What is the best Poison?

"What is the best poison to buy?"

This is another of those frequently asked questions.

Well, lets just start by getting the terminology right.

We use 'rodenticides' to control rodents. It sounds pedantic, but there is a difference. A rodenticide is usually a ready to use product, which is formulated using a base material (most commonly cereal) and an active ingreadient (the 'poison' part, if you like).

There are lots of myths about rodenticides. The usual myth is that professional pest controllers have access to pesticides that are not available to the general public. This is only part myth (unfortunately), as most of the rodenticide formulations used by professionals are also on open sale in DIY stores and agricultural merchants (albeit with different brand names).

So why use a professional pest controller?

Well, as I often tell people; "it's not what you use, but how you use it".

The simple fact is that when people fail to control rodents, it's usually down to the operator; not the bait. People use the wrong formulation, and place the bait in the wrong places, sometimes risking wildlife in the process.

To understand the best ways of getting control, you need to know about two things.

The first thing is the rodents. Lets concentrate on rats for a start, as they are the most likely target. This isn't going to be a biology lesson; yes, it helps to be able to identify the animal you intend controlling, but I'm not about to get into that here. There are a few basic facts about rat behaviour that help when controlling them.

Rats are 'Neophobic' - That means that if you introduce anything new into their territory they will actively avoid it until they are sure it is safe. So when you put a plastic bait box, or even a tray of food down, they won't eat it straight away.

Rats are 'gorgers and hoarders' - When rats find a food source they like (and feel safe with), they will eat as much as they safely can and then try and carry the rest away for consumption at a later date. That means that if you put too much bait down, the chances are that they will take some away, and store it somewhere where your pets or wildlife may be able to get it.

And what about bait?

Rodenticides come in various formulations, but the only active ingreadients available in the UK today are anti-coagulants.

Anti-coagulants work by replacing an enzyme in the blood that causes clotting. Effectively, they cause death by hemmorage.

The beauty of anti-coagulants is that they are very safe to use. They are safe to use because they build up gradually in the body, and have a delayed effect. This is very important, because without that delay, the rats may not consume a lethal dose, and could become 'tollerant' to the active. It also means that should the worst happen, and something which you don't want to die eats bait, it is possible to administer an antidote.

Currently, there are four active ingreadients commonly used in the UK. They are:

Difenacoum - For use indoors and outdoors.
Bromadialone - For use indoors and outdoors.
Floucoumafen -For use INDOORS ONLY
Brodifacoum - For use INDOORS ONLY

There are some other less common actives, like Warfarin that are still available, but the average DIYer isn't likely to see them.

Several different formulations are also available, inluding (but not limited to):

Whole Wheat
Cut Wheat
Rolled Oats
Pressed Cereal Blocks
Wax Blocks
Pasta

Baits also contain an additional ingreadient which acts as a 'bittering' agent. Rodents can't taste it; but it is so bitter that it makes it nigh on impossible for a human to swallow the product.

So what is the best bait to use? Well, there isn't one. A professional should be able to choose a suitable active ingreadient, and the most appropriate formulation. My most common choice is either Difenacoum or Bromadialone on whole wheat for rats, or paste for mice.

Here are some basics for DIY control:

1. Always read the product label!
Even if you've bought the product before, READ THE BLOODY LABEL! Why? Well, because it tells you how to use the product! Labels change, and failure to adhere to the statuatory conditions of use is a criminal offence.


2. Make sure it's only rats that can get at the bait
You would be amazed at some of the places I've seen bait put down. The fact that it's called 'Rat Bait' doesn't mean that birds won't eat it! Bait needs to be placed somewhere where rats can get at it, but other animals can't. Sounds simple doesn't it....

3. Put down the amount the label says
No more, no less. There needs to be enough for the bait to have an effect, but not so much that the rats have a feed and then carry off the rest. The label will tell you how much to place down, and don't ignore what it says.

4. Don't expect an instant result
See above. The baits have a delayed effect. It can take up to a week for a rat to actually expire after it's eaten a lethal dose.

5. Keep checking the bait
Anti-coagulants work on a cumulative basis. The lethal dose builds up over a period of time, and it's important that once the rats have found the bait, they don't run out. Check it every day (don't forget the neophobia; it may take a few days to start with), and keep it topped up. DON'T be tempted to put extra down; remember that you should only ever have the amount recommended on the label.

6. Check for dead bodies
Every day, when you check the bait have a good look around for signs of fresh activity and dead bodies. Dispose of any dead rodents in your domestic waste.

7. Pick up the bait at the end of the treatment
Don't leave bait down all the time 'just in case'. Once the bait take stops, remove the bait and dispose of it. Keeping bait down all the time may seem like a good idea, but actually it's a very bad thing to do. You will kill lots of non-target species (like field mice) that could be food for other animals that you don't want to harm. There is also the possiblity that rats may not have a full dose available and therefore become tollerant to that active ingreadient.

