The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House

The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House – The Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) is a relatively new pest to the north of the U.K. having been largely confined to the balmy southern climate but now pest controllers in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester are increasingly having to deal with the insect pest.

It is a very distinctive, easily recognised beetle that can be a serious problem in the household. It feeds on natural fibres and can damage anything of natural origin, woolen carpets, furniture and clothing.
The larval form is known as a woolly bear, a name it shares with the larvae of Pyrrharctia isabella or the Isabella Tiger moth.

A verbasci was the very first insect to be demonstrated to have a circadian and an annual cycle and to date remains a classic example of circannual cycles in insects.
The larval form of A. verbasci are roughly 4-5 mm in length. The body is covered in a pattern of alternating light- and dark-brown stripes. The body is usually wider at the back than at the front and also bears 3 pairs of hair tufts along its rear abdomen that can be used for self-defence

Adult A. verbasci range from 1.7 to 3.5 mm in length. Their dorsal surface has scales of two colours, whitish and yellowish-brown. White scales are condensed along the lateral margins of the pronotum. In addition, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments
The varied carpet beetle has a very unusual life cycle for an insect, developing from larvae to adult in 1-3 years, depending on the environment in which it finds itself.

Larvae hatch from eggs in the spring, often they are associated with birds’  nests or around stored natural fabrics Larvae feed on natural fibres throughout their development, eventually experiencing a dormancy or diapause before completing pupation and emerging as an adult. Adults emerge between late March and early August, and feeding on pollen.

These pests cause both physical damage by their larvae eating fabrics and psychological trauma from the vast numbers of these pests which can emerge into living quarters.
When dealing with these pests it is important to check for the presence of birds’ nesting material and remove any nests and feathers etc from the affected area before treating the affected area.

It is important to note that in the U.K legislation affects the removal of birds’ nest, including sparrows and starlings which are the two common birds which have an association with A.verbasci so professional help should be sought to avoid falling foul of the law.

That concludes this article entitled – The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House

Fleas In Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire

Fleas are very important pests. It is estimated pet owners alone spend over £1 billion each year controlling fleas.

Adult fleas are not only a nuisance to humans and their pets, but can cause medical problems including flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), tapeworms, secondary skin irritations and, in extreme cases, anaemia. Although bites are rarely felt, it is the resulting irritation caused by the flea salivary secretions that varies among individuals. Some may witness a severe reaction (general rash or inflammation) resulting in secondary infections caused by scratching the irritated skin area. Others may show no reaction or irritation acquired after repeated bites over several weeks or months. Most bites usually found on the ankles and legs may cause pain lasting a few minutes, hours or days depending on one’s sensitivity. The typical reaction to the bite is the formation of a small, hard, red, slightly-raised (swollen) itching spot. There is a single puncture point in the centre of each spot.  Mosquitoes, bees, wasps and bedbugs cause a large swelling or welt). Also, fleas may transmit bubonic plague from rodent to rodent and from rodent to humans in countries where it is endemic. Oriental rat fleas can transmit murine typhus (endemic typhus) fever among rats and from rats to humans. Tapeworms normally infest dogs and cats but may appear in children if parts of infested fleas are accidentally consumed.

Identification

Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8-inch long, dark reddish-brown, wingless, hard-bodied (difficult to crush between fingers), have three pairs of legs (hind legs enlarged enabling jumping) and are flattened vertically or side to side, allowing easy movement between the hair, fur or feathers of the host. Fleas are excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to seven inches and horizontally thirteen inches. (An equivalent hop for a human would be 250 feet vertically and 450 feet horizontally.) They have piercing-sucking mouthparts and spines on the body projecting backward. Eggs are smooth, oval and white. Larvae are 1/4-inch long, slender, straw-coloured, brown headed, wormlike, bristly-haired creatures (13 body segments), that are legless, have chewing mouthparts, are active, and avoid light. Pupae are enclosed in silken cocoons covered with particles of debris.

Life Cycle and Habits

Fleas pass through a complete life cycle consisting of egg, larva, pupa and adult. A typical flea population consists of 50 percent eggs, 35 percent larvae, 10 percent pupae and 5 percent adults. Completion of the life cycle from egg to adult varies from two weeks to eight months depending on the temperature, humidity, food, and species. Normally after a blood meal, the female flea lays about 15 to 20 eggs per day up to 600 in a lifetime usually on the host (dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, mice, squirrels, foxes, chickens, humans, etc.). Eggs loosely laid in the hair coat, drop out anywhere especially where the host rests, sleeps or nests (rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, cat or dog boxes, kennels, sand boxes, etc.). Eggs hatch in two days to two weeks into larvae found indoors in floor cracks & crevices, along floorboards, under rug edges and in furniture or beds. Outdoor development occurs in sandy gravel soils (moist sandboxes, dirt, under shrubs, etc.) where the pet may rest or sleep. Sand and gravel are very suitable for larval development which is the reason fleas are erroneously called “sand fleas.”

Larvae are blind, avoid light, pass through three larval instars or moults and take a week to several months to develop. Their food consists of digested blood from adult flea faeces, dead skin, hair, feathers, and other organic debris. (Larvae do not suck blood.) Pupae mature to adulthood within a silken cocoon woven by the larva to which pet hair, carpet fibre, dust, grass cuttings, and other debris adheres. In about five to fourteen days, adult fleas emerge or may remain resting in the cocoon until the detection of vibration (pet and people movement), pressure (host animal lying down on them), heat, noise, or carbon dioxide (meaning a potential blood source is near). Most fleas overwinter in the larval or pupal stage with survival and growth best during warm, moist winters and spring.

Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a blood meal, but may live from two months to one year without feeding. There is often a desperate need for flea control after a family has returned from a long holiday. The house has been empty with no cat or dog around for fleas to feed on. When the family and pets are gone, flea eggs hatch and larvae pupate. The adult fleas fully developed inside the pupal cocoon remains in a kind of “limbo” for a long time until a blood source is near. The family returning from holiday is immediately attacked by waiting hungry hordes of fleas. (In just 30 days, 10 female fleas under ideal conditions can multiply to over a quarter million different life stages.)

Newly emerged adult fleas live only about one week if a blood meal is not obtained. However, completely developed adult fleas can live for several months without eating, so long as they do not emerge from their puparia. Optimum temperatures for the flea’s life cycle are 70°F to 85°F and optimum humidity is 70 percent. The cat flea is the most common flea which feeds on a wide range of hosts.

Medication – Relief from itching can be obtained by applying vaseline, menthol, camphor, calamine lotion or ice. Highly sensitive persons should consult their physician for advice.

Repellents – Apply on the outer clothing and to exposed skin. Do not use under clothing. N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is very effective, but should not be used carelessly as severe allergies can develop. Do not apply repellents over cuts, wounds, irritated skin, around eyes or mouth or to the hands of young children.

Control Measures

Flea control is best achieved with a simultaneous, co-ordinated effort involving strict sanitation, pet treatment and premise treatment (both indoors & outdoors).

Inspection – Before treatment, discuss the pet’s habits with family members to determine where resting and sleeping occurs most frequently. Flea activity “hot spots” can be detected by placing white socks over shoes and walking through the residence into suspected areas. Research has demonstrated that these areas will contain the highest amount of eggs, larvae and pupae even after vacuuming. Hot spots for homes with dogs are usually areas where the pet goes in and out of the house, eats, sleeps and spends time with the family at the base of furniture. For cats, check the tops of refrigerators, cabinets, bookcases and higher locations.

One can monitor flea populations by placing a shallow pan of water with a little dish detergent (acts as a wetting agent which breaks water surface tension) on the floor. Position a gooseneck lamp with the light on about five to six inches above the liquid surface. Adult fleas will leap toward the light at night, fall into the detergent solution and drown.

Sanitation – Before vacuuming, collect all items (toys, shoes, clothes, etc.) off the floor, under beds, furniture, in cupboards, etc., to ensure best access for treatment. Also cover fish tanks, remove birdcages, pet food and water dishes and wash or dry clean any pet bedding. Vacuuming carpet with a beater-bar type vacuum where the pet rests and sleeps will help control flea larvae by removing eggs and dried blood faeces (larval food) plus opening up the carpet’s nap for more effective insecticide treatment. Vacuuming must be performed on a regular basis every other day to be effective. Flea larvae do not move far from the site of hatching when there is adequate food (dried blood faeces from adults). Research indicates larvae spend 83 percent of the time deep in the carpet at the base of fibres frequently becoming entwined within the carpet. At pupation, the larva move up the carpet fibre spinning a camouflaging cocoon around itself. Vacuum especially where lint and pet hairs accumulate along floorboards, around carpet edges, on ventilators, around heat registers, in floor cracks, and under and in furniture where the pet sleeps.

After vacuuming, place the vacuum bag in a large plastic rubbish bag and discard in an outdoor dustbin. If the cleaner uses a liquid water medium in a plastic pan (rather than a dust bag) discard dirty water far away from the house.

Treatment  Treatment is best left to a professional pest control company. It is often necessary to complete 2 treatments to eradicate the infestation and it is essential that any pets on the premises are treated by a vet.

Prevention – Trim lawns and weeds to create a drier, less-ideal environment for flea larvae. Avoid piles of sand and gravel around the home for long periods of time. Fence gardens to prevent dogs from roaming freely in heavily infested areas or contacting other infested animals. Discourage nesting or roosting of rodents and birds on or near the premises. Screen or seal vents, chimneys, crevices, etc. where rats, mice, squirrels, may use to enter crawlspaces and buildings. Wash or destroy pet bedding, regularly groom pets and vacuum frequently to remove up to 95 percent of the flea eggs, some larvae and adults. Only about 20 percent of the larvae might be removed when vacuuming since they wrap themselves around the bottom strands of carpeting.

Pets – There are many formulations as shampoos, aerosols, dips, sprays, dusts (powders), collars, dab-ons, spot-ons and monthly tablet or oral liquid treatments. Usually, the most effective pet treatments are available through licensed veterinarians.

That concludes this article entitled Fleas In Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire

Wasps’ Nests Destroyed £32.00 Manchester, Stockport, Cheadle, Gatley, Didsbury

0161 930 8814

Wasps’ Nests Destroyed £32.00 Manchester, Stockport, Cheadle, Gatley, Didsbury – Manchester Pest Control announce there will be no change in their fixed price of £32.00 to destroy wasps’ nests throughout the Manchester region, Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire, in 2010. We work 7 days per week and do not charge extra at any time, evenings or weekends.

