Our trained and experienced technicians know all there is to know about controlling mice on your property. We can provide you with a site evaluation and a long-term rodent control strategy that will deal with the immediate problem while also preventing future infestations.
Pest Control Services are the mice specialists in Newbury, Hungerford, and Thatcham. We respond to calls throughout Berkshire with a targeted one-hour response time.
Pest Control Berkshire offer a number of pest management packages to companies of all sorts. Why should you consider pest management for your business? Because, depending on the industry you are involved in, your company could be shut down if a pest problem were discovered. You cannot afford to take that risk in a day and age when business is so competitive.
The most volatile businesses are those involved in the food service and healthcare sectors. Pests such as cockroaches and rodents are known to carry disease that can be easily spread to humans. As a result, any food service or healthcare business with a significant infestation would likely suffer at least a temporary shut-down. In cases in which shutting down is not warranted, business owners could still be subject to significant fines and other penalties.
Do not risk the reputation, health, or future of your business by letting pest problems go untreated. Contact us at Pest Control Services so that we can set up a comprehensive pest management programme suitable to your needs. We are a family based business located in Newbury, offering service within a 25-mile radius of our office.
At Pest Control Services in Berkshire, we get our fair share of calls regarding carpet beetles during the summer months. The good news is that we can definitely help. Carpet beetles are a fairly common pest in the UK, so we have plenty of experience eradicating them.
We encourage consumers to call us at the first sign of an infestation. It is a lot easier for us to treat carpet beetles when larvae are young. That being said, we have the ability to fully eradicate adult carpet beetles as well. We use a number of different insecticides to accomplish complete termination.
You may have a carpet beetle infestation if you notice large, unexplained holes in your carpets or damage to curtains and other fabrics. This damage can appear as long slits following the weave of the fabric in question. This is because the beetles start in one place and eat along the weave.
When you call Pest Control Services (01635 250 852) for help with carpet beetles, we will respond right away. In most cases, your first treatment will be completed on the same day you call. Our technicians are discrete, courteous, and highly knowledgeable about what they do.
One of the reasons rats are so hard to control is because they are not choosy about their living arrangements. Rat populations need only three things: plenty of food, adequate water, and protection from predators and the weather. Other than that, they are very easily satisfied.
A pretty simple standard of living indicates rats can make a home almost anywhere on your property. In terms of interior spaces, rats seem to be fond of basements, lofts, crawl spaces, and even roof joists. We have even witnessed cases of rats living inside a home's plumbing.
Outside, the rodents are happy to take up residence in your garden or anywhere else they can find comfortable space. If you have a woodpile, for example, rats may find a comfortable place within. They might also look for a place to nest in or around your garage or near that pile of rubbish you should have cleaned up months ago.
At Pest Control Berkshire, we urge you not to take rat problems slightly. Rats are troublesome pests that carry disease and are capable of significant property damage. Call us anytime if you need service in Berkshire.
Yes, cluster flies tend to be prevalent in Spring and Autumn. We will carry out a survey to agree the best course of action to take.
Pesticides and insecticides are crucial tools for fighting household pests. However, applying these products around customer premises is not all we do. Where situations warrant, we also survey the customer's property before making recommendations for preventing future problems. In short, our technicians can recommend prevention strategies for many household pests.
Rats and mice are an excellent example. Both kinds of rodents look for food supplies that are ample and easy to come by. If we know a customer routinely throws food on the ground to attract birds, it is likely attracting rodents as well. Just correcting this one simple action can go a long way toward eliminating future problems with rodents.
It is our belief that pesticides and insecticides are an important part of eliminating current infestations. However, it is far better to prevent infestation in the first place. Prevention strategies are designed to do just that. Whether we recommend a change in food handling practices or physical alterations to your premises to close access points, our recommendations are designed to prevent pests from bothering you.
Pest Control Berkshire is here to serve you regardless of the pests you are dealing with. Contact us for more information.
Despite what you may have heard, most species of ants have natural predators beyond the basic anteater. For example, as many as 15 different spider species thrive on ants as a food source. Wasps, shrews and certain kinds of birds will also eat them from time to time.
One of the best ways to encourage ant predation is to use natural mulch around your property. Several inches of organic mulch around trees and shrubs provides the perfect home for spiders and other predators. The more mulch you use, the better off you will be. Keep in mind that natural predation means you will have other creatures on your property keeping the ants at bay. It is something to think about if that bothers you.
In the event that natural predators do not control ants on your property, Pest Control Services is standing by to help. We are a Newbury-based business providing service throughout Berkshire, including Hungerford and Thatcham. We would be happy to come to your home to treat any species of invasive ant. We routinely deal with common garden ants as well as less common Pharaoh, ghost and Argentine ant species.
It is easy to forget about ants during the winter months because these insects are not as active during this period. However, one must understand that ants are very resilient and adaptable, enabling them to survive extreme conditions. Nests are alive and well – even during the coldest winter months.
An ant nest may be less active as the temperature drops, but the insects will quickly emerge as soon as warmer spring weather arrives. An infestation in your home may be easily observed as members of a colony attempt to make their way outdoors. Some ants will remain indoors if there is an ample supply of food and a comfortable place to maintain a nest.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to completely eradicate an ant nest in a home. Property owners should work with a pest control specialist to terminate an infestation. Here at Pest Control Services, ant control is one of the many services we provide within a service area covering a radius of 25 miles from our Newbury base. When you call us, we will dispatch an experienced technician who will come to your location and provide effective, discrete, and professional ant termination.
Have you ever wanted to know where a specific household pest came from? We get questions all the time from customers wanting to know how they got bedbugs. It turns out there are two answers to that question.
The direct source of bedbugs is usually something brought into the home. Although these insects do not fly, they can move very rapidly by jumping from one location to the next. Bedbugs on a piece of furniture lying at the kerb can easily hitch a ride on a person or family pet passing by. They can also travel in clothing, luggage, and just about anything else that provides a protective environment.
A new scientific study out of the University of Tulsa (USA) suggests that bats are the original source of bedbugs. Researchers believe the insects have had a symbiotic relationship with bats for millennia, a relationship that was interrupted when man began dwelling in caves. The blood of humans provided a new and diverse food source that the bedbugs found attractive.
If you have bedbugs, you need professional help eradicating them. Call Pest Control Services in Newbury for immediate, discrete service. We can help you rid your home of these annoying insects.
The ant species we see most frequently in the UK are the common black and red ants. While red ants can and do bite, black ants rarely do so unless they become extremely agitated. The biggest problem we see with black ants is their tendency to swarm during the summer months. This can be a frightening experience for children and adults alike.
There are other species of ants that we are a bit more concerned about. Exotic species, such as pharaoh, Argentine, and ghost ants, require a more diligent and ongoing control programme to keep them in check. Their small size and lack of need for a central nest make them more prolific in home environments.
Ants of any species can be problematic in that they infest food sources and spread disease. Be aware that they are similar to cockroaches in terms of their breeding. Where there is one ant in plain sight, there are likely thousands you do not see. Any suspicion of an ant infestation in your home is sufficient reason to call us Pest Control Services. We perform ant treatments in Hungerford, Newbury, and throughout Berkshire. We strive to provide same-day service wherever possible.
With colder winter weather getting ready to bear down on us imminently, people are already beginning to dread those days of having to bundle up. At least colder winter temperatures mean fewer bugs next spring, right? Not necessarily.
Different insect species react to colder winter temperatures in different ways. Honeybees, for example, are not bothered by the cold weather. They hibernate in their hives, en masse, depending on their combined body heat to keep them alive. Unless it is extremely cold for an extended amount of time, honeybee colonies emerge unscathed in the spring.
Other insect species do not technically hibernate. Rather, they find a warm place to go dormant for the winter months. Shieldbugs are a good example. Individual insects find their way into a home or beneath a piece of tree bark where they will winter. Shieldbugs can withstand temperatures of up to -20C.
It is true that colder winter weather can affect some insect species while not harming others. At any rate, Pest Control Services is here to assist you year-round. We are Newbury-based company serving all of Berkshire and parts of Hampshire and Wiltshire.
One of the most common questions we hear from customers is whether cleanliness in the home has any direct effect on pests. Truth be told, the answer is both yes and no. It depends on the type of pests you are talking about and your definition of cleanliness.
For example, cockroaches are typically associated with dirt and filth. However, these voracious insects will eat just about anything, making them a candidate for infestation regardless of how clean or dirty a home is. Bed bugs and fleas can also be found in very clean homes.
On the other hand, some pests congregate where they fine food sources. If they do not find food in your home, they will go elsewhere. Keeping your home clean and tidy reduces food sources and, in most cases, reduced the likelihood that you will see things such as rodents, ants, and flies.
Cleanliness will help reduce your risk of a pest infestation, but it will not eliminate it completely. Feel free to call Pest Control Services if you need help anywhere in Berkshire. We are a Newbury-based company proudly serving the area for more than 20 years.
The common housefly certainly lives up to its name. It is an insect we are all familiar with due to the sheer numbers that exist alongside human populations. Unfortunately, there is a common belief that houseflies only infest dirty premises. Not only is this not true, it may also lead some people to not be as diligent about controlling flies as they ought to be.
As with most other insects, common houseflies will congregate wherever they can find sufficient food, water, and shelter. Even the cleanest of premises can be an open invitation to flies if food is left out in the open. You know from personal experience if you have ever enjoyed a picnic in the outdoors. We associate flies with dirty homes only because such homes tend to attract greater numbers of the pests.
Keep in mind that flies, as with cockroaches, are not fussy eaters. A dirty home is more susceptible to flies because it offers a larger number of food sources. Homeowners can reduce fly infestations simply by removing the food they come for. If you have a fly infestation too big to control on your own, Pest Control Berkshire can help. Give us a call on 01635 250 852 or use our callback service which is free.
House mites, also known as dust mites in some circles, are one of the most common household pests that go undetected for years on end. The problem with these little creatures is that they are very difficult to see. They are almost microscopic in size, and their translucent bodies blend in very well with the surrounding environment. Unfortunately, they can cause allergies in cats and dogs just as easily as in humans.
Symptoms of house mite allergies in pets include the following:
• excessive scratching – especially the ears and face
• recurring skin and ear infections
• skin lesions and facial acne
• infections in the pads of the feet.
Cats and dogs are more susceptible to house mite allergies in the spring and autumn. The insects prefer warm, dark environments, making their way indoors as summer weather turns cooler. They will thrive in a house right through until the spring mating season.
