Every warm-blooded animal seems to have its own species of flea. Most restrict themselves to their host species. The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is less fussy and is the most common flea infesting our homes and biting us.
While they can breed all year round, problems peak in late autumn. Fleas are usually picked up by cats (and dogs) outdoors. Having had a blood feed, they leave the host to breed. The eggs are laid in the pet's bedding or nearby carpets and soft furnishings where the animal has been. The larvae live off the host, feeding mainly on the blood-rich faeces of the adult fleas. After two to three weeks they pupate.
The adult flea does not emerge immediately but can stay dormant for up to a year. Emergence is initiated by vibrations that indicate the presence of a possible host. This explains why, the moment you walk through the door after a holiday, you may be set upon by hordes of fleas.
Prevention:
- Your vet can give your pets an injection that offers control.
- Flea collars are effective with cats, especially during the summer months.
- Vacuum and wash pet bedding regularly.
Control:
- Wash your pet's bedding at a high temperature -this will kill all stages of the flea.
- Vacuum carpets and soft furnishings thoroughly, concentrating on the edges and close to radiators (dispose of bag contents).
- Your vet can advise on products for treating your pet, but always follow the instructions carefully.
- Careful insecticide treatment of floors and carpets.
They appear in domestic situations infesting carpets, clothes, animal furs and animal skins and are often associated with bird nesting activities in eaves and roof spaces and in debris from sealed off fireplaces.
Bare patches appearing in carpet or small holes appearing in fabrics may indicate the presence of carpet beetles. On closer inspection the larvae or 'woolly bears', as they are commonly called, may be seen.
Prevention:
- All roof voids etc. should be kept free of bird's nests.
- All fireplaces, where sealed, should have a removable vent to allow the clearing out of debris.
- Clothing should be cleaned before long-term storage.
- The vacuum cleaner is the surest and safest 'pesticide'.
Control:
- Heavily infested materials should be removed and destroyed.
- Clean infested areas thoroughly using a nozzle vacuum cleaner, concentrating on removing debris and larvae from cracks and crevices.
- Residual dusts and sprays can be used, but test on small areas first.
Cockroaches have been around for more than 350 million years.
In the UK, German and Oriental Cockroaches are the most common. They are of public health importance because they can transmit harmful bacteria and/or cause allergic reactions. Once cockroaches become established, they are prolific breeders capable of producing several thousand offspring in a year.
Cockroach infestations in institutions and commercial food businesses is taken very seriously by the Environmental Health service. If you have any concerns, please contact this service who will be able to give advice.
Prevention:
- Cockroaches prefer to live where there is food, warmth and moisture. Since cockroaches flourish where food and moisture are readily available, sanitation is an important step in prevention and control. Empty soft drink bottles, and cardboard boxes and paper bags should not be allowed to accumulate.
- Food containers should be sealed and any crumbs or spillage cleaned up. Work surfaces should be kept clean.
- Cracked tiles and works surfaces should be replaced and kept in good condition.
- Cockroaches will normally be found in warm dark places. Give away signs may be droppings (small dark specks), egg cases, etc.
Control:
If you have or believe you may have a cockroach infestation we recommend that you seek immediate professional advice/treatment, as once established, they can be difficult to eradicate.
Psocids (pronounced sockids) are tiny grey/brown insects found in dry foods such as flour, cereal products or sugar which has been opened and left in a cupboard for some time. They are sometimes found in books. They do not occur as a result of dirty houses but breed in warm humid places. Kitchen cupboards provide ideal conditions to thrive in.
Prevention:
- Keep dry foods in airtight containers.
- Reduce humidity in the kitchen by opening windows.
- Clean cupboards regularly, ensuring they are free from debris.
- Throw away out of date food products.
- Vacuuming cupboards can be beneficial, but remember to empty the bag into an outside bin.
Control:
- Do not use insecticides as this may contaminate food.
- Remove contaminated food into an outside bin and thoroughly clean cupboards.
- If you are unsure if food has been contaminated, freezing food for a couple of days will kill remaining insects or eggs.
- Remove labels from containers, as psocids may be hiding beneath.
- Cookery books can be placed into bags and put into the deep freezer to kill remaining psocids.
Black or Garden Ant:
These are most commonly seen in homes. They live in the ground, under rocks, and they will often penetrate under the house itself. If in the home, they will be attracted to any food, particularly sweet substances. Once they have found a food source, they will alert the rest of the colony. They are generally harmless, but can be a nuisance. At certain times of the year, when conditions are right, nests will release flying ants in large numbers. Normally this will settle down within 2 days.
Red or Pharoah Ant:
These are much smaller than the black ants and are yellowish-red. The preferred location of nests are normally located in sheltered, warm locations, but sometimes form soil mounds in the garden. They are omnivorous and can visit any food sources, including carrion.
They can carry disease, but are unlikely to cause problems in domestic situations. They sometimes cause problems in hospital and sterile environments, where they gain access and cause contamination.
Control:
- There are a variety of commercial products available for the treatment of ants.
- The easiest way to treat an indoor swarm of flying ants is to open the windows and allow them to escape.
Woodlice are small grey segregated creatures. They are crustaceans which breathe through gills, and do not have a waxy cuticle like insects. They are quickly killed by drying out in a domestic property. They usually frequent dark, damp places under woodpiles or decaying mortar joints.
Prevention:
- Keep outer wall perimeters clear from bricks or logs stacked against walls.
- Loose or decaying mortar should be removed and made good.
- Overgrown or blocked air vents should be cleared.
Control:
- Cleaning the area.
- Insecticidal barriers of a residual dust or spray can help.
Though harmless, they cause a nuisance in large numbers and can invade packets of dried foods, which have been stored in damp cupboards, or chew paper products.
Control:
- A crawling insect insecticide aerosol sprayed in areas where the insects are sighted, paying attention to cracks and crevices where they may rest during the day.
- Remove food debris from surfaces.
Ground beetles are mostly beneficial and an important source of natural control in gardens and agriculture. They feed on a variety of pests such as aphids, weevils, chafer grubs and many fly pests, as well as slugs and snails. Although mostly found in the garden, they can sometimes stray indoors, but do not present a hazard.
They are mainly black in colour and 12-18mm long.
