Pest control

 

The red fox is common in most rural and urban areas. It consumes a wide range of foodstuffs including small mammals, birds, carrion and fresh fruit. They are mostly nocturnal animals, but for much of the year they live above ground using piles of materials or the spaces below garden sheds and other buildings for cover. They build underground dens in the early spring for breeding purposes and cubs remain with the female until they disperse in the autumn. The presence of droppings or urine in gardens can be worrying but health risks to humans are minimal. Pets and small mammals, such a rabbits, and poultry are at risk, but there is lack of evidence that foxes attack cats.

 

To deter foxes keep vulnerable pets, etc in secure housing. Preventing access to dustbins or refuse bags will help reduce attraction to the area.

 

 

Bats are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is illegal to kill, injure, capture, or disturb them. It is also illegal to obstruct access to, damage or destroy bat roosts. A roost is any structure or place used by bats for shelter or protection. Bats do not make nests nor cause structural damage. They sometimes hang free but prefer to creep into cracks and crevices. Bats are most often found in houses between May and August when they gather in maternity roosts. Mother bats have one baby a year and move away when the young can fly and feed themselves. They have usually left the roost by September. Their droppings make excellent fertilizer.

 

The control of other pests such as wasps, flies and rats may unintentionally affect bats or their roosts, so care should be taken when controlling pests in an area where bats are, or known to have been, present.

 

For more information contact The Bat Conservation Trust

 

 

The grey squirrel has long been recognised as a pest in woodland areas, but now sometimes becomes a problem in homes. It can cause serious damage by gnawing cables, structure and other materials such as insulation and can create a lot of noise in lofts and roof spaces. Careful planning and timing is required to get rid of squirrels, so it is better to avoid attracting them in the first place. Avoid putting out food for birds in your garden and cover any holes which could give them entry into your loft.