It’s obviously important to look after your children while using pest control solutions in your home. What about your pets though? Some people don’t even think about the risks, and others just forget to take precautions.

While most household pest control methods are safe to use around pets, some issues should be taken into consideration.

Dogs and cats – who are very inquisitive and explore with their noses – can easily ingest, absorb or inhale something they shouldn’t. That’s why it is important to have the right pest control safety measures in place.

Talk to the Experts About Pest Control Safety

If you are hiring a professional pest control team to solve the problem of your unwanted guests, talk to them beforehand. Let them know you have pets, what kind, and how many. This will help them to plan out their pest removal strategy. And  give them time to implement a pet-friendly option. They will also give you advice on the best pest control safety actions you can take to protect your pets.

Remove Pets Before Treatment

It’s always a good idea to be safe rather than sorry.  So, remove all pets from the area your pest control professional is going to use chemicals or poisons.

Make sure to include caged animals like birds, hamsters and anything else that could inhale fumes.

Pets are often a law unto themselves. So you need to be vigilant. It might even mean taking them to stay with a neighbour or at a relative’s house until treatment is completed.

Be Careful with Placement and Poisons

When using baits and poisons for rodents or insects, always put them somewhere away from prying eyes, noses and tongues. Obviously, you want to place traps and bait so they will be most effective at capturing or killing the pests. But not anywhere that might put your pets in harms way.

Another important step is to dispose of dead pests correctly. If your dog or cat gets hold of the carcass of a poisoned rat or other creature, and eats it, your pet will be ingesting the poison too.  The consequences can be serious or even fatal.

Always Read Labels and Instructions

If you are going to take care of your own pest control and removal, don’t just go at it gung-ho. Take the time to read the labels and instructions fully. There is normally a section devoted to the pest control safety necessary for households with children and/or pets.

Pests can have a devastating effect on a business, which is why you must act fast when you notice any of the signs of an infestation.

Better still, a professional pest control contract can include pest proofing to help prevent them in the first place.

While a professional pest control company will be able to eradicate business premises pests, there will still be a chance of re-infestation. That’s one of the reasons why many business owners are investing in a pest control contract rather than paying for a series of one-off treatments.

If you are unsure whether you could benefit from a pest control contract or not, this post is for you. We are going to look at 8 good reasons to sign up for a contract with your pest control company.

Pest Control Contract Benefits

It’s cost effective

Rather than paying out every few months for treating large, more extensive infestations, with a contract, you benefit from help when you need it.

A member of the team will be sent out to appropriately handle the job at the first signs of trouble. Saving you a lot of money in the process.

Regular maintenance

With the support of a contracted pest control expert, you will get regular advice regarding any maintenance and repairs you should carry out. This will further help to prevent problems with pests.

Maintained surveillance

Pest control is often an ongoing necessity in the workplace. Especially in businesses and service areas that are particularly rife with rodents, insects or some other threat. With a pest control contract, you get the benefit of around the clock monitoring.

Catch the early signs of infestations

When you have contracted pest control work, you are in regular contact with experts.

This means that you are better positioned to identify infestations before they become a major problem.

Regularly updated procedures

With a contract, you will also benefit from regular consultations with pest control experts. They will assess how well the control methods are working, and then fine-tune or change them as required.

Good for business

It may not seem the case, but, by having a robust contract in place for handling all your pest needs, you’ll improve confidence in your business. If your customers and clients know pest control is something you take seriously, they are more likely to continue doing business with you.

Continuous Help and Support

When you opt for a contract with a professional and experienced company like Diamond Pest Control, you benefit from our continual help and support. We are at your service, day or night, 24 hours a day.

Technology is important to our lives in so many different areas, from communication and entertainment, to how we control things like heating and security in our homes and businesses.

It makes sense that even in the world of pest control and extermination, innovative technology will be used.

There are many tried and tested methods and techniques available to deal with pests in the conventional way. However, cutting edge pest control technology has helped to improve the effectiveness of combatting pests even more.

In the following post, we are going to highlight some noteworthy innovations in pest control.