If you suspect you might have a house mite problem in the Newbury or the surrounding area, do not hesitate to call
Pest Control Services. We are experienced pest control specialists servicing consumers within a 25-mile radius of Newbury, including Reading, Hungerford and Thatcham.
Pest Control Berkshire occasionally receives calls from customers who have received a notice from the local council regarding pest control. Many of them do not realise that property owners have legal obligations regarding preventing pest infestations. Those obligations are directly related to legislation enacted in 1949 known as the 'Prevention of Damage by Past Act' (PDPA).
The PDPA established a burden on duty upon local councils to control rats and mice. The original legislation has since been expanded to be more comprehensive in nature. At any rate, local councils have met the provisions of the Act by establishing regulations for pest control of their own. Nearly every council requires property owners to keep their premises clear of rubbish and waste that could attract pests. This applies to both interior and exterior spaces, including gardens.
When you call Pest Control Berkshire to handle a pest problem on your property, you will most likely be offered advice on how to prevent future infestation once our work is complete. If that advice includes clearing rubbish or waste from your property, please heed that advice. You have a legal obligation to your community.
You have called your pest control company for a woodworm problem. They have come, treated your house, and moved on. Now your question is whether you need to replace affected timbers or not. The answer lies in how much damage the pests have done.
Woodworm are the larval stage of several different varieties of beetles. They get their name from the fact that they bore into timbers in order to get at the nutrient-rich material inside. It is easy to recognise an infestation because they leave small holes and sawdust in their wake.
If an infestation is caught early enough, you can usually get away with a single timber treatment followed by a quick clean up and some cosmetic repairs. Damage that is more extensive might require timber replacement. If you are unsure, your best option is to consult a contractor who can come out and do a proper inspection of your home's structural integrity.
The key to limiting woodworm damage is to call Pest Control Services at the first sign of an infestation. The sooner you catch it, the better off you will be. Newbury-based Pest Control Services provides reliable pest control services across all of Berkshire.
Business owners throughout Berkshire work with Pest Control Services to implement and maintain pest control management (PCM) programmes on their premises. For some business owners, there is a question of whether PCM is necessary during the winter months. The answer to that question depends on individual circumstances.
We offer three levels of PCM: basic maintenance, semi-inclusive, and fully inclusive. Our fully inclusive agreement is a fixed fee agreement that handles all potential pests, year-round. We offer this package because there are some businesses that do require PCM all year long. Restaurants are a good example.
Although winter means fewer problems with certain kinds of pests, such as bees and wasps, it is also a season in which weather drives rodents indoors. A restaurant cannot afford a rodent infestation for obvious reasons. Therefore, food service establishments are prime candidates for a year-round, fully inclusive PCM.
For more information about a PCM programme for your business, please contact one of the specialists here at Pest Control Services. We have proudly served customers throughout Berkshire for more than 20 years. We would be honoured to add you to our list of satisfied customers.
There are many interesting facts about mosquitoes that most people do not know about. For example, mosquitos are from the same family as the common house fly. They can certainly be a nuisance as well as a danger, easily transferring disease to humans as they feed on blood. However, did you know that human and animal blood is not the mosquito's only dietary choice?
It turns out that just female mosquitoes dine on blood. In fact, they only need blood when they are in their reproduction cycle. The protein in blood is necessary for the female to produce eggs that will mature to hatching. When not in the reproduction cycle, female mosquitoes join their male counterparts in dining on flower nectar.
Mosquitoes are not a significant problem in the UK unless they congregate in large numbers around open water or food sources. Should you have a mosquito problem on your premises, then Pest Control Berkshire can help. We can treat your property in Berkshire and give you some recommendations to prevent a future return of the insects. We urge you to take a mosquito infestation seriously due to the risk of the spread of disease.
The common clothes moth gets its name from the damage the insects can do to natural fibre clothing. However, here is the dirty little secret about these creatures: adult moths do not really eat your clothes. They cannot because they have no physical structures with the capacity to consume food. By the time a moth reaches maturity, its only function is to reproduce before dying.
So what causes the damage associated with clothes moths? Moth larva. Just as with woodworm, moth larva have voracious appetites designed to make sure they get enough food as they grow from pupae to adulthood. And like cockroaches, they are not picky eaters. Moth larva will eat just about any natural fibre they can find.
If you suspect you might have a problem with clothes moths in your home, you need to deal with the problem as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you could open your wardrobe next spring to find an unpleasant surprise. When you call Pest Control Services, we will come to your home to effectively treat for moths – in most cases on the same day. We are proud to be one of the leading pest control companies in Berkshire.
What do you do if you hear scratching noises coming from the roof of your home? Do such noises indicate you are sharing your property with rats? These are just two of the questions we deal with during the winter months in Britain. Unfortunately, the combination of our imaginations and the construction materials used in our homes tends to amplify noises to such a degree that they cause us to think the worst.
Scratching noises emanating from your roof area could be any number of things. If you hear the noises only during the middle of the night, the chances are good that you have rats or mice living in the void between the roof and your ceiling. Noises occurring during the day could be caused by birds or tree limbs being brushed up against your home by the wind.
If you are concerned about rats in your home, the best thing you can do is call Pest Control Services in Newbury. We know how to spot rat infestations. What's more, we also know how to effectively deal with them. We provide pest control services in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, and throughout Berkshire.
As the Sovereign Chemicals approved woodworm treatment provider in Berkshire and areas of Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire, we are proud to offer industry-leading service for timber treatment. Part of our service includes guarantees of up to 30 years on all woodworm service underwritten by Sovereign Chemicals Ltd.
What kind of protection does this guarantee afford consumers? It offers you our guaranteed commitment to do everything within our power to rid your property of woodworm through normal treatments, including appropriate Sovereign pesticides. If you should experience a recurrence of the pest any time during the term of guarantee, we will come back and treat your property again.
Please note that no guarantee of any sort is capable of promising you will never see another pest on your property again. That is just not possible. A guarantee simply means we will do the best job possible at all times and back it up by providing free return service in the event the pest in question comes back.
Pest Control Services is proud to be one of the leading companies offering pest control in Newbury and throughout Berkshire. We have more than 20 years’ experience faithfully serving our customers reliably and affordably.
The daytime hours are not always the most convenient for businesses in need of pest control services. That is why we offer 24-hour service for commercial kitchens, production facilities, and the like. Pest Control Services of Berkshire can send our technicians at whatever time is convenient to your schedule. We are available for one-off services as well as complete pest control management programmes.
During the summertime, your business may be experiencing problems with certain insects such as cockroaches and fruit flies. That is not a problem for Pest Control Services. We use the latest insecticides proven to effectively treat whatever pests you are dealing with. Our technicians are CRB certified as well, meaning that we could work in restricted areas.
Are you having problems with rodents? This is another area in which Pest Control Services can help. Just give us a call to schedule a visit from one of our technicians. We will work out an integrated pest management strategy that will provide maximum protection against rats and mice.
Pest Control Services provides 24-hour service throughout south-central England, including Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Berkshire. We are here to help you control pests so that they do not control you.
The fast-paced nature of modern living is such that our customers do not always have time to pick up the phone and call, especially if they believe they may be put on hold for a while. While we do everything we can to make sure customers that call are immediately taken care of, we also provide a call back service to make contacting us as convenient as possible. To take advantage of this service, you need only have access to the web.
On our home page, you will find a link to our call back service. Clicking that link will take you to a short, three-question form asking for your name, telephone number and e-mail address. After submitting the form, you can go about your day and wait for us to call you back. We will do so at our expense, by the way.
Pest Control Services is proud of our reputation as the leading service provider in Berkshire. Our service area extends 25 miles beyond our Newbury base to include towns from Thatcham to Hungerford and beyond. We are your pest control company of choice for all household pests.
Realising the family dog or cat has fleas can be a homeowner's worst nightmare. Not only does an animal with fleas most likely mean the insects are already in the home, it also means alienating neighbours if they find out. Pest Control Berkshire offers discrete flea treatment specifically for that reason. We know that flea infestations carry with them a certain social stigma that is mostly unwarranted. We prefer to treat discreetly so that relationships with neighbours are not damaged.
We accomplish this by using unmarked vehicles and technicians dressed in plain overalls. Upon arrival at your location, our technician will be as discreet as possible when retrieving tools and chemicals from the van and carrying them inside. More importantly, the job will be done correctly the first time.
Any sign of fleas on the family cat or dog warrants a call to Pest Control Berkshire right away. The nature and prolific tendencies of these pests also dictate that we strive for a one-hour response time - without a fast response premium added. For flea infestations in Berkshire, be sure to call us on 01635 250 852. Our goal is to completely eradicate fleas from your home.
One of the questions we are often asked in the summertime is whether we offer flea control or not. It turns out that the summer season is also flea season as dogs and cats spend more time outdoors. If you are having a problem with fleas, you will be happy to know that Pest Control Services does offer flea termination.
Fleas are not dangerous in terms of spreading disease. However, that does not stop these little creatures from being incredibly annoying. When they find a host in your cat or dog, they lay their eggs and begin multiplying quickly. Fleas also bite. And that bite can result in terrible itching for both you and your animals.
When you call Pest Control Services, we will dispatch a technician to your home, usually within the same day. What's more, our technician will arrive in an unmarked vehicle and wearing plain clothes. We practise the utmost discretion because we know that even a suggestion of fleas can be bad for your reputation in the neighbourhood.
You will also be pleased with our thorough service. We do the job right the first time because your satisfaction, and our reputation, ultimately depend on it.
Pest Control Services is a family-based company operating from Newbury for more than 25 years. As an industry leader throughout Berkshire and limited portions of neighbouring counties, we are happy to provide our customers with free quotes for the treatment of a long list of household pests. Anyone can get more information about the treatments we offer by calling our business number or using the contact form here on our website. There is no further obligation required.
We offer free, over-the-phone quotes so that our clients will know what to expect when we arrive. In some rare cases, the extent of a pest problem may require extra treatment at an additional cost. However, we do our best to inform customers of the total upfront cost before we begin. We do ask for patience when handling extremely difficult jobs involving pests such as cockroaches, rats, and moles.
Pest Control Services utilises the latest pesticides, insecticides, and alternative treatment methods on the market. We continually strive to offer the best service possible conducted by fully trained technicians with years of combined experience. Contact us for your free quote or to arrange for service.
Pest Control Services offers commercial clients pest management programmes that keep their premises free of common pests throughout the year. Before developing a pest management plan, however, we undertake a site survey that enables us to understand what our client's vulnerabilities are.
