Skirmish Pest Control

22/10/2021

13/02/2021

What do rat tracks look like in the snow?🐀❄🌨

While there are still patches of snow on the ground you may be able to spot if you have any signs of rats on your property by looking for their tracks.

The attached photos were taken from a job in a local rural location yesterday and indicate the presence of large rats.

You can clearly see their detailed paw-prints and the thick line you can see in the snow is where their tails are dragging behind them.

If you are already aware of any burrows, then you can see if these are still active as the snow around them will be dirty with soil.

If you have any rat problems/concerns that you need professional help with please contact Skirmish Pest Control.🐀

06/02/2021

Pest Proofing - Prevention is better than a cure!

Minor building defects can lead to major pest problems. 🏚🐀🐁🐭

With the cold, wet winter weather in full swing Skirmish Pest Control has naturally been very busy dealing with domestic call outs where Rats🐀 and Mice🐭 have decided that peoples homes and gardens are far more appealing than being out in the surrounding bare, wet & muddy fields........ who can blame them? its cold out!🥶

With this in mind we thought we would take a few minutes to give you an idea of what little building defects you can easily fix (or have an appropriate tradesman do so) in order to help keep your home rodent free.🧰🛠🏡🏠 🚫🐀

Checklist - Does my property have any......?

-Broken air vents :
A new vent cover can cost less than £5 and generally can be replaced in minutes. This is a really common entry point for rodents.

-Loose or defective drain or gully covers :
Generally quite cheap and easy to replace; covers can be found in most good hardware stores & builders merchants.
If brown rats have unrestricted access to the foul drainage system they can potentially gain access to your home. They may even be able to climb up the inside of Soil vent pipes of less than 150mm diameter into your loft or any other space.

- Open ended / unsealed rainwater downpipes:
Where rainwater pipes terminate into the ground they should be sealed. This can be achieved using an appropriate cover, or with the correct technique using spray foam or cement (research how to achieve this or employ a handyman if in doubt).
Exposed rainwater downpipes less than 100mm can provide rats with a route up to eaves level and potentially into your properties roof space.
Also regularly check gutters and downpipes are clear of debris as this can assist rodents in their climbing activities.

-Doors: Keep closed (Free!😀)
If external doors have gaps of 10mm or more mice can easily squeeze under them and into your home. Either consider having the door replaced if appropriate or have rodent proof brushes or rubber seals fitted. Remember though mice may be cute to some; one female mouse can become an infestation in no time!

-Loose tiles or broken roof tiles:
This job may require help from a roofer depending on the height of the tile and severity of the repair; but this could not only keep out rodents and even birds, but also it could save you from having a costly repair due to a leaking rook.

-Holes in masonry:
Check around any pipes or cables penetrating your properties external walls. If they have gaps around them it is best to seal them with, cement, foam or mastic as appropriate. Any holes in masonry are potential entry points into your home for rodents.
With more modern properties you certainly do not want to allow them unrestricted access to your external cavity wall as these are full of warm insulation...... a perfect place to build a warm cosey nest!

Hopefully the above points provide a bit of a guide as to what to look for around your property and how to remedy these issues to help keep your home pest free. 🚫🐀

If you have any questions or require the help of a professional pest control company, please contact Skirmish Pest Control.
We offer as part of our service full pest proofing inspections & survey reports.
🐀🐁🐭

15/01/2021

WARNING! DANGER! POISON! ☠️💀🐀

We would like to take a moment to share some of our professional knowledge to keep you and your family safe.

(This post is lengthy but is especially relevant for anyone with children, vulnerable persons & pets. The purpose is not to alarm but rather to raise awareness).

Some homeowners experiencing rodent issues may choose to use domestic rodenticides which currently can be purchased from many DIY shops, garden centres etc.
These typically contain less concentration of the active ingredient than rodenticides which can only be purchased by qualified Pest Control Professionals.

There is nothing wrong with using such reputable branded products for their intended purpose. They are strictly regulated & approved for domestic use.

However we would like to provide you with some points to think about:

1). Always read the label before purchase and use.

- Is the product correct for your intended purpose?
- If yes, always use according to the label.

2). Store the product according to the advice found on the product label.

-It is vital that rodenticides are stored in a secure place not accessible to children or vulnerable persons. Even products for domestic use are very toxic if ingested.
-Never store rodenticides in accessible kitchen cupboards as in the picture attached or near food.
-Rodenticides can be a particular danger to children as they look very colourful and visually appealing. Just as with washing tablets etc. they may be mistaken for sweets or food. Many of us may be aware of tragic news reports involving other such products.

3). Use the product in the correct place.

-Product labels will tell you where a rodenticide may be used, most likely they are not suitable to be used in kitchens and other food areas. This is to avoid contamination of food with poisons.
-A product label may state that the rodenticide is not for outdoor use and is only for 'use in and around buildings'. This is to protect wildlife and pets from direct or secondary poisoning.

4). Always use personal protective equipment as stated on the product label.

- This will help minimise health risks associated with using a particular rodenticide or subsequent dead rodent.
- A lot of rodenticides use anticoagulant poisons such as difenacoum, brodifacoum, bromadiolone and difethialone. These can be absorbed by the skin so appropriate gloves are essential. Never pick baits up with bear hands!

5). Always wash your hands thoroughly after use.

6). Search for rodent carcases regularly and dispose of these and any spent rodenticide in accordance with the law.

