The BPCA catalogue of the most common public health and nuisance pests has been created to enable members of the public to make an educated choice when considering pest control.
09 November 2020
PRESS RELEASE Householders and businesses should be on the look-out for signs of an infestation as rats and mice head indoors for winter. British Pest Control Association (BPCA) warned people to remain vigilant as new Covid-19
29 November 2017
The commonest species that invades houses is the Black Garden Ant, which is actually very dark brown. All ants have the main divisions of the body (head, thorax, abdomen) distinctly separated by very narrow waists and have a sharp elbow joint in th
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 provides protection for all species of bat found in the United Kingdom. It is illegal to kill, or even disturb, bats in their roosts. If bats are present, and there is a possibility of them bein
Found some unexplained reddish brown spots on your bedding? Been bitten while slumbering? And have you ever wondered if bed bugs live anywhere other than your mattress? Find out everything you need to know about one of the most detested pests
There are over 200 types of Bees in the UK, including 25 types of bumblebees! We've listed some of the most common here. Different types of bee may require different treatment methods. Note: pest controllers do not apply bee treatments unless there's
The main types of Beetle in the UK and we've got information on more of the types of Beetle you're likely to encounter. Biscuit Beetle Carpet Beetle Death Watch Beetle Furniture Beetle (Woodworm) Ground Beetle Larder Beetle Longhorn
The Biscuit Beetle is found worldwide but more commonly in temperate latitudes. It is common throughout the UK, especially in food storage and retailing premises, and are frequently encountered in a domestic property. They are small reddish-brown i
The Black Rat or Ship Rat is now rarely found in the UK. This rat that brought the Black Death across Europe and the Great Plague of London in the 17th century. Appearance The Brown Rat is the larger of the two, often weighing over
The term Blow Fly is a general description of a number of species of large buzzing flies, which include the Bluebottle, the Greenbottle and the Flesh Fly. Characteristics Blow flies are so called because they were believed to “blo
The Bluebottle is a large buzzing fly with shiny, metallic blue body, 6-12mm long. One Bluebottle can lay up to 600 eggs, which in warm weather will hatch in under 48 hours and produce maggots which can become fully developed in a week. These maggo
Small, flat, wingless, grey parasites about 2mm long with strong claw legs and which feed on human blood. They are similar in appearance to head lice and can easily be confused. The pearly, oval eggs or "nits" stick to hairs or fibres of c
Booklice (Psocids) are very common but harmless household pests. They are not caused by poor hygiene as they are just as common in scrupulously clean homes. Appearance These fast moving, tine, cream-coloured or light brown insects, only 1
The commonest of the so-called clothes moths, with characteristic golden-bronze wings, flecked with black, folded flat along its back. The adult is about 8mm long and prefers to run rather than fly. They grow up to 18mm long, feeding on wo
The Common, Brown or Norway Rat, also known as the sewer rat, and are prevalent across the whole of the UK. Appearance The Brown Rat is the larger of the species in the UK, often weighing over half a kilo and measuring about 23cm, without
The larvae (known as “woolly bears”) of these small, oval beetles have outstripped the clothes moths as the major British textile pest. The Variegated Carpet Beetle is 2 to 4mm long, like a small, mottled brown, grey and cream ladybird.