Site surveys are necessary because different commercial locations are susceptible to different kinds of pests. For example, restaurants in urban areas are more highly susceptible to pests such as cockroaches and rats. A rural farming operation would be more likely to have problems with moles and grey squirrels. We use the site survey to determine what kind of management plan each client needs.
Pest Control Services offers three primary pest management plans: basic maintenance, semi-inclusive and fully inclusive. Each plan includes full reporting and, where necessary, official guidance on regulatory compliance. Our service is designed to ensure your premises remain completely pest-free at all times, in a way that complies with all applicable laws.
For more than 20 years, Pest Control Services has been serving commercial clients throughout Berkshire. Contact us for more information about a comprehensive pest management plan for your business. We are Berkshire's pest control specialist, with offices in Newbury.
Pest Control Services has been providing reliable control of all sorts of pests to home and business owners for more than 20 years. Nonetheless, we are fully aware that not everyone in our Berkshire service area is familiar with our company name and reputation. We are happy to provide multiple testimonials from customers who have been happy with our services in the past. It is just how we do business.
We offer customer testimonials because we know that the best form of advertising is word of mouth. We also know that if we treat our customers right, they will be more than willing to tell others about us. If you are concerned about doing business with us because you know nothing about our company, just ask for references. We will provide you with the testimonials you need so you can make a decision.
Pest Control Services operates out of our base in Newbury. Our service area covers a 25-mile radius from our offices and includes towns such as Hungerford, Thatcham, Tadley, Wantage, Andover, and Marlborough. All it takes to get us involved in controlling your pests is a phone call or a callback request sent from our website.
There are two kinds of wasps that cause most of the problems in the UK: the common wasp and the German wasp. Both can be dangerous if agitated to the point of swarming, especially to those who may be allergic to wasp and bee stings. It is possible to identify which kind of wasp is on your property if you can find the nest.
Common wasps are more likely to build their nests in trees or on man-made structures. They like to hang their nests so that they have free access to entrances located near the bottom. We routinely find them being built under eaves, in open recesses found in the exterior walls of buildings, underneath open roofs, and so on.
German wasps are more likely to build their nests in the ground or low-lying bushes and shrubs. This makes German wasp nests harder to locate and easier to accidentally stumble upon. Be careful around any wasp nest, regardless of where you find it. It doesn't take much for wasps to feel threatened enough to attack. If you do find a nest, call the experts at Pest Control Berkshire.
It is easy to be suspect of pest control management programmes when reading the news. However, never forget, the vast majority of businesses and homes with overwhelming pest problems have not been approached with a proper pest control management (PCM) plan. We can assure you that the PCM programmes we offer in Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire are very effective.
Do not underestimate the value off a quality PCM programme for your business in Wiltshire. As we referenced earlier, you know from news stories how devastating a pest problem can be. It can damage your reputation, chase away your customers, and ultimately do severe damage to the bottom line. Do not let that happen. Instead, contact Pest Control Services so that we can set up a quality pest control management system for your business in east Wiltshire, west Berkshire or north Hampshire.
Houseflies are not nearly as risky as other pests, but they can be annoying. People who do not like having flies around may resort to building any one of the home-made flytraps circulating on the internet. How do these traps work? By taking advantage of some simple entomological facts.
All of the different traps have two things in common: a sugar-based solution to attract the insects and a design that makes escape difficult. In terms of the sugar solution, most fly varieties have an enhanced sense of smell (thousands of times more powerful than that of a human being). If flies smell sugar, they will come.
Most traps are designed with a tiny opening to let flies in. The problem for the flies is that they have incredibly poor eyesight. Between the overpowering smell of the sugar and not being able to see very well, they are likely to drown than find their way out.
Of course, a home-made a flytrap is not going to help much for severe infestation. If you have a large number flies on your property, it is best to call the experts at Pest Control Berkshire.
If you find your home infested with bedbugs, you could be in for a long and arduous ordeal trying to get rid of them on your own. Not only are bedbugs incredibly prolific, but they are also very good at concealing themselves. Until every nest in your home is found and dealt with, bedbugs will continue to repopulate and cause trouble.
Your best option for getting rid of bed bugs is to call Pest Control Services. Our service area includes Berkshire and most of south-central England. We will come to your home, provide a complete property assessment, and set up a termination plan to rid your home of these pests.
A typical termination includes multiple insecticide treatments on a per-room basis. Furnishings and fittings will need to be removed; in some cases disposal of bedding, mattresses and other furnishings will be recommended. We will let you know what is required after assessing your property.
Bedbugs are resilient to the point of being able to withstand some insecticides. Therefore, you should not try to treat an infestation on your own. Call a professional service, like Pest Control Services (01635 250 852), with the experience and knowledge to do the job right.
A common problem and one we are so often called to. The little creatures can get a stronghold in no time, reproducing rapidly. By the time you realise you have a mouse (or 50) in your loft, the problem is probably already well-advanced. Mice eat cables and wiring and will survive in the loft quite happily. Treatment is a course of poison, together with traps, followed by a proper clean up to ensure there are no traces of urine or droppings which may encourage a new family to move in.
Bed bugs are extremely difficult to see with the naked eye. When not feeding they will hide in any tiny cracks or crevices near the sleeping area. Eg headboards, behind skirting boards or even in the piping of a mattress. The most common symptoms are bites around the neck and shoulders whilst asleep. There may also be blood spots on bed clothes and frequently a very strong sweet odour. An experienced professional pest controller will be needed to carry out a full survey.
The most obvious way is to see them, however there will be many other signs generally long before rodents are seen.
Some of these are:
Insects are fascinating in their ability to develop resistance to pesticides. But how does it work? Why can certain kinds of insects resist efforts to control them? The answer boils down to simple biology.
Every creature possesses a genetic roadmap that determines how its biology works. Pesticides are designed to take advantage of biological weaknesses to control unwanted pests. However, with the introduction of a new pesticide, there is a certain population of the targeted pest with a slightly different genetic roadmap that makes it immune to the pesticide. They survive and reproduce while the rest die off. Through successive generations, a resistance to that pesticide develops as the surviving genetic map is passed on.
In theory, every living creature enjoys the same capacity. For example, we humans develop resistance to certain kinds of drugs as time progresses. We only see pesticide resistance amplified among household pests because they are the creatures targeted for extermination.
Now that you know about pesticide resistance, you can contact Pest Control Berkshire with complete confidence that we know how to control the pests on your premises. We use only the latest pesticides and control methods proven to work.
Carpet moths will be active and lay eggs in rooms with carpets and/or curtains made from natural fibres. It is the larvae that cause damage by eating the fibres. The moths are light brown to silver/grey in colour and up to 10mm long. You may see the pupae around the edge of the room where the carpet meets the wall or under undisturbed furniture. It is not uncommon for them to eat away whole areas of undisturbed carpet.
There are many different species of wasps and bees in the UK. The main pest species are Common and German wasps, these have distinctive yellow and black stripes with long slender bodies, most active from late July to September. They tend to have an aggressive nature if disturbed or threatened.
Bees are generally much more docile than wasps. Honey and mortar bees are similar in shape to wasps but their colouring is more light brown and black. Bumble bees are much rounder with a furry appearance.
Bees should only be treated where absolutely necessary.
Usually, via holes in soffits and eaves or through poorly fitting eaves boards. If your property is near trees, you may find the little creatures are climbing the tree then hopping across to your roof and finding a chink in the armour. Remember, a mouse only needs the tiniest of gaps to get through into your house. Other instances are where mice have, quite simply, walked in through the door and found their way into the loft or attic. While you're asleep, they come down to feed on food crumbs and other left-overs. Often their transport network is a series of ducts and spaces behind cupboards, in between walls, and under floorboards - nicely concealed from view (and from the reach of the cat too!).
As pest control specialist in Berkshire, Pest Control Services often have to deal with pests that are not native to the UK. How do these pests get here? Usually through international trade. Pests have no problem hitching a ride on cargo ships, aeroplanes or any other means they can find. Some pests can even be carried into the country via the personal luggage of international travellers. Once here, successful breeding can lead to lots of problems.
A subcategory of non-native species is known as 'invasive' species. These are species that cause significant damage once they breed in large enough numbers to establish themselves. Some of the more common invasive species we deal with at Pest Control Services include Argentine ants, oak processionary moths, Harlequin ladybirds, and horse chestnut miners. Each of these species has its unique characteristics and destructive tendencies.
Whether you are having trouble with native or non-native pests, you need the assistance of an experienced pest control company capable of solving the problem. In Berkshire, Pest Control Services is the leading service provider for all sorts of pests. For more than 25 years, we have been serving Berkshire from our Newbury office.
During the winter, you may spot a wasp, despite the common belief that cold weather kills the insects off. It turns out it does not. Wasps survive cold temperatures by hibernating. You may see one emerge on a warm day because the insects rely totally on instinct. It is not as though they have a calendar or a clock inside the nest.
Actually, the two biggest dangers to wasps during the winter are predation and starvation. In terms of predation, wasps are high on the list of winter food sources for spiders and other insects. Hibernation makes them easy prey for creatures that are not as bothered by the cold weather.
The issue of starvation is directly related to emerging too early from winter hibernation. This is seen most often during the late stages of warmer winters. Wasps may emerge with the rising temperatures, only to find that the plants have not yet begun to produce the pollen they need to survive.
You may have no need for wasp control during the winter months, but keep Pest Control Services in mind for the spring. Likewise, we can help you with winter pests including rats, mice, and moles.
Pest Control Services takes great pride in offering businesses and residential homeowners complete pest-control management (PCM) services at affordable rates. We currently serve customers throughout Berkshire and in most areas of Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire. Our pricing is based on one of four options:
Our consulting services are specifically designed to help facilities management and building services companies develop and implement their own pest-control management programmes. This is an effective way for such clients to glean from our extensive knowledge and experience, while still maintaining a cost-effective programme that they can handle on their own.
Regardless of the level of service you choose, it all starts with an initial site survey that allows us to evaluate your property. From that survey, we will develop a scalable PCM programme suited to the needs of your property and your budget. At Pest Control Services, we do our best to provide PCM services that are both thorough and affordable.
We get a lot of great questions from our customers, including how many treatments are required to eradicate cockroaches. Unfortunately, the answers are not always clear-cut. Much of what we do at Pest Control Services depends on the pests we are dealing with and the circumstances surrounding the infestation. Cockroaches are a great example.
One would like to think that a single treatment would eradicate all cockroaches from a customer's property. However, that is rarely the case. The little insects are incredibly prolific. They can also hide in the smallest of spaces where it is difficult to get to them. Generally, it takes multiple treatments to fully eradicate them.
