Common Rat

Rats reach sexual maturity in 2-5 months. Pregnancy lasts an average of 23 days. Average number of litters per year is 3-6 each containing 7-8 young rats. One healthy breeding pair can produce over 2000 offspring in one year. They require about 25g of food per day (approx. 10% of body weight) and 25ml of water each day. They can carry many  diseases including, Marine typhus via fleas, Weils disease, Salmonellosis via their droppings which is between 30-180 per day and 16cc of urine everyday.

 Rats normally nest outdoors but do nest indoors in cellars and lower portions of the building although they will infest attics and roofs if it's possible. An entry point the size of a golf ball is that is required for rats to gain entry to the premises. They will eat practically anything from meat, fish, cereals and even there own dead. If they dislike a food they will quickly develop food shyness. They also need a non-food source for liquid. They will travel between 30-47mts from their harborage for food  and/or water. They will gnaw anything to get to a food source and water source even plastic and lead pipes. Rats teeth will  continue to grow throughout there lifespan, therefore they need to gnaw and chew continuously to maintain correct growth of their incisor teeth, for this reason alone the damage that they can cause to a building or structure is unlimited.

Power Pest control Kingston Treatment: The treatment for rats can vary depending on the level of infestation and the location of the infested area. Generally rats are baited with a rodenticide, instant kill traps or glue boards etc.

 All rat treatments will require a minimum of 2 visits carried out Power Pest Control Kingston-Upon-Thames 1 – 2 weeks apart with additional visits if needed. It is important to try and locate how the rats are entering a property and proof these access point to minimize future re-infestation.

Mice!

Common Name: House Mouse Scientific Name: Mus domesticus Size 6.5-9cm Tail 7-10.2cm  

Biology: The house mouse is a prolific breeder, they reach sexual maturity within 35 days. Pregnancy lasts an average of 19 days. There are about 8 litters a year with an average of 6 young per litter. A mouse requires about 3gr of food per day and 1.5ml of water although this can be extracted from the food they eat.  Mice carry disease the worst being Salmonella via their droppings of which on average is 50 per day. Over a 6-month period a pair of mice will eat about 1.8kg of food, produce 18.000 droppings, and 355ml of urine.

Habits: Their proffered nesting sites are dark secluded places where there is little chance of being disturbed. They require an opening as little as only 4-6mm to gain entry to a property. They eat many kinds of food but prefer seeds, they will always try new foods.

Power Pest control Kingston Treatment: The treatment for mice can vary depending on the level of infestation and the location of the infested area. Generally mice are baited with a rodenticide, instant kill traps or glue boards etc.

 All mouse treatments will require a minimum of 2 visits carried out by Power Pest control Kingston Upon Thames  1 – 2 weeks apart with additional visits if needed. It is important to try and locate how the mice are entering a property and proof all obvious access points to minimize future re- infestation, although this can be difficult due to the small amount of room they need to squeeze through.

Bed Bugs

Female bed bugs lay 1-5 eggs per day with the white eggs being deposited individually in cracks or on rough surfaces and secured with a transparent cement for an average total of 200 eggs.

With normal feeding and reproductive cycles individuals can live up to 316 days. A tell tale sign of an infestation of bed bugs is red/brown coloured blood spots on walls and furniture, a blood dot and a trail-smear will be visible, this is known as spotting.

Bed bugs preferred harbourage points are in cracks and crevices during the day and come out to feed at night. Typically they can be found around mattress buttons and beading, in bed springs or  coverings, and in any crevice of a wooden bed frame. Other places to look are picture frames, stuffed furniture, floorboard cracks, behind lose wall paper and door and window frames

Power Pest Control Kingston Treatment: Given the nature of these biting insects, multiple treatments can be required for the eradication of a current infestation and in some badly infested properties it is advised that bedding, mattresses and the bed itself be removed and disposed of to eliminate a high percentage of un-hatched eggs. The treatment itself consists of a full insecticidal spray to all obvious harbourage points used by bed bugs and in most cases we will also use a powdered insecticide for all electrical points and switches etc. At Power Pest Control Kingston Upon Thames we use the most up to date insecticides for bed bugs as they have been showing levels of resistance to some commonly used products.

Wasp Nest Removal

Wasp nest sizes reach their peak in late summer, August and September, but it is better to tackle them early before the nest size is too big, especially as towards the end of the summer wasps often become aggressive when consuming sweet materials. Power pest control Kingston provide fast effective removal of wasp nest by applying an insecticidal dust to the nest, around and into the entrance.

Treatment for Insect Stings - Good advice from Power pest control Kingston upon Thames

Most insect stings in a non-allergic person require no more than mild first aid. If stung by a bee remove the sting by gently scraping the skin immediately (in the direction of the venom sac).

Apply ice to the sting and consider taking an antihistamine or local anaesthetic cream, available from your pharmacist. If it has been more than 10 years since your last tetanus, get a booster within the next few days.

Most stings require no additional medical care. More serious allergic reactions may need immediate medical care. You should go directly to your nearest Hospital with A & E