Yes. Scratching, scurrying or gnawing noises coming from walls, ceilings, lofts or beneath floors can be a sign of rats or mice. Rodents are often more noticeable at night when the property is quiet.

Other signs can include droppings, gnaw marks, disturbed insulation, nesting material and unusual smells. A professional inspection can help identify which pest is present and where it may be entering the property.

Yes. Drainage systems can sometimes provide rats with a route into a property, particularly where there are damaged drains, defective pipework, displaced joints, redundant connections or other faults.

If rat activity keeps returning despite treatment, investigating the drainage system can be extremely important. Finding and addressing the route of entry can be just as important as dealing with the rats already inside the property.

Effective rat control involves more than simply putting bait down. The infestation should be assessed to establish where the rats are living, feeding and travelling and, importantly, how they gained access to the property.

Professional treatment can target the current infestation while proofing and other preventative measures can help reduce the risk of the problem returning.

Rats can exploit gaps and defects around buildings, including damaged air bricks, gaps around pipework, drainage defects, poorly sealed doors and openings around roofs or external structures.

Finding the entry point is an important part of long-term rodent management because removing the current rats without addressing the cause can leave the property vulnerable to another infestation.

Not necessarily, but one sighting is enough to justify investigating further. Rats can remain hidden inside wall cavities, drains, lofts, outbuildings and other sheltered areas.

Droppings, tracks, gnawing, burrows, nesting material and repeated sightings can help establish the extent of the activity.

Recurring rat activity can indicate that the underlying cause has not been resolved. Rats may still have access through a structural or drainage defect, or food, shelter and water may continue to be available.

Effective rodent management therefore looks at both the current infestation and why the rats are able to access the property.

Avoid disturbing the nest or blocking its entrance. Wasps can become defensive when their nest is threatened.

A professional pest controller can assess where the nest is located and determine the most appropriate treatment.

The appropriate treatment depends on where the nest is located and how accessible it is. Nests may be found inside roof spaces, wall cavities, sheds, trees or underground.

Professional treatment allows the activity to be assessed and the nest treated using appropriate equipment and products.

One of the clearest signs is a regular stream of wasps entering and leaving the same location.

Look around roof edges, air vents, fascia boards, wall cavities, sheds and other sheltered areas.

Wasps may defend their nest when they feel threatened. Nests close to doors, windows, gardens, workplaces or other frequently used areas can therefore present a greater risk.

A wasp colony naturally declines towards the end of its seasonal cycle, but an active nest can remain a problem while the colony is present.

Whether treatment is required depends on the location of the nest and the risk it presents.

If bees repeatedly enter the same point in a roof or wall, there may be a colony established inside the structure.

Do not seal the entrance while the colony is active. The first step is identifying the species and establishing exactly where the colony is located.

Bees and wasps are frequently confused and the appropriate response can be very different. Clear photographs or a professional inspection can help establish which insect is present before any work is undertaken.

In many circumstances, yes. The feasibility and complexity of the removal depends on where the colony is situated, how accessible it is and the construction of the building.

Where circumstances allow, honeybees can be physically removed and relocated.

A survey can establish where the colony is located, how long it may have been present and what access would be required for removal.

The cost varies depending on where the colony is located and how difficult it is to access. Colonies inside roofs, walls and chimneys can require specialist access or building work.

A survey is therefore often required before an accurate quotation can be provided.

Yes. Squirrels can create surprisingly loud scratching, movement and gnawing noises when they gain access to roof spaces.

An inspection can help distinguish squirrel activity from rats, mice or birds.

The appropriate control method depends on the species and circumstances. Entry points should also be identified so appropriate proofing can be considered once the problem has been resolved.

Squirrels are excellent climbers and can exploit damaged roof areas, gaps around fascia boards and other weaknesses in buildings. Nearby trees and structures can also provide easy access to the roof.

Squirrels can gnaw materials within roof spaces, including timber, insulation and electrical cables. This is one reason squirrel activity inside a loft should be investigated.

If a loft provides shelter and a reliable access route, squirrels may continue to use the space. It is better to establish exactly what is present and where it is gaining access rather than assuming the problem will resolve itself.

Moles live underground and excavate tunnel systems while searching for food. New molehills can appear quickly as soil from these tunnels is pushed to the surface.

Professional mole control involves identifying active tunnel systems and selecting an appropriate control method for the site and level of activity.

Yes. A single mole can maintain an extensive underground tunnel system and may create numerous molehills as it excavates soil.

No. Flattening or removing the visible soil does not remove the mole or its underground tunnel system. Further molehills may appear as tunnelling continues.

Molehills and tunnelling can cause significant disruption to lawns, paddocks, sports grounds and agricultural land depending on the level and location of activity.

