One of the main groups are social bees and these can include both Honey Bees and Bumble Bees.

Honey bees are very sociable and can live in groups of up to 50000 including a Queen, workers, drones and of course larvae, pupae and eggs. They are normally associated with bee hives, but can be found living in the wild in any suitable habitat including old trees and even buildings.

Bees are very beneficial to the environment and can go about their business often un-noticed, it is only when a swarm occurs that they really grab the attention! Swarms are caused when a colony becomes so overcrowded that a Queen takes off with part of the original colony to locate and establish a new nest. Before departing, all of the bees will fill up on nectar for the journey. The workers will form around the Queen, who is not a strong flyer, so at some point will have to rest and will settle on any convenient bush, branch or building. When this happens it is important to remain a good distance from the swarm, as if threatened, the bees may well sting.

Bumble Bees live in smaller social groups of up to 150 and suitable habitat includes sheltered spots including dry compost heaps, under or in garden sheds and in buildings.

Another group are Solitary Bees, these, as the name suggests, live alone and can be found in holes in the ground, wood, cliff or quarry faces and masonry including bricks and mortar. It can be confusing as often holes can be found close together in suitable habitat suggesting a colony.

Solitary Bees are harmless and DO NOT STING and are beneficial to the environment. Both males and females are active from late April until mid – June and on warm sunny days they can be seen busy constructing a chamber, where they will lay their eggs, stock with nectar and pollen before finally sealing it. The eggs hatch as larvae and feed on the supply of food left in the chamber before finally pupating into a bee which may take up to a year. The adult bees will only live for a short period of time and by July would have died, before the offspring emerges.

If you have a problem with Ants, Fleas, Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Moles, Rabbits, Wasps or you need help with Wasp control or Wasp removal or pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area call no-nonsense pest control : 01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or e-mail nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

As is the case for most areas in Dorset, Queens Park and Charminster were originally heathland and referred to as “the Great Heath”. The area was used as a place to cut turf, (turbary), for fuel until the 1800’s when it was nearly ended by legislation, but local protestors managed to regain five specific lots of land to carry on the practice. One lot of 147 acres was known as Lot 60 and this is now Queens Park. The other Lots ended up as Seafield Gardens, King’s Park, Redhill Common and Meyrick Park.

In 1902 with the coronation of King Edward VII Lot 59 became King’s Park and Lot 60 became Queens Park and both were important symbols for Bournemouth in the Edwardian era.

CHARMINSTER-BOURNEMOUTH

The land between Moordown and Littledown was heathland with a few cottages and the residents cut turf and grazed animals and extracted honey from hives and it is believed that one of the residents came from Charminster near Dorchester and hence Charminster was born.

Development of Charminster started in the 1880s and in the 1920s much of the available land was built on and other notable buildings were built including Saint Francis of Assisi church, Saint Walburga’s school and Charminster library.

The golf course on Queens Park gives a welcome break to the large area of housing in the Charminster area and along with the cemetery and playing fields it provides a refuge for many native species of wildlife including birds and insects. As they thrive they encroach into neighbouring properties and gardens and conflicts arise.

There are numerous Foxes and Badgers in the local area and testament to this is the large amount seen dead on the A338 Spur Road at different times of the year. As the fox populations grow foxes are often seen during daylight hours in search of food or just taking in the scenery. An average territory of an urban Fox can include up to 120 gardens.

Rats and Mice can travel distances for food should the need arise, but with the high number of food outlets in the area and intensity of housing and subsequent amounts of rubbish produced numbers can soon swell. Another animal able to survive well is the Squirrel and there is no shortage of properties that can fall victim to them especially if food is provided in the form of bird feeders.

Pigeons are on the increase as they are able to adapt and take advantage very quickly of any suitable food sources or nesting places and along with Wasps they can be a real pest to man and in the case of Pigeons can cause damage and illness. If Wasps gain a foothold in a garden then contact can be serious and some form of Wasp control or Wasp removal will be required.

Finally with a large number of domestic pets encountering more and more wild animals, then the spread of fleas is likely unless the pets have been suitably treated beforehand.

If you have a problem with  Ants, Fleas,  Rats, Mice, Rabbits, Squirrels, Birds, Moles,  Wasps or you need help with Wasp control or Wasp removal or pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call :

no-nonsense pest control 01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

They are in fact the Common Cockchafer, (Melolontha melolontha), meaning big beetle and they belong to the Scarab family of beetles.  Adults can grow to 30mm long and have distinctive white coloured triangles along their sides with hairy brown bodies and orange coloured antennae which resembles a fan.  It is the antennae that enable the males to track females at night by detecting pheromones.

