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Recent Vermin and Pest Control News
Carmarthenshire residents face cut in council pest control
10/03/2010
Residents of the county of Carmarthenshire in Wales may have to look for their own pest control solutions after the council announced plans to axe the service to save money.
Residents are likely to turn to options that deter rats and mice in the first place, such as electromagnetic pest control devices, in order to keep the problem at bay and save themselves a fortune.
Council chiefs claim that they will still investigate pest problems but will not offer a treatment service. This is concerning residents, with one local stating, "Failure to control rodents will lead to an increase in disease and deaths. This is a fact. Rodents cause billions of pounds of damage to foodstuffs, drainage systems and properties."
"While not being any respecter of area or wealth, the difficulty in treating rodents with no pest control service in existence will fall disproportionately on the poor."
The move by the council will save the county £22,000 in 2011-2012 and £49,000 in 2012-2013, according to officials.
Another resident, mum-of-two Ann Williams added, “It's appalling that the council is considering cutting this service. As a tax payer, we should not be faced with the prospect of having to pay privately if someone is ever unfortunate enough to have a rat in their home.”
Birds and reindeer at risk in South Georgia rat cull
08/03/2010
It has been announced that an unprecedented five-year rat culling project is to take place on the British island territory of South Georgia, in a bid to save endangered birds. However, the use of poison to kill the rodents will itself pose a huge risk to the island’s rare bird population.
Millions of rodents need to be exterminated in order to save the birdlife of the Southern Atlantic island. The rats first arrived on whaling vessels and have since overrun the island, feasting on flora and fauna. Particularly concerning is the fact that 31 species of bird use the island for breeding and a further 50 species have been seen on the island.
The cull is being organised by South Georgia Heritage Trust and is costing £6 million. The plan involves using aircraft to drop poisonous pellets from the air, which will kill the rats who eat them by causing internal bleeding.
However, the organisers fear that “hundreds, if not thousands” of birds will be lost through the use of poison, while the island’s reindeer population will have to be either relocated or shot during the cull.
Houses of Parliament plagued by mice
05/03/2010
It seems that even the most grand of London’s buildings has not been spared from the indignity of a mouse infestation, according to reports concerning the Houses of Parliament’s recent rodent scare.
The mouse sightings have occurred in the restaurant at the Houses of Parliament and in the bar area.
Ivan Anthony Moore-Brabazon, the administrative chief at the House, which is also known as the Palace of Westminster, explained earlier this week that the mice are causing a major problem and that some staff have proposed that cats are brought in to keep the mouse problem at bay. However, he says he wants to continue to use rodent poison and that they cannot have cats while they are using the poison.
He added that the cat option could also be disruptive if they start wandering around while people are trying to get work done.
Although the sightings have been reported daily, Moore-Brabazon says he will continue to persevere with his current method of poison and mouse traps.
The use of an electro-magnetic device would be a much better option for the administrator. This option is clean, safe and will not disturb the MPs when they are carrying out their invaluable work – or drinking in the bar.
West End Theatres in need of some pest control
04/03/2010
According to a new survey commissioned by actors’ union Equity, three quarters of actors have reported infestations of mice and other vermin in London’s theatres.
The problem has reached serious levels and is exacerbated by actors and theatre staff leaving food around – allowing the mice to “have a party all night,” according to Malcolm Sinclair, Equity’s vice president.
Equity’s general secretary Christine Payne added, “these appalling conditions must come to an end.” However, theatres claim they are already spending a fortune on pest control and cannot bring in the old solution of a theatre cat as this prevents the use of rat and mouse poison.
Actors also complain of seeing traps lying around in their dressing rooms - filling them with dread as soon as they start work. As a result, many find the conditions they have to work in very difficult. One cast member who responded to the survey explained, “I had tiny bite marks on my lipstick recently when I left the lid off.”
However, Green Shield has successfully deployed electromagnetic pest control in some theatres, repelling rodents without the need for the use of poison or traps. This ensures the cast members are not disturbed and can focus on giving a good performance.