The first step is understanding the size of the rabbit population, where rabbits are living and where they are feeding. From there, an appropriate management strategy can be developed for the site.

Rabbit management can involve different methods depending on the land, population and surrounding environment. A site assessment allows an appropriate control strategy to be developed.

Suitable food, shelter and breeding areas can support growing rabbit populations. Rabbits may also continually move onto a site from surrounding land.

Larger populations generally require a planned management programme rather than dealing with individual animals.

Surveying the site can help determine population levels and where control should be concentrated.

Yes. Professional rabbit management can be provided for farms, estates and commercial land where rabbit populations are causing damage.

Foxes may repeatedly visit an area because it provides food, shelter, prey or an established route through their territory.

The first step is identifying what is attracting the fox and how the land is being used. Food sources, livestock, shelter and suitable denning areas can all influence fox activity.

The situation should be assessed before access is blocked or other action is taken, particularly where there is a possibility that dependent young may also be present.

Foxes can prey on poultry. Secure housing and appropriate fencing are therefore particularly important where chickens, game birds or other poultry are kept.

AgriPest provides professional fox management and can assess the site to determine an appropriate, lawful and safe management strategy.

The appropriate strategy depends on the deer species, population, site and type of damage. Understanding how deer are using the land is an important first step in developing an appropriate management plan.

Professional population surveys can help establish the number and distribution of deer across an area, providing better information for future management decisions.

Thermal drone technology can be useful when surveying suitable areas of land. It can help locate, count and plot animals and provide a clearer picture of population levels and distribution.

Management may be appropriate where deer populations are causing unacceptable damage to crops, forestry, habitats or other land interests.

Survey information can help determine the scale of the issue before a management strategy is developed.

Yes. Surveying before management can provide valuable information about species, population density and distribution, allowing decisions to be based on evidence from the site.

Professional bird-proofing measures can help prevent pigeons from accessing suitable nesting and roosting areas. The appropriate solution depends on the building, location and species involved.

A site assessment can identify where birds are roosting and which proofing options may be suitable for the structure.

Large accumulations of bird fouling can create hygiene, maintenance and slip-related issues and should be dealt with using appropriate precautions.

Professional bird-management programmes can be developed for commercial properties depending on the species, building, level of activity and applicable wildlife legislation.

Correctly designed and installed bird netting can prevent birds from accessing particular areas of a building. The installation needs to be appropriate for the structure and target species.

Large numbers of flies appearing inside a property, particularly around windows or loft spaces, may be cluster flies. They commonly enter buildings looking for sheltered areas in which to overwinter.

Cluster flies can return to suitable buildings year after year. Warm, sheltered roof and loft spaces can provide attractive overwintering sites.

Treatment depends on the level of activity and where the flies are gathering. Professional pest control can identify the affected areas and determine an appropriate treatment for the property.

Cluster flies are generally considered a nuisance rather than a structural pest. However, large numbers gathering inside a building can become extremely unpleasant.

Cluster flies can exploit small gaps around roofs, windows, vents and other parts of a building before gathering in sheltered spaces such as lofts.

Ants commonly enter properties while searching for food and water. Once a suitable food source has been found, other ants from the colony can follow established trails.

Effective ant control usually involves identifying the species, locating where the ants are travelling and, where possible, establishing where the colony is located.

Simply killing the visible ants may not deal with the main nest.

Kitchens provide many of the things ants are searching for, including food and water. Ants can exploit very small gaps before establishing a regular trail to an accessible food source.

The colony may not be inside the house. Ant nests can be located outside beneath paving, in soil, around foundations or within parts of a building.

If only the visible ants are removed while the colony remains active, more workers can continue to appear.

Successful control often requires treatment aimed at the underlying colony rather than only the ants that can be seen.

Old holes in timber do not necessarily mean that woodworm is currently active.

Possible signs of recent activity include fresh-looking exit holes and fresh bore dust or frass around or beneath affected timber. A professional survey can help establish whether activity is present and whether treatment is required.

One of the most recognisable signs of woodworm is small exit holes in timber, sometimes accompanied by fine bore dust.

The size and appearance of the holes can vary depending on the wood-boring insect involved.

The seriousness depends on the species involved, the extent of activity and which timbers have been affected.

Where structural timber is involved, establishing whether an infestation is active and how extensive it is can be particularly important.

Active wood-boring insects may affect other suitable timber, so surrounding areas should be inspected rather than simply treating individual visible holes.

The first stage is determining whether the infestation is active and establishing which timbers are affected.

An appropriate treatment can then be recommended for the affected areas. AgriPest can carry out a woodworm survey and provide recommendations and a quotation for treatment where required.