Rodent & Vertebrae Pests
Rats
The Brown Rat is the larger and more common of the species found in the UK and is approx 22cm in length without the tail ( which is shorter than its body ).
The Brown Rat will live in any habitat that provides food, water and shelter/harbourage.
In domestic premises they will live in roof spaces, wall cavities or under floorboards.
And will usually enter either via a broken or damaged drain or by burrowing around lintel bridges, however other means of access can also be an ingress point so a survey to site is most likely required.
Brown Rats are also often found living in sewer systems and can invade a property when the sewers are in a state of disrepair.
They can damage structures within buildings including: woodwork,
plastic, bricks and lead pipes, and will strip insulation from electrical cables ( of which can cause fires )
They also carry a number of diseases and these include Leptospirosis or Weil's Disease, Listeria and Salmonella which can be transferred to humans ( usually through their urine )
A site survey is often required for this pest species where comprehensive advice and proofing recommendations will be provided, drain surveys and remedial works also carried out.
Please contact us for further information.
Mice
Common House Mice are usually nocturnal mammals of around 7 - 9cm in length ( with the tail being approx the same length ).
Its colour is usually of a grey appearance, however this can vary from a very dark grey/almost black to a grey- brown.
They have an acute sense of hearing, and are especially sensitive to any sudden or loud noises.
Activity is usually found from their droppings or damage to food, packaging, smear marks or sightings.
They are extremely agile and are able to fit through gaps of approx 6mm although access holes are usually slightly larger.
They can breed and produce young at an extremely rapid rate allowing any infestation to grow quite quickly.
The common house mouse has also been known to carry diseases including Salmonella and Lysteria which can cause food poisoning.
A baiting programme may be required and proofing recommendations will also be provided and can be carried out by our fully trained staff.
We do not use expanding foam as part of our proofing material stock due to this seldom working and rodents being able to gnaw through this with ease.
Squirrels ( grey only )
Grey squirrels will frequently enter domestic roof spaces. Once inside they can cause considerable damage chewing woodwork, strip insulation from electrical wiring and water pipes, tear up fibreglass insulation and, occasionally could drown in water tanks.
Usually a survey to site is required to give the best advice in regards to treatment and any proofing recommendations in regards to a squirrel infestation.
Moles
Moles are small mammals adapted to a subterranean lifestyle.
They have cylindrical bodies, velvety fur,very small inconspicuous ears and eyes and have short powerful forelimbs with large paws adapted for digging which can cause considerable damage to lawns, gardens and fields.
A survey to site is required to give the best advice in regards to treating this pest species.
Insect Pests
Insect Pests
LKC Pest Control LTD is committed to getting the job done properly, especially when it comes to treating insect pests.
We carry out all manner of insect pest treatments including wasps, cockroaches, ants , moths and many other insect pest issues.
We don't just treat, we aim to find the initial source of the infestation to help eradicate the problem once and for all.
You can count on us to be professional, reliable, efficient and make sure you’re satisfied with the end results.
Bed Bug Control
Bed bugs are light to reddish brown in appearance ( however newly hatched nymphs are translucent ).
Adults grow to 4–5 mm.
Bed bugs are attracted to their hosts primarily by carbon dioxide and then body heat of a sleeping person.
Each bed bug will tend to feed every 3-4 days, however they can live for over 12 months without a feed if no host is present.
Sensitivity of bites to humans varies from extreme allergic reactions to no reaction at all ( so you may not be aware of any infestation being present )
A single female bed bug can lay up to 400+ eggs within her lifetime
We are one of the most experienced and trusted names within the industry and specialise in both domestic and commercial ( hotels, B&B's etc) premises for this particular pest.
Please get in touch to discuss this service and how we carry out each treatment to the needs of each client, ensuring the results you require and that of which we strive to deliver .
Cockroaches
Cockroaches ( also known as ‘roaches’) are common insects, with over 4000 + species worldwide.
Around 30 cockroach species are associated with human habitats and five of those are well known as pests.
Two of the most common types of cockroach pest in the UK are the Oriental cockroach (Blatta orientalis) and the German cockroach (Blattella germanica).
Cockroaches pose a direct health risk to humans.
They are vectors of disease, known to carry the organisms which cause food poisoning in humans and many other bacteria, such as salmonella and staphylococcus amongst others.
Cockroaches can move from sewer and drains into buildings and human habitats. This means that when they’re in your building, foraging for food and water, they will contaminate anything they come into contact with including food, utensils, and preparation surfaces.
They also disgorge ( vomit ) portions of their partially digested food at intervals and will drop faeces along the way.
Cockroaches are usually nocturnal, however they may be seen during the day when infestations are high or when food is scarce.
There are several ways an infestation can be found and these include
- Droppings
- Egg (ootheca) cases
- Actual live activity
- Shed skins
- Odour (larger infestations)
- Damage to food or packaging
There are several treatments available for cockroach infestations so a survey may be required to ascertain what is the best way forward for each individual case.
Ants
The most common species that will infest houses is the Black Garden Ant.
They are highly organised social insects and it is the worker ants that will invade buildings in search of food and are primarily attracted to sweet foodstuffs which they will take back to the nest to feed to the larvae and queen.
Some treatments cause the workers to destroy their own nests and these can include sugar based liquid bait. The workers are attracted to the bait and carry the insecticide back to the larvae and queen.
Pharaoh's Ant - Some blocks of flats which have central heating may be troubled by this much smaller tropical Ant which prefers protein to sweet foods and has multiple - and often inaccessible – nests within the building structure and may have several queens within a single nest.
Ghost Ants are also becoming more common in heated buildings. These are a similar size to Pharaoh’s ants and are pale coloured with a darker thorax and head. Control of both the Pharaoh's and Ghost ant must be left to professional operators as trying to treat these yourself may exacerbate the issue
Bird Pests
Bird Pests - Pigeons
Pigeons can damage and deface buildings and frequently foul entrances and pavements, which can become dangerously slippery
Pigeons will also encourage insects such as bird mites, textile beetles and fleas which are attracted to their nests and roosting sites.
Pigeons spread diseases such as Ornithosis, E.Coli and Salmonella via their fouling and nesting sites.
We can provide and install proofing, netting, spike and wire systems.
Guano cleaning and sanitising works carried out for a number of bird species
Please contact us to discuss or if you have any further enquiries or questions in regards to any bird pest issues that you may have.