It goes without saying that our job is made easier when we can get started in the early stages of an infestation. That is why we urge customers to call us at the first sign of the insects. Even if you see just one or two, there are probably hundreds more behind them. Moreover, those hundreds can quickly turn into thousands.
Pest Control Services can handle your cockroach problem in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. Our trained technicians are also certified to work in restricted areas.
If you are having trouble with mice on your premises, we would be happy to help. Pest Control Services are proven mice and rat catchers offering service in Newbury, Hungerford, and Thatcham. We will do our best to respond within one hour of your call, bringing years of expertise and accumulated rodent catching knowledge with us.
You should know that dealing with rodent infestations is not as simple as putting down some poison and forgetting about it. More often than not, an integrated pest control management programme needs to be developed to permanently resolve the issue. While our services are very affordable, it is impossible for us to give you a price without first paying you a visit.
You can help keep your costs down by implementing the suggestions our technician offers during the visit. When you work with Pest Control Services, we can eliminate a mouse infestation and prevent future infestation together. The same is true for rat problems. Please contact us right away if you are experiencing any sort of issue involving rodents on your property. The sooner we get started, the sooner we will have the situation fully under control.
It can be very aggravating to catch one or two mice in your home, then find out later there is still an entire family of the rodents that have taken up residence in the walls of your kitchen.
One of the difficulties in eliminating mice is the fact that they reproduce so quickly. All it takes is two adult mice to create thousands. A female mouse is fully-grown and capable of reproducing at just six weeks of age.
Once pregnant, the gestation period is only about three weeks. Finally, the average litter is between six and eight mice – all of which will be ready to reproduce six weeks later. Under ideal conditions, it is theoretically possible for a single male and female mouse to begin a process that can produce more than 100,000 offspring in 12 months’ time. Now you know why it is so important to call Pest Control Services at the first sign of mice in your home.
Where you see one or two, there are likely dozens more you have not seen. One call to Pest Control Services will dispatch a trained technician to your home to deal with your mouse problem.
Few of us like rats - we associate them with dirty conditions and disease; many of us are actually frightened of them. However, their spread in the UK and their resistance to certain poisons means they are often much nearer to us than we would like. The treatment of rats is usually a maintained and programmed dosage of rodenticide but many strains of common rats are becoming more and more resistant - even immune. What we have found is the types of poisons you can buy in the average garden centre or DIY store are simply not strong enough. We are licensed to use commercial grade rodenticides that are undoubtedly more effective against the control of rats.
Our initial survey of your property will determine the size of the problem, we then guarantee to have the area clear of activity for 14 days.
With the start of the new year, we begin thinking about spring just a couple of months away. In light of that, this is the time of year we start hearing questions about wasps. For example, many people who had wasp problems the previous summer ask us if we should expect them to return in the spring. The simple answer is yes and no.
No, wasps are not likely to return to a nest that was built last year. Most of the insects will have died during the winter months; those that survive are likely to follow a queen intent on building a new nest from scratch. On the other hand, wasps do tend to congregate in the same areas every year as long as food supplies and protection remain available.
Protecting yourself from a new infestation this year is a matter of making your property undesirable. Pest Control Services recommends closing up any holes that give wasps access to the voids in your roof spaces. Do the same for outbuildings as well. If you do end up with wasps this spring, do not hesitate to contact us. We provide service throughout Berkshire.
There are many things about fleas that pet owners do not know. For example, allowing your dog to go untreated for a flea infestation can eventually lead to tapeworm. This is one of the reasons we urge pet owners to contact Pest Control Berkshire at the first sign of a flea problem.
Fleas irritate a dog's skin through direct contact. The danger with tapeworm comes into play should your dog ingest a flea carrying tapeworm eggs. Moreover, given the fact that dogs will combat fleas by biting and scratching, ingestion of the insects is fairly common. The best way to prevent tapeworm from fleas is to prevent a flea infestation to begin with. The alternative is a tapeworm treatment for your dog along with all of the symptoms of the uncomfortable illness.
Pest Control Berkshire is available to provide immediate flea treatments to customers' property throughout the county. We service towns including Hungerford and Thatcham, responding to eliminate flea infestations effectively and discreetly. We are a locally owned and operated business faithfully serving Berkshire for more than 20 years. We would be happy to respond to your flea infestation problem right away.
In addition to our one-off services for residential clients, Pest Control Services also offers comprehensive pest control management programmes for both commercial buildings and residential homes. Our programmes can be tailored to your needs or budget, either year-round or on a seasonal basis.
We provide service to all of Berkshire and some portions of South Oxfordshire, East Wiltshire, and North Hampshire as well. To find out if we provide service to your area, you can either call us directly or check to see if you are located within a 25-mile radius of our Newbury base. Anything within that 25-mile area is serviceable.
Our pest control management programmes are based upon an initial site survey that we will conduct at your request. The results of that survey will enable us to make recommendations as to the best way to control the pests on your property. From there, you can decide the level of service you desire. We offer three levels of pest control management including basic service, semi-inclusive service, and full service. We would be happy to discuss all three options with you when you call our office.
Did you know that most houses in the UK have at least a small number of mice residing in them? It's true, given that mice reproduce so easily and in such large numbers. As a homeowner, you can control minor problems with mice by having a cat in the house. Cats are very good at capturing and killing mice daring to wander into your kitchen or other open areas.
There is a caveat to this, of course: a single house cat will not be effective against large numbers of mice in a home. Why? Because mice typically reside in areas cats do not have access to - areas such as the attic, the ceilings, behind walls and inside appliances. Having a cat may prevent mice from venturing out of their safe hiding places, but it will not do much to stop an infestation already in full force.
The good news is that Pest Control Berkshire is available to help with any problems you may have with mice. For more than 20 years, we have been faithfully servicing customers throughout Berkshire with reliable and trustworthy service. Call us for mice, rats, wasps, hornets and any other household pest issues you may have.
It is always difficult for us to know how much a pest treatment will cost until we see the problem for ourselves. However, we can say that cockroach treatment does have the potential to become costly if a problem has been allowed to go on for too long. The challenge with cockroaches is that they are both prolific and hardy.
You have probably heard the joke that says the only thing that will survive a nuclear war is the cockroach. This is truer than most people realise. Cockroaches do so well because they can eat just about anything. Moreover, because they tend to prefer warm, dark, and moist environments, other insects do not easily prey upon them. Once a colony is established, it can grow and expand very quickly.
When Pest Control Berkshire can catch a cockroach infestation in its early stages, we can eradicate it more quickly and at a lower cost. Nevertheless, an infestation that has been established for a long time may require several follow-up treatments. Needless to say, the first sign of cockroaches on your premises is reason to call Pest Control Berkshire right away. The sooner we get there, the better for all concerned.
There is a persistent myth out there that says if you block the entrance of a wasp nest, you will force the insects to find another place to reside, thereby solving your problem. Not only is this untrue, blocking the entrance to a wasp nest is dangerous. It is the last thing you should do if you have problems with the insects on your property.
The first thing you need to understand is that a nest is rarely empty. If you block its entrance, you will agitate the wasps by not allowing them to either enter or escape. Those outside the nest will quickly become agitated and potentially swarm as they look for a new way in. An innocent animal or human being standing nearby could become a victim of the angry insects.
More importantly, wasps inside the nest will attempt to chew their way out. Any nest attached to the side of a house is an invitation to the wasps to chew into the house and establish a new nest within its walls. In short, NEVER attempt to block the entrance of a wasp nest. Call us at Pest Control Berkshire instead!
Would you be surprised to learn that bedbugs can be brought into your house by way of books taken from the library? It's true. In fact, libraries have to be on the lookout for bedbug infestations - especially during the summer months. Just a few bedbugs in a handful of books could cause a lot of customers extreme unhappiness.
The truth is that bedbugs do not fly. They must get from one location to the next by either walking or hitching a ride. The interesting thing is that these little insects are not fond of heat. They are very reluctant to spend a significant amount of time attached to human skin or hair. Books, on the other hand, are a lot more inviting. Bedbugs find the pages and bindings of books to be very hospitable.
There is no reason to panic about going to the library now that you know a little bit more about bedbugs and their relationship with books. Just be careful to check books before you bring them home. If you do end up with bedbugs, call Pest Control Berkshire so we can deal with the problem.
If you have heard people say that grey squirrels are not native to England, they are correct. However, there is more to it than that. Grey squirrels are not native to Europe at all. They are a North American species originally known only to the eastern and mid-western parts of the United States. They were introduced to Canada hundreds of years ago, eventually making it to England and the rest of the UK through trading in the early 20th century.
The grey squirrel of today is abundant throughout the UK. It has displaced the once dominant red squirrel in Great Britain, although its spread has not been as prolific in Northern Ireland. The one advantage we have in controlling the species is the fact that it is very fussy about its food.
Controlling grey squirrels is important because the animals can both carry disease and destroy the habitats of other creatures. Pest Control Services can help if you have a problem with grey squirrels on your property. One call to our Newbury offices will have a technician dispatched to your location to deal with the problem as efficiently as possible.
An old 'home remedy' for keeping cockroaches at bay calls for scattering orange peels in the dark corners of the kitchen. The question is, does it work? Yes and no. Allow us to explain in detail.
There are some orange varieties that contain a chemical known to be irritating to cockroaches. The Osage orange is one example. If you were to peel a number of these oranges and place the skins in strategic locations where you know cockroaches tend to congregate, the insects would likely avoid those areas. Unfortunately, there are two problems with this strategy.
First, not all orange peels are effective at repelling cockroaches. Second, any success you do enjoy will only be temporary. The pests will find other places in your home where they can thrive uninterrupted. Your best bet to combat a cockroach infestation is to call the professionals.
Pests Control Berkshire offers effective cockroach treatments throughout the county, including the towns of Hungerford, Thatcham, and Newbury. We are experts in pest control thanks to years of experience and ongoing training in the latest control techniques and products. Call us right away if you have any problem with cockroaches.
Perhaps you are skeptical after hearing that rodents can cause house fires. Well, it's true. Any rodents in your loft spaces or roof areas can wreak havoc with your electrical wiring, ultimately leading to a devastating house fire. This is why it is important to take rodent infestations seriously. At Pest Control Berkshire, rodent control is one of the many services we offer.
The rodents most often associated with house fires are rats and mice. However, the problem is not exclusive to them. Squirrels and glis glis (the edible dormouse) can also cause problems. The one thing they all have in common is an insatiable desire to gnaw. They do so as a means of sharpening their teeth.