As mouse-killers their efficiency varies enormously. Few of them really come up to scratch as they cannot often get into areas where mice can live in a building. In addition, most house cats have lost the hunting ability of a good farm &ld
A small shiny black fly with reddish eyes whose slender grubs “skip” by curving their body into a ring and releasing themselves. The larvae burrow into cheese or ham and can cause internal irritation if eaten. How to get rid of C
There are several species of clothes moths, all of them characterised by folding their wings tent-wise along their backs. The adult Common Clothes Moth is 6 to 7mm long with pale, plain golden-buff wings fringed with hair. The rarer Case-Bearing Cl
These are dark greyish flies about 8mm long with yellowish hairs on the back and with overlapping wings. In autumn they congregate in large numbers in upper rooms or roof spaces of houses to hibernate. They will then reemerge in Spring to seek out
Large blundering insects are also known as May-bugs which are attracted to artificial light and fly into houses or collide with windows on warm evenings in May and June. The adult is 20 to 25mm long with a heavily built brown body and wing
14 October 2020
Got some uninvited dinner guests? Is the back of your fridge home to a colony of creepy crawlies? If you find your building crawling with cockroaches, you’re in the right place. Discovering there are cockroaches in your home or business
The familiar Daddy-Longlegs. A large mosquito-like fly with a long narrow body, which enters buildings in late summer. Harmless, although unpleasant in appearance. Its larva is the “leather- jacket” which damages grass roots. How
Closely related to the Cockroaches, most species of cricket live outdoors, only rarely entering premises. One species, however; the House Cricket, may live within buildings throughout the year. 16mm long and yellow-brown with darker markings on hea
A wood-boring beetle whose grubs eat old hardwood structural timbers. Practically common in stately homes in which the beetle family has probably lived since they were built. Adults rarely fly, so infestations are diminishing as old buildi
A long, narrow, brown insect 10 to 14mm long with characteristic “pincers” at one end, the earwig is often carried indoors in cut flowers or house plants and often invades from the garden through open windows, sometimes in large numbers
09 October 2018
Several spiders in the genus Steatoda are mistaken for the rather deadly Black Widow Spider. These lookalikes are often grouped together as False Black Widow Spiders. While these spiders are venomous and their bites can be very painful
Outdoor cousins of the House Mouse, which tend to move indoors in the winter seeking their creature comforts. It's important to understand that pest management professionals will avoid controlling field mice unless they are presenting a public
08 October 2019
Is your pet fidgeting and scratching an unusual amount? Spotted something jumping around on the carpet? If you find yourself fretting about fleas, you’re in the right place. Discovering there are fleas in your home is distressing and, du
A family of two-winged polluters that is, too often, tolerated within our homes. Apart from the biting flies, all species feed by vomiting saliva onto the food surface and sucking up the resulting liquid. In the course of doing so, the fly contamin
Small reddish-brown beetles about 3-4mm long that feed on flour and cereal debris in warm buildings. These beetles are often accidentally introduced into the larder in packaging or the ingredients themselves. The commonest species are the Rust Red
28 November 2017
A tiny, slow-moving, white or pale-brown creature measuring a barely visible 0.5mm long, with eight legs. A pest of cereals and cereal products especially if they are damp. How to get rid of Flour Mites: Burn or otherwise dispose of infes
Moths whose grubs feed on stored food - especially cereals, chocolate, cocoa, dried fruit, nuts and any flour product. Adults are mottled grey and brown and measure 10-15mm long. Larvae are a dirty white colour with brown heads and grow up to 12-15
Many people are concerned about foxes affected by mange. A scruffy looking fox is not necessarily an ill fox. When moulting in spring, foxes look quite rough, but this does not mean they are mangy. They are typically found in woodland and open coun
A family of very small (about 3mm) flies, some with prominent red eyes, characterised by a slow hovering flight in which the abdomen hangs down. All are associated with rotting fruit and vegetables or fermenting liquids. One species breeds in sour
An oval black beetle 4-6mm long with a white spot on each wing case. Grubs are about 6mm long, with a tuft of golden hairs on the end of their bodies. They can often be detected by their cast-off skins as they moult. Grubs feed on fur, hair, skins,
A small brown beetle, 2.5-5mm long, that is the adult form of woodworm. Emerges from infested wood between May and September, especially in June and July, leaving round exit holes 1-2mm in diameter. See Woodworm Having problems wit
The insect normally referred to as a gnat is actually a small mosquito - correct name: Culex pipiens. It is common in gardens on warm evenings. Another species, the true Window Gnat, is a slow-flying insect about 8mm long with wings more rounded th
Large buzzing flies about 9mm long with a characteristic bottle-green sheen on the back. Mostly carrion feeders that enter houses to seek places to hibernate and, in passing, may well alight on exposed foodstuffs. See Bluebottle
23 September 2020
Have you heard something rustling in your attic or loft and suspect squirrels? As cute as squirrels might appear to be, they can be an incredibly destructive and distressing pest to have in your home or work. Learn all about grey squirrels in our ult
These various large black or violet beetles that occasionally wander in from the garden or emerge from under doormats or not a pest and control is rarely necessary. The larger Ground Beetles can grow up to 25mm long and tend to wander into
A very tiny creature living in long grass but which can be carried into homes on clothing or the coats of dogs. Can give a very irritating bite. How to prevent harvest mites If you live in an area where this is common, put a proprietary i
Harmless spider-like creatures with eight exceptionally long, thin legs. They do not spin webs but occasionally wander into homes. How to get rid of harvestmen spiders Household insecticide products labelled for crawling insects will solv
These aren't a pest problem, but a medical problem. The head louse is a blood-sucking parasite about 3mm long that adapts to the hair colour of its host. The tiny, pearly eggs or “nits” are cemented to the hair close to the scalp, and t
Twice the size of the common wasp and brown and yellow instead of black and yellow. It builds nests in hollow trees and similar sites. They only occasionally enter houses. For control methods, see Wasps.