The adults will only live for 5 or 6 weeks and during this time they will emerge at dusk on warm evenings to fly into tree tops to mate and feed on foliage, making their notorious loud humming noise. They are also attracted to lights.

The females have a segment at the rear which is called a pygidium and it long and pointed and is used to lay eggs directly into the ground and can be mistaken for a sting.

The life cycle starts as eggs which are laid in June to July which then hatch out into grubs that live underground for up to 5 years. These grubs can grow up to 4cm in length feeding on roots and tubers before they pupate into an adult beetle emerging in late spring.

The grubs are a source of food for not only Owls and Bats, but Foxes, Badgers and birds too and damage can be caused to lawns when the grubs are discovered by predators.

The Cockchafer is more of a nuisance than a pest, especially when they enter indoors via chimneys or open windows and can cause fear by their size and noise.  In some cases they can be mistaken for cockroaches.  They are in fact harmless and do not bite or sting.

If you have a problem with  Ants, Fleas,  Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Moles, Rabbits,  Wasps or you need help with Wasp control or Wasp removal or pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call:

no-nonsense pest control : 01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

OUTSIDE WASPS NEST

The common wasp is a highly sociable insect living in colonies containing a single queen wasp and many workers (females) and drones (males) and is recognisable by its yellow and black stripes. In some extreme cases one colony can consist of a nest with up to 10,000 individuals! The fear of wasps is known as spheksophobia.The queen wasp builds a small nest made out of masticated wood obtained from many sources which can include fences and garden furniture and it can vary in colour depending on the source. The nest can be built underground in an old animal burrow or compost heap or above ground in trees or bushes. Underground nests are a popular choice where the soil is more sandy in areas like Sandbanks, Poole, Corfe Mullen, Upton, and Wareham. Other sites include sheds, garages or under the eaves of properties and in lofts and cavities and these are found in more built up areas like Boscombe and Bournemouth, Christchurch and further afield like West Moors, Verwood and Ringwood. (Obviously there are exceptions.)

Once the nest is built, the queen wasp will lay her eggs and will take sole responsibility for all the caring and feeding until the first brood has matured, these will be infertile female wasps which are smaller than the queen wasp and known as workers. In turn these then take over from the queen wasp rearing the eggs and larvae and looking after the nest, the queen wasp then devotes her entire time to laying more eggs.

WASP NEST UNDER GUTTERING

The larvae feed on flies and caterpillars and other smaller invertebrates which are brought to them by the adult wasps who themselves feed on nectar and the sweet excretion from the larvae. This process continues throughout the warm summer months, with the nest growing in size all the time.In late summer the first of the male wasps are born and these are identified by their long antennae and it is these that will mate with the new queens that are also born around this time. When breeding ceases the male wasps soon die off and the new queens will disperse to overwintering sites to build their small nests to eventually hibernate over the winter period and the following spring, start the whole process all over again.

During late summer and early autumn, once the breeding cycles have finished, the queen wasp will die and the workers no longer have eggs or larvae to attend to and lose the supply of food from the larvae excretion and go out on the hunt for food, this is when the risk of a wasp sting, is at its greatest. In their search for food, conflict with man is inevitable, as they will visit B-B-Q’s, dustbins, kitchens and any other sources of sweet food.

Wasps will only normally sting when defending or protecting their nests, so if you suddenly come into contact with a nest, retreat slowly, avoid the instinct to run, as any sudden movement will trigger the wasps defence mechanism. The temperature in a nest can be up 10 degrees warmer than the air around it, so on a hot day the wasps are likely to be more aggressive. It is only the female wasps that sting.

ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK

In most cases a sting will result in a painful swelling which should soon subside, however in some extreme cases the result could be more dangerous or even fatal. Medical attention should always be sought if stings occur in vital areas. (eg. Mouth or eyes) or multiple stings are suffered together. The following is a very general outline of symptoms to look out for after any sting including bee or wasp:

Slight Reaction – Inflammation, itching, sickness and anxiety developing within an hour after the sting.

General Reaction – In addition to the symptoms of a slight reaction, swelling, chest constriction, wheezing, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or dizziness may also occur.

Severe General Reaction – Further symptoms are difficulty in breathing or swallowing, hoarseness, confusion, or a feeling of impending disaster.

Shock Reaction Cases – In addition to the above, a bluish discoloration of the skin, a drop in blood pressure, collapse, incontinence or unconsciousness.

OVERWINTERING QUEENS

The solitary queen wasps that will start the whole process again, will seek out nest sites somewhere cool and dry and frost-free. Between October and April they will hibernating both indoors and outdoors, so beware when carrying out any DIY jobs or spring cleaning around the house. They will be found in lofts, greenhouses, sheds, pots, woodpiles, BBQ’s and sometimes in curtains that have not been opened or shut for a while in unheated or cool rooms. Look out for “golf ball” sized nests.