Social wasps

The nests of some social wasps, such as hornets, are first constructed by the queen and reach about the size of a walnut before sterile female workers take over construction. The queen initially starts the nest by making a single layer or canopy and working outwards until she reaches the edges of the cavity. Beneath the canopy she constructs a stalk to which she can attach several cells; these cells are where the first eggs will be laid. The queen then continues to work outwards to the edges of the cavity after which she adds another tier. This process is repeated, each time adding a new tier until eventually enough female workers have been born and matured to take over construction of the nest leaving the queen to focus on reproduction. For this reason, the size of a nest is generally a good indicator of approximately how many female workers there are in the colony. Social wasp colonies often have populations exceeding several thousand female workers and at least one queen. Polistes and some related types of paper wasp do not construct their nests in tiers but rather in flat single combs.

Social wasp reproductive cycle (temperate species only)

A young paper wasp queen founding a new colony.

Wasps do not reproduce via mating flights like bees. Instead social wasps reproduce between a fertile queen and male wasp; in some cases queens may be fertilized by the sperm of several males. After successfully mating, the male’s sperm cells are stored in a tightly packed ball inside the queen. The sperm cells are kept stored in a dormant state until they are needed the following spring. At a certain time of the year (often around autumn), the bulk of the wasp colony dies away, leaving only the young mated queens alive. During this time they leave the nest and find a suitable area to hibernate for the winter.

First stage

After emerging from hibernation during early spring, the young queens search for a suitable nesting site. Upon finding an area for their future colony, the queen constructs a basic paper fiber nest roughly the size of a walnut into which she will begin to lay eggs.

Second stage

The sperm that was stored earlier and kept dormant over winter is now used to fertilize the eggs being laid. The storage of sperm inside the female queen allows her to lay a considerable number of fertilized eggs without the need for repeated mating with a male wasp. For this reason a single female queen is capable of building an entire colony from only herself. The queen initially raises the first several sets of wasp eggs until enough sterile female workers exist to maintain the offspring without her assistance. All of the eggs produced at this time are sterile female workers who will begin to construct a more elaborate nest around their queen as they grow in number.

Third stage

European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) with a regurgitated droplet of water

By this time the nest size has expanded considerably and now numbers between several hundred and several thousand wasps. Towards the end of the summer, the queen begins to run out of stored sperm to fertilize more eggs. These eggs develop into fertile males and fertile female queens. The male drones then fly out of the nest and find a mate thus perpetuating the wasp reproductive cycle. In most species of social wasp the young queens mate in the vicinity of their home nest and do not travel like their male counterparts do. The young queens will then leave the colony to hibernate for the winter once the other worker wasps and founder queen have started to die off. After successfully mating with a young queen, the male drones die off as well. Generally, young queens and drones from the same nest do not mate with each other; this ensures more genetic variation within wasp populations, especially considering that all members of the colony are theoretically the direct genetic descendants of the founder queen and a single male drone. In practice, however, colonies can sometimes consist of the offspring of several male drones. Wasp queens generally (but not always) create new nests each year, probably because the weak construction of most nests render them uninhabitable after the winter.

Unlike honey bee queens, wasp queens typically live for only one year. Also queen wasps do not organize their colony or have any raised status and hierarchical power within the social structure. They are more simply the reproductive element of the colony and the initial builder of the nest in those species which construct nests.

Social wasp caste structure

A wasp gathering wood fibers

Not all social wasps have castes that are physically different in size and structure. In many polistine paper wasps and stenogastrines, for example, the castes of females are determined behaviorally, through dominance interactions, rather than having caste predetermined. All female wasps are potentially capable of becoming a colony’s queen and this process is often determined by which female successfully lays eggs first and begins construction of the nest. Evidence suggests that females compete amongst each other by eating the eggs of other rival females. The queen may, in some cases, simply be the female that can eat the largest volume of eggs while ensuring that her own eggs survive (often achieved by laying the most). This process theoretically determines the strongest and most reproductively capable female and selects her as the queen. Once the first eggs have hatched, the subordinate females stop laying eggs and instead forage for the new queen and feed the young; that is, the competition largely ends, with the losers becoming workers, though if the dominant female dies, a new hierarchy may be established with a former “worker” acting as the replacement queen. Polistine nests are considerably smaller than many other social wasp nests, typically housing only around 250 wasps, compared to the several thousand common with yellowjackets, and stenogastrines have the smallest colonies of all, rarely with more than a dozen wasps in a mature colony.

Wasps’ Nests Destroyed £32.00 Manchester, Stockport, Cheadle, Gatley, Didsbury

Flying Ants Infestations Cured Manchester

Flying Ants Infestations Cured Manchester –

Do you dread the start of spring when the ants start to wake up?

Garden ants (Lasius niger) are a troublesome pest when they enter properties and can make your life a nightmare year after year, especially in the summer in  the ‘flying ant’ season.

Putting down countless tubes of ‘Ant Powder’ has no effect and the ants crawl over your kitchen surfaces etc. spreading disease and dirt.

Are we ringing any bells?

Well now you can cure the problem by having the property professionally treated with a three-year extendable guarantee.

The treatment involves drilling small holes into the cavity walls of the property from the outside, (a little like putting in a damp proof course) and injecting an insecticidal powder into the cavity under pressure.

This puts a barrier around the house which the ants cannot cross. No more ants can enter the property and those already inside cannot get out to feed and the colony dies off.

The treatment which leaves no smell or mess and is perfectly safe for children and pets.

At the end of the three-year period it is a fairly simple and inexpensive matter to ‘top up’ the powder and extend the guarantee for a further 3 years and so on.

Cavity wall insulation does not affect the effectiveness of the treatment.

It is not possible to give an exact price without seeing your property but costs involved are generally in the range of £75.00 – £275 depending on size of property and number of walls needing to be treated etc.