Exceedingly common, these tiny creatures are of the genus Dermatophagoides. They are the primary source of the house dust allergens implicated in allergic, respiratory reactions such as asthma. Dust Mites feed on human skin scales and require both
The Common Housefly and the Lesser Housefly are the most widespread household flies. The adult is 7-8mm long, grey in colour with black stripes on the back, with a single pair of veined membraneous wings. The large compound eyes take up most of the
House mice are a part of British wildlife - but when they take up residence with you, they can be a cause for concern. Active all year round, mice are one of the most common pest species in the UK. House mice are small mammals of th
Textile pests and scavengers whose grubs eat natural fabrics. Similar to Clothes Moths. See Brown House Moth and Clothes Moth. Having problems with house moths? Use a trained professional pest controller. Search f
The pale green Lacewing is a harmless wanderer from the garden or woods where its larvae prey upon other insects. It has a pale green, soft body, about 15mm long, with richly veined transparent wings folded over it when at rest. The eyes are an iri
There are many types of ladybird in the UK, but quite recently, a new variety was introduced that has the potential to jeopardise the others. The Harlequin ladybird is found naturally in the Far East, including Japan and Korea. It was introduced in
A relatively large (7-10mm) oval beetle, almost black but with a distinct pale band across the front of the wing-cases. The larvae are white after first hatching, but turn brown and are covered with tufts of bristly hair. They grow to 10-12mm long
Small, flat, wingless, grey parasites about 2mm long with strong claw legs and which feed on human blood. There are two distinct forms of this sort of louse - the head louse and the body louse, but they are similar in appearance. The pearl
The longhorn beetles are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterised by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. See Woodworm.
The layman’s term for the legless, wriggling larval (first) stage of certain insects, usually the larvae of Flies. However, you can find larvae for all sorts of species of insects including Beetles, Moths and Fleas. How to get rid of M
A term applied to the larvae of the three species of Mealworm Beetle. Adult beetles are about 15mm long, dark brown and scavenge in damp larders or down in basement food stores. They frequently breed in old birds’ nests. The larvae are large
07 January 2020
Can you hear the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps behind the skirting? Does Tom keep bringing Jerry in from the garden? Mice are a part of British wildlife - but when they take up residence with you, they can be a cause for concern. Active
Tiny dark grey flies, only about 2mm long with hair-fringed wings, most prevalent in spring and summer near sewage works. Also known as Filter Flies or Owl Midges, their grubs perform a useful purpose because they break down organic material at sew
Barely visible to the naked eye, mites have eight legs and a round body and are seldom noticed until they have built up sufficient numbers to be a major infestation. They are not insects but are arachnids, related to spiders. The typical m
Moles tunnel using their large two front paws to scrape away the earth and feel along tunnels with their snouts and whiskers. Because of the absence of light within their living conditions, moles have very poor eyesight so very rarely will you see
Most “mosquitoes” seen in houses are in fact the harmless and unrelated Crane Fly. True mosquitoes are very much smaller but have a similar long thin abdomen, long thin legs and strongly veined wings. The head has large eyes and a promi
Are your clothes looking a bit more than “fashionably ripped”? Has your carpet fallen victim to hungry moth larvae? And are those wings in your flour? Find out everything you need to know about moths in the UK, including how and wh
A small tropical species of ant of increasing importance in the structures of large centrally heated buildings, especially hospitals and high rise blocks of flats where it can be a serious public health pest. Remedy These ants are particu
Feral pigeons foul buildings, creating unwanted "stained glass" windows and "decorated" architecture. All sorts of pests may migrate from their nests into buildings. Originally descended from the wild Rock Dove, a cliff-face dweller, these birds fi
15 March 2020
Sick of sea gulls? Petrified of pigeons? Bothered by birds? Have you been stepping in excessive amounts of bird poo around your home or business? This guide is packed full of everything you need to know about bird management in the UK. The guide
In a new house where plaster is still damp, or where damp plaster occurs in old property, very tiny, almost black beetles about 2mm long may be found. These are called plaster beetles. Remedy: The adults and larvae feed on microscopic mou
Have you heard scuttling under the floorboards? Can you see signs of a potential rodent nesting site? And have you ever wondered what makes a mutant rat so “super”? Find out everything you need to know about rats in the UK, includi
