Self Help Pest Control When You Are Self Isolating.

Pest Control

So as we head into spring we start to see the introduction of the annual insect population which means you might get a problem in your house, however you may be self-isolating and not want visitors to your home so what do you do if you have a pest problem. This blog is about self help pest control when you are self isolating and is designed to help you with some basic self-help methods to get you through the self-isolation period, so you hopefully won’t need to call in pest control.

The first thing to remember is that most insects don’t attack or sting except the obvious wasps and in this case, I would not recommend you try and resolve the problem yourself. Bees are a completely different as they are very placid, and you can afford to leave them in place until this situation has passed.

Fly Spray

So, believe it or not your first line of defence may be your basic can of Raid fly spray, although it says fly spray, it’s all about the active ingredient of the spray. Permethrins, either natural or synthetic will have an effect on most insects and do the job as an instant knock down, which is why I recommend everyone keeps a can in the cupboard. As with all aerosols they are just a knock down and don’t have any residual properties so will not keep work beyond the period of spraying.

Safety when using Fly Sprays.

 If you do use a spray, there is no need to go crazy with it, you must allow it to take effect, so you won’t get an immediate dying insect. What tends to happen is you spray, it carries on so you spray some more and more, all this does is flood the area with too much product which can be a hazard to yourself. Think about safety of yourself, breathing in the product so spray it and then leave the room. The symptoms of over spraying are a tingle on your tongue and numbness of the throat, if you are getting either then leave the room for a short period whilst it settles.

Other tools available.

The next tool you will have to your disposal is the hoover. I only recommend you using a bagless hoover as you can empty contents directly into an outside waste bin and also wash out the collection container if used to remove insects to deal with any stage of insect life.

What to do if you find an infestation.

If you discover an insect infestation firstly don’t panic, to help to identify the insect we recommend you take a few pictures, zoom in as much as possible and have something in there to help to establish a size such as a nib of a pen. Once you have done that then we suggest you investigate a source by seeing where most of the activity is. If possible and you have a secure jar or container, save a sample to aid identification by a professional pest controller. Next give it a spray with your can of raid but remember your personal safety when you do it. Next, hoover up the remains and empty contents in an outside bin, you should then wash the hoover collection container with hot soapy water. We cant guarantee this will 100% get rid of your problem but it will supress the situation and give you some time to seek further advice and ID the pest.

If you are unsuccessful in identify the source or need further advice, contact a professional pest control company such as Pest-Tech Ltd and text the pictures for identification. The sample may be needed to aid the ID.

We always recommend you use a professional pest controller if possible. If you have any questions or want further advice on anything discussed, then we are always happy to help. If you have a pest problem, you can contact Pest-Tech Ltd to get advice before you try to deal with a pest problem via our website at http://www.pest-tech.org

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