These costs increase substantially in the summer months when demand is greatest and we may have a waiting list of several weeks so take advantage now in our quieter time.

Just to put your mind at rest we are discrete and use unmarked plainvehicles.

Call us on 0800 019 8382 or 01257 230637 for a no obligation quotation

Flying Ants Infestations Cured Manchester

Late Season Wasps’ Nests in Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire 

 Late Season Wasps’ Nests in Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire – If you have a wasps’ nest we need to make you aware of a potential problem which occurs with late season nests and which you may experience. 

From about early September onwards the nest starts to produce the new queens which will hibernate for the winter and then start to build next year’s nests, an average nest producing up to about 2000 new queens. 

These queens then leave the nest and look for places to hibernate, typically in roof voids and lofts and it is quite common to find hundreds of them at a time on the floor of the loft or void. 

This process has already started and continues until the first cold spell, usually in November although in 2006 we were still destroying nests into December. 

Our operative has destroyed the nest on your property but as some queens will have already left the nest they will have escaped the treatment and may continue to cause you a problem. 

This may result in a continued stream of these wasps falling into the upper rooms of the property or the rooms adjacent to the nest. This can continue throughout the winter. 

This does not mean that we have failed to destroy the nest but merely that these queens had already left it. This problem will almost certainly occur with any nests left beyond the middle of September. 

Where this occurs the only solution is to carry out a “fogging” or “smoke” treatment of the loft or void using an insecticidal generator which will kill the vast majority of these queens. 

Unfortunately this incurs an additional expense which is as follows 

Destroy nest only – £29.50 

Destroy nest and treat loft or void on same visit   – £49.50 

Return visit to treat loft only where nest has already been destroyed  -     £44.50 

If you are currently experiencing wasps entering your property we would strongly suggest treating the loft on the initial visit to save further expense. 

Late Season Wasps’ Nests in Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire

Cluster Flies in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside

Cluster Flies are a major pest in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside

The large, black, pesky flies that show up in bed rooms and on window sills from late autumn through early spring are a common household pest. These flies are known as cluster flies, a name that describes their habit of clustering in large numbers inside attics. Their abundance varies from year to year, possibly in relation to the amount of rainfall through the summer.

Cluster flies do not reproduce indoors, and home owners bothered by these pests do not need to fear the flies are “hatching” from a dead animal or other unpleasant material within the attic or walls. Cluster flies develop as parasites inside the bodies of earthworms. There are three generations of flies produced each summer, and the final generation of the season migrates to houses and other buildings during mid to late September. Casual observation of client reports suggests houses located on an exposed hill top or high ground are most attractive to these migrating flies.

The flies cluster on the warm sides of buildings in late summer during the day. When the sun goes down and the temperatures cool, these flies crawl into the building through cracks under the eaves and around windows or through gaps in the siding. Once inside and secured in a protected location, they remain in hibernation until warmed by heat from the heating system or the sun.

As the flies warm throughout the winter, and especially in the early spring, they come out of their cold temperature dormancy and begin sluggishly moving around. Their random crawling brings them into the house by way of electrical outlets, window pulley holes, and small openings around windows, mouldings and skirting boards.

Cluster flies hibernate in inaccessible places, making them difficult to control. Hidden within walls or under insulation, they are protected from most treatments until they appear within the living spaces of the house. Preventing attic flies is a job for the summer and autumn. As much as possible, seal cracks and openings around the outside of the house, especially under the eaves, as you would for energy conservation. Insecticides can be used on the outside of the house in mid-September if you have a persistent problem with attic flies. Remember the problem varies greatly from year to year and is worse than average this year and tends to be worse following a wet summer.

Cluster flies ‘mark’ their territory with a pheromone which means that infestations tend to become an annual event.

For help with a cluster fly problem in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire or Merseyside call Harrier Pest Prevention on 0800 019 8382

Cluster Flies in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire and Merseyside

Recently we received an unusual request from a haulage company owner in Lancashire, to treat the cab of a HGV for a bedbug infestation.

One of the most feared and misunderstood pests known to man is the bed bug (Cimex lectularius).

How many of us dozed off to sleep at night as children with the words of our parents in our ears ‘sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite’?

Bed bugs may have started to feed on man at about the time we moved into caves, the ‘bat bugs’ Cimex pilosellus and Cimex pipistrella primarily feed on bats and it is probable that bat feeding species of bug evolved to dine on human blood when our ancestors started living in bat infested caves.

Until the invention of DDT in the early 20th century bed bugs were common non-paying guests in much poor quality homes. The later part of the 20th century experienced pest control companies dealing with very few bed bug problems indeed, their presence being largely confined to inexpensive vacation camps and student lodging etc.

Many people confuse dust mites, which are not visible to the unaided eye, with bed bugs which certainly are. Adult bedbugs are reddy-brown, about a quarter of an inch in size and greatly swollen after a meal of human blood. They grow by an incomplete metamorphosis which means that the babies are just smaller versions of the adult, they don’t have a maggot stage like a flea or flies.

Bed bugs regularly feed on human blood every 7 – 10 days, coming out in the hours before dawn and sensing their host target by detecting the exhaled carbon dioxide from our breath and when nearing in on their target, infra red body heat. In the absence of a regular human host to feed on they can remain dormant for periods of up to 18 months. Signs of a bed bug problem are spots of blood on bedding and on the base of mattresses and many people can react badly to their bites.

