This can sound alarming, however luckily there are several measures you can take as you begin your spring cleaning, to protect your home from potential pest invasions.

1. Keep Your Home Clean

The tidier your home the less likely it is to be subject to unwanted visitors. Insects and rodents thrive among dirt and clutter. By keeping your home clean and clearing out any clutter lying around there are less places for pests to hide and live.

2. Minimise Moisture

Often the spring season is accompanied by rain, with anything from April showers, to sleet and even snow. If you have leaky pipes moisture will often gather on your pipes. If you have a clogged drain, water will often pool. This can attract the attention of many pests who are either looking for water to drink or are attracted to living in a damp environment. Whilst you can’t control the weather, by keeping your plumbing in good condition you can minimise the attractiveness of your home to pests.

3. Manage Food Waste

When hungry pests go looking for food in spring there is often very limited sources to choose from, which is why they often turn to human rubbish. If you have an overflowing dustbin or haven’t cleared away properly you can almost certainly expect to see some pests in or around your home.

4. Inspect Your Home

After a harsh winter your home can be damaged. Changes in temperature can cause cracks to arise in your homes’ exterior and chips and small holes to appear. Whilst these often tiny holes may not seem a big deal, many pests such as mice and rats can enter you home through the smallest of gaps, even those that are only 1cm big.

5. Contact The Professionals

If you are in any doubt about if your home is pest proof, or if you suspect you might have pests living in your home, the best thing you can do is contact the professionals. Our professionals at Holgate’s Pest Control are highly experienced in pest control and can offer non-damaging pest removal and aftercare advice.

Get in touch today for more information.

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Infestations can come from a number of insects, rodents or even birds, but the damaging effects are all the same and can not only be an inconvenience for you to deal with, but also potentially life threatening.

Some of the damaging effects of pests include:

Disease

Insects and rodents in particular, are common carriers of disease. Common diseases found to be carried by both include:

• Lyme disease – caused by bacteria carried by ticks. If you are bitten by a tick carrying the bacteria it then enters your bloodstream making you ill.
• Salmonella – often spread by rodents. Rodents can carry salmonella in their faeces which can then transfer to their fur or skin and spread. If you touch a contaminated surface there is then a risk the bacteria can be ingested.
• Hantavirus infections – a group of viruses spread by rodents in the same way as salmonella, but causes anything from mild flu-like symptoms too haemorrhagic diseases.
• Leptospirosis – also known as Weil’s disease and can be spread through the fur or skin of infected rodents.

Allergies

Another common problem pests bring is allergens into your home. Their shedding skin can pollute indoor air causing allergic reactions.

Insects such as wasps and bees also carry venom in their sting which can prove lethal if you are allergic.

House Damage

Pests can create structural damage in your home. Those such as mice and rats will often chew through electrical wires, causing short circuits and potentially house fires.

In addition to wires, if you have any wooden aspects to your home, pests such as termites can chew through the wood, creating structural damage.

Limiting Your Exposure To Pests

Luckily you can limit the damaging effects of pests.

Most pests enter your home through cracks and gaps around your windows or doors, particularly in the winter where many pests are seeking a warm place to shelter. By covering or sealing these openings, pests such as mice which can get in the smallest of gaps, can no longer enter your home.

If however you do suspect some pests may have made their way into your home it is vital that you contact experts, such as ours at Holgate’s Pest Control, straight away. The longer the infestation is left the greater the number of pests usually found and the harder the problem becomes to treat.

Our experts at Holgate’s Pest Control are highly trained and experienced in the art of dealing with pests; removing them from your home safely and doing so without causing damage. Holgate’s Pest Control also offers professional aftercare advice on how you can minimise the risk of any pests returning to the same place or another in your home.

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While many of us are thinking about getting the decorations out, the common debate may arise of do we get a real tree or a fake one? Although freshly cut evergreen trees can look beautiful and make your home smell great, they can also come with unfortunate extra stresses like pine needles all over the floor and thousands of pests living in the tree.

