Our Pest Control Services
In our experience no two jobs are the same due to factors such as severity of infestation, location of pest, entrance points and length of time in location. We therefore treat each job individually and in order to solve the problems we may need to use a number of techniques and therefore a number of visits and thusly do not have a minimum pricing structure.
We will be able to advise the most high impact, efficient solution for eradication of whichever pest is present. Within our catchment area we typically find the following pests, however, if the pest is not listed or if you have are having trouble understanding which pest is present, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you and work out an effective solution to your pest problems!
Rats
Mice
Bed Bugs
Cockroaches
Wasps
Ticks
Fleas
Others
Why Relant Pest?
Adaptable:
In order to solve pest issues we use a number of chemical/non chemical methods depending on the circumstances, are responsive and work around timings that suit you.
Determined:
For stubborn problems we utilise motion sensor cameras on site in order to gain a better understanding of where the pests are coming from and how to eradicate.
Connected:
We work with a number of well established organisations including industry experts who are on hand to provide additional support if required.
Discreet:
We understand that our some of our clients value discretion. All of our vehicles are unmarked and unbranded to ensure the privacy of our clients.
Common Pests
Rodents
Rats
Rats found in the UK are the brown Norway rat as opposed to the black rat (responsible for the plague!). There are a number of ways in which you would know that there is a rat in your property:- Visable Sighting
- Droppings: Dark in colour and thick pellet shaped
- Evidence of Knawing
- Heard scurrying/scratching in the attic or under floorboards
Mice
Mice can be quite wily so it may not always be obvious that you have an issue. They are much smaller than rats and are characterised by their smaller eyes and big ears (in proportion to their body). They also like to eat in smaller quantities so will keep coming back for food.
Mice, like rats, do not have very good eyesight so typically navigate by using walls. You will therefore sometimes find a streak against walls which disappears.
Tell-tale signs of mouse activity are:
- Visible Sightings
- Droppings: Very thin black pellets
- Evidence of Gnawing: Usually into smaller gaps.
- Audible Scurrying Noises
In order to help prevention do not help feed mice indirectly so maintain good hygiene. Good practise is to vacuum floors paying particular attention to under sofas cupboards daily. What may seem like a small crumb on the floor could be a meal for a small mouse! If you have any foods in cupboards on shelves, then try to keep them in sealed boxes so mice will cannot pick at them.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are small red/brown insects which typically (not exclusively) live in bedrooms feeding on human blood but can also feed on cats and dogs, when asleep. Bed bugs can also travel to other pieces of furniture you or pets regularly sleep on.
They typically hide in crevices in beds, skirting boards, cracks in walls, frames, producing around 200 eggs around every 4-5 days! Their bite my cause some irritation but they are generally not disease carrying. You may find that one person in your family feels the itching from the bite but the other doesn’t even though you have both been bit.
If you manage to find a bed bug you will be able to identify it by its semi-hard scaly body which is typically brown but can go red when fed. You will know it’s an active bed bug because if you squeeze it blood will escape so try to avoid this.
Elimination:
Bed Bugs are considered a nuisance pest due to the fact they can survive months without a host or food source and can be difficult to eliminate. Successful elimination will depend on the support below.
In terms of elimination of bed bugs if you call a pest controller then there is some support required from yourselves before the pest controller arrives. This will include tasks such as washing bedding/clothing (throwing away any heavily marked items), turning the heaters on before a treatment and making sure that any items in cupboards are bagged and sealed. Beds and mattresses should be separated so that the controller can ensure that all areas the bed bug may residing are treated. This will allow the pest controller to cover the room thoroughly – this is important given the small size of the bed bugs and their ability to fit into tiny cracks. More detailed instructions will be provided before arrival.
Signs of Bed Bugs Include:
Crawling On Furniture
Red/Black Spotting on Furniture Seams
Itching/Red Spots
Dead Bugs
Cockroaches
In the UK there are 2-3 main species of cockroaches which are typically the German and Oriental. The German cockroach is a yellow tanned brown colour with 2 black stripes on its head with a long antenna typically 12-15mm in length. You will be able to identify cockroaches by visual identification typically but not exclusively at night when they usually appear. They like hot/humid conditions, typically being found in kitchens, bathrooms and stores. They will hide in dark crevices ssuch as under work surfaces, in electrical equipment and cupboards. They can climb well and move within a range of less than 5 metres. They are very adaptable so can eat a variety of foods including human waste!
If you have cockroaches you need to be proactive as they can multiply quickly but can also spread disease such as salmonella, e-coli and other viruses. A female cockroach can release 30-40 nymphs at hatching so you could have a big problem very quickly especially when a female only needs 2- 4 weeks before her egg case hatches.
Elimination:
If you handle food for sale as a business, eradication is extremely important as you have a legal obligation to eradicate pests due to the risk to the public. Cockroaches can feed on unsanitary waste and then quickly start causing contamination issues by walking on furniture, preparation surfaces and cutlery.
You should use a professional pest controller due to the types of pest control remedies we are trained to use. Off the supermarket shelf sprays will eliminate on sight but do anything to the ones you cannot see! We would use a bait that won’t just eliminate on sight but a solution which they take back and spread to other cockroaches. Due to the nature of the places they hide we could also use a dust or spray that could reach deep voids. We also use specialised detectors which would tell if the problem is still there and as well as the age of the cockroaches caught in order to tell what stage of the lifecycle they are in. It could typically take 2-3 visits for total elimination.
Wasps
Wasps are seasonal pests found typically in the summer. They are usually found indoors in places like roofs or sheds but can be found in other places. The typical lifecycle of a wasp is the queen will hibernate in the winter, in the spring the queen will start a new nest which is developed by summer and then by Autumn the old queen and other wasps will die – only for the cycle to start again with a new queen! Although they would only last one season, they may produce 10,000 wasps in one summer!
Typically, a wasp’s nest is roughly the size of a beach ball but can be larger and ease of eradication can vary dependant on the size of nest, the species of wasp and location of the nest. For example, tree wasps can be tougher to deal with as we have to contend with weather conditions and potentially excessive heights.
Elimination:
Wasps can be a nuisance, may sting if they come in contact with you, contaminate food and also damage fruit. Due to the stings, the number of wasps and the typical inaccessibility of the nest, it is a good idea to call a pest controller rather than try to eliminate for yourself.