Electronic and Intelligent Bait Stations for Rodents

No one is going to argue with the effectiveness of old school bait stations. However, because they use poison, the more traditional rodent trap poses a threat to protected species of birds and other wildlife. If these birds and animals catch a rodent that had ingested poison, it will kill them too. The strict rules about protecting falcons, owls and kestrels, means the pest control industry has had to come up with an alternative.

That alternative came in the form of a cutting-edge pest control technology called the electronic bait station. They are powered by batteries. When rodents enter these stations and stand on the metallic plate, they form an electric circuit and are electrocuted. Not only are they safer for other wildlife, they are also more humane for the pests themselves, as death is almost instant.

Thermal Imaging Technology

Thermal imaging is incredibly useful. This technology is more a way of locating and identifying pest problems than directly solving them. Thermal detecting instruments pick up heat sources. And in this way, they can be used to find hidden infestations and nests – even through walls and other surfaces.

Because rodents love using cavity insulation for their nests, pest technicians can also use a thermal imaging device to spot areas where insulation has been removed. You can use them to detect all kinds of pests, including wasp nests in wall cavities and roofs.

Drone Pest Control Technology

Although they are often seen as either a dangerous problem for airlines or an expensive toy, drones are effectively used in the pest control sector. They are especially good to use when pest exterminators need to check harder to reach places. They can take a camera on board – or even a thermal imagining device. The pest removal specialist can then check out areas like roofs without having to climb. This reduces many issues surrounding safety. It allows the pest controller to assess the situation, and formulate a lasting and effective extermination plan.

Are you a keen gardener? Do you tend to grow a lot of your own fruit and vegetables, as well as pretty flowers and plants? Then you probably know there are many pests out there looking to undo all that hard work.

There are quite a few contenders for garden pest of the year prize, but which ones are generally the worst culprits?

Read on to find out more about 5 of the most badly behaved common garden pests.

Vine Weevils

Most people have seen vine weevils at some point, even if they don’t really know what they are. These little beetles love eating plants, and have a penchant for potted varieties. These insects are more common garden pests than you’d think. It’s often the case that weevil grubs will have already caused a lot of damage before the plants even start to bloom.

Snails and Slugs

We all know what slugs and snails look like. And even though they come in a variety of different sizes and colours, they all want the same thing in life. That is, they want to eat your plants.

Snails and slugs both consume a range of greenery. However, in UK gardens, they will particularly target Hostas, Clematis, Cabbage, Lettuce and Potato Tubers.

Aphids

Very small and incredibly annoying, aphids are known for their appetite for flowers, fruit and vegetables. They normally attack the stems, foliage and leaves. They coat the plant in a sticky residue, effectively bringing its growth to a standstill. They are often known by the more familiar names of blackfly and greenfly.

Box Tree Caterpillar

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of box tree caterpillars in London gardens. As a result, these are becoming more common garden pests. Obviously, as the name suggests, they target Buxus plants (commonly referred to as Box).

Keep an eye out for these crafty caterpillars. They have dazzling black stripes and measure around 4cm. You’ll find them underneath leaves where they cluster in white coloured and very fine webbing. They can cause your Box to suffer damaged foliage and cause them to die back.

One of the Most Common Garden Pests – Foxes

When we think of garden pests, our minds invariably go to insects. However, certain mammals are as much if not more of a pest than insects.

Although foxes are a marvel to behold in the wild. But, that’s not usually the case when they’re digging up your garden and flowerbeds, or rummaging through your bins. Let’s not even mention the smell they make when they mark territory. And they will answer the call of nature just about anywhere!

If you’ve discovered you have a pest problem in your property, you need to deal with it quickly. Hiring a professional pest company like Diamond is usually the best solution. But with so many companies around the London area, how do you know who to trust?

One way to find the right firm, is by asking the right pest control questions.

In the following post we suggest 8 of the most useful questions you can ask a pest control company to help you in your assessment…

What pest control questions are the best to ask?