Common Christmas tree pests include:

• Aphids – feed on the sap of trees and resemble ticks and are often found on the lower branches of trees
• Spiders – looking to feed on smaller insects living in the tree
• Mites – resemble tiny red or brown dots and often cause premature needle drop
• Fly’s – cocoons containing fly’s often hatch due to the warmth of being indoors
• Praying mantises – walnut sized eggs may hatch from the warmth of being indoors and can contain up to 400 in each
• Beetles – will usually be red, brown or black and will usually be found in small holes in the tree trunk

A lot of these pests which have nests or lay eggs in common Christmas tree varieties, also may carry many parasites, which can spread diseases.

The good news is there are a number of ways you can reduce the likelihood of finding pests in your Christmas tree. Often many Christmas tree farms have mechanical tree shakers; these help to dislodge any potential inhabitants. Alternatively you can shake the tree yourself.

After shaking your tree it is important you let the tree sit for at least 24 hours before bringing it inside, this way any pests that are in the tree should leave to find food. At this point it is also important that you examine the tree for any visible nests or eggs; if you notice any you can prune the branches to remove them.

Unfortunately in some cases these steps alone may not be enough to prevent unwanted visitors from making their way into your home, where they may then breed or lay eggs. This can be a nightmare to deal with at the best of times, let alone around Christmas.

If you suspect you may have an infestation, luckily you do not have to attempt to deal with it yourself, instead you can contact Holgates Pest Control.

Our experts at Holgates Pest Control are trained and experienced in dealing with any kind of household pests and can offer expert advice to prevent any future return.

Leave your home in the capable hands of our pest control experts and relax and enjoy your Christmas.

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There are several reasons behind the increased rodent presence at this time of year, but it largely comes down to the change in seasons. During the summer rodents can source food from ripened crops and naturally occurring fruits, spending little energy on staying warm at night, and being able to seek shelter in vegetation. For this reason, the rodent population is usually at its highest by the end of summer.

As autumn begins the availability of naturally occurring food sources becomes limited and rodents begin to search closer to homes for food waste, often rummaging through bins for leftovers. Rats and mice will also begin to struggle to find shelter as the vegetation becomes sparse, resulting in them seeking shelter indoors in order to survive.

Unfortunately, rats and mice are able to use even the smallest of gaps to enter your home or business; mice can even get in through gaps as small as 1cm, making it a challenge to prevent. If you have an older home or building made of clay air brick and metal matrix, you are likely to be particularly susceptible to rodent infestation as it is easier for them to get into the wall cavity.  Once in the wall cavity rodents can then get almost anywhere in your house, finding food sources and breeding as they go.

This can be a great problem as rodents can spread many diseases such as:

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
• Leptospirosis
• Rat-bite fever
• Salmonellosis

If you suspect you may have a rodent infestation it is vital that you do not attempt to deal with the issue yourself and instead contact professionals for help and advice as soon as possible, as many of these diseases could be potentially fatal.

Professionals such as Holgate Pest Control are trained and experienced in dealing with rodent infestations and can quickly and safely deal with the issue. If left for too long rodent infestations can get quickly out of control making them harder to deal with.

Holgate Pest Control treats rodent infestations using a number of professional-grade methods including rodenticides, traps, and baits. Once the infestation has been removed, they can then offer you help and advice in preventing any future infestations.

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Not only are birds an immediate nuisance to those they effect, they can also cause complications in the long run. For example the issue of nesting can not only cause clogged drains and flues, but it can also make an insect infestation more likely in the long term; leading to potential health and safety hazards and noise. In addition to this they also create aesthetically unpleasing droppings which carry over 50 diseases such as E. coli and Salmonella that can cause damage to buildings, masonry, and pipes due to the acidity.

There are numerous methods of eradicating pests and preventing future infestations, however common methods of bird control include:

• Bird netting
• Bird spikes
• Non-toxic bird gel
• Falconry response
• Egg and nest removal

There are many common misconceptions surrounding pest bird species and their removal. Under the General License and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, many common pest bird species including: feral pigeons, seagulls, starlings and house sparrow birds, are protected and in fact cannot be dealt with without a good reason and authorisation.

The complex legislative nature of bird control and risk of a £5000 fine or six months in prison means that if you are subject to problems caused by birds, it is vital you do not attempt to deal with the issues at hand yourself. Instead seek the help of a professional such as Holgate Pest Control Services who are experienced in dealing with bird control, not only the removal and moving on of many different bird species but also the prevention of any future infestations.