When rodents make it indoors during the winter months, they turn to timbers and wiring as objects to chew on. Chewing through the plastic sleeve covering electrical wiring exposes that wiring to the outside environment, making it possible for arcing current to ignite combustible materials in the general area.
Do not take a chance if you have rodents in your home. Call Pest Control Berkshire to eradicate them. We service all of Berkshire including Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford.
Unbelievably, that statistic you heard about thousands of different fly species in the UK is correct. There are, in fact, over 6,000 species living among us. A small handful of them are capable of spreading disease and contamination through biting. Pest Control Services considers it part of our mission in Berkshire to help control fly species that tend to be problematic.
At the top of the list of fly species we deal with are fruit flies, houseflies, stable flies, mosquitoes, and midges. Each of these fly species has its unique characteristics that need to be accounted for when attempting to control them. We use a variety of insecticides, initially to treat an infestation, followed by practical advice that the customer can employ to prevent their return.
Less common, but more problematic, are cluster flies. These get their name from the fact that they congregate in large clusters that can include tens of thousands of insects at one time. Cluster flies also tend to be more aggressive. If you are having trouble with cluster flies or any other species in Berkshire, please contact our Newbury offices.
For the last 20 years, we have been the leading mole catchers operating in the Newbury region. As THE mole trappers in Berkshire, we can tell you for certain that trapping really is an effective solution for moles on your property. Although we are licensed to gas the animals when necessary, we prefer trapping instead. Each mole we trap is terminated quickly and humanely. For the record, The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs does not recommend live relocation of moles.
Trapping allows us to take care of your mole problem without a risk to the surrounding environment. We use the latest traps that are effective at accomplishing our purposes. We can set up traps in the most strategic locations on your property, catching and terminating moles until your problem is completely solved.
Pest Control Services also offers mole-trapping courses for estate managers, groundskeepers, green keepers, and landowners. Once you know how, you can control the pests on your own property at your convenience. Please do not hesitate to call us for mole treatment in Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford. We offer service throughout Berkshire and certain areas of Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire.
If you have a history of moles in your garden during the autumn months, spring is a great time of year to deal with it. The rodents are most active in the spring and autumn, spring being the time when babies are born and autumn the time of year when the animals are storing food for the winter. Both seasons see the most aboveground activity the animals engage in all year.
Trapping moles in the spring is good on multiple fronts. First, it can save your garden from some of the damage that would have otherwise been caused by moles digging new tunnels underneath the surface. Second, trapping during the spring is helpful in eliminating pregnant females and keeping the population of new moles in check.
We encourage you to call Pest Control Services if you have had mole problems in the past. Now is the time to schedule one of our technicians to inspect your property. If we can get a handle on the pests as soon as the weather warms, you will have fewer problems this spring and summer. Pest Control Services offers mole control in Newbury, Hungerford, and all of Berkshire.
The honey bee is a very common insect in the UK and one we hesitate to call a pest. Bees do not normally bother humans when left alone, and they play a vital role in the pollination of various types of plant life. The biggest threat to humans is when a bee swarm converges. Swarming is typically the result of mating during the late spring and early summer.
We are very reluctant in the UK to destroy honey bee nests. In fact, we are working very hard to replenish bee populations after years of decline. When a customer calls us for a bee swarm in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire or one of our other service areas, we prefer to sedate the swarm and then relocate it to another area. Sometimes that may include moving a nest as well.
Please do not attempt to deal with a bee swarm using insecticide. Doing so could incite the normally passive insects. Instead, just leave them alone. They will calm down and move along in time. If a bee swarm remains longer than 24 hours, call Pest Control Services. We will come out and remove the swarm for you.
In West Berkshire and several other areas around the country, rats have built up resistance to several of the most widely used rodenticides, this means that they can often use the bait you are buying as a food source, which has 2 major disadvantages to you – The original rats you had are not dying but are getting used to a regular food supply from you. The food source may inadvertently attract more rats. As these rats reproduce their offspring will have increased resistance.
The autumn season is a time many household pests begin preparing for winter. So just because cooler weather is here does not necessarily mean pests are gone until spring. In fact, you might even see more activity – including rats in the garden – for the few weeks. What should you do if you spy the nasty little rodents?
The first thing to do is watch and see where it goes. It is possible that you have just a single rat passing through your property in search for food. In such a case, the rat will eventually wander away. However, if the creature makes its way to the side of your home before disappearing, you may have a problem. Pay special attention to rats that linger around any buildings on your property.
If you notice that the rat in your garden is more than just a single animal passing through, you need to call Pest Control Services right away. Rodents are persistent creatures that do not go away easily once they find a food source and a comfortable place to live. We are your rat specialists in Berkshire, serving Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, and the surrounding areas.
We get quite a few calls from customers who have self-treated for woodworm only two find themselves still having trouble a year later. If you find yourself in this position, first understand that you are not alone. A woodworm infestation can be very challenging to deal with.
Woodworm are various kinds of beetles still in the larval stage. Once they find a nice piece of wood that meets their needs, they begin burrowing in. An infestation can be a serious problem inasmuch as it can significantly weaken structural timbers. To a lesser extent, an infestation can severely damage furniture and family antiques.
The problem with woodworm is that the larval stage can last as long as five years in some cases. Many homeowners use DIY treatments that are only effective when used a certain way. When used incorrectly, larva that have already burrowed deep into timbers survive. Thus, damage continues well after treatment has concluded.
Pest Control Services is the woodworm specialist in Berkshire. We are also the Sovereign Approved treatment provider in Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire. Call us on 01635 250 852 to find out what guaranteed woodworm removal is like.
Finding wasps on your property can be a very frightening experience. Thankfully, Pest Control Services is able rid your Oxfordshire home of wasps on the same day you call. Our exceptionally fast call-out and high-quality service are two of the things that make our company a leading name in pest control management throughout south-central England
The two most frequently cited wasps in the UK are the common wasp and the German wasp. Both species have bright yellow and black bodies with very little 'fur'. It is very important to understand that wasps can be very aggressive when their nests are disturbed. Be very careful around wasps during the peak of the summer months. This is the time when these insects are most aggressive.
At the first sight of any wasp infestation on your Oxfordshire property, do not hesitate to call Pest Control Services. Our technicians will be immediately dispatched to your home for the safe removal of the wasps. Letting professionals handle removal is the best way to solve the problem without endangering your safety or that of your family. Most nests can be successfully treated in just one visit.
Seeing rabbits in the garden during the spring and summer months is common in the UK. Rest assured that it is nothing to be concerned about unless the animals are damaging plants and vegetables or otherwise making a nuisance of themselves. Rabbits tend to be innocuous from a pest control standpoint. Having said that, we can help if you are having trouble with rabbits.
Pest Control Services can use various trapping and rodenticide methods to control rabbit populations. Such controls might be necessary on smaller properties used as farmlands, given the amount of damage rabbits can do in gardens. All of our methods are government approved and carried out by trained technicians with plenty of experience in the field.
Pest Control Services offers rabbit, rodent, and mole control throughout Berkshire. We are a Newbury-based, family-owned company providing reliable service within a 25-mile radius of our home base. We strive for same-day service when possible or next-day service otherwise. Please do not hesitate to call us for any household pest problems. For the needs of business owners, we offer complete pest control management programmes to keep your premises free of pests throughout the year.
If your property was treated for woodworm last autumn or winter, you should keep an eye out for beetle activity during the spring months. Spring is the time when larvae mature into the adult beetles that will eventually go on to reproduce, propagating the cycle once again.
The problem with woodworm is the fact that larvae can live inside timbers for up to three years before maturity. During that time, they damage wood by extricating it and feeding on the pulp. As for the adult beetles, these are largely harmless except for the fact that they quickly reproduce within their relatively short lifespan. If you see beetles in and around previously treated timber, there is a good chance that some larvae remain deep in the boreholes.
Pest Control Services offers guaranteed woodworm service from our Newbury base. In fact, we are a Sovereign-approved contractor providing woodworm treatment in Berkshire, Oxford, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. All treatments underwritten by Sovereign Chemicals come with guarantees of up to 30 years. If you have had problems with woodworm in the past, call Pest Control Services to make sure the job is done right this time around.
Pest Control Berkshire gets many calls in the spring and early summer months regarding hornets. People want to know if they should be concerned about what appears to be a large number of the insects on their property. That question is difficult to answer over the phone because every situation is different. Nevertheless, we would be glad to come to your location and check things out for you.
The reason people notice an increase in the number of hornets during the spring and early summer boils down to one thing - mating. Spring is the time queens are looking to establish new nests, and workers are out in force securing food for the newest members of their colony. It is also the time when hornets are most aggressive.
Seeing an increase in hornet activity does not necessarily mean you have an infestation on your property. However, it is cause to contact Pest Control Berkshire to schedule an inspection. Hornets can be dangerous insects when they believe they are threatened; that danger can easily result in injury to both humans and animals. Call us for fast and effective hornet control in Berkshire.
Woodworm or Common Furniture Beetle tend to be active in recently felled timber with a high starch content, however damp can also be a factor in poorly ventilated spaces. Active emerging woodworm leave sawdust (frass) around or below their emergence holes. The holes will also tend to be clean as if they have been freshly drilled.
Rats and mice can be troublesome pests at any time of the year. However, during the autumn and winter, they are especially annoying because they seek shelter in our homes. Once in, they can be difficult to get rid of in light of easy access to food and protection from the weather.
As a Newbury-based pest control company, Pest Control Services provides rodent control with a 25-mile radius of the city centre. This covers all of Berkshire and smaller portions of some outlying counties. Please call us for rodent control if you live in any of the following cities or towns:
• Andover
• Basingstoke
• Bracknell
• Hungerford
• Marlborough
• Thatcham
• Reading.
The above is just a short list to give you an idea of our service area. When you call Pest Control Services, we will do our best to respond within one hour. In addition to treating your property, we will also recommend an integrated pest management system to prevent the pests from returning. Please understand that rats and mice are intelligent creatures that may not respond to store-bought baits. Be patient while our technicians handle the problem.
A wasp nest is easily identifiable among pest control experts due to its unique look. We can usually tell whether a customer has an infestation or not simply by asking him or her to describe what is believed to be the nest. Interestingly, wasps tend to build their nests in out-of-the-way places, making it possible to have an infestation in your property without you knowing it.
A wasp nest is made primarily from chewed wood. A typical nest starts in the spring with a queen stripping dead wood from any sources she can find. She creates just enough space to lay her first round of eggs and then waits for those eggs to hatch and the young wasps to mature into adult workers. At that point, the workers begin gathering more wood to create a melon shaped nest that hangs from a tree or other structure.
