Integrated Pest Management
Eliminating a rodent problem in the long term requires what the pest control industry calls an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. Essentially this means looking at multiple factors that have contributed to an infestation – sources of food, nesting sites and access to premises via drains or building defects and addressing each of these factors to eliminate a problem. Below is a summary of some of the Tools of the Trade and equipment we might use (and also some that we don’t) – a pest control Tool Box!
Poison (Rodenticide)
Let’s start with poison and it’s efficacy. Often when someone sees evidence of a rodent in their home they head down to the local DIY store to buy some poison (rodenticide) hoping that it will do the trick. In some cases this approach will work, but in many cases unfortunately it doesn’t. This is not because the poison that is available to the public is not ‘strong enough’, or that rats are immune to it.
A common fallacy is that professional pest controllers use super strength poisons that are not available to the public. This is simply not true – go down to B&Q and you will find rodenticides with acting ingredients such as Difethialone, or Brodifacoum – these are called single feed rodenticides and are the same strength of poison that professional pest control use.
The rodenticide available to the public will kill rodents but stopping them in your home involves more than killing them. The issue is that rodenticide does not identify the source of the problem. It is a bit like taking paracetamol for a headache that keeps returning every day. The pain killer temporarily takes away the symptoms but does not address what is causing the headache. Chase Pest Control use rodenticide as part of our treatment interventions, but it does not and should not be the only intervention that is put into place.
Traps
Traps – i.e. something that will physically catch a rodent come into 3 categories –
1. What is referred to as a live capture trap (sometimes called a humane trap), a cage or device that will be baited to encourage the rodent into the trap and close behind it. Chase Pest Control do not use this type of trap, essentially because these traps are not humane and their use could represent a breach of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). Capturing an animal live in a trap is going to cause it a significant amount of stress for the duration it it in the trap. After it is discovered it will need to be released. If it released in close proximity to the location it was caught, it will likely just return. If it is released a distance from where it is caught it will not survive – Mice and Rats are social animals who form colonies, once removed from these colonies they will very likely not survive as a result and will be predated on by Foxes, Birds of Prey, Domestic Cats. Therefore the use of live capture traps could not be considered humane in this context.
2. The main type of trap we use is referred to as a Spring Trap. These traps are baited and will have a trigger plate and strike bar. They are designed to encourage the rodent to feed, triggering the trap which results in dispatch of the animal generally within 60 seconds. Of any pest control method (aside from exclusion through proofing) these traps could be considered the most humane as the animal does not suffer for a prolonged period. Rodents (both rats and mice) are intelligent animals and our experience is that they will often choose to avoid spring traps. Therefore spring traps will be used in a situation where other controls are not appropriate or where an animal is trapped inside a property with no means of escape.
3. Glue Traps/Sticky Pads have developed a reputation for being one of the most inhumane ways to control a rodent, mainly as a result of having been used inappropriately both by Pest Control Professionals and by amateur users. As a result much publicity has been generated about Glue Traps and The Government is currently debating legislation – The Glue Traps (Offences) Act – which aims to ban the use of glue taps and instead License them for professional use.
The only scenario where Chase Pest Control use glue traps is one whereby a live rodent is active in a property (for example, a rat contained in a living room) and needs to be caught immediately. In these cases any rodent that is caught is immediately dispatched.
Pest Control Monitoring & Surveying Tools
Technology is an important tool in the monitoring and management of rodents. The rapid development of technology means that previously expensive high-tech camera devices are available at a relatively low cost.
Endoscopes
Endoscopes (small inspection cameras) are excellent for getting into tight spaces where normally we wouldn’t be able to see – these are exactly the spaces where rodents will be active. We use endoscopes to survey behind kitchen units, under floorboards, under drain outlets and they can be extremely helpful for finding out where rodents are getting into your home.