The early 21st century has seen bed bug numbers increase across the world, the easy availability of global travel and economic migration have both been blamed for the increase. What is sure is that they are now making a major comeback not only in poor quality dwellings but high class hotels, schools and often hospitals. One London borough reported a doubling of bed bug jobs each year from 1995 – 2001. Just one night away in an infested hotel is all it takes, they hitch a ride in your suitcases or bags. Pest control firms are also now reporting cases of transport related bed bug infestations on tubes, trains and buses so a single journey to town on an infested tube or train can be enough to spread the infestation to your own home.

They are an expensive pest to deal with as contrary to popular opinion they do not just live in beds. They crawl into any nook and cranny conveniently close to a sleeping human, beds, electrical sockets, televisions, bed-side bed side telephones etc and eradication is both difficult and time consuming. They have even been found living beneath the toe-nails of infirm persons and in the creases of flesh on grossly over-weight people. They are not a pest that can be eradicated by an amateur and a professional will almost certainly be needed.

Harrier Pest Control on Radio Lancashire

Harrier Pest Control on Radio Lancashire – Our principal Ken Chadwick now appears regularly on Radio Lancashire to talk about pests and pest control throughout the Lancashire & Manchester areas.

If you have a question about pest control or pest matters, be it bed bugs, mice, rats, flease or any other pest problem then tune in next on December 16th at around 1- 3 pm and email in your question.

Ken is an acknowledged pest control expert appearing on TV, The Radio and in Local & National Press.

For a more immediate answer to your problems why not give Harrier Pest Prevention & Control a ring now on 01257 230637

Hear a recording of one of Ken’s earlier broadcasts.

Manchester Pest Control – Carpet Beetles

Manchester Pest Control – Carpet Beetles – The Varied Carpet Beetle – Beetles in My House – The Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) is a fairly new pest to the northern parts of Great Britain having been largely confined to the balmy southern climate but now pest controllers in Cheshire, Lancashire and Manchester are increasingly being called out to infestations of this insect pest.

Image via Wikipedia

A.Verbasci is a very distinctive, easily recognised beetle that can be a serious problem in the house. It feeds on natural fibres and can damage anything of natural origin, woolen carpets, furniture} and clothing.
The larvae are known as a woolly bear, a name it shares with the larvae of Pyrrharctia isabella or the Isabella Tiger moth.

A. verbasci was the very first insect to be shown to have a circadian and an annual cycle and to this date remains a classic example of

circannual cycles in insects.
The larval form of A. verbasci are circa 4-5 mm in length. The body has a pattern of alternating light- and dark-brown stripes. The body of the larvae is usually wider at the back than at the front and contains 3 pairs of hair tufts on its rear abdomen that can be used for self-defence

Adult insects range from 1.7 to 3.5 mm in length. Their dorsal surface has scales of two colours, whitish and yellowish-brown. White scales are condensed along the lateral margins of the pronotum. In addition, their antennae are 11-segmented with a club of 3 segments
A Verbasci has a very unusual life cycle for an insect, developing from larvae to adult in 1-3 years, according to the environment in which it finds itself.
Larvae hatch from eggs in the spring, very often they are associated with birds’  nests or around stored natural fabrics Larvae eat natural fibres throughout their larval stage, eventually experiencing a dormancy or diapause before completing pupation and emerging as an adult. Adults emerge between  March and early August, and feed on pollen.
These insects cause both physical damage by their larvae eating fabrics and psychological damage from the vast numbers of these pests which can emerge into living quarters.
When attempting to deal with these insects it is important to look for the presence of birds’ nests and remove any nests and feathers etc from the affected area before treating with an appropriate insecticide..
It is important to keep in mind that in the U.K. legislation affects the removal of birds’ nest, including sparrows and starlings which are the two common birds which have an association with A.verbasci so professional assistance should be sought to avoid [breaking the law.

That concludes this article entitled - Manchester Pest Control - Carpet Beetles

Ant Problems Cured, Ants in the house? Flying Ants  Call the Ant Killers!

Ant Problems Cured, Ants in the house? Flying Ants – Harrier Pest Control, covering the whole of Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire announce a special offer on their ant treatment which comes with an extendable three year guarantee.

Flying ants are the scourge of many houses in summer leaving many people to dread the summer and tha annual flying ant invasion.

The treatment which leaves no smell or mess is perfectly safe for children and animals is done mainly from the outside of house and carries a three year guarantee which can then be extended in further three year period by a low cost re-treatment.

Until 30th May 2010 we are offering a 25% reduction in the cost, a site survey will be needed to establish the suitablity of the property.