GENERAL POINTS

Keep dustbins clean with a firmly closing lid and away from doors and access points.

Tie up rubbish bags and store away from doors and access points.

Cover up all leftover food, drinks, especially at picnics.

Take care if eating fruit outdoors.

If preparing food, close doors and windows, or leave slightly ajar to prevent access.

If fruit trees in garden, ensure fruit is picked as it ripens and dispose of any rotten fruits.

Avoid mowing lawns or working with flowers when wasps are collecting nectar.

Some hairsprays and lotions can attract wasps.

Some DIY wasp products contain chemicals that excite wasps!

WASPS NEST FROM BUSH

SUMMARY

Wasps are beneficial to the garden by removing aphids, flies and larvae, caterpillars and many other garden insect pests, they also help to pollinate plants and any damage they cause by nesting is minimal, it is when they come into contact with man that the problems occur and in some extreme cases be fatal. With the global changes in temperature, the wasp season has extended over the past couple of years and if a nest is immune from frost or cold, (a cosy loft) it could carry on later into the year.

If you need help with wasps or have a wasp problem or you need wasp removal or you have a problem With ants, rats, mice, squirrels, birds, moles or rabbits or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area, call:

no-nonsense pest  control:   01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail  nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

It is worth just spending a few moments looking around your house or building to see if any damage has been done by the elements. It may be that nothing has been damaged by the winds, but if a roof tile has been dislodged or an air brick damaged it could lead to unwanted “guests” like  mice or rats, birds or squirrels gaining free entry, this in turn causing more problems.

Several minutes practicing pest prevention now could alleviate several hours of worry later, when pest control or mole catching may be needed.

If you have a problem with ants, rats, mice, squirrels, birds, moles, fleas, rabbits,  wasps or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call

no-nonsense pest control : 01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

They can become a nuisance very quickly with their bold and inquisitive nature, raiding bird tables and then digging holes to hide the food they have stolen or even digging up bulbs out of planters or borders. A More serious problem is when they find their way into lofts or roof spaces either by climbing a building or leaping across from a nearby tree or foliage, then they can be very destructive, removing or displacing roof tiles, chewing holes in fascias or soffits and even removing air vents and once inside, chewing the timbers and ripping up insulation to use as nest material. They can also strip electric cables which in turn could be a major fire risk. Pipework can fall victim to gnawing causing water damage and they also make a mess very quickly with their droppings and smell. It is not uncommon to find mice living alongside squirrels in a property, taking advantage of food brought in by squirrels.    

The Grey Squirrel is active during daylight hours, especially at dawn and at dusk and due to its size, it can be quite disturbing for any householder to be awoken by intense activity inside their properties at early or late hours of the day!

The diet consists of fruit, nuts, fungi, eggs and even young birds. They will normally breed twice a year, spring and late summer are favourite, when three or four young are produced and these will be able to breed after a year and the nest is called a drey and is usually constructed from twigs or sticks and lined with dry grass, moss, or feathers and can be found either in the hollow of a tree or high up in the top foliage in the forks of branches, sometimes old birds nests can be utilised and several dreys can be constructed by one individual squirrel. It is when a loft space is selected that problems arise.

Being a rodent means that a squirrels teeth, like other rodents (rats and mice), are continually growing so constant gnawing is required to keep this in check. Because of this any holes that are blocked up in a property must be able to withstand an attack from a determine squirrel! Any overhanging trees or branches should be cut back to stop easy access. If you are unable to prevent them entering your property then other means will have to be employed. This can involve culling or live trapping and in the latter case the animal cannot be released, (by law) and would have to be humanely destroyed. All these methods would be governed by local conditions and suitability and if there were any native red squirrels in the area, then further limitations would apply. Any property can be vulnerable, not just those that back onto parks or forests like West Moors, Poole, Ferndown or Ringwood. Even areas that do not boast large numbers of trees are at risk ie. Winton and Boscombe as squirrels are very quick to adapt to the local geography if a food source exists.

As grey squirrels seem to have been able to dominate the red squirrels, many areas now lack the native red but it may well be that by a twist of fate, nature is getting revenge! Black squirrels are gaining a bigger foothold in the UK and already can be seen from Hertfordshire to Cambridgeshire and even small pockets further south and in Wales. The black squirrel may well have the same effect on the grey squirrel, as the grey has had on the red.

Squirrel Facts

Latin Name: Sciurius carolinensis

Active all year – They do not hibernate.

They will bite if provoked or cornered or defending young.

They can pass on fleas or ticks to domestic pets.

Young squirrels are called kittens and are born without teeth or hair.

The male and female are called a buck and doe.

They moult twice a year

They can live between 5-7 years.