Motion Sensor Cameras
During a pest control treatment we often use motion sensor cameras to monitor pest activity. These devices trigger when they sense movement or heat. Cameras can be put into a drain to assess whether it is being used as an active rat run. We also use them in lofts and cavity spaces to identify what is making that scratching noise. This is useful when there is no other evidence available to confirm the species.
Trail Cameras have become popular in recent years (often utilised by Springwatch enthusiasts wanting to spy on the occasional hedgehog visiting their garden). Trail Cameras have motion sensor and night vision capabilities as well as being waterproof so they are excellent for monitoring pest activity.
We use Trail Cameras securely mounted on a platform in a drain to monitor rat traffic which helps us to determine levels of activity over time.
We also use home security cameras as a way of monitoring rodents as they too have night vision and motion sensor capabilities. Again these cameras are not prohibitively expensive and enable us to monitor pest activity over a period of time. Motion cameras send an alert to a mobile phone when motion is detected. This tells us if a trap has been triggered without having to visit a property to check.
Pest Control Proofing Tools & Materials
Proofing (securing the structure of a building to prevent rodent access) is a cornerstone of any successful rodent control intervention. Without identifying points of entry and eliminating them through proofing the problem will reoccur. This is because new colonies of mice or rats will follow the pheromone of their predecessors.
Drain Proofing
One of the most important tools we use for removing rats from properties is a Non-Return Valve, or Rat Flap.
Installing a non-return valve in a drain will allow sewerage and waste water to escape but stops rats from entering. Think of a cat flap that only opens outwards. It also has the benefit of flushing any rats out of the property when they visit the sewer to feed.
There are a range of non-return valves available, their cost varies according to their quality and level of engineering. A Non-return valve should always be made of steel. Rats will easily chew through plastic non-return devices – the words chocolate and fireguard spring to mind.
Installing a non-return valve incorrectly can result in a drain becoming blocked, so be careful when installing one. We once attended a job where a non-return valve had been installed the wrong way round. The result was that both the rats and the sewerage from the property were being trapped inside by the device that was intended to stop the problem!
When used properly and appropriately, a non-return valve can resolve a rat infestation without the need for traps or poison. Many jobs we resolve involve installing a non-return valve on a redundant line and waiting until the rats have exited the property. Once the rats have gone we can cap off the drain line permanently.
External Proofing
Proofing the exterior and interior of a property is very important and often overlooked aspect of pest control.
Around 21% of homes in the United Kingdom were built before 1919, 38% before 1946 and only 7% after 2000. This means we live in homes that have become structurally vulnerable though deterioration over time and they were built before advancements in building techniques to stop pests.
Many Victorian and Edwardian homes have cast iron air vents. These vents usually have holes large enough for mice to enter, or they have broken, or been damaged over time. Plumbers fitting central heating drainage pipes, and cable TV engineers running cables through vents have a lot to answer for!
Covering Vents
When we attend a property we undertake a perimeter survey and check for any access points that provide entry for mice or rats. We proof any entry points with galvanised steel mesh fixed to the front of the vent.
This method still allows the vent to function (ventilating the cavity floor) but crucially will stop rodents getting into a property. The vent below is proofed with 6mm aperture galvanised steel mesh. As you can see it reduces the aperture of the vent to stop mice from gaining access.
Blocking Holes
We use materials for proofing a home specifically designed for pest control. Xcluder Mesh is often confused with wire wool (the type that painters use when rubbing down wood). Xcluder Mesh is different in that it is a dense fabric made of stainless steel and poly fibres. When packed into a hole Xcluder Mesh naturally expands to form a tight fit inside the hole, it will never rust or deteriorate because it is made from stainless steel.
The image below is a modern air brick, one that would normally prevent rodents from gaining access to a property. The air brick has been drilled through to accommodate a water pipe and this hole has provided access into the property for mice. The staining on top of the pipe is mouse urine.
In summary, rodent control often involves many of the measures above in order to be successful. Poison/rodenticide alone will not work without being applied in combination with the tools we have described above.