Tiny, bright red specks, about 1mm across, sometimes move into buildings in large numbers. There are two species with several names, generally known as Red Spider Mites. Although they do no direct harm inside the house, if the mites are squashed th
A cigar-shaped, silver-grey, wingless insect about 12mm long, found in damp areas commonly in kitchens and bathrooms. Nocturnal in habit, but often trapped in baths, basins or chinaware as it cannot climb the smooth surfaces. Moves quickly and has
A well-known garden pest, Slugs will eat vegetation and are only occasionally found indoors, in damp areas such as cellars. Despite their appearance, Slugs are harmless and is only a minor agricultural/amenity pest. How to get rid of Slugs
In the UK snakes are not dealt with as pests by an average pest control company as problems are not common and dealing with snakes requires particular skills. As stated in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to kill, injure or sell
Rarely a problem in domestic situations, but frequently an issue in commercial premises such as bakeries and warehouses. Sparrows can enter buildings through tiny gaps and, once in, are very difficult to remove. Remedy Proofing with nets
A group of beetles with globular abdomens and relatively long legs, superficially resembling small spiders, 3-4mm long. General scavengers of all sorts of animal and vegetable debris and stored food, and frequently associated with old birds’
In the UK, native spiders are not considered dangerous, or a threat to health but some households suffer from ‘nuisance’ house spiders, and because of common fears (arachnophobia), many require pest control. If you require this
Closely resembles the Housefly, but this fellow bites. Uncommon indoors but breeds in long grass, straw or grass cuttings where there are horses or other animals. Remedy Apply an insect repellent to bare skin, especially legs, before goin
Although a native to this country, our permanently resident starling population is swelled every autumn by migrants arriving from the Continent. Starlings may roost in their thousands on ledges on buildings and in trees in city centres. Their dropp
21 November 2019
Have you brought something home from the shop riddled with insects? Opened an old bag of flour to find it’s tainted? Are you a manufacturer of food products and you want to keep them safe from infestation? Stored product insects (SPIs) a
Social insects which may live in communities of many millions of individuals. In tropical and sub-tropical countries they are major pests of timber buildings. Not presently found in the UK but global warming may allow them to establish in the south
Also known as “thunder-flies”, tiny (1.5mm) insects, black with narrow, hairy wings. They feed on plant sap and on humid summer days they may occur in huge numbers on window sills and get into clothing and hair. Mainly an agric
Closely related to the mites, but much larger and reliant on vertebrate blood. They are occasionally brought into the house on domestic animals and can be picked up by humans after walking through long grass in an infested area. Ticks are implicate
Usually confused with Brown Rats, these small, blunt-nosed rodents can occasionally enter buildings, but normally live in outdoor burrows. Not regarded as a household pest, and in fact, some species such as the water vole are a protected species an
Are you worried about wasp stings? Have you found a wasps’ nest? Learn all about wasp nest treatments in our ultimate wasp pest control guide. Get rid of wasps for good. If you’ve spotted lots of wasps and you’re worried abo
A term frequently misused to describe beetles in general, but is applicable only to a distinctive group of beetles with long, pointed “snouts” which they use for boring into whole grains, hard processed cereals such as pasta, and timber
A brown beetle, about 1cm long, with pronounced antennae and a tendency to emerge from damp basements and fly about near rivers or estuaries in early summer. The grubs live in very decayed wet timber such as old jetties or wooden piles. These beetl
Woodlice are one of the few land crustaceans. They have oval, grey, segmented bodies 10-15mm long, with 14 legs and prominent antennae. Common names include ‘slaters’, ‘sow-bugs’ and ‘pill-bugs’. There a
A term used for the destructive larvae of the Common Furniture Beetle. The first sign of woodworm is the appearance of neat round holes, 2mm across, in wooden surfaces, often accompanied by tiny piles of wood dust beneath them. Fresh holes show c
The small hairy larvae of the carpet or fur beetles are known as "woolly bears". These small, oval beetles have outstripped the clothes moths as the major British textile pest. The larvae are small (about 4mm long), covered in brown hairs, and tend
Parasitic worms are a veterinary or medical problem but they are included here because some may be transmitted by rats, mice or certain insects. Threadworms are relatively common in dogs, cats and children. They are thin whitish wrigglers about 5mm
One of the species collectively known as Cluster Fly family. A small yellowish fly with black stripes on its back which sometimes invades attics or rarely-used rooms to hibernate in autumn. For more information, including control technique
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Pest Advice
BPCA catalogue of the most common public health and nuisance pests
A to Z of Pests