Is there a more polarising animal than a pigeon? Sure, they’re good fun when kids are chasing them around the centre of town, but they’re a menace when they decide to call your home, home.

They might be harmless on the outside, yet you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Pigeons carry ticks and mites which can pass on diseases and they can damage cars and houses with the talons and faeces. 

The best option is to keep them away from your home as best as possible, which isn’t always easy. The good news is that this article will walk you through some of the best ways to prevent pigeons from resting on your property.

Potential Pigeon-Related Property Damage

Why shoo them away in the first place? Well, the following will answer that question.

- Diseases: As far as bird cleanliness goes, pigeons aren’t the healthiest of winged creatures. Thanks to their outdoor nature and inclination for the cities, they can pass on diseases through their droppings. All it takes is for the dust to pass through open air vents and you may be subject to E.coli, Histoplasmosis, Psittacosis, and Cryptococcosis. Yep, the illnesses pigeons carry are no joke.

- Faeces: If you’ve ever had the misfortune to be hit on the head by pigeon droppings, you’ll know that they are corrosive. Leave it long enough and it will start to burn, and that’s the acid in their poo chipping away. But, it isn’t only human flesh which is vulnerable; pretty much any structure is. Once pigeon droppings hit your house, the structural integrity will decrease. And, if there is enough of it, which there will be, it could become a massive problem.

- Clutter: You want your house to look like a home, which is difficult when there are loose feathers and excrement everywhere. What will the neighbours say?! However, it’s not only aesthetics you need to worry about as pigeon debris can clog drains and gutters and cause an overflow. In the winter, a build-up of dirt is enough to shatter a gutter and cause the water to flow inwards.

How To Keep Them At Bay

Thanks to our complicated history with pigeons, they are no longer scared or intimidated by humans. As a result, once they find a cosy spot with plenty of food and water, they’ll nest for the long-term. To prevent pigeons from resting on or in your home, you need to be creative and thorough as pigeons are intelligent and adaptable. 

Ruin Their Roosting

Once a pigeon sees a comfy place to roost, they’ll dive for it. Some of the best, in their eyes, are window sills and any ledge that is big enough to hold them. So, it’s essential to make these areas as unappealing as possible if you want to keep them away from your home. Installing spikes is a guaranteed method as the birds won’t be able to land. Alternatively, sloping covers are less painful. Another good option is a piece of string. Tied an inch over their nesting areas, the birds won’t be able to land properly and will look elsewhere. Of course, the most obvious technique is not to feed them. Remember that food and seeds put out for other birds will attract pigeons.

Seal The Building

To prevent pigeons from resting on your house is to stop them from becoming lodgers, too. Any gaps in the outside of your home are easily accessible for birds, and that’s why mesh or netting is getting more popular. Homeowners with too many holes to seal can cover them with wire and even pigeons won’t be able to slip through. Capping the chimney is another quality method because it’s a big, open space perfect for birds. If in doubt, you can always hire professionals. Here at Arnies Pest Management, we specialise in dealing with pests thanks to our decades of experience.

Keep Them Out Of The Garden

Perching in the garden is the first step to taking over your home, so it’s important to clear them out as soon as possible. An oldie but goodie technique is a scarecrow in the shape of a hawk. As long as it moves and makes a noise, it should deter them. A tip: move it around the garden so that the pigeons don’t catch on that it’s harmless. Reflective objects also work as the sunlight reflects and impacts the birds’ eyesight. Speaking of the senses, strong spices will affect their sense of smell while honey will stick to their feet and discourage them from landing. Of course, a pet, especially a cat, will scare them off for good.

Why Choose Arnies?

As professionals with years of experience and an extensive knowledge base, we have what it takes to take care of your pest problem. After a certified inspector surveys your home, our fully-trained professionals will start bird-proofing ASAP. Whether we use nets, ultrasonics or repellents, we’ll get the job done. 

So, call us today on 01226 399081 / 07932 505877 or visit our website to get a quote.

If you were to hire a pest removal company, the probability is that you would only do it if you found the usual suspects scuttling around your home. Mice, rats and cockroaches are the creepy crawlies that freak people out and alert them to a bigger problem. But, what if there is an undercover pest lurking in your home?