Wasps usually only swarm when their nest is threatened. Therefore, if you find a nest, you should not tamper with it. Your best bet is to call Pest Control Berkshire and let us handle it for you. We have the knowledge and experience to terminate or remove a nest safely.
To prevent flies, make sure to keep your home clean and free of standing water. Any notice of a large volume of flies is reason call us. Our pest control services cover Berkshire and parts of east Wiltshire, north Hampshire and south Oxfordshire.
You may have noticed that we refer to ourselves as a 'Sovereign Approved' woodworm treatment specialist. The term 'Sovereign' sometimes causes confusion in that people mistakenly believe it has something to do with the Crown. In reality, it is nothing of the sort. To be 'Sovereign Approved' is to be approved by Sovereign Chemicals Ltd to treat pests using their products.
Sovereign Chemicals has been a respected name in commercial chemical products since 1965. They offer a full range of products designed to help building managers and property owners maintain their premises over the long term. Pest control companies such as ours become approved Sovereign contractors by meeting their high standards for chemical application. Pest Control Services does not take this approval likely.
We have chosen Sovereign Chemicals as our chemical provider for woodworm treatment because of the quality of their products. All Sovereign-underwritten woodworm treatments come with guarantees of up to 30 years, which is important to us and our customers alike. We are proud to be their approved contractor for woodworm treatment in Berkshire and portions of Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have a problem.
Pest Control Services (Berkshire) has been undertaking bird control over the last few years due to increased demand. We utilise a number of solutions aimed at protecting customer property. Those strategies include netting, spiking, trapping, scaring, repelling, and, when necessary, shooting.
As a previous bird-proofing customer, know that our netting solutions are guaranteed for up to 12 months. We use only the highest quality materials and proven methodologies to ensure birds do not return to overtake previously cleared areas. If you have new problems with birds returning in spring, involving areas we have already cleared and netting, please contact us and schedule a return visit.We often refer to ourselves as being CRB cleared to work in restricted areas. What does this mean? It means Pest Control Services has had criminal background checks run on all our technicians prior to employing them. The term 'CRB' is an acronym that stands for 'Criminal Records Bureau', a government agency that was merged with several others to create the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
CRB clearance is necessary for technicians working in sensitive areas such as schools and playgrounds. It goes without saying that the safety of our most vulnerable citizens is one of our most important priorities, and one we take very seriously. We therefore never put people at risk by exposing them to technicians who have not been cleared.
If you have need of pest control services requiring CRB cleared technicians, please contact us at Pest Control Services. As a Newbury-based company, we cover all of Berkshire – including Newbury, Hungerford, and Thatcham. If you are located anywhere within our 25-mile call-out area, we will be happy to respond with same-day service. We provide individual residential service as well as complete pest control programmes for business.
We get many calls for mole problems in the spring and autumn. Things quieten down significantly during the winter months. However, this is not because moles hibernate, as so many people seem to believe; it is because these annoying little creatures tend to dig deeper tunnels during the winter in order to remain below the frost line.
What you need to understand about moles is that they are very adept at capturing and storing food. During the autumn months, they will dig surface tunnels furiously in search of earthworms. Any worms they find will be stored to be used as a food source throughout the winter months. As soon as they have enough food, they began digging in as deeply as they can. Therefore, while you may not see the moles, they are still busy at work destroying your garden.
Pest Control Services is THE mole-catching specialist in Berkshire. Our extensive experience with these animals has earned us a reputation as the go-to service for controlling moles in Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford. Please call us for help, even during the winter. This time of year is ideal for dealing with moles.
Pest Control Services is proud to offer our commercial customers pest control management programmes tailored to their needs. A pest control management programme is a prearranged combination of services designed to provide ongoing control of one or more pests. We offer three types of programmes that can be custom tailored to each customer:
Pest Control Berkshire has an extensive array of pest-control strategies that we can employ based on situational circumstances. Some of them fall into the category of biological pest control. What do we mean by 'biological'?
Biological pest control is a method of handling certain kinds of household pests through the use of predators, parasites and other natural means. Mosquito control is a good example of this type of control. Mosquito populations are often treated through the introduction of Bacillus thuringiensis into water supplies. Bacillus thuringiensis, also known as BT, is a soil-dwelling bacteria that is harmless to humans but devastating to mosquito larvae. Adult mosquitoes that drink treated water supplies produce larvae that are eventually killed by the bacteria.
Rest assured that Pest Control Berkshire uses only approved methods for pest treatment. All of our technicians are fully trained and properly certified to meet or exceed all legal requirements and industry standards. Regardless of how we approach a pest problem on your premises, we will do so with your ultimate safety in mind. For any pest problems in Berkshire, including Newbury and other nearby towns, be sure to contact the experts at Pest Control Berkshire.
Modern pest control is defined by three basic categories: biological, mechanical, and physical pest control. Of the three, mechanical pest control is the one that is most visible to property owners. Should you call Pest Control Berkshire to help you with a mole problem, for example, you would observe us using mechanical means to treat the problem.
Mechanical pest control involves using hands-on methods and simple equipment to control certain kinds of pests. We would use traps to treat a mole problem while birds could be addressed using nets or other devices. The idea behind mechanical pest control is to prevent the pests in question from becoming well established in large numbers. It is sometimes used in conjunction with physical pest control for the most thorough treatment.
Pest Control Berkshire would be happy to come to your aid if you are having a pest problem in need of mechanical control. We are known in Berkshire as the mole experts, having come alongside property owners and caretakers to assist with mole elimination and prevention. We service all of Berkshire and smaller portions of surrounding counties in a service area that extends 25 miles beyond our Newbury base.
Physical pest-control is one of three categories into which pest-control strategies are divided. The other two categories are biological and mechanical. Physical pest control involves the use of pesticides and insecticides along with prevention strategies to keep pests from returning.
A good example of physical pest control would be one of using chemical bait to control ants. Bait boxes invite adult ants to eat tainted food that they can also take back to the nest to give the younger members of a colony. The slow-acting poison within the bait food eventually kills the ants without alarming the colony to a specific attack. This is a very effective way to control some ant species.
Effective physical pest control requires an extensive knowledge of pesticides and insecticides. The technicians at Pest Control Berkshire have that knowledge along with the necessary training to implement it correctly. Not only can we handle an ant infestation on your property, we can deal with everything from wasps to rats to troublesome birds. Just one call to our Newbury office will dispatch a technician to your location right away. We respond with same-day service whenever possible. We also give priority to calls involving potential emergencies.
Some of our customers prefer to handle less troublesome pests on their own by purchasing a commercial pesticide at the DIY store. When not all of that pesticide is used during the summer, there is the question of how to store it properly. We want to offer some tips here.
First and foremost, understand that the proper storage of pesticides is a legal requirement in Great Britain. It is also a matter of safety. Here are four things to keep in mind:
1. Pesticides should always be stored in their original container. Containers should be sealed properly and free of cracks and holes.
2. Containers should be stored in locations that are inaccessible to children and animals.
3. Most pesticides are best stored at room temperature; outside storage during prolonged cold could ruin them.
4. Any expired pesticides should be discarded according to local regulations. If you are not sure of those regulations, you can always contact your local council.
In the event you need help with any household pests during the winter months, do not hesitate to call Pest Control Services. We proudly serve Newbury, Hungerford, Thatcham, and all of Berkshire.
Pest Control Services' commitment to professional operating procedures extends to the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) under the 'Think Wildlife' banner. Our participation in the campaign demonstrates that we will use rodenticides in a way that effectively treats infestations without causing undue damage to other wildlife or the environment in general.
The CRRU standards utilise a seven-part code that encompasses:
1. Pre-planning rodenticide use
2. Proper recording of bait placement and quantity
3. Use of an appropriate number of bait stations
4. Timely collection and disposal of baited rodents
5. Bait exposure prevention among non-targeted animals
6. Regular and timely bait inspections
7. Removal of bait at the conclusion of treatment.
Using rodenticides responsibly ensures that infestations will be properly treated without exposing other animals, the environment, or humans to unnecessary risks. We believe it is essential to serving our customers.
Pest Control Services is proud to be the pest control specialist of choice in Berkshire. We are the ones to call if you notice mice, rats, or other troublesome rodents on your property. We have the knowledge and skill to treat infestations effectively and teach you how to avoid them in the future.
Business owners constantly have to worry about the cost-benefit ratio of implementing new strategies or support services. When it comes to pest control management (PCM), the cost-benefit ratio is less about cash and more about protecting your business. Simply put, you cannot afford not to control pests. Failing to do so could result in substantial fines and eventual closure.
There are two things to consider regarding PCM: government regulations and consumer perception. Where regulations are concerned, the law requires business owners to maintain a safe environment for both customers and workers. That is not possible to do if pest populations are allowed to continue unfettered. As for customer perception, it is an important factor in the success or failure of any business.
If your company were to make the newspapers because of a pest problem, your reputation among the buying public would be instantly impacted. So much so that your business may never recover.
The cost-to-benefit ratio of PCM should be obvious when you consider the consequences of not controlling pests. If you are looking for a comprehensive PCM programme from a qualified company in south-central England, Pest Control Services can implement one for you.
The honey and mason bee are just two of the bee species common in the UK. At first glance, they look fairly similar, but there are some differences that make them separate species. Both are largely harmless if left alone. Neither needs to be terminated unless they pose a direct threat to health or property.
The honeybee is the larger of the two species. It is typically brownish in colour with alternating light and dark patches across their bodies. They tend to build their nests in places that are hard to reach, including exterior walls and chimney stacks. Because they are so active during the day, you may not notice any sounds from a nesting area until nightfall.
The mason bee looks very similar to the honeybee except that it is a bit smaller. Mason bees also prefer man-made structures for nest building. They get their name from the fact that they bore through mortar in order to build their nests in open cavities within brick or block work.
Pest Control Services can assist you with bee relocation if either species is causing trouble on your property.
The birds living in your neighbourhood may seem harmless until their numbers become significant enough to begin causing problems on your property. It is for this reason that Pest Control Services first started to offer our bird netting and spiking services. The service has grown significantly over the years.
Our bird control focuses mainly on pigeons, given that these are so prolific and damaging. Pigeons are known to spread disease, act as carriers for other pests, and damage structures as a result of nesting en masse. The biggest problem with the birds is that, once they find an area desirable, it is very difficult to rid yourself permanently of them. Netting and spiking are a preventative measure designed to avoid more serious problems later on.