Image by Wildaboutburnley via Flickr

Only the unfortunates who have suffered it will know the true  of flying ants in their homes.
Having an infestation of ordinary wingless ants is bad enough but when they go through their yearly mating  phase the situation can become intolerable.
Ants often form colonies under the floors and in the wall cavities of our homes and these colonies will live for many years if left untreated becoming progressively more troublesome each year.
Our dwellings are warm and dry and provide the ideal places for a thriving ant colony; even ‘solid’ concrete floor is not a deterent to an ant.
Our central heating systems maintains their metabolism even in the winter months and my earliest ant call-out was on my birthday, in January!
Ants like a sandy soil and there are many areas in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester which tend to provide more ant problems than others, Southport, Blackpool, Bolton, Sale & Altrincham come to mind as hot ant properties.
Unfortunately it is during their mating period that they are most irksome. Here in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester this tends to be pretty regularly  around the third or fourth week in July.
Ants mate on the wing and around mid-summer the colony produces winged immature Queens and winged males which in nature would fly off and mate whilst airborne. Many thousands of these winged ants are produced per colony and nests tend to synchronise  their release so that they mate with ants from other nests.
Usually this process starts after a couple of days of hot, dry weather  and will usually last for about a week although smaller releases will continue throughout most of June, July & August.
Unfortunately when the nest is under the floor of the property the results can be devastating, literally thousands of winged ants are released into the lower rooms, collecting on windows as they head for the light.
This can be extremely distressing for some people leading to severe emotional trauma to the degree that people learn to hate the summertime and have actually sold their homes to escape the plague of ants which they know comes each summer.
The wet summers of 2007, 2008  & 2009 has meant that ant call-outs were down on previous years but appear to have a way of catching up and 2010 looks set to be a particularly troublesome year.
Most people who have this problem opt for DIY solutions with powders from hardware shops etc but mostly these efforts are doomed to failure as they are not getting to the heart of the problem which is the colony itself, hidden away safely in the cavity wall or sub-floor area.
Fortunately for many people the solution is at hand.
At Harrier Pest Control (subject to site survey) we are able to solve this problem and issue an extendable three year guarantee.
The process which is carried out mainly from the exterior of the house, is perfectly safe for animals and children and produces no smell, involves drilling small holes into the cavity walls of the house, not unlike a damp-course injection and blowing an insecticidal powder into the cavity wall under pressure.
This forms an impenetrable barrier across which the ants cannot go and along with a precautionary internal spray treatment (if deemed necessary) will gradually bring the infestation under control.
The holes, which are only 8mm in diameter remain open so it is a simply matter of topping up the cavity walls every three years to extend the effectiveness of the guarantee in three year terms.
This procedure is best carried out in the early spring however it can be done at any time of year.
As a limited time offer before our busy period begins  we are offering 25% off the normal cost until May 30 2010. Whilst we normally cover the whole of Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, we are able to travel further afield but this will be reflected in the cost.
For a chat or to arrange an appointment contact Harrier Pest Prevention on Free Phone 0800 019 8382 or 01257 230637

Ant Problems Cured, Ants in the house? Flying Ants?

Pest Control Squirrels in Manchester Lancashire and Cheshire

Squirrels in the loft?

A word of caution, damage caused by squirrels to electricity cables and water pipes with the resultant risk of fire and flooding is unlikely to be covered by your insurance policy as most insurance companies invalidate vermin damage.

Pest Control Squirrels in Manchester Lancashire and Cheshire – The grey squirrel population in  North West England has rocketed over the last twenty years to the extent that they are now a major pest species.
The grey squirrels which we see in our parks and gardens (Sciurus carolinensis) are not native to Britain, having been imported here less than 200 years ago from America.
Like many members of the family Sciuridae, the Grey Squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for subsequent recovery. Some hoards, especially those made near the site of a sudden surplus of food.
Other caches are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. It has been observed that each squirrel makes several thousand caches each season. The squirrels have very good spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few centimetres of the cache.
The nest of the grey squirrel is called a dray (or drey) and it is usual for the female to have two litters per year, with two to four babies each.
They are minor pests in the garden, rooting up bulbs and stealing food intended for birds but can become major pests when they come into our houses.
It is increasingly common for pest controllers to attend homes where a nest has been constructed in a loft or attic space.
Squirrels are true rodents and as such have teeth which never stop growing; the word rodent coming from the Latin ‘rodere’ meaning ‘to gnaw’ and this they do very well indeed.
It is rare to enter an attic space where a dray has been constructed and find that they have not damaged electrical wiring, indeed it is estimated that up to 40% percent of fires without an obvious cause cause may be started by rodents damaging wiring.
Unfortunately they can also chew through water-pipes, especially with the recent trend towards plastic piping.
As if that wasn’t enough, many household insurance policies specifically exclude damage caused by rodents so if a squirrel floods your home by chewing through a pipe in the attic you may find yourself without cover.
Removing squirrels requires professional help, not least in as much as the law regarding squirrels restricts your options. You cannot simply buy a packet of rat poison from your local store and deal with them that way as you would be committing a criminal offence.
Furthermore you cannot trap them and release them some distance away, not only would removing a squirrel from the area of its food caches would probably condemn it to death by starvation, it is also a criminal offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 which makes it illegal to release a grey squirrel in Britain.
That pertains also to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured squirrels.
In the majority cases trapping is the the only option and this must be done in a specific manner with routine, regular inspections of the traps.
Trapped squirrels should be then despatched humanely.
If you have a squirrel infestation in Lancashire, Cheshire or Manchester telephone Harrier Pest Prevention on 0800 019 8382 or 0161 930 8814

Pest Control Services In Your Area

0800 019 8382 or 0161 930 8814

Pest Control Services In Your Area – Harrier Pest Control deal with all pests 7 days per week and offer a fixed price on wasps nests for 2010 of just £32.00 except for postcode areas CH,CW and L where we charge £44.50 due to increased time and distance. These are guaranteed fixed prices 7 days per week.

During 2010 Harrier Pest Prevention will be increasing their area of operation and including a new service of bee swarm removal where we will make every endeavour to rehome the bees with a beekeeper rather than destroy them. As this makes quite an interruption in our day we charge £75 for this service.

Harrier Pest Control deal with all pests and a complete list of our area of operation and pests dealt with is below.

