Ladybirds & CRB checks
Ladybirds & CRB checks:
At PEST UK we have had a busy start to February 2014. As well as an increase in rat and mouse enquiries we are due to start a substantial pigeon netting installation in Wokingham, Berkshire.
Nick Browning of PEST UK has taken pictures of hibernating Ladybirds in a loft space. These Ladybirds are ‘new pests’ for England. Ten years ago these Harlequin type of Ladybirds were rare in the UK but now they have taken over from the smaller native Ladybird. The main difference from a pest control point of view is that where the native Ladybird hibernated outside in small groups or individually, the Harlequin species hibernate in large numbers, similar to the Cluster Fly. People complain about ten in houses as they come into hibernate in the Autumn and again when they start to leave in the Spring. As far as I know they feed on the same food and as their food includes small insects and aphids they probably do a lot of good even though many people complain about them because they seem to be displacing the native ladybird and the nuisance they can cause in building.
As we deal with Schools, nurseries, care homes, clubs, homes for vulnerable people and many similar sites all pest control technicians have to be CRB checked. Not only does this cost but dealing with the CRB people is a nightmare. They are very unhelpful and we are spring hours on the phone trying to sort out the CRB checks. These have to be constantly renewed. In my opinion they are a necessary part of a professional companies tasks. If pest control companies want to promote a professional image and remember pest control technicians will go into peoples houses as well as schools, care homes etc then the pest control technicians must be honest and trustworthy.