Where preventative measures are no longer practical, we may use traditional forms of pigeon control including trapping, scaring, and shooting. Before we develop a strategy for your property, we will consider the seriousness of the problem and the budget you have to work with. We ask that you be patient as we implement our control procedures, understanding that keeping pigeons away is a very difficult task.
The law requires all pest control technicians born after 1964 to possess a valid Certificate of Competency in order to work in the industry. Pest Control Services may hire new technicians that have been previously certified while working for another company or, as a more preferable alternative, hire and train technicians ourselves. At any rate, our technicians are fully trained and certified before working on their own.
As part of our inclusion on the PROMPT Pest Controllers Register, we must also provide continuing education for our techs in order to make sure they are always up-to-date regarding the latest pesticides, pest control methods, and industry best practices. The ongoing training we provide ensures that our customers are always getting the best possible service throughout Berkshire.
Pest Control Services takes great pride in the quality and skills of our technicians. We work hard to make sure we are always adhering to the latest standards for the benefit of those we serve. Please do not hesitate to contact us for any pest control problems in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, and all of Berkshire. We strive for same-day service whenever possible; next-day service can be arranged when necessary.
We are sometimes asked what makes Pest Control Berkshire experts in pest control. What makes us different from our competitors? Actually, quite a few things set us apart as the company to call for pest control in Berkshire.
For a start, Pest Control Berkshire has been proudly serving our customers for more than 20 years. We have built a solid reputation for reliable service and fair pricing for both residential and commercial jobs. Yet what makes us different goes well beyond our experience and reputation.
We are able to call ourselves pest control experts because of our certifications and affiliations. Pest Control Berkshire is a member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and, as such, our entire team has been trained to the standards set by the association. We are certified by the Royal Society for Public Health and listed on the PROMPT register as a result of our undertaking of annual continuing professional development. Simply put, we have the credentials that demonstrate our commitment to industry expertise.
Pest Control Berkshire is the company to call in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford, and throughout Berkshire for all of your pest control needs. No job is too tough for our experts.
Pest Control Services is proud to offer Pest Control Management (PCM) services in Berkshire to commercial and residential customers. What is PCM? It is the systematic control of known pests through planned assessments and regular applications of pest control treatments. In Berkshire, we offer three levels of service:
If you need PCM services in Berkshire, Pest Control Services is here to provide affordable and reliable solutions. We would be happy to set up a programme to meet your needs. You can call us on 01635 250 852 or just use our callback form and we'll call you back at our expense.
The sight of a hornets nest in your garden can be a frightening experience. After all, hornets look incredibly menacing – even at a distance. The good news is that these are not nearly as aggressive as wasps under most circumstances. However, when aggravated or trapped, that can change.
The most difficult part of dealing with a hornets nest is gaining access to it. So even though there are commercial pesticides you can purchase to eliminate hornets on your own, doing so is not a good idea. We urge property owners to exercise plenty of caution when using such pesticides. Keep in mind that hornets can swarm when they find themselves in a threatening situation.
The best option for dealing with hornets is to contact a professional like Pest Control Services. We know how to effectively gain access to a hornets nest and properly apply the right kinds of pesticides. Whether you are in Newbury or anywhere else in our four county service area, we will terminate a hornets nest on your property the same day you call. Our services are affordable and much safer than doing it on your own.
We field a lot of phone calls regarding wasps during the summer. Unfortunately, many of those calls involve the aftermath of failed attempts by property owners to terminate wasps using retail insecticides. We strongly encourage you not to go down this route. Gaining access to a wasps nest in order to apply such insecticides is very difficult. Moreover, if the insecticide you use is not strong enough to immediately immobilise the insects, you could be overwhelmed by an angry swarm.
The best thing you can do about wasps on your property is to contact the experts here at Pest Control Services. We use professional insecticides strong enough to eliminate wasps on contact. We also have the knowledge necessary to access nests without causing undue excitement.
When Pest Control Services terminates a wasp nest, it is normally a one-application process. Our technicians are fully trained, licensed, and certified to perform safe and effective terminations. We are also CRB certified to work in restricted areas.
What should you do about wasps on your property? You should call us (01635 250 852) rather than trying to handle it yourself. We will respond the same day you call.
If you are having problems with moles on your Berkshire property, Pest Control Services can help. For more than 20 years, we have been the leading mole trapper in Newbury and throughout Berkshire. We know how moles operate, and we know how to get them off your property.
Moles use extensive tunnelling systems for both housing and safe travel across your property. If you have seen more than one mole, it is possible there is already a network of tunnels under your feet. We use the latest mole traps to catch the animals so they can be disposed of. We do not re-release the animals to cause trouble elsewhere.
Pest Control Services also offers training to groundskeepers, property managers, and private property owners. This service enables our clients to learn how to effectively trap moles themselves, thereby allowing them to set up a more cost-effective management programme that they can implement as needed.
Whether you are looking for professional mole trapping or the training necessary to handle the job yourself, Pest Control Services is the company to call. Our decades of experience as mole trapping experts is just what you need to get the job done right.
Spring is the best time to treat wasps in most cases. In fact, it is best to treat a nest as early in the spring as possible. The problem with wasps is that people are often unaware they have an active nest until it has already grown significantly in size. That makes our job more difficult, although not impossible.
We prefer to treat in spring when nests are smaller and the number of adult insects is lower. As spring progresses into summer, nests can grow much larger - some to the extent that they may house thousands of wasps. Nests of this size are not just a nuisance; they can be potentially dangerous to both humans and animals.
Pest Control Services treats wasps using the latest insecticides and eradication methods. One call to our Newbury office is all that is required to get things started. Once we hear from you, we will respond to your call as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we urge you not to disturb the nest in any way. Do your best to avoid it at all costs. The last thing you need is thousands of angry wasps around your home.
If you are looking for a Berkshire pest control company that is discreet at all times, Pest Control Services is your best choice. We cannot speak for any other companies, but we can promise you the utmost discretion when we visit your home. Our technicians arrive in unmarked vehicles and wearing plain coveralls. Your neighbours will have no idea what you are doing unless you choose to tell them.
The need for discretion should be obvious when you are talking about pests like fleas, cockroaches, wasps, and hornets. These kinds of pests can cause unwarranted panic in neighbourhoods, even if just one house has a problem. The last thing we want to do is to upset your neighbours, so we go out of our way to make sure we are not noticed.
All of our technicians are fully trained and CRB certified to work in restricted environments. Regardless of the type of pest you are dealing with, Pest Control Services can handle it for you. Please consider using us for your pest control needs in Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. Our fast response time means you will have a technician at your home on the same day you call.
Not a lot of people know that (apologies to Michael Caine!) some ant species can become more aggressive after being exposed to certain over-the-counter insecticides. The Argentine ant is an excellent example. This invasive species adapts very well to insecticide treatments to the point of not being bothered by some of the chemicals. In fact, a colony of Argentine ants can become highly aggressive towards other ant species and animals after over-the-counter insecticide treatments.
Studies done in Australia have shown that certain classes of insecticides, known neonicotinoids, are more likely to encourage aggression among Argentine ants. This led the European Union in 2013 to place a two-year moratorium on a number of products until further studies could be done.
We urge you not to try to handle an ant infestation on your premises using over-the-counter insecticides. Even if you are not dealing with Argentine ants, other species might also become aggressive with the use of these products. Instead, you are better off calling Pest Control Services to request professional treatment. We treat ant infestations in Newbury, Thatcham, and Hungerford and throughout Berkshire. Our fast and reliable service has earned us a reputation as one of the most preferred providers in the county. Call us on 01635 250 852 and we'll help.
We have been hearing for some time about poison resistant 'super rats' proliferating throughout the UK. One study done just a few years ago showed 100% of the rats tested in Berkshire being resistant to the commonly used bromadiolone and difenacoum poisons. Yet how does this happen? Why are some rats resistant to poison while others are not?
It all comes down to the phenomenon known as genetic mutation. It is possible for animals to develop resistance to certain chemicals due to some sort of mutation in the DNA of offspring. If a genetic mutation increases the survivability of an animal, it is one that will likely be passed on indefinitely. In the case of rats, the genetic mutation persists because it protects the animals from the poisons in question.
Before you panic, these poison-resistant rats are not completely unstoppable. We have other ways of dealing with them that are just as effective. If you notice rats on your property, we urge you not to try to deal with them using over-the-counter poison. Instead, contact Pest Control Services. We utilise the latest products and procedures that can effectively eliminate even poison-resistant rat species.
No matter where you go in the world, it is normal to find brown or black rats. Here in the UK, rats are a problem in every major city and most mid-size cities and towns. Estimates from the BBC suggest the current brown rat population in the UK to be about 15 million. So what is it about these creatures that makes them so prolific? Actually, there are two things: their breeding cycle and ability to adapt to rodenticides.
While the courting and mating ritual for humans can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, rats get everything out of the way in a matter of seconds. They breed so quickly that it is possible for a female to mate up to 500 times during a single, six-hour period of heat. Maximising such opportunities can result in a single female producing as many as 200 babies per year.
Where rodenticides are concerned, rat physiology is very adept at adaptation. Many of the first-generation rodenticides developed decades ago no longer work. Moreover, in cities, predators are fairly rare. This allows rat populations to continue growing unabated. Thankfully, Pest Control Services actively terminates rats throughout Berkshire.
Cooler weather during the autumn tends to lead us to believe that summer pests such as flies are long gone. However, those cooler temperatures are the very thing that can push these insects indoors. In the UK, it is not uncommon to find a fly infestation in an attic or loft area. Flies like to make their way indoors to winter over.
The two most common species we deal with are the cluster fly and the yellow swarming fly. The former can be very noticeable on warmer days when they stir inside attic areas. They also tend to stain floors and walls. As for yellow swarming flies, these can be numerous enough to give the appearance of smoke or fog in your attic space.
Allowing flies to winter in your house is never a good idea. Once the spring comes, you will have a bigger problem than what you started with. We urge you to call us at the first sign of flies in your attic. Pest Control Services will come to your home to provide prompt and effective fly treatment. We have been providing outstanding pest control services in Berkshire for more than 20 years.
If you take a look at the 'About Us' link on our website, you will notice that our pest control technicians are trained by the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and certified by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). The former is obvious to most people; the latter is something that sparks a lot of questions from our customers. They want to know why the RSPH certifies our technicians.
The RSPH is not an organisation directly or exclusively related to pest control. Rather, it is a charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the general public. Part of their mission is to establish standards for qualifications, training, accreditation, and certification across a large number of industries whose activities directly affect the public health. Pest control is just one of those industries.
