Signs of Pests and Control Measures

Signs of Pests and Control Measures

Signs of pests

There are various signs that there may be a pest problem. These include:

• Seeing the live pests.
• Dead creatures.
• Greasy marks on walls (rats and mice like to run along walls).
• Droppings.
• Fur, feathers.
• Gnawed packaging, pipes, cables or walls, caused by rats and mice.
• Maggots or eggs.

Control Methods

If your premises are clean and tidy pests are much less likely to come in, so this is the number one priority.

Other things to do:

• Remove rubbish from the premises regularly and keep bins clean.
• Store rubbish outside in clean bins with tight fitting lids, have it collected regularly and clean the area regularly.
• Do not have areas of undergrowth and weeds near the shop, as these will attract pests.
• Keep doors and windows closed.
• Pest Proof where possible (fly screens on opening windows and doors, brush strips along bottom of doors).
• Use Electronic Fly Killers, although you need to be careful and not put them directly over food preparation areas. These also need to be regularly serviced, as the lights need replacing annually as they lose their effectiveness with time. Dead flies should also be regularly removed.
• Use Bait boxes if necessary for rats and mice.

You should never use fly sprays as these can cause chemical contamination of the food.