• How long have you been in business? This is important to ask as it helps you to establish how much experience they have. It might not be best to trust your pest control needs to a brand new company.
• Do you have customer references? You should check what kind of experience previous customers have had. These are often on the company’s website, but don’t be afraid to ask. A company that is apprehensive about sharing previous customers’ feedback is suspicious.

• How much training do your exterminators receive? Pest control is always evolving. Therefore, it’s important to find a pest control agency that stays on top of the latest developments and ensures their staff receive regular training.
• Are you fully insured? It’s important that a pest control company has appropriate insurance coverage. You want to know they are covered for carrying out the work.
• Are your treatments safe for people and pets? Obviously, you want to get rid of the pests plaguing your property. However, you don’t want that at the expense of the wellbeing of the animals and people who live there.

• What aftercare do you supply? Pest control is not just about getting rid of pests, it’s about ensuring they don’t come back. You need to know you will be supported, even after work is completed.
• What is involved in the price? You need to know exactly what you are paying for with any proposed quote. And whether the cost is all inclusive or will entail further future payments.
• How do you identify the right treatments to use? You want to know the technicians know what they are doing and have a clear plan of action. Be cautious of any company who is vague about their methods.

Not all pests are gruesome and unattractive. Take the grey squirrel as an example. In the wild, squirrels are considered cute. Squirrels that have gained access to your home, on the other hand, are less appealing. The truth is, they tend to chew through just about anything.

If you’re trying to determine whether squirrels could be a problem in your own house, one of the questions you may be looking to answer is: “where do squirrels nest?“

In the following post, we’re going to discuss this and other habitat facts. We will also explore some important things you should know about having squirrels in your home.

So, Where Do Squirrels Nest?

Squirrels build nests called dreys. These are spherically-shaped, compact structures, and are a little bigger than a football. They are normally made from twigs that the squirrels have woven together, and feature a comfy lining made from fur, feathers, grass, leaves, moss and other soft materials.

Generally speaking, squirrels make their dreys inside holes in tree trunks or amongst tree branches. Sometimes though, if they manage to gain access to your roof space or loft, they are happy to set up home there too.

Highly Adaptable

Unlike red squirrels, grey squirrels do not hibernate. They are fully active for the whole year.  Since their introduction into the UK, they have managed to adapt well to living in Britain’s mixed array of broad-leaved woodlands. These areas provide them with a diverse and plentiful diet. Although they are vulnerable to foxes, their woodland habitats keep them well protected from most of their natural predators.

The simple answer to where do squirrels nest, is this. As well as parks and woodlands, they are also able to live on farms, and in urban residential areas.

Stubborn Residents

Once they’ve settled, squirrels are known to be very stubborn. Especially if they have a family of their own in the place they’ve chosen to nest. They don’t have the same fear of loud noises, flashing noises and scarecrows that other pests do, either. And because they have sharp incisors that can gnaw through everything. From frameworks and insulation to electrical cables, squirrels pose a really serious threat.

In fact, their incisors don’t ever stop growing, because they need them to maintain a healthy diet of seeds and nuts. You can clearly see why the danger posed by fire and flood risk, plus structural building damage, would be an ongoing problem if they take up residence.

Knowing where squirrels nest is vitally important. If they choose to make a home in your home, you need to deal with them as soon as you spot any signs them. If a squirrel and its family makes a home for itself in your property, it is incredibly hard to get rid of them without the help of an experienced pest control professional like Diamond. Luckily, our technicians are on call 24 hours a day to assist.

We all love the warmer weather and beautiful flowers that come during spring. One thing we are less keen on though, is the increase in insects. While insects in your garden on the outside of your home are annoying, when they enter your home, spring insects can become real pests.

Infestations are never fun to deal with. However, they can be avoided by carrying out some simple DIY jobs.

Try these DIY tasks first. If they don’t solve the problem of keeping insects out of your property, give us a call on 020 8889 1036 for further advice.

Fill and Repair Cracks – Small spring insects can use cracks and holes in your property to enter your home. So, by filling these in, you make it harder for them to get inside.

Keep Your Garden Clean and Tidy – Self-explanatory, but if you want to stop attracting excessive numbers of spring insects, keep your garden well-maintained, clean and tidy.

