Advice
Pest control advice
Plain answers on pests in homes and businesses: how to tell what you have, what you can do yourself, the law in brief, and when it is time to call someone.
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Natural pest control at home: an honest UK guide
What natural pest control can honestly do at home: proofing, hygiene and removing food and shelter, which remedies fail, and when to call someone.
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How to choose a pest controller: questions to ask
The questions to ask before you book a pest controller: site visits, quotes, insurance, waste carriers, the law on birds and bats, and follow-up.
The pest year in Hampshire
What tends to turn up, season by season. Every year is a little different, and a mild winter or a warm spring moves things along.
Winter December to February
Mice and rats move indoors for warmth and food. Molehills appear on lawns and paddocks. Pigeons can breed all year. It is a good time to proof roofs before the gulls come back to nest.
Spring March to May
Wasp queens wake and start new nests, small enough to spot early. Gulls pick their nest sites on roofs along the coast. Ants appear in kitchens. Remember that nests are protected by law whenever they are in use.
Summer June to August
Wasp nests reach full size. Flying ants come out on warm, humid days. Gull chicks are on the roofs and the adults defend them. Fleas are at their most active in the warm weather.
Autumn September to November
Wasps slow down and the nests die off. Cluster flies gather in lofts and around windows. As the nights get colder, mice, rats and grey squirrels look for a way in.