Welcome to Pestforce Pest Control Braintree
I’m Andrew Hoare and I am your local pest control technician, covering Braintree. In my role as Pestforce technician, I get asked many questions on pests, the problems they cause and treatments for getting rid of them.
Here is a list of the most frequently asked questions:
1. What pests do I deal with?
I deal with ALL pests from nuisance bugs, spiders and other creepy-crawlies right through to rabbits and birds – you name it, I deal with it! Foxes, moles, wasps, bees, squirrels, woodworm, carpet beetles, moths, flies and more.
2. Do you have to be qualified to be a pest control technician?
Anyone can call themselves a pest controller but you need to be sure that you are using the right person; using chemicals for example, in the wrong way can have dreadful repercussions.
I hold a variety of qualifications including
- Level 2 ‘Pest Control & Management’, Royal Society Public Health (RSPH)
- I hold a firearms and shotgun certificate
- I have also completed a number of specialist courses such as bird proofing and gassing technique, insect identification, rodent control, wasp nest removal and the safe, effective use of pesticides.
I am also experienced
- I have been a part time game keeper for many years
- I have worked with local farmers on all manner of vermin control
- I am a keen shooting enthusiast
- I am an outdoor enthusiast, both working in and recreational use of the countryside.
3. I am embarrassed to admit that I think I have either fleas or bedbug in my home! Can you deal with these pests?
Yes! Firstly, there is no need to be embarrassed as neither fleas nor bedbugs are attracted by dirt or ‘poor hygiene’. Bedbugs and fleas are easily spread on clothing, bags, pets etc. and, once in our homes, become firmly established, very quickly.
There is a difference between fleas and bedbugs. Bedbugs are lentil sized, and are dark brown or orange. These nuisance bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides and insecticides. Once treated, your bed - including bedding – needs a thorough clean. Bedbugs do not hop or jump, but crawl – very quickly.
Fleas, on the other hand, do jump and once they are in soft furnishings – carpets, sofas, and cushions etc. – a treatment needs to be applied that break their 4 stage life cycle. Pets also need to be treated and it is thought that the increase in the flea population and distribution across the UK may be down to 2 factors – incorrect use of pet flea treatments and the warmer winters.
Did you know...bedbugs tend to bite their host (i.e. YOU!) in a straight line (flea bites will be in a random pattern)?
4. I think I have something living in my attic? I can hear scrabbling, mainly at night...
There are several possibilities here and I will need to check for various things in your attic space. However, the 3 common possibilities are:
Rats – they can make their nests just about anywhere and have been known to make their way up in to lofts by various means. They can swim, climb and jump very well. Their numbers can swell very quickly and, like other rodents, they chew everything they can to make their nests.
Mice – these tiny little rodents also enjoy the warmth and relatively undisturbed attic space to make nest and breed their young. Mice, like rats, are ‘chewers’ and can claim most materials as being suitable for nesting material. This can cause a lot of expensive damage, very quickly and in some circumstances, such as if they chew through electrical wires etc., they can cause a fire hazard.
Squirrels – this is not very common but squirrels can also nest in attics. Like their other rodent relatives, they can chew through a variety of material such as the timber frame within the roof. They also multiply quickly and can become a problem quicker than you would expect. Squirrels can be trapped inside and outside, also baited at specific times of the year to protect against tree damage. So you will need my services to remove the squirrels, once and for all.
ALL the methods I use, including any chemical treatments, are humane – I do not (and will not) cause any animal, even if it is pest, unnecessary suffering.
5. I think my pest problem is outside. Can you deal with it?
Yes I can. I work with all householders – whether homeowners or tenants – and includes all pest control issues in the home and outside – garages, sheds, outbuildings etc.
6. What about business customers?
I have worked with several business customers to help them either control or exterminate all manner of pests:
- Agricultural settings inc. Farms, stables, livery yards and food storage areas
- Sporting complexes inc. Rugby, football & cricket clubs, golf courses and other recreational areas
- Accommodation providers inc. Student accommodation, letting agents, private landlords, estate agents, secure accommodation, care homes, nursing homes
- Education settings inc. Day nurseries, schools, day centres
- Food retailers and service units including Cafes, restaurants, B&Bs, pubs, hotels, restaurants, shops etc.
- Industrial units and factories
- Office complexes
- And caravan sites, mobile home parks, country estates and houses, stately homes, garden centres, graveyards, building sites and many more!
7. Why do I need a professional pest controller?
Not always. Some pest control issues need a licensed and professional technician to deal with them. Take wasp nests, for example – disturb one of these with an insufficient ‘spray’ and you could have up to 5,000 angry wasps to deal with.
Not only is my work fully guaranteed but I also have comprehensive insurance (both Public and Product Liability Insurance, each to the value of £5 million). There is more to pest control than simply laying traps and poison.
Recent Jobs
Wasp nest treatment in Braintree - August 202
Customer in Braintree called with a wasp problem around her swimming pool, we found a nest in the pump housing this was treated with a dust treatment and all wasps where gone within 24 hours.
Rats stealing from fruit bowl in Braintree - March 2022
Customer had a problem with rats getting into her kitchen and eating her oranges on the kitchen table. They where getting under the floor via a broken air brick which had rusted. A trap treatment was done and 4 rats were caught over 3 visits.
Rat traps for kitchen in Braintree – January 2022
Customer had rats getting into kitchen from under floor boards, they had chewed washing machine pipes and mains plastic water pipe. A trap treatment was done under kitchen units and under floor boards. When inspecting under flooring we found entry point from the main drains which is now being repaired by a drainage company.
Braintree Mice Control for Rodent Infestation in Car - December 2021
Customer had a some mice living in his car, they had been eating his kids sweets. A snap trap treatment was used in the car over a couple of days and all mice where caught.
Local expert mice control in Braintree - December 2021
Pestforce Pest Control Braintree were called to a property after the owners had started seeing mice entering the kitchen and eating food in the cupboards. We attended and found droppings under cupboards and inside some cupboards. We started a snap trap treatment used behind kick boards and inside cupboards. In total, 9 mice caught and once the problem was sorted, proofing was carried out to stop them gaining entry. Hole where an old waste pipe used to be was sealed.