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As mentioned in our previous blog post, one of the biggest threats many closed businesses face the possibility of serious pest infection, as people begin to come out of lockdown health and safety is highly important. Giving people the confidence to shop again as well as business owners.

As pests have thrived of lockdown conditions, businesses need to be proactive in checking for signs of infestation. By doing this it helps to make sure all health and safety regulations are met and that customers feel that they’ll be safe from operating.

By not regularly checking for signs of infestation it will come with risks for the public health, staff, and clients’ health. It’s imperative to take pest control seriously. By not taking this seriously, it can impact the health of people around the infestation and possible legal action.

The BPCA has conducted an intensive ‘become pest ready’ guideline that can help you to make sure that you are protecting yourself and your business.

Our top tips taken from this guide to help make sure that pests are deterred include:

• Keeping bin lids sealed properly – even small gaps give easy access to pests
• Where it is possible, keep bins away from the windows and doors – out of sunlight if possible
• Keep only food waste and general waste in the correct areas
• Try not to leave leftover food lying around and make sure food is regularly cleared up or disposed of
• Conduct a pest control investigation to see if any pests have made their way in whilst the place has been unoccupied

Our simple checklist of tasks should be done to help make sure your business is pest free and ready to reopen. Remember if you’re ever concerned about your business through these strange times to check the government’s website.

If you are in need of our pest control services, then please get in touch.

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Pests are not only a nuisance but can also cause health issues, by consuming our food and contaminating the indoor environment. Many different pests have the ability to transfer diseases causing pathogens and possibly cause food poisoning. Cockroaches are known for being able to trigger asthma attacks, as when we inhale air it can be contaminated with exoskeletons and feces.

So before we visit there are some things that you can do to help us out! These include:

1. Make sure your home is clean and tidy, helping for the pest to be drawn to the methods that we choose to use.
2. Keep your work surfaces clear from foods, dishes, and any small appliances, if you do have food out cover this and store it.
3. If you have a small child in the house – cover or put away any of their toys, crib mattresses. If you think anything has been infected then you can have a dry cleaning company help with removing any contamination.
4. Mop and scrub the kitchen and any other surfaces with antibacterial spray.
5. Always vacuum the carpets, however, if you have seen any cockroach eggs before your pest control visit remember to just vacuum them up and dispose of them correctly. If this is the case inform your pest control professional when they visit.
6. Make sure there is not any rubbish left inside the house, dispose of it correctly before the pest control visit. This is extremely important if you have any food wastage around.
7. Help your pest control professional out and keep any movable appliances such as your fridge or oven (if possible) away from the wall. Make sure to clean around and beneath the gap and wall. Make sure there are not any items lying on top of these appliances. Only carry out this if you’re able to – do not put yourself at risk.
8. Give your pest control professional easy access to your house especially areas that could be infected with pests.
9. Any excess paper or other rubbish left in your home needs to be discarded properly and effectively. These areas are prime spots for cockroaches to hide in. This will also help your pest control professional to get to the root of the problem quickly and easily.
10. Remember to seal any leaks in the water supply of your home, as this is also where pests will hide.

Always follow the advice given to you by your pest control professional this will help to eliminate the problem from returning. By making sure you carry out the right preparation it will help the pest control professional.

If you are having a bed bug pest control problem remember to remove all beddings from the mattress and box spring in all bedrooms. Wash all bed linens on the hottest temperature possible on your washing machine, and remove all personal items. Local dry cleaning companies also offer a similar service to help assist with the removal of bed bugs from your

Holgate Pest Control Services is able to offer great aftercare advice for your problems!

Always get in touch if you are experiencing any pest control issues. Never carry any pest extrication yourself as this can cause more problems.

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Bees can cause issues as they begin to immerge from hibernation and if left unchecked can create more issues. The issues bees create an effect on both residential and commercial properties. It’s important that any bee issues that are uncovered are looked into by a professional and no DIY jobs are undertaken.

Bee pest control needs to be managed correctly and effectively, bee extraction usually causes no issues meaning your home will be back to usual in no time.