Door and Window Screens Designed to Stop Spring Insects – Again, self-explanatory, but you can prevent bugs – while keeping your home ventilated – by using window and door screens.

Protect the Foundations – The foundations of your property can also provide an easy entry point for bugs and insects. Ants, fleas and cockroaches thrive and breed in damp areas, so keep your foundations clear and as dry as possible.

Seal Doors – Seal any gaps around doors in your property to stop insects getting inside that way. Doors and window lose sealing power over time and can warp.

Encourage Natural Predators – An easy way to keep the number of insects you have down, is by encouraging their natural predators to live around your property. Many breeds of bird eat spring insects, so providing them with nesting boxes – and growing bushes and trees to make their nests – can help.

Takes Care of Rubbish Properly – Bins provide bugs and insects with a veritable feast to dine on. To stop attracting nasties, store and take care of rubbish properly. Only keep food waste in your kitchen bin, and empty it regularly.

Declutter Your Home – Insects always seem to find a way into your house. But you can stop them from getting comfortable by making your home as unappealing as possible. Get rid of clutter and keep water and food sources protected.

Cover Over Large Openings – Larger holes are harder to cover over than the small cracks and holes we mentioned earlier. If your house has a chimney for instance, you can’t fill it with sealant. However, you can use wire mesh that’s fine enough to stop many insects from entering.

Seal Holes for Pipework – Gaps around pipework installations are another great entry point for bugs. Seal them, and you eliminate that option.

Moths can be a real pest, and if you have them, we sympathise with you. Normally people will look to their wardrobes, given that household moths are often given the name clothes moths. And the damage they can cause to your clothing.

However, did you know that the place moths love breeding more than anywhere else is your carpets? That is why they are often referred to as carpet moths.

But what causes carpet moths and why do they attack your clothes and carpets? That’s what we’ll be discussing in this post.

Identifying Case-Bearing or Carpet Moths

Before we can discuss where they come from and what causes carpet moths, it’s worth looking at how you identify them. When dealing with any pest, it’s best to understand what kind of problem you have first, before anything else.

Carpet moths are easy to spot and generally have the following traits:

• Small with a mottled brown colour and black spots across their front wings
• Have a wingspan measuring between 9 and 16mm
• Both their hind and forewings have hairy fringes.
• The moth larvae leave its casing behind. Therefore, if you find small cases that look a bit similar to rice, this is a sign that you probably have carpet moths.

So, What Causes Carpet Moths?

The larvae of carpet moths eat the keratin proteins found in skin and hair. So, they have a strong attraction to fur, silk, wool and other high quality and natural materials. If you don’t have silk or wool carpets in your home, there’s still a chance you will get moths. This is because they will happily make a home in synthetic carpet fibres too.

Within the pile of a carpet or rug, they can hide their eggs – safely out of harm’s way. Once the eggs start to hatch, they turn into hungry larvae. And even if the larvae don’t eat the actual fibres, they will still eat any dirt that collects in them, such as food debris, hair, skin and other household dirt. These are all full of all the nutrients they need to grow.

They’re also partial to dirty clothes for similar reasons. These items will be covered in hair, skin and sweat, all rich in keratin.

Another contribution to what causes carpet moths is the climate. They prefer warm temperatures, so are more active during the summertime.

How Can You Prevent Carpet Moths?

The best remedy is obviously to not have carpets at all. However, if that’s not possible, cleaning and especially hoovering your carpet regularly and often can control carpet moths from becoming an infestation.

Keeping clothing freshly laundered before going back in the wardrobe is also a strategy. And using pheromone moth traps will go some way toward curbing the population.

Prevention is better than cure, so try the tips above. If it is already too late, give Diamond a call and we will come out promptly. We use the latest and most effective moth control techniques.

Pigeons are one of the most common pests in the UK. Even if you’re a bird lover, you probably don’t like pigeons flying around and causing problems. Being such a common nuisance, customers often ask us for suggestions on what kinds of pigeon deterrent devices are most effective. No one likes pigeon droppings on their car and around their home or business property. Plus, their endless cooing can be irritating to say the least.

