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Top Signs of a Rabbit Infestation

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 14:46:50 GMT

Many people keep rabbits as households pets, but while the domestic, fluffy kind are pretty easy going, wild rabbits can cause havoc in your garden or land. Less common than other types of pests such as bees or rats, rabbits can be hard to identify when they make a disturbance around your home.

Read on for all you need to know about rabbit infestations.

Where do wild rabbits live in the UK?

Wild rabbits are dotted all over the UK, mostly in the countryside throughout woodland areas and moorlands. However, you can also spot them in towns and cities such as on roadsides and of course in gardens. They live in large groups in underground burrows called warrens. During the breeding season, between January and August, the female rabbit can produce as many as three to seven young every month! This is why rabbits can cause such a problem when they infiltrate your home and aren’t controlled by a pest control team.

What are the signs of rabbits?

If you have rabbits in your garden or around your commercial premises, there are a few telltale signs that you might notice. You are likely to spot them in the early morning or evening foraging in your flowerbeds or grass, but you may also notice:

● Clean-cut damage on your leaves, stems and flowers

● Signs of digging around your shrubs and flower beds

● Small rabbit droppings

● Tufts of fur

What problems can rabbits cause?

Rabbits love eating flowers and plants but when they start foraging on your garden they can completely destroy it! But apart from ruining your garden, rabbits can also carry and spread life-threatening diseases such as tularemia, also know as rabbit fever, a bacterial disease associated with both animals and humans.

Here at Apest Control , based in South Wales, we understand how disturbing rabbits can be when they make their way onto your property. Our professional pest control team can prevent rabbits from causing long-term damage, using effective and humane solutions to prevent serious infestations. For more information about our services, get in touch today.

How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 09:07:00 GMT

Bed bugs are becoming more and more common, infesting flats and houses and even hotels on a regular basis. It’s a good idea to check from time to time to see if you have any signs of bed bugs, as they can be spread very easily.

There’s a musty odour in your home . This can be a sign that bed bugs have set up residence in your home in large numbers. The stronger the smell, the more likely you have a major infestation.

You find dots of blood on your linens . If you accidentally squish a bed bug during the night, it will leave a spot of blood, particularly if it has just been feeding. You may also notice dots of blood on your pyjamas or even your skin (yep, it’s not nice to hear!)

You have a line of tiny bites . Some people react poorly to bed bug bites and will notice red bites, usually in a line, on their skin in the morning after sleeping in an infected bed. These bites may or may not be puffy.

There are bug husks on your soft furniture . From beds to sofas, it’s possible to find small white skins that are shed by bed bugs as they outgrow their skin.

There are dark spots on your bed. If your mattress or linen has dark splotches that smear when you brush a finger over them, you are likely looking at bed bug waste. This is essentially digested blood, and can be quite unpleasant when smelled. Keep in mind that these spots may also appear on wallpaper, as some bed bugs prefer to hide in the walls.

Preventing Bed Bugs

You should always take care to not bring bed bugs into your home unwittingly. This happens quite frequently. People will stay at a hotel and then bring home a suitcase full of bed bugs. You should inspect hotel room beds for the signs above and make sure you’re not walking into a nest.

It’s also important to take care when bringing used furniture into your home. Most hard materials are fine, but a soft material, such as fabric, can be far more appealing to bed bugs. Sofas, armchairs, and mattresses may be infested, so make sure you carefully inspect anything you intend to bring into your home.

Once you’ve established that you do indeed have bed bugs, you can only work to get rid of them. You’ll need a professional pest control company, since home remedies just don’t work very well against these invasive critters.

Looking to get rid of bed bugs? Call APest Control right now to make an appointment.

Common Signs That You Have Rodents in Your Home

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 14:57:54 GMT

You’ve probably heard the rumour that you’re never more than a few feet away from a rat, in fact, rats and other rodents could be living in your home! Mice and rat infestations are not uncommon, and since these creatures tend to multiply quickly, it’s important that you get things sorted as soon as you stop the signs.

Read on, to learn about the common signs that rodents are in your home.

Droppings

One of the most obvious signs of rats and mice are finding droppings around your home. These will be small (around three to eight millimeters in length) and turn grey as they dry out. You may find these around their food source, such as near food cupboards and under sinks, as well as near nesting areas.

Bite marks

On food packaging and around the actual structure of your home, gnaw or bite marks may also be a tell tale sign that you have mice or rats. Larger marks can indicate rats while small nibbles are more likely to come from mice. Unfortunately, these creatures can squeeze through walls by chewing straight through them or shred through the rubber lining of electrical wires, which can create serious issues in the home and put you in danger.

Noises

Mice and rats are nocturnal animals which means they are most active at night. If they have built a nest in your home then you are most likely to hear them at night, either chewing, running or scratching. Mice like warm environments such as lofts, inside wall cavities and laundry rooms - especially during the colder months as they look for a comfortable place to build a nest. So, if you hear noises in one of these areas it could be a sign of mice.

You find a nest

Rodents like to make their nests out of shredded materials such as paper, fabric and cardboard, so if you have have piles of these running around it may be hijacked by mice! They want to be as cosy as possible to protect their babies, and these materials are perfect. If you come across a nest you should never remove it yourself, always call a professional pest control service who can take care of things the right way.

Here at Apest Control, based in South Wales, we provide a range of pest control services including mice, squirrel, bed bug and bee removal and prevention. Make your home safe today, by getting in touch and finding out how we can help.