Dead Cluster Flies & Trapping for Rats

In Cluster Flies, Rats & Mice

Dead Cluster Flies & Trapping for Rats
Yesterday we had the job of removing dead cluster flies from the loft of a large manor house on an estate just south of Basingstoke. The large loft space was covered by about a four inch layer of dead cluster flies. This build up had happened over a period of many years – up to 30! We had to use an industrial vacuum cleaner to suck up the flies and empty the contents in bin liners. We then had to carefully dispose of the flies through our hazardous waste system.
 

Last week a landlady asked us to start a rat treatment at a property she owns. In spite of the fact that we don’t think this treatment will work she has insisted that we go ahead.

The reasons we think this treatment will not be effective are:

• the property is in a terrace where there are known rat problems. In the past two years PEST UK has carried out several rat treatments in the same terrace and it is likely that other companies and perhaps the council have as well.
• the more serious problem is that the tenant only wants us to use traps. This is because in the past he had a dead rat that caused a smell when poison was used. It is virtually impossible to deal with a rat infestation in two visits using traps alone –  particularly in circumstances such as this. Rats are naturally suspicious and it is recommended that if traps are introduced to an infestation (as opposed to being used as a preventative measure) then they should be pre-baited but left unset for a couple of weeks to reduce this suspicion, and then all be set at the same time. At the same time  Dr Steven Havers (he does the Pest Control Courses in North Waltham, Basingstoke) says that for effective elimination 10 traps are needed for each rat! So our landlady has paid her money, and against our advice insisted that we go ahead with this treatment. We are convinced this treatment will not work, although obviously, we’d love to be proved wrong. The sad part is that when the treatment doesn’t work,  our landlady will blame us for being ineffective

Cluster Flies by the BPCA

BPCA inf on Rats