5 Signs You Have a Pest Problem
No one wants to live with pests in their home; however, this is a common issue for many UK homeowners and tenants alike. You can be doing all the right things, and suddenly, there are tell-tale signs you have an infestation.
It seems to be a countrywide issue, with reports of infestations rising. Local authority pest control services were called out over 291,000 times to pest-infested properties. And with so many different types of pests — the most common in the UK reported are slugs, mice, silverfish, mosquitoes and rats — how can you tell if you have a problem or you’re just noticing something that isn’t there?
Droppings
One of the most obvious signs of a pest infestation is droppings. It can be tricky to spot this for some pests, but mice, especially, and rats have more obvious droppings, and you can spot them more easily. For mice, they’ll usually be behind furniture, on countertops or around skirting boards, and look like small pellets in large quantities, often following a trail.
Footprints or Markings
Footprints are a distinct sign that you have pests. A series of footprints can indicate the presence of mice or rats, while a smear stain can be attributed to rats, or a silver sheen across the floor could indicate a silverfish problem. The plus side of these markings, however, is that they leave a route that pests are using either in and out of your property or around your home, so you can trace them.
If you notice pests in rental property, there are some things you can do before calling your landlord to help eradicate the issue.
Damage
Pests will cause damage, and some types of pest damage are more noticeable than others, like droppings. But the signs will be there.
You might notice chewed furniture from larger pests, or you might find chewed wires, food packaging or scratch marks around areas where pests are frequenting.
Wasted food is also an obvious sign, and wooden materials, especially, can take a hit too if you have pests.
Nests
Evidence of a nest is usually a good indicator that you have a more substantial problem. Mouse nests will usually be hidden somewhere, inside walls, under floorboards or in cupboards. Wasp, bee and even ant nests will be easier to locate and identify, as they are often more visible and more likely to be external, or in areas of your home they have easy access to, i.e. in a porch or via damage to your roof allowing them into your loft space.
Odours
Odours are a dead giveaway that you have visitors who need evicting. Different pests will have different unpleasant odours accompanying them, and by extension, your home too.
A greasy or oily smell is linked to cockroaches, and the culprit for a urine-like smell will be rodents. If you’re noticing something you can’t get rid of, even just a faint whiff of something unpleasant, you might have pests, and you need to look for other warning signs to confirm this so you can get the help you need to eradicate the problem.
This is a collaborative post.
