Pesky Pests & How to deal with them
As the weather starts to warm up, the eco system starts to come alive. Bees, ants, wasps, rats, mice and other animals start to appear. Tenancy agreements often include a clause which relates to who is responsible for the treatment of pests, the landlord or the tenant. And pest control is something that needs to be taken seriously because insects, rodents and birds can easily contaminate food and work surfaces with potential pathogens that spread disease. Parasites carried by pest species can also be passed on to humans causing illness and stress.
The provision of pest management and control services is an area which is often overlooked, however, inadequate pest control can often have catastrophic effects if not properly dealt with. . The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) promotes the highest standards of professionalism and provides a range of leaflets and information which makes navigating dealing with pests much more straightforward.
The BCPA will provide guidance on a variety of issues ranging from ants and bed bugs to the obvious, mice and rats. It is important to ensure that a much information as possible has been gathered from a tenant to ascertain where the responsibility for dealign with the pest in question lies. Remember to check whether there are structural issues which allow pests much easier access to the property.
Please Bee Aware
Not always considered by many as a pest in the same category as mice and rats, bees can create fear because it is possible to be on the receiving end of a nasty sting. There are over 250 types of bees in the UK but there is only one European honey bee (Apis mellifera); The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) is a registered charity and can assist with providing guidance on the most effective bee-friendly method to have bees properly removed. So incredibly important are these fluffy insects, central government departments such as DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) has a National Pollinator Strategy, setting out a 10 year plan to help pollinating insects survive and thrive.