Pest control

There has been an increase in the number of credible and confirmed sightings of the Asian Hornet, mainly in the south/south-east region of the UK.

The Asian Hornet preys on a wide range of insects including honeybees and disrupts the ecological role they provide. It can also alter the biodiversity in areas where it is present as well as being a health risk to those who have allergies to hornet or wasp stings.

What to do if you see an Asian Hornet

If you think you have seen an Asian Hornet, please notify the Great British Non Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) immediately. In the first instance sightings should be reported through the free Asian Hornet Watch App, available for Android and iPhone. Photos and videos can also be sent by email to alertnonnative@ceh.ac.uk

Other ways to report are:

• Contact the UKGOV National Bee Unit directly. The National Bee Unit is quick to respond and will get a team out to the location to verify and deal with the pest.
• Contact the Asian Hornet Action Team

A map showing sightings and latest news of Asian Hornet can be viewed on the British Beekeepers Association website.

The common Norway or brown rat typically has brownish fur on its back and grey underneath but its colour can vary from white through to black. Adult body length is 200 to 270mm plus a tail length of 150 to 200mm.

Controlling rat and mice leaflet(PDF) [225 kb]

If you find a mouse in your house it will more than likely be a field mouse.

If you have mice in your home you normally have signs such as droppings or food packets being gnawed. Like rats, mice are controlled with poisons, but can also be controlled with traps. Many types of traps can be purchased from DIY stores.

Mice can survive in widely different temperatures, from the heat in a bakery to the cold of a refrigerator and, as long as the food they are eating is moist, they can survive without the need to drink.

This is not the ant you find in your garden, which is the Black Ant. The Pharaoh's ant requires artificial heat to survive and reproduce. We are now finding these in domestic properties, but in the past you would mainly have found them in hospitals, bakeries, laundries and institutions such as prisons.

The control of the Pharaoh's ant is best left to the professionals, as the treatment can take many weeks to complete.

The bed bug is an oval, flattened insect which measures 4 to 5mm in length. When unfed it is pale brown in colour, but much darker when full of blood.

Should you find this insect you should call a private pest control company for advice and treatment.

The council does not provide a service for removal of bees.

There are three main types of bee:

• honeybees
• bumblebees
• solitary bees

The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) website can help you identify what type of insect you have and what to do about it.

Alternatively, contact Basingstoke and District Beekeepers Association by visiting Basingstoke and District Beekeepers Association website.

The treatment of the cockroach needs professional control as the treatments vary from species to species.

If you operate a retail business and find anything that looks like a cockroach you are strongly advised to contact a pest control company immediately.

Fleas are parasites of warm-blooded animals. There are a number of species, the most common being the cat flea and the dog flea. An adult flea is approximately 3mm long and brownish in colour. The eggs are 0.5mm in length, oval in shape, pearly white in colour and are sticky.

Fleas can be effectively controlled by treating pets regularly with one of a range of products available from your vet.

The number of wasp nests can vary from year to year, possibly connected to the climate in the early part of the year. If we have a particularly cold start to the year then we don't usually have the same volume of nests in the summer months.

The treatment of a wasp nest is dangerous and should only be attempted by professionals who have the proper protective clothing and equipment, even then it can still be dangerous. You are strongly advised to consult a private pest control company if you have a wasp nest near your property.

There are no particular powers available to the local authority to control foxes as there are for other forms of pests. Further advice can be found by visiting RSPCA or The Fox Project .