If you watch the news you might have noticed the rapid decline in the bee’s population and have begun to become endangered. When Holgate Pest Control Services carry out a bee infestation consultation and treatment we will always offer complete peace of mind. If possible we will attempt to relocate the bee’s nest once removed where possible. This will only happen if there is another location and will not cause any unnecessary stress to the bee’s nest.

A bee’s nest can also be closed off through a combination of different substances such a pesticide and materials. This will prevent the bees from returning back to their nest in the warmer months. However, it should be worth reminding that this form of removal is limited depending on the species of bees. This will be discussed in the consultation when we visit, if the bee’s species is endangered then another removal process will take place. A risk assessment will be carried out before any work is carried out.

As the bees begin to gain more of an endangered title within the UK it is highly important to make sure that all removal processes are discussed prior. A professional pest control company is highly skilled to make sure that the process is carried out correctly.

Holgate Pest Control is ethical and trustworthy. Therefore, it is critical that no pest control service is not done by a professional as this could risk injury.

Across the UK there are several different types of bees:

Bumblebees

• The largest species found in the UK, furrier, and rounder than a smaller species of bee and have more of a distinctive sound.
• Queen Bumblebees can be spotted in the early spring often flying close to the ground to hunt for a new location for their new nest.
• Nests are able to hold hundreds of bees and are often found in the openings in the ground or in buildings. This can often lead to structural problems.

Tree Bees

• A newer species of Bee within the UK, commonly flying near trees.
• Often located in bird boxes or living in trees

Masonry Bees

• This type of bee is often flying alone and you will never see them in large numbers
• They can be found in small openings in the ground or buildings
• Burrowing away into building walls at bricks and homes to build deeper nests able to cause more problems to buildings

Honey Bees

• The most recognizable species of Bee in the UK, the smallest and least likely to cause any issues
• They are however known for swarming in a nesting area and located in building roofs and other cavities which can cause an inconvenience to a commercial or residential property.

If you are starting to experience an issue with bee infestation then please get in contact. As a trusted and reliable pest control service we are able to help remove any bee’s nest and give you the best advice to prevent the problem from coming back.

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Wasps are a very misunderstood pest. With many unknown facts about wasps and how to remain calm around them.

• Wasps’ nests can home up to 10,000 wasps and there is always one queen wasps who acts as the leader of the nest
• Wasps survive by feeding off other smaller insects and help keep the eco-system going
• Wasps stings contain protein and can cause some people to have an allergic reaction if stung.
• When dead the Wasp’s sting does not die with it, and therefore can still sting you. Make sure you’re careful when dealing with a wasp alive or dead.
• Wasps do not swarm unlike bees or hornets

A colony of wasps lives together in their thousands. Many people believe that a wasps’ nest is not problematic. However, when located near a building it needs to be dealt with fast as this can quickly become a problem.

It is not uncommon to find wasps underground or in a confined space. Wasps will choose to build their nests in large cracks either in the ground or in a building wall. Once a wasp chooses an area to make it their home it can be hard to get rid of it.

Nests are made from a combination of wasps’ saliva, other bodily fluids as well as material scavenged such as wood leaves and other organic materials. Wasps’ nests are often referred to as papier-mâché like consistency when looking for a wasps nest.

Wasps will lay their eggs in cells within their nests. Similar to how Bee’s lay their nests, often thousands of eggs are laid at once. The larvae are kept within the cells and fed by the worker wasps until they are fully mature.

Although, in the warmer months you might see a lot of flying insects spotting a wasp’s nest can be very easy. If you believe you have a wasps nest in your property it is vital to not attempt any removal yourself and bring in the professionals. The wasps’ nest will be swarm together and have a loud noise during your attention to them very quickly.

If you do believe there is a wasp’s nest in your home or near you. Do not approach them or threaten the wasps in the wrong way. It is important to call the professionals. Holgate Pest Control Services are trained in dealing with this. We will remove the wasps’ nest carefully and safely without the need to cause anyone harm. We also over aftercare advice that can help to prevent the return of a wasp’s nest and how to minimise any damage.

Our number one tip is to trust the professionals and do not ever attempt any wasps nest removal yourself!

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