They can swim.

They will look for new homes all year round but hot spots are December and early summer.

Bird feeders provide an easy meal and they may end up staying.

Squirrels are very agile and can easily negotiate cables and wires.

Common access points include: fascias, soffits, roof tiles, chimneys, vents, ducting, airbricks.

Mice are often found living in lofts with squirrels. (attracted by food bought in)

If you have  a problem with Ants, Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Moles, Rabbits, Wasps or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area call no-nonsense pest control :

01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail    nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

At this time of year animals are busy setting up homes to increase their numbers and already the signs are there that this is happening. Birds in particular are busy and without foliage on bushes and trees, they can be seen building nests in various locations. Rooks and crows are evident in wooded areas and even garden birds, like the Robin, have had nests in a couple of gardens I have visited locally. Seagulls are pairing off and can be seen on taller buildings in the area seeking out nesting sites.

Because the “water table” is still very high in certain areas, rodents, including Rats and Mice, are being very reluctant to leave both commercial and domestic properties in search of natural environments, the result being, they will stay and breed in properties and in some cases rodents are actively seeking out properties for this purpose instead of remaining in natural habitation.

Squirrels, Foxes and Moles are all getting in on the act as well, remaining clear of flooded or very damp areas. Even ants have been active and will be attracted to warmer areas like buildings in search of food.

Vigilance is the key to preventing any pests gaining a foothold that could become difficult to remove if not acted upon quickly. Poisons are not always the answer to combatting problems involving pests and in some cases it can be illegal and harmful to the general environment. Proofing can play an important part of pest prevention and if used quickly, can prevent damage and further costs.

If you have a problem with  Ants, Fleas,  Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Moles, Rabbits,  Wasps or you need help with Wasp control or Wasp removal or pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call:

No-Nonsense pest control : 01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or e-mail  nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

The effects of this on nature can be widespread and already several animals and insects species have become confused by it all.

The majority of problems still appear to involve moles in gardens and fields causing damage and dismay to once green areas that now resemble battlefields!

Not to be outdone, rodents are getting in on the act as well, because a lot of their habitat is becoming too wet for them and they are seeking out both domestic and industrial properties to escape the cold and damp. Squirrels are also entering properties and causing damage and expense to householders, not to mention lack of sleep!

Other enquiries this week have included Ants, Fleas and of course Foxes.

Whatever the pest involved, if action is taken sooner rather than later, the problem can be resolved quickly and in some cases, prevent further damage and costs.

If you have a problem with Ants, Fleas,  Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Birds, Moles,  Rabbits,  Wasps or Wasp control or Wasp removal or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call no-nonsense pest control :

01202 523469 or 07708 944620 or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

Fleas will be feeding on un- protected pets and female fleas will be able to lay up to 1000 eggs in their lifetime, it is no wonder that insects in general, out number humans by 250,000 to 1!!

Given good conditions and food, Mice and Rats numbers can swell dramatically with  Rats being able to give birth every 28 days and Mice every 21 days. With all  the recent cold weather many Rodents have found refuge in both domestic and  commercial buildings and a lot of damage and distress has been caused. Squirrels  can also promote their numbers and can produce 3-9 young twice a year during
the spring and summer months as a visit to Poole park always reveals.

Young Foxes will soon be emerging from the dens which are now common place in both urban and rural locations, especially in the banks of the railway from Poole to Branksome, causing potential havoc to lawns etc. and speaking of lawns, the Mole will be producing a litter of young ready to leave the underground nest after 5 weeks and this year, so far has seen an explosion in Mole numbers as can be witnessed in many local fields, verges and gardens. With Birds and Rabbits joining in as well life gets a little more interesting, both in and outdoors.

If you have a problem with ants, rats, mice, rabbits, squirrels, birds, moles, wasps or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area call No-Nonsense pest control :

01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk

The South of England plays host to other strange animals and insects, not least the False Widow spider, which can, if compromised, bite humans! Other “ non- pest” species  include the Humming – Bird Hawk Moth, usually a native of Africa which inhabits parks and gardens in Poole and Bournemouth and other parts of Dorset.

Whilst some newcomers do pose a threat, do not forget our own native wildlife which is thriving as well, like Wasps, Fleas and Ants and rodents like Rats, Mice and Squirrels, who are all out to increase their own foothold and take advantage of any situations to their liking, so enjoy the warmer climate, others species certainly will!

If you have a problem with Ants, Rats, Mice, Squirrels, birds, Moles, Rabbits, Wasps or you need help with pest prevention or have a pest control problem in and around Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Ringwood, Verwood or any BH postcode area  call no-nonsense pest control :  01202 523469 or 07708 944620

or  e-mail   nononsensepestcontrol@yahoo.co.uk