The Different Forms of Humane Pest Control

Pests can become a nightmare if left unchecked, causing damage to your house, garden and – in extreme cases – the health of your family members. As such, it’s vital that they are removed quickly and efficiently. This does not mean, however, that pests must be exterminated in the manner to which we have become accustomed. There are, in fact, a variety of humane forms of pest control that professional services can perform, four of which we will illustrate in this article.

Rodent Deterrents

Traditional forms of rodent extermination such as traps and poison are, on the whole, ineffective and potentially harmful to humans and domestic animals. For an efficient and humane strategy, professional services can incorporate repellents and deterrents such as the following:

• Block cracks and crevices with rodent-repellent sealer. This works in two ways: trapped rodents will leave, whilst prospective wall-dwellers can’t enter.
• Humane rodenticides can be used, which are painless and calmative.
• Rodent-proof mesh can be used to cover open pipes and vents.

It’s worth noting, here, that the best way to control pests humanely is to deter them, rather than remove them. Professional services such as Pest Defence utilise a variety of high-quality apparatus in order to stop rodents and other pests causing problems in the first place.

Bee Nest Removal

Bees are integral to our ecosystem and, as such, should not be exterminated. Bees facilitate the growth of various fruits, nuts and plants – and also create our honey! There are a few variety of bees, each of which needs to be dealt with in a different manner:

• Honey bees – If you have a swarm of honey bees surrounding your property, it is vital that you call a beekeeper. The beekeeper will safely relocate and preserve the swarm. It shouldn’t be difficult to find a beekeeper in your local area, but if you can’t, you can always call the council.
• Bumblebees – If the nest is accessible, bumblebees should be relocated rather than destroyed. They pose no real threat unless provoked.
• Mortar bees – Mortar bees don’t have nests as such, and cannot be removed. That said, they are harmless and best left alone; their activity is often brief.

Bird Deterrents

Pigeons can be a real nuisance, potentially causing harm in large numbers if ignored. In light of this, it’s important that humane bird deterrents are effective. Here is a list of useful methods professionals can use, which avoid extermination:

• Ultrasonic bird scarers – These devices emit a very high-frequency sound, not audible to the human ear, that birds find particularly unpleasant. It must not be used in an area where bats are present, however, as it can interfere with their echolocation.
• Nest removal – Particularly troublesome pigeon nests in problem areas can be removed carefully and humanely and replaced with deterrents.
• Bird spikes – Bird spikes are, quite surprisingly, a humane method of deterring birds from roosting, as the birds in question are intelligent enough to avoid impalement.

Rabbit Fencing

Although rather costly, rabbit fencing can be a particularly effective and humane way of controlling rabbits. There are two options: 1) fence the whole garden and eliminate the problem in one fell swoop, or 2) isolate the high-risk beds to save money.

If you are concerned about removing pests humanely, then Pest Defence Ltd can help. We offer a wide variety of first-rate pest control services – and can avoid extermination if you so desire. If you would like to find out more, call our helpful team today and get our experts on the case!