Killgerm Training Course at Bisley

I attended a Killgerm Training Course at Bisley on 6th March, to show my proficiency in "The Safe Use of Air Weapons".
This helps me to accrue CPD points (Continued Professional Development) for my Prompt-Basis membership (The Professional Pest Controllers Register).
I met some good guys there, including an old colleague from Rentokil - Mark Heywood.
The Technical Manager - Duncan Bosomworth, was excellent and I felt compelled to trade my Webley Longbow rifle in and upgrade it to an Air Arms TDR 410. Wow! and what an upgrade it is!!

Queen Wasp!

I discovered my first Queen wasp (x3 in fact) at an address in Reigate yesterday. the location was an attic space in a cottage in a leafy olde worlde village. I hope that there isn't any frosts from now onwards. I need the wasp nest season to be bzzzy!

Bird Netting Installation

Picture this....me and colleague Tom, had made all the plans necessary to carry out a bird netting installation in Brighton. We even attended the site a day early to ensure that the scaffolders provided the safe access for our specific needs; in the knowledge that we would be using it the next day (weekend).

They promised, no problem...what a relief!

We turned up early the next day to find the scaffolding was partially completed?!! Ok. They didn't have enough boards and poles. Of course, you may think, they contacted me, as I am the customer, to tell me of this important situation....nope, nada, nothing! Not a peep! I communicate with my customers; when I will be on site, when I'll be back