8. Wear gloves AND wash your hands
Rats carry and spread lots of very nasty things that KILL. Everywhere they go, they spread these nasties, and you need to make sure you don't catch OR spread anything yourself. Wash your hands with a good quality antibacterial soap, and if you have kids, teach them the same routine.

9. Try and change things
You've got rats for a reason. Try and change things to stop the problem happening again. Have a read of my previous post.

10. READ THE LABEL!
I make no apology for this. It cannot be stresed enough; instructions are put on the label for a reason. No matter how much experience you have, or how good you think you are, please, please, read the label.

Still got problems?

Well, if you need to bait for more than a few weeks then there is something wrong. Get in a professional because you may have rodenticide resistance or something else.

You can contact us on 0800 812 8430 or for customers outside our trading area, choose a member of the NPTA or BPCA (all the others are just logos).

We are also happy to offer free help and advice via email.

Why have I got rats?

It's a question often asked by domestic customers; "Why have we got rats?".

Well, there are a number of reasons why peoples homes and gardens suffer from rat infestation. Finding the reason why is one of the most important things that a pest controller can do, and is often a good way to tell a true professional from the 'get in, get the money and run' merchants.

I'll list the most common reasons for rat infestations that I've found in over twenty years in the game.

The first, and most common reason these days is bird feeding. I don't know why it is that people feel the need to feed the amount of food they do; I've seen gardens literally covered in bird seed, and while I understand the pleasure that people get from seeing songbirds in their gardens, I'm often amazed at the lack of common sense used.

If you want to feed the birds that's fine, but stick to bird food (I've seen loaves of bread, old pies and even SPAM fed to garden birds), and use a good feeder or two. If you can see lots of food spilled on the floor it should indicate that you are feeding too much. It sounds simple, but it's very easy to overfeed. If you can see food on the ground, stop feeding for a few days and let the birds clear up the mess. They won't starve in the meantime, and you will save a few quid not wasting food.

If you see rats feeding then it's an obvious indication of a problem. Leave them and there is a good chance the problem will get much worse, and potentially spread into your home. To add to that, they will also be eating chicks and eggs. There is also the disease problem associated with rats - everywhere they go they will be spreading bacteria which is potentially life threatening to you, your family and your pets.

The second most common reason for rat infestations in gardens is livestock.

Keeping poultry is a very popular hobby these days, and backyard poultry provide food and much pleasure to their owners.

Rats like poultry. Hens and Ducks provide everything that rats require for a happy life; food, water and harbourage ('harbourage' is the technical term for somewhere to live and/or hide).

If you keep poultry, it's almost certain that at some point you will have rats. Don't let that put you off keeping poultry; there are a few simple things that you can do that will help prevent problems, and if the worst does happen, and you get rats, there is always a local pest controller to help deal with the problem.

Firstly, think about where you are going to keep your poultry. Rats need cover; they've been predated and persecuted throughout their evolution, and have an inbuilt paranoia which means that they don't like open spaces. If you have a pen, leave a 2 metre strip around the outside of it, and keep it bare. Most people keep their hens in some sort of building at night; usually a shed-like construction. Raise it off the ground by a couple of feet; it'll make it less attractive for rats and give your hens somewhere dry to scratch around if it's raining.

Next, we need to think about food.

Just like garden birds, people do tend to overfeed poultry. As time goes on you learn how much food your chickens need, if you overfeed them they will not perform well for you and you will end up feeding rats. Hoppers are a common way to feed poultry, and are also a common way to feed rats. If you hopper feed, then move the hopper each day; rats like things that stay the same, in fact, they are 'neophobic' (they have a fear of new objects), and don't like constantly changing environments. It's a good idea to remove the feeder at night; poultry don't feed in the dark but rats do!

If you feed on the ground (which isn't a great idea with compounded food) make sure you don't overdo it. Too much and the poultry will leave it for the rats and you'll end up wasting your money.

Lastly, consider water. People don't realise that rats need quite a bit of water each day, and it all has to come from somewhere. Pick up your drinker at night, and move it around the area so that the rats don't get used to it being in the same place.

Also think about rainwater. If you have pools of water on the ground from the roof of your chicken shed it will provide an easy source for any passing rat.

The key thing is to make your garden as unattractive to rats as possible. You could also consider placing some traps down around your pen to catch any passing vermin before they have a chance to get settled in. I always recommend the spring traps made by A A Fenn & Co in England. The law requires these traps are set within a tunnel, wood being the best material to use. A tunnel makes the trap work properly, and also protects non-targets from getting caught. Fourteenacre Ltd, based in the midlands (link at end of article) supply traps and plans for wooden tunnels.