Being certified by the RSPH demonstrates our commitment to protecting public health in everything we do. Pest Control Services is proud to maintain this certification on behalf of the customers we serve. If you need pest control of any kind in Berkshire, rest assured our certified technicians can provide the right service reliably and safely.
We are often asked why wasps can repeatedly sting while honeybees cannot. Before answering the question, we need to clear up some misconceptions. The assumption about the difference in stings is only partially correct. It is possible for honeybees to sting repeatedly when attacking other insects or mammals with thinner skins. Likewise, there are some variations of wasps that cannot repeatedly sting because of small barbs in their stingers.
The general rule is that honeybees will die after stinging a human being. This is because barbs in their stingers prevent the stingers from being pulled from the skin, resulting in the abdomen of the bee being ripped open. It is an injury that usually results in the death of the bee within minutes.
Most varieties of wasps have stingers free of barbs. Therefore, they can repeatedly sting without any abdominal damage. Those varieties with small barbs may also survive repeated attacks if the skin of the victim is not thick enough to hold the barbs.
As always, Pest Control Berkshire recommends individuals do not try to handle bee or wasp problems on their own. If you have a problem and live in Berkshire, contact us for immediate service on 01635 250 852.
Customers often ask us why we develop the rat management strategies we ask them to implement after we complete treatment. It all comes down to preventing future rat infestations. Rats have two very specific traits that make them difficult to totally eradicate.
First, they are highly adaptable. This means that they are resistant to many of the commercial poisons that consumers can buy over-the-counter. Professionals such as Pest Control Services have to remain on the cutting edge of technology to make sure we are always using the most effective poisons possible.We frequently get calls from customers who have tried to use ant powders unsuccessfully. Not only do they need help, they also want to know why powders do not always work. It boils down to two things. First, ants are much more intelligent than their size would indicate. It does not take long for them to figure out that a powder may be poisonous. Once a poison has been detected, ant colonies will typically stay away from it.
The other problem with ants is that many species have a built-in fight mechanism that is easily triggered. You may put out a DIY powder that kills a few dozen of the insects right away, only to discover their deaths attract the entire colony. Yet the other ants do not continue eating the power. They have been dispatched to fight a perceived enemy but they will not succumb to it.
The ant powders that do work are those not perceived to be a threat. Worker ants will take the powder back to the nest and feed it to others, eventually resulting in death by poisoning. However, because the deaths occur in the nest, the ants do not identify the poison.
It quite common during the spring and summer months to see swarms of honeybees in both urban and suburban environments. The question many people ask is, "why do they swarm?" It is all about finding a new place to live.
A typical colony attempting to survive in cold weather will lose some of its workers during the winter months. Swarms are less likely the following spring because nests are still large enough to hold the surviving bees. However, after warmer winters, things can be dramatically different.
A warm winter allowing the majority of workers to survive means a larger colony with spring reproduction. A nest can quickly run out of space, requiring a new queen to leave in search of a new home. Those worker bees selected to follow the new queen swarm around her as the entire group looks for a suitable place to build a nest.
Swarming honeybees may be frightening, but there is no need to panic should you experience it. Avoid the swarm and it will dissipate in just a few hours. If the bees do become a problem, do not hesitate to call Pest Control Berkshire. We offer fast and efficient service.
You may have noticed that different pest control companies offer different guarantees for service. Even here at Pest Control Services, guarantees may be different from one service to the next. For example, all of our woodworm treatments underwritten by Sovereign Chemicals come with guarantees of up to 30 years. Those same guarantees may not apply to other services.
The difficulty lies in the fact that pests are different. For example, eradicating moles is incredibly complicated and difficult. Moles are very industrious and creative creatures that are very good at resisting efforts to catch them. By comparison, eradicating wasps and bees is relatively simple. Pest control companies such as ours have to base our service guarantees on the different types of jobs and the pests these involve.
Having said that, Pest Control Services is committed to 100% customer satisfaction. Our goal is to make sure every service we provide correctly addresses the specific problem you are dealing with. We want those pests on your property to be fully terminated before we complete our service. Our uncompromising commitment is one of the reasons we have become the pest control company of choice in Berkshire.
You open your kitchen cupboards only to find tiny beetles running around in the darkness. Alternatively, perhaps you lift a bag of flour and find them underneath. You want to know why you have beetles in your kitchen cupboards, especially since you make a point of maintaining a clean and tidy household.
First of all, understand that having beetles in your home is not synonymous with a lack of cleanliness. Even the tidiest of homes can experience problems with household pests. It comes down to shelter and food sources. If there are beetles in your home, it is because they have found what they need.
Nearly every home in the UK has pests living inside it. We just don't see them most of the time because their numbers are small and they prefer to stay away from humans. We see more beetles in the late winter months as they begin preparing for spring emergence. This is why you will see them in your kitchen at this time of year.
At the first sign of beetles, call the experts at Pest Control Services. Our technicians can come to your Berkshire location and terminate the problem.
There are certain household pests that cause more problems at certain times of the year. In November, one that we deal with frequently is the cluster fly. And unfortunately, we find ourselves going back to the same properties to deal with these pests every year. Allow us to explain why.
A home or commercial building victimised by cluster flies every year is not having problems because there is something inherently wrong with the property. It is not a matter of dirt or whatnot; it is simply a matter of the wintering instinct of the fly. Once a suitable winter home has been found, that information is passed on from one generation to the next. The flies return to the same spot every November unless something interrupts the pattern.
When a customer calls Pest Control Services about a cluster fly problem, we send an experienced technician to treat the property using the latest insecticides and treatment techniques. Then we come back as many times as necessary to ensure eradication is complete. Cluster flies can be a nuisance, but only if you let them. For effective treatment throughout Berkshire, call us at Pest Control Services.
You may have noticed that we do not include spiders in the list of pests we treat. We are not alone. Most pest control companies in the UK do not provide spider service because it is not necessary. Despite what Hollywood portrays in films, the vast majority of spiders in the world are completely harmless to humans. Among the small handful that can be dangerous, none of them live in the UK where the climate is not agreeable to their survival.
Quite the contrary, spiders are very helpful in that they eat other insects. By the way, did you know that all spiders are venomous to some degree? They use venom to kill their prey. If it were not for the dozens of spider varieties we have here in the UK, our problems with flies, ants and other pests would be a lot more serious than it currently is. Spiders help control these other creatures so that we do not have to put forth so much effort.
If you observe large numbers of spiders on your property, there is no need to panic. You can always call Pest Control Berkshire if you are concerned something is amiss.
When Pest Control Services gets a call about a bees nest on residential property, our first strategy is to visit the site to see if the nest can be successfully moved. Only in extreme cases do we consider terminating a nest rather than moving it. Why? Because bees are incredibly important for the proper balance of the environment. Without bees, it is impossible to continue the natural pollination cycle necessary for vegetation to grow.
What many people do not understand is that bees are generally harmless unless agitated. When they do swarm, the activity is most often associated with following a queen that has left an existing nest for one reason or another. If left alone, a swarm will generally congregate, calm down, and move on. Seldom do bee swarms remain in the same area for more than 24 hours.
If you are at all concerned about bees on your property, please do not attempt to apply an insecticide. Rather, call the experts at Pest Control Services Berkshire. We would be more than happy to assist you anywhere in Berkshire. We are a Newbury-based company offering service within a 25-mile range of our office.
In May 2015, it came to light that the NHS was in the midst of battling a severe problem with pests. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities were reportedly calling out pest control companies as many as 600 times per month to deal with rats, cockroaches and ants. Some were even reported to be dealing with troublesome pigeons. The question is one of why is the NHS having so many problems?
An independent watchdog has claimed that as many as 15 hospital trusts are not meeting basic standards of cleanliness. This could be a big part of the problem. Any pest, be it a rat, cockroach or anything else, will congregate where food supplies are abundant. Unfortunately, most pests are not fussy about what they eat. A lack of cleanliness is an open door because it gives pests more opportunities to feed.
We should note that even the cleanest of properties could have trouble with rats and cockroaches. Cleanliness is not a foolproof solution to pest problems. At the first sign of any pests in your home or business, we urge you to contact Pest Control Berkshire. We serve all of Berkshire from our Newbury base.
We often say customers should call us at the first sign of a problem. We make this recommendation not to drum up business, but to encourage you to give us the opportunity to treat environmental pests before they get out of control. Once a pest becomes well established, it is much more difficult to eradicate, and therefore more costly.
Cockroaches are a very good example of this principle. By the time you see one or two in your kitchen, there are likely hundreds more behind the walls. If you wait until you see dozens, you may have a problem that includes thousands. With any past, it is best to contact us as quickly as possible.Pest Control Berkshire are experts in pest control involving everything from cockroaches to moles to woodworm. We provide same-day service throughout Berkshire and certain areas of Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Oxfordshire. We are based in Newbury, so we are well known as THE pest control experts in communities such as Thatcham, Theale, Bucklebury, Pangbourne, Aldermaston and Tadley, Reading, and Hungerford.
At the first sign of trouble, just give us a quick call or drop us a line and let us solve your problem before it gets out of control and costs you more to resolve.
Pest Control Systems can provide a rodent management programme for your property in Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and south Oxfordshire. We can devise a customised plan that will ensure your property remains rodent free all year-round. Contact us for details.
The PROMPT register is a product of BASIS (Registration) Ltd, a UK organisation focused on promoting professional standards among member companies. The register is essentially a list of pest control companies that demonstrate their commitment to professionalism and industry standards by meeting certain requirements.
In order for Pest Control Services (PCS) to be PROMPT listed, we must provide BASIS with the appropriate documentation proving our technicians are receiving Continued Professional Development training to maintain their knowledge and relevant skills. A PROMPT listing demonstrates to consumers that our company is committed to remaining on the leading edge of pest control from year to year.
PCS is proud to be PROMPT listed as well as a member of the British Pest Control Association. Rest assured that we strive to always offer the finest service to all customers, regardless of the problem they need help with. For more than 20 years, we have been offering reliable and affordable pest control throughout Berkshire from our Newbury base. We would be happy to help you with any pest problems you might have throughout the year. From wasps to moles to woodworm, we handle it all!
Identifying and Controlling Carpet Beetles
Address:Oakleaves, The Street, Mortimer Common, RG7 3RD
Phone: 01635 250 852
Email: info@control-services.co.uk
As a leading pest control company in Berkshire, we provide a range of pest control services.
These include, but are not limited to, rats, mice, wasps, bees, fleas, bed bugs, clothes moths, cockroaches, beetles and even moles.
We are often able to provide a same day service, so if your pest problem is urgent, just use our callback form and we'll call you back in a jiffy.
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