-It is essential that pets such as cats & dogs do not consume dead rodents or bait. The same goes to any wildlife as well.

7). If you suspect a person or pet has ingested a rodenticide, consult a medical professional or veterinary surgeon immediately!

The emphasis of this post is to urge all homeowners to read and strictly follow product labels when using rodenticides.
This will keep you and your family safe.

We hope this helps.

If you need professional pest control services please consider Skirmish Pest Control. 🐀

08/01/2021

How CSI is this?

🕵️👣😁🐀🧪🔬🔍

Skirmish utilizes cutting edge pest non-toxic monitoring bait containing a ultra violet fluorescent marker.

This helps us to monitor if rodent activity is present and easily identify routes they are taking to and from harbourage. Their droppings, urine and footprints become easily visible as you can see from these photos.
This means we can promptly take action to deal with rodents and be precise in placing our interventions. This helps reduce the time taken to deal with a pest problem and therefore reduces the amount of damage they cause to property and the potential risk to human health.

If you are a business owner who needs to know promptly when a rodent problem occurs this could save valuable time, money and even reputation.

Stay safe and rodent free

🐭🐁🐀

02/01/2021

First job of the year!

After updating our website and paperwork to reflect the new general licences regarding bird control; it was nice to be out in Ruskington placing rodent monitoring stations on a property close to the Beck.

As we all know the Beck is a pleasant feature of the village and home to well loved wildlife ...... especially the ducks! 🦆🦆

Most watercourses however, do attract rats so this means homeowners and businesses may wish to monitor rodent activity to pre-empt any rat infestations & associated damage. 🐀🐀

Naturally when working close to a watercourse Skirmish Pest Control uses non-toxic monitoring baits to determine the extent of rat activity, before opting for physical control methods if required rather than rodenticides.

Skirmish is committed to ensuring our work does not impact on non-target species and wildlife, while also primarily looking after public health and customer property.

Keep safe everyone and if you have any rodent issues please contact us 😀

10/12/2020

To help you reduce your chances of having any unwanted visitors this winter we have put together this handy to do List:
❄❄🐭❄❄

Food 🌰🥜🥧🍰🥨🧀
– Ensure all stored food is in airtight containers ✔️
– Only put sufficient bird food in feeders for the day ✔️
– Check under cupboards and appliances for pieces of dropped food ✔️
– Make sure bin lids are down ✔️

Water 💧💦
– Empty low down bird baths in the evening and refill in the morning ✔️
– Cover rainwater butts ✔️
– Check accessible gutters and channel drains are running freely ✔️

Shelter 🍁🍂🏠📦🎁🧻
– If possible check loft for signs of disturbed insulation, gnawing or droppings ✔️
– Sweep up and dispose of any piles of dead leaves ✔️
– Cut back any bushes and other dense vegetation close to buildings ✔️
– Dispose of any waste packaging materials, recycling if possible. Piles of cardboard and paper make cosy nests! ✔️

Access 🔒🔐
– Ensure there are no holes entering your home such as around pipes where lagging may be missing, or even gaps under doors and around window frames ✔️
– If you have any gullies, channel drains or other drainage points check that they have appropriate covers and that these are still in place and in good condition ✔️

We at Skirmish hope that this post gives you some basic ideas of how you can help keep your home rodent free this winter.

Should you need our services please do not hesitate to contact us!
🐭❄❄☃️⛄️❄❄

05/12/2020

Having attended the UK launch of Selontra last week, Matt has now successfully completed his online training and gained certification in the use of this new BASF product.

Selontra is a new rodenticide produced by BASF which is now approved for use in the UK. It is an exciting game changer for the pest control industry and our clients. Its key benefits are:

-It has a high palatability, even when there are other available food sources. Including burgers apparently🍔

-It can achieve control 3 times faster than most anticoagulant rodenticides saving time and money!

-Control can potentially be achieved in as little as 7days!

-It has no known resistance as its active substance is cholecalciferol which naturally occurs in rodents. (Just not at such high levels).

-As the active substance does not produce an anticoagulant mode of action, it can therefore be used to control rodent populations resistant to such poisons.

-It does not have the same persistence as anticoagulant bait types. So poses less of a risk of secondary poisoning of wildlife.

Matt: "As a pest controller I am very excided about the benefits of using Selontra, hence I have been so quick to undertake training in this product to allow for me to understand how to use it to its full potential, and to purchase it as a professional user as this is a restricted product.
It is great that it can save time and money this is always a good thing, but the major attraction for us at Skirmish Pest Control is that we now have another alternative to Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SCARs) which we can use where appropriate to limit treatment times and therefore minimise the window of risk to non-target species/wildlife. That is a big welcome benefit!".

A big thank you to Killgerm and BASF for providing us with the opportunity to attend this launch and training. Many thanks to for the awesome beanie hat, note pad and pen!😄 The hat was definitely on time with the arrival of the first snowfall of the year!
🌨❄️

04/12/2020

Skirmish Pest Control is here to help you with your pest problems in the Sleaford Lincolnshire area.
Skirmish is owned by Matt Semmer who is a fully qualified pest control technician with a BPCA/RSPH Level 2 Award in Pest Management.
We offer our services both to domestic one off clients as well as commercial clients who require an integrated pest control management (IPM) programme.
We aim to provide all of our clients with a first class tailored service and also carry out our work with appropriate respect for all problematic creatures.

Please check us out on our website @ www.skirmishpestcontrol.co.uk