Dealing with pests
The Public Protection Partnership does not provide a pest treatment service.
If you see a rat you should not be alarmed, rats are quite common in both rural and urban areas. We all need to take measures to discourage rats and control them if we are aware of their presence. Please consider the following and take action as necessary:
- Reduce areas of waste, woodpiles and overgrown areas. Keep compost heaps as pest proof as possible; rats will use these areas for harbourage.
- Remove bird feeders and tables. In the summer, birds can find sufficient food in the natural environment to survive and raise young. I realise this is a drastic measure, but you should consider whether you want birds or rats in your home and garden.
- Pest proof any space or void. These can be under sheds, gaps around any pipe work, such as soil or waste pipes or soakaways.
- Rats will climb well so do not grow plants up to the roof line.
- Look for holes, droppings, rat runs and damage to structures. If you discover rat activity in and around your property you should employ an effective method of control.
- If control by baiting is proving difficult, then resistance to currently used baits should not be ruled out. These will contain the rodenticides Bromodiolone and Difenacoum. Further applications of these baits will make resistance worse and you will not gain control of the rat population. You should stop baiting and look at alternative methods of control.
- Integrated pest management, which might include trapping, environmental and habitat management (restriction of access to food, water and harbourage) is to be encouraged.
Please visit the British Pest Control Association website https://bpca.org.uk/pest-advice/a-z-of-pests for more advice and details of local contractors that will undertake pest treatment services.
If you believe the infestation is on a neighbouring property we recommend that you attempt to make contact and discuss the issue before reporting it.
If you are unable to resolve your concerns you can report an infestation using our online forms for West Berkshire.
For Bracknell Forest please call 01344 352000.
PPP endorse the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) Code of Practice principles which focuses on preventative measures of pests control. Unnecessary use of poisons can result in a high level of resistance, and may also be harmful to wildlife.
Wasps
Wasps are often not a pest if left alone.
If the wasp nest is not causing a problem it is best to leave it. In spring the wasp will look for a nest site such as a hole in the ground, a hollow tree or in spaces within the edges of a roof, loft or garden shed. In June nest building will start and will usually reach full size in September. In autumn the young queens mate and leave the nest, the rest of the nest dies out and the nest is not used again.
Treatment
If you decide to destroy the nest yourself you can buy insect sprays and powders from some shops and garden centres, but care must be taken to follow the instructions on the label.
We do not offer a pest control service however there are local and national companies that will provide treatment for a fee.