Often ignored, carpet beetles are a common and potentially dangerous pest. Carpet beetle removal services might not seem as important as some, but they are vital if you suffer from an infestation.

Arnies Pest Management is here to help. With our understanding of the potential problems they cause as well as our ability to spot the signs, we can remove them before they wreak havoc.

What Are The Signs To Watch Out For?

As with all pests, carpet beetles leave traces of evidence which indicate you need to call a carpet beetle removal expert ASAP. You probably won’t see one in the flesh because they’re small and indistinctive; however, you will notice the following. Here are the signs you may have a problem with carpet beetles.

-    Skin: A telltale sign is skin that they leave behind. As larvae, carpet beetles shed their outer layer as they develop. As a result, infected homes often have to deal with “shells” that are brown and bristly to touch due to the larvae hairs. If you pick them up and hold them to the light, you will see that the shell is translucent and not fully brown.

-    Fabric Holes: Like all grubs, carpet beetle larvae love to munch of fabric and make it their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Of course, this makes them hard to differentiate from the likes of moths, but we have a tip. The trick is to analyse the holes. Clothes moths, for example, will eat the whole garment without stopping to take a breath, whereas carpet beetles focus on one area. Think of them as bed bugs but for designer clothes.

-    Droppings: Droppings is a difficult subject because carpet beetles’ faeces look similar to a lot of insect excrement. For the most part, it’s small and dark brown or black. Calling our carpet beetle removal service is recommended because even if it isn’t them, we can catch the culprit.

Can You Prevent Them?

The answer is yes but it’s tricky because the signs of carpet beetles, as well as the insects themselves, are hard to spot. With that in mind, early prevention techniques work well as they stop carpet beetles from infesting your home in the first place. Below are some of our favourites.

-    Buy Faux Materials: The reason carpet beetles target fabrics is due to the levels of protein in the materials. These pests love and need keratin to survive and will chow down on anything which allows them to feed. That means the likes of wool, silk and leather will all be targeted. The good news is that you can replace them with faux fabrics that are made from synthetic textiles instead. Nylon is, without a doubt, the most popular and easily accessible.

-    Dust Regularly: If you’re wondering why the word “keratin” seems familiar, it’s because it’s found in human hair. Not to freak you out, but carpet beetles are notorious for eating human hairs, even crawling into bed with people to feed. Regularly dusting your house will remove all the loose bits of debris and reduce their chances to feed.

-    Seal Everything: Anybody who is seriously worried about an infestation should seal the beetles’ main food sources. That will then lower the chances of hiring a carpet beetle removal team. Fabrics you already know about, so put them in plastic bags with zip locks, but don’t forget food too. Carpet beetles are pantry pests and will lay eggs in food and eat it from the inside so bag it up.

What Can You Do If You Spot Them?

The first thing is to remove any natural fabrics and give them a thorough wash at a hot temperature. Then, use a vacuum to suck up any remaining signs such as adult beetles, larvae or eggs. Also, find the problem areas and sprinkle them with boric acid to poison them.

Of course, like all pests, carpet beetles are difficult to remove without professional help. You can try and do it yourself, but there’s a risk that they will return. And, while they aren’t harmful to humans, they do cause skin irritation and itching. Plus, they are dirty.

So, if you want to be rid of them forever, you need to call Arnies Pest Management now for an effective and efficient service.

Moth infestations are among the worst issues that any homeowner can fall victim to. Therefore, if you find yourself facing this situation, it’s imperative that you take immediate action to get rid of the moths and protect your property against repeat episodes.

Here’s all you need to know about getting rid of moths for good.

Home Remedies For Removing Moths From Your Home

When moths have infested your home, it’s vital that you remove the live moths, dead moths, larvae and eggs from the property. To do this in an efficient manner, be sure to:

✓ Change the vacuum bag as this is a breeding ground for larvae and eggs. Discard the old vacuum bag quickly, even if it’s simply storing it in the garden until you can remove it completely.

✓ Clean your clothes, especially any that have been left on clothes hooks or lying around the open air. If you have recently put old clothes in the wardrobe, clean everything.
✓ Clean and wash down any furniture that you believe may have been affected by the infestation. This includes fabrics on sofas as well as rugs, curtains, and towels.