Pigeon poo is more than just unattractive, corrosive to buildings and dangerously slippery…

Pigeon droppings also toxic too and can transmit a variety of diseases and pathogens. And did we mention that pigeons carry lice and mites too?

Different Types of Pigeon Deterrent Devices

Given how much of a pest pigeons are, how on earth do you get rid of them? You’ll be pleased to know that there are several different pigeon deterrent devices that you can use. Many are humane as well as easy to use. To help you find the option that’s right for you, we’re going to discuss some of the best available.

Bird Spikes

As you’re probably aware, pigeons like perching under eaves, on window ledges and on the roof. They also favour making nests in these locations.

One solution to preventing these activities is to use something to block them from landing and roosting. Spikes are ideal for this. Installing a series of pointy and long steel things on edges and ledges does not allow a pigeon get comfortable!

Ultrasonic Bird Repellent

An ultrasonic bird repellent features an infrared motion detector that lets out a harsh and high-frequency sound when a bird comes near. It’s as effective at frightening these flying pests as clanging pots and pans or spraying them with a water hose. In fact, it’s so alarming for them that it will eventually stop them coming back to the spot where device is placed.

Predator Statues

Scarecrow style deterrents work just as well on pigeons as they do crows. Pigeons really do not like coming across an owl or another predator like a falcon.

So, placing lifelike statues of these predatory birds can be very effective in frightening pigeons off and away from your property. While many of these pigeon deterrent statues are static, some types are electronic. Some even move and make noises, to add a touch of realism.

Bird Repellent Gel

Perhaps the most direct of all the pigeon deterrent devices and options is bird repellent gel. This can be applied to just about anywhere you know pigeons like to land. Don’t be alarmed though…it’s not in any way the same as glue traps. You won’t find pigeons trapped and stuck to it. The gel is a translucent substance has a repulsive (to pigeons) scent. If they do risk the stench and land, they’ll soon be put off by the sticky texture of the gel and the way it gets on their feet.

The appearance of bed bugs is never a pleasant sight. And the last thing you want is for bed bugs to ruin your long anticipated Easter break. Friends and family will be arriving, and, if they are staying with you, it only makes matters worse.

With bed bugs present in your home, any Easter plans will be instantly put on hold while the problem is taking care of. Exasperated and stressed, you may ask yourself: How on earth did we get them? What is the cause of bed bugs? Sometimes bed bugs make their way into your home, and there seems to be no way to stop it.

If you’re suffering a bed bug control problem over the Easter break, make sure to call in a professional, so that none of your guests end up going away with more than a chocolate egg. If you live in London, Diamond have got a friendly and experienced team of technicians on hand at short notice. Whatever the cause of bed bugs in your home, we can help.

When people stay over

Another thing to be aware of is that your visitors may inadvertently bring some extra, unwanted guests with them. To give you a head start on stopping bed bugs at the door, you can by following these easy steps…

Guests are always popping in over the Easter weekend, so having a few extra people in your home is quite normal. But make sure they’re the only guests paying a visit to your home. Bed bugs love to travel to new places by hitching a ride: a known cause of bed bugs. You have to stop an infestation before it turns into a disaster.

It’s important to clean any bedding on a hot wash and tumble before your guests arrive and after they leave, just in case. Bed bugs love to hide, so use light coloured sheets that help you spot them right away if they do appear with your guests.

When you’re having a get together

Another cause of bed bugs is that they can enter your home on the clothes of your friends and family. So prepare a place where everyone can put their coats, such as a closet, and be sure to clean the area afterwards. If you are going to have people put their coats on your bed, put a sheet underneath them and throw it in the wash once the gathering is over.

Are you going away for the break?

If you’re staying in a hotel for your Easter weekend, use their luggage racks. You don’t know who has been there before you. The luggage rack is where the bed bugs are least likely to be. Do some research before you book your hotel, and check out the reviews. It will give you some peace of mind that there hasn’t been a recent bed bug problem at the venue you‘re hoping to stay in.