Rats, Mice, Bed Bugs, Bed Bug Bites, Ants, Wasps, Red Spider Mite, Squirrels, Beetles, Pigeons, Cluster Fly, Carpet Beetles, Biting Insects, Bedbugs, Bed Bug Rash, Mattress Bugs, Hotel Bugs, Wasps Nests, Birds, Moles, Flies, Starlings, Fur Beetles, Silverfish, Spider Beetles, Cat Fleas, Flea Bites, Cockroaches, Biscuit Beetles, Cluster Flies, Red Ants, Wasp’s Nests, Spiders, Magpies, Fleas, Bedbugs, Wasps’ Nests, Rat traps,
pest stop, Mouse repeller, rat killer, rat poison, mouse traps, rat repeller
Birds, Insects, Rodents in the following areas:

Manchester Pest Control on Radio Lancashire

Manchester Pest Control on Radio Lancashire – hear our principal Ken Chadwick on his latest radio appearance, talking about pests on Radio Lancashire.

His next appearance is scheduled for 6th April at 1.00pm

Manchester Pest Control on Radio Lancashire

Bed Bugs in Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire

Harrier Pest Control 0800 019 8382

Bed Bugs in Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire – One of the most hated and misunderstood pests known to man is the bed bug (Cimex lectularius). How many of us dozed off to sleep at night as children with the words of our parents in our ears ‘sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite’?

Manchester Bed Bugs

Bed bugs may have started to feed on man at about the time we moved into caves, the ‘bat bugs’ Cimex pilosellus and Cimex pipistrella primarily feed on bats and it is probable that bat feeding species of bug evolved to feed on human blood when our ancesters started dwelling in bat infested caves.

Until the arrival of DDT in the early 20th century bed bugs were common non-paying guests in much low quality dwellings.

The later part of the 20th century has seen pest control companies dealing with very few bed bug calls indeed, their presence being largely restricted to cheap vacation camps and student lodgings etc.

Many people confuse dust mites, which aren’t visible to the naked eye, with bed bugs which very definitely are.

Adult bedbugs are reddy-brown, about a quarter of an inch in size and greatly swollen after a meal of our blood.

They have an incomplete metamorphosis which means that the young are just smaller copies of the adult, they don’t have a pupal stage like fleas or a fly.

Bed bugs typically feed on human blood every 7 – 10 days, coming out in the hours before dawn and sensing their prey by detecting the exhaled carbon dioxide from breath and when close in on their target, infra red body heat.

In the absence of a convenient human to feed on they can stay dormant for periods of up to 18 months.

Indications of a bed bug infestation are spots of blood on bedding and on the base of mattresses and some people can react badly to their bites.

The early 21st century has seen bed bug numbers increase across the planet, the cheap availability of world travel and economic migration have both been blamed for the increase.

What is certain is that thet are now making a major return not only in poor quality homes but high class hotels, schools and often hospitals.

One London borough reported a doubling of bed bug call-outs every year from 1995 – 2001.

One night away in an infested hotel is all it takes, they catch a ride in your suitcases or bags. Pest control firms are also now reporting cases of transport related bug infestations on tubes, trains and buses so a single journey to work on an infested tube or train can be enough to spread the infestation to your home.

Bed Bug Bites

They are an expensive pest to deal with as contrary to popular opinion they don’t just live in beds. They infest any nook and cranny conveniently close to a sleeping human being, beds, electrical sockets, televisions, bed-side telephones etc and dealing with them is both difficult and time consuming. They have even been found living beneath the toe-nails of infirm people and in the creases of flesh on grossly over-weight people.

They are not a pest that can be eradicated by an amateur and a professional will almost certainly be needed.

Bed Bugs in Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire

Squirrels in Manchester, Stockport and Trafford

Squirrels in Manchester, Stockport and Trafford – The grey squirrel population in the Noth West U.K. has rocketed over the last 20 years to the degee that they are now a major pest species.
The grey squirrels which we see in our gardens (Sciurus carolinensis) are not native to Britain, having been introduced here less than 200 years ago from America.
Like other members of the Sciuridae family, the Grey Squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in many small caches for later recovery. Some hoards, especially those made near the source of a sudden surplus of food.
Others are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand hoards each season. The squirrels have very accurate spatial memory for the positions of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to find them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a short distance of the cache.
The nest of the squirrel is called a dray (or drey) and it is normal for the female to have two litters per year, each of two to four young..
They are minor problems, digging up bulbs and taking food intended for birds but become major pests when they come into our houses.
It is increasingly common for pest controllers to be called out to homes where a nest has been built in a loft or attic space.
Squirrels are true rodents and as such have continually growing teeth; the word rodent comes from the Latin ‘rodere’ meaning ‘to gnaw’ and this they do very well indeed.
It is rare to enter an attic space where a dray has been constructed and find that they have not chewed electrical wiring, indeed it is estimated that up to 40% percent of fires without an obviously attributable cause may be started by rodents chewing wiring.
Unfortunately they can also chew through water-pipes, especially with the recent trend towards plastic piping.
As if that wasn’t enough, most household insurance policies specifically exclude damage by rodents so if a squirrel floods your home by chewing through a water pipe in the attic you may find yourself without insurance.
Removing squirrels requires a professional, not least in as much as the law regarding squirrels needs to be obeyed. You cannot simply obtain a packet of rat poison from your local store and deal with them that way as you would be committing a criminal offence.
Furthermore you cannot trap them and move them some distance away, not only would removing a squirrel from the area of its food caches would probably condemn it to death by starvation, it is also a criminal offence under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 which makes it illegal to release a grey squirrel in Britain.
That pertains also to rescuing, and releasing injured squirrels.
In most cases trapping is the the only option and this must be done in a specified manner with routine, regular inspections of the traps.
Trapped squirrels should be then humanely dispatched.
If you have a squirrel problem in Lancashire, Cheshire or Manchester contact Harrier Pest Prevention on 0800 019 8382

Squirrels in Manchester, Stockport and Trafford

In addition to watering, it is important to preserve as much of the moisture in the soil as you can for plant use. The best way to do this is to cover the soil with mulch, such as leaf mould, grass cuttings or composted or chipped bark.

