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March 2022

Fruit Fly vs Drain Fly

Drain fly or fruit fly problems ?

Do you have problems with drain flies or fruit flies?

Preventing these pests is all about hygiene practices, identifying the breeding sites and removing them. Fruit flies and drain flies aren’t particularly attracted to UV light either like other types of flies so EFK (electronic fly killers) are less effective in dealing with these types of fly.
The only long-term solution for these flies is to remove the breeding sites through thorough cleaning.

How we can help you.

Beaver Pest Control has a dedicated environmental fly prevention team. If you keep getting problems with these pests we can carry out a full audit for you, locate the breeding sites and our specialist team can deep clean these areas for you. The audit will help support due diligence and can be shown to EHO’s.

Preventing Drain flies also known as filter flies.

These tiny flies are very often found hovering by drains and stagnant water. The first job is to remove the breeding ground as they breed in the organic matter found in drains, grease, food and general sludge. Keeping drains free of this material will prevent drain flies breeding. It is important to remove stagnant and still water from anywhere where it is pooling.

Preventing Fruit Flies

Fruit flies and drain flies are often confused with each other as they are similar sizes. Fruit flies have red eyes though.
As with drain flies, fruit flies can easily be dealt with by removing the breeding grounds. In this case it will be fermenting fruit, juice or wine.
Moisture, decaying or fermenting fruit or debris and warmth and typical breeding sites.

Try checking these places:

1. The bottom of refuse bins.
2. The area where empty bottles of juice or fizzy cans are stored prior to recycling.
3. Under food preparation areas or the gaps in-between worktops.
4. Standing water under fridges or ice machines.
5. In between or under damaged floor tiles.
6. Do not leave damp mop heads facing down in the bucket in a warm store. Turn the mops upside down and make sure there is enough air for them to dry out properly.
7. Fruit left out which is starting to ferment.

Once you have found the breeding site, it is just a matter of cleaning it thoroughly. Stagnant / still water, warmth and organic matter are all these insects need to breed.
Remove the environment and you will remove the problem.

Need our help? Call 0208 355 3443 to talk to our customer service team.

Beaver 24/7: Digital Rodent Monitoring

About Beaver 24/7

Beaver 24/7 is a brand new digital remote monitoring service offered by Beaver Pest Control to detect rodents quickly and efficiently. Remote monitoring uses traps connected via a network to produce alerts of rodent activity on a particular site. Expert pest professionals cannot be replaced as rodents may avoid traps and other pest problems would remain undetected, However, the technology from automated monitoring systems is invaluable for providing an alert system that works all day, 365 days a year. Together, the result is a faster response to potential infestations.

Data provided by the monitors serve as an indication to areas of significant activity across your site. When paired with a live capture trap, technician response time can be reduced enabling swift and humane rodent control. Check out our case study for more information.

Our Service

  • Electronic control of traps available 24/7 online through the portal either via desktop or app
  • In addition to your regular technical visits, Beaver 24/7 will help you comply to your required auditing standards
  • Trend mapping of site to locate problems areas for more efficient and long-lasting solutions
  • Ability to detect false-positive catches to limit unnecessary callouts resulting in potential savings
  • Non-toxic digital trapping provides intergrated and sustainable pest control solutions

Contact us today to see if Beaver 24/7 can help you maintain a pest-free environment in your workplace! Digital remote monitoring is an innovative approach to pest control that lets us sort any ingress before it becomes an infestation.

mouse control london

Humane Rodent Control

In the UK there are four species of rodents which can be commonly found within homes and gardens: the House Mouse, Wood Mouse, Yellow-Necked Mouse and Brown Rat. Though they can cause problems within dwellings, there are a number of humane rodent control methods we can use to keep your home safe.

What do they look like?

House Mice are small rodents (between 7-9cm) and can be found in dwellings any time of the year. They often range from light to dark brown shades and can be distinguished by their almost hairless tail. By comparison the Wood Mouse (also known as a Field Mouse) is slightly larger at 8-10cm. These are the mice most commonly found across the UK. They can be distinguished by their sandy brown fur, white or grey underside, very large ears and long tail. Wood Mice are not usually found in buildings, except during winter. 

Yellow-Necked Mice are restricted to rural areas in central and southern Wales and England. They are much bigger than other species of mice, ranging from 9-12cm. Despite looking similar to Wood Mice, Yellow-Neck Mice can be distinguished by a distinctive band of yellow/orange fur around the neck area, forming a bib on the chest. 

Lastly, the Brown Rat (also known as the common or sewer rat) can grow between 15-27cm. Greyish-brown in colour, they have a large, slanted head with relatively small ears and an almost hairless tail.

Humane Rodent Control

Within homes and gardens rodents are attracted to food sources and shelter. Mice and rats will eat almost anything, therefore bird seed, pet food, rubbish piles, bins and compost heaps attract these rodents. However, there are ways you can humanely deter rodents from accessing your property:

  • Reduce access to food sources by clearing away crumbs, putting away pet food at night, sealing food (particularly foods like cereal, bread, pasta and dried pet foods) and ensuring bins/food containers are rodent-proof.
  • Block holes with either a strong, quick-hardening sealant or mouse mesh. Caulk, rubber and plastic fillers won’t work as rodents can easily chew through them.
  • Rodents are deterred by smells such as peppermint and eucalyptus, therefore by soaking cotton balls in these oils and placing them at key points (under cupboards, along work surfaces, along beams) it will help to discourage rats and mice. Remember to keep replacing the oils.
  • If you feed wildlife, ensure that the food is gone by the evening as rats and mice tend to be most active at night.
  • Remove harbourage that can provide shelter to rodents such as overgrown grass or bushes, wood piles or general clutter.
  • As rats and mice are neophobic (a deep fear of new things or changes), move garden furniture or other objects around your garden; new obstacles will confuse and alarm rodents used to a ‘static habitat’.

What if I continue to have rodent problems?

Sometimes, despite taking all the right precautions, people continue to have problems with mice and rats. However there a plenty of non-toxic solutions that can be opted for in lieu of traditional baiting. At Beaver Pest Control, we practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimises economic, health, and environmental risks.

Proofing and Exclusion

The most effective use of a technician’s time is to provide proofing to close off entry points which stops pests from entering the premises. Quite often the access holes for mice and rats are hidden behind kitchen and bathroom units, but with the necessary expertise and tools, our specialist technicians can get to those difficult to reach holes.

Remote Rodent Monitoring

Remote monitoring services such as Beaver 24/7 detect rodents quickly and efficiently by using traps connected to a network to produce alerts when there is activity. As the system rely on sensors supplemented by UV tracking dust and hotspot maps, it does not require the use of toxic baiting. This reduces potential harm to non-target species.

Mechanical Trapping

Good quality break-back traps are often considered a humane form of rodent control as it kills the pest instantly, rather than prolonging any suffering. To minimise the risk to non-target animals, where possible, livestock and pets are excluded from the trapping area and the traps are set in natural or artificial tunnels. 

For further advice regarding rodents in the UK, prevention, treatments and regulations surrounding rodent control, please click here: RSPCA Living with Rats & Mice

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