✓ Ensure to clean skirting boards, window ledges, and under sofas. These are all breeding grounds for moths while you may encounter dead ones along the way too.

✓ Use reputable home moth removal and bug repellent sprays to kill moths and larvae in a fast and efficient manner.

✓ Use pheromone-based moth traps to catch live moths before removing them from your property safely and humanely.

Home Remedies to Prevent Future Moth Infestations

Killing and removing moths from your home is a good start, but you also need to ensure that moths won’t enter the home anytime soon. The following tricks should help you stay on task.

✓ Dry clean any used clothes or fabrics that you purchase as soon as you buy them to prevent new moth eggs being introduced to the home.

✓ Use a dehumidifier or air conditioning unit to reduce the humidity levels, thus making the home less attractive to moths and other bugs.

✓ Keep food stored in clean, closed, mothproof containers to stop moths entering your home in search of starch, sugars, and other nutrients.

✓ Use a putty foam to fill gaps throughout the home and stop moths from using your home as a place to congregate and lay eggs.

✓ Keep clothes and textiles stored away. Keeping items in wardrobes, for example, can significantly reduce the threat of larvae.

✓ Stay vigilant to future infestations. The sooner you respond to any issues, the sooner you can beat the problem.

Expert Moth Removal

While the use of home treatments and remedies can certainly help to remove moths and stop them from resurfacing, this option might not give you 100% coverage. Sadly, even small remains can grow into serious problems within a matter of weeks. As such, gaining professional support from a team that uses the very best chemicals and treatments is often the best solution.

Take control of your moth infestation by calling Arnie's Pest Management on 01226 399081.

The Necessity Of Wasp Nest Removal Services

Wasps can sometimes set up their nests in homes and businesses. While wasps will usually keep to themselves if unprovoked, many wasp nests are in locations where avoiding human-wasp interactions is impossible.

Wasps can be dangerous. Not only are their stings painful, but they can also be life-threatening for people with a tendency to go into anaphylactic shock.

What’s more, one angry wasp can cause an entire nest to go into a stinging frenzy by releasing pheromones into the environment. What seems like an isolated sting can soon turn into an all-out attack on anything in the vicinity, putting people at risk.

The best way to reduce the chance that your family, customers, or colleagues will be stung by a wasp is to call in professional wasp nest removal services. Wasp nest removal services use specialised equipment to eliminate wasp nests safely when they threaten the surrounding human population.

Should You Try To Remove A Wasp Nest Yourself?

Wasp nests can contain tens of thousands of individuals, each of whom can deliver a potentially fatal sting. If you (or anybody who might come into contact with the wasps) has a history of anaphylaxis, then it’s vital to call for the help of professionals.

Professional wasp removal experts take several precautions to avoid injury during the wasp removal process. First, all professional wasp removal technicians are British Pest Control Association (BPCA)-certified, proving that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to remove wasps from your property. Second, professionals wear special protective clothing, which prevents wasps from stinging. Finally, professionals only use approved wasp treatments designed to preserve the viability of the species while eliminating wasp nests from private property.

Should you try to remove a wasp nest yourself? You can use do-in-yourself wasp nest removal products, but you should only do it yourself in certain circumstances.

For instance, experts recommend that you only attempt DIY methods if the wasp nest is small. Large wasp nests can release clouds of wasps that can easily overcome a person. If you discover a nest in the early Spring, it should be about the size of a golfball, making it easy to remove.

You should only attempt DIY methods if there is minimal activity around the nest itself, and the wasps are not active. The more active they are, the more dangerous. Finally, only remove wasps if you are not allergic to wasp stings; otherwise you could be putting your life at risk.

How To Remove A Wasp Nest

The process of removing a wasp nest usually involves buying an insecticide spray. These sprays, however, are generally only useful when the wasp colony is small during the Spring. Spraying a large wasp nest with insecticide is likely to be ineffective because of the sheer number of individuals that comprise large wasp nests.

Professional wasp control experts have the tools and the necessary equipment to safely remove wasp nests without exposing anybody to risk of injury or death. If you notice a wasp nest in the summer, professional removal services are your best option.