OK, third most common reason for rat infestations; drains.....

Prior to privatisation, water authorities routinely baited sewers. Some privatised companies still do, but with ever increasing pressures on costs, it's one of those things that seems to be pretty low on their priority list these days.

Added to that; builders know that drains are not seen by potential buyers; out of sight is out of mind.

Rats have lived in sewers since they were invented, and will continue to do so for as long as they exist. Sewers provide the three essential things that rats need; food, water and harbourage.

I've seen some shocking infestations over the years which are the direct result of drainage faults. A broken pipe, a bodged joint, a collapse in the system or even a broken man-hole (sorry, in these 'enlightened' times that should be 'inspection chamber cover').

Often, these problems don't show themselves in the drains themselves, people report scratching noises in the loft, and only after investigation is it found that rats have got access into the wall cavity from the drains and then into the loft.

The easy way to find out for certain is to have a CCTV survey of the system. That's a job for an expert, and few pest controllers have the required equipment.

There are systems out there that stop rats from running through soil pipes, or even kill them in the drains; but obviously they cost.

There are other reasons for rat infestations, but these three are the most common I find.

"What about fortnightly rubbish collections" I hear you ask?

Well, my personal opinion is that it makes no difference. In fact, most areas that have fortnightly rubbish collections also issue wheelie bins, which are great. The problem isn't rubbish collection, or bins; the problem is that people don't always use their heads. They let rubbish build up and overflow, and the result is rubbish (potential food and harbourage) on the floor. Recycle as much as possible, and don't allow rubbish to overflow and it should be fine.

"What about composting", you may ask?

Well, like everything else, composting is fine, providing it's combined with some common sense. Use a plastic compost bin (often subsidised by your local authority), as they contain the compost and help to build up heat which rots down the contents quickly. Place the bin on slabs (or on wire mesh) and keep the area around it tidy. Most of all, if you spot rats, do something about it straight away rather than putting it off until they become established.


As a professional pest controller, I would always advise spending the money on getting someone in if you have a problem, but I appreciate that some people like to sort these things out for themselves. In a future article, I'll give some tips on how to deal with a rat infestation for yourself.

Some links:

For Fenn Traps, trap and tunnel plans and other useful information, visit Fourteenacre:

Fourteenacre

For advise and information about Poultry Keeping and other countryside matters, visit Over the Gate:

Over the Gate

For pest control in the south and southwest of England, visit Westcountry Environmental Services:

Westcountry Environmental Services

Wasps - why not use the council?

The wasp season has started.

At this time of year, we get quite a few calls from people who have found a wasp nest in the home or garden. We always try to treat any reported nests on the day we receive the call, and our service is guaranteed.

The local council seem to be the first port of call for many people when they find a wasp nest. Most councils provide a pest control service; but there are several reasons why they may not be the best bet for a good, fast service.

The first reason is that wasps are considered a 'nuisance pest' as opposed to a public health issue. Because of that, many local authorities (especially in these austere times) charge a high price for this service. This enables them to offset the cost of subsidised treatments for public health pests (like rats and mice).

The second reason is that because they are considered the first port of call for many people, they are very busy. In the peak of the wasp season the waiting list usually extends to several weeks: as far as they are concerned the wasp nest is not life threatening, so therefore you can wait.

The third reason is that they will most likely want to call during office hours. That's fine for them, but what about you?

Lets just look at the alternative service that we offer.

You call us when you find a nest. Don't forget; we answer the phone whenever you ring, even if that is in the evening or on the weekend. The only time we don't answer the phone is if we are already talking to someone else. If that happens, either leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we can, or try again in ten minutes.

OK, so we've taken your call. We will attend your property as quickly as we can; usually on the same day. As you will be told on the phone; we always call within half an hour of visiting you, this is because we never know how long each job will take, so are unable to give an accurate appointment at the time of the call.

What happens when we visit? Well, it's a fairly straight forward process. A risk assessment is carried out, and you are given a copy of it along with some basic information about wasps and the treatment. The technician will then put on some PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), usually a bee-suit and some leather gloves.

The treatment itself takes a few minutes. Dust is injected into the entrance of the wasp nest using specialist high pressure equipment. The wasps will then die off over the next hour or two.

Sounds simple doesn't it?

Well yes, for an experienced and trained technician it is a fairly simple task.

So how much does it cost?

Well, we charge £40 (+vat) for the first nest, and £10(+vat) for each additional nest treated at the same time.

For more information, please look at our main website:

www.westcountrypests.biz

or call:

0800 612 8430

For other parts of the UK, take a look at this website:

http://www.wasp-control.co.uk/