A layer of about 10cm is ideal. Apply the mulch either after rain or after watering the bed thoroughly. In the garden, we tend to clear the beds of all dying and dead vegetation, so there is little chance of it rolling down where it lies and returning to the soil as nutrients, as would happen in the wild.

However, the prudent gardener does not throw way all these leftovers but composts them and returns them to the soil, which considerably increases the nutritional value of the soil. Preparing the soil thoroughly with garden compost will pay great dividends, but the added nutrients will not last forever.

In the case of annuals, the soil can be prepared afresh each year, but for perennials, which are left in situ for several years, it is impossible to do this. It is, however, possible to top dress the soil each autumn or spring by covering the soil with a mulch of well rotted garden compost, farm yard manure or composted bark.

This can be worked into the top layer of the soil with a fork, while being careful not to disturb the plants’ roots. Alternatively, it can be left on the top of the mulch, which the worms will gradually take down below the surface.

The nutrients in contains will in any event be washed down towards the roots by the rain. If mulch is not available, a balanced fertilizer can be used instead to add nutrients, spread at the manufacturer’s recommended levels, but this is second best to organic material.

The Author is an expert in article writing and has done a lot of research online and offline. Come visit his latest websites on Cheap Contact Lens and Acuvue Color Contacts
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There may be a few things in your property which you may not be aware of. Well, this is not the story line of a best-seller, but is very much a reality of life that you need to come to terms with – pests. There are properties and households that are acutely aware of the existence of pests as well. And it’s just a matter of time that pests come out of their hiding and show you their ugly faces, if you haven’t met them yet. And it is this reality that has led to the thriving industry of pest control (Houston), consisting of a set of busy people doing their best to drive pests away.

Experts in the business of Pest Control (Houston) have come up with advanced technology solutions to seal the problem and relieve you of your pestering menace. It’s true that people have lost their sleeps over the tiny insects that crawl over them at night. And when you know for sure that it is your house and not theirs, it’s never too early to get in touch with pest control (Houston). While pests do not appear into your household or your office premises all of a sudden, pests do have a short reproduction cycle and are capable of increasing in numbers quite fast. And it does take rapid action to secure your household, with the able guidance and directions of experts from pest control (Houston).

Pest Control (Houston) is an industry with firms that are committed to the art of wiping pests off your campus and cleaning your environment. Some of the devices and techniques used by pest control (Houston) are good enough to see the back of pests at a single strike, though it would depend on the gravity of the situation in your backyard. However, you can rest assured that there are no techniques that would be harsh on people – while driving pests away is the unanimous goal of pest control (Houston), the best companies would make sure that people are by no means affected, ensuring that the environment is not stained or contaminated in any way. It does take a tough unique combination of experience, expertise and care to ensure that pests are given the treatment that they deserve, reserving your peace of mind and ensuring that the environment remains safe and sanitised. If in doubt, check it out with some of the reputed names in pest control houston , for lasting peace of mind.

Welcome to Pest Management Inc – The Evolution of Pest Control. With our knowledgeable staff and highly trained Pest Control Austin and pest control houston team, we pride ourselves in our outstanding service. Read my Blogs at Addy Buster’s Blogs
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Pest control is as old as the practice of agriculture. More than the hundreds of years, males have used all sorts of methods to maintain pests under control to be able to increase the food items production. Weeds for instance used to be burned off or plowed under, but in time particular breeding of pest-resistant plants, companion planting and harvest rotation grew to become much more attractive, even though their background is not exactly recent either.

The immediate individual effect on the atmosphere is accountable for your much more challenging pest management which defines the agriculture of the 20th and twenty-first centuries. Insecticides and pesticides are generally used on farms to keep crops pest-free. This kind of pest control predominates in modern day agriculture, however it does have the problem with polluting the crops and the atmosphere simultaneously. Lately, a new trend of restored interest in biological pest control has resurfaced. Not just does this provide chemical-free food, however it also helps prevent living creatures from turning into resistance to numerous types of pest control.

Biological pest control works using the natural control over potential predators and parasites. The biological methods used for pest control present absolutely no risk for your atmosphere and they are also safe for humans. The concept of biological agriculture relies upon around the upkeep of the atmosphere with minimum harm only. This approach is particular to organic or ecological crops and farms, where merely natural pest control means are permitted and approved.

A lot can be achieved when it comes to pest control by extra means such as drainage of still water or right waste materials management. Such steps eliminate the breeding ground of pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies or rodents. Lots of problems are prevented in parts with efficient sewer techniques. Pest control can therefore be aided by several means and methods, that are not straight related to the domain of agriculture and farming. All communities advantage from proper pest control, in numerous ways.

If you are interested in small-scale pest control for the back yard or veggies garden, you can study a great deal from gardening magazines or from on-line discussion boards. There are many gardening communities on the internet where you can find extremely practical details to assist you with natural or synthetic pest control. Gardeners share tips, personal expertise and all sorts of ideas related to their pastime. The web is an unlimited source of details; the search is fundamental, and the results are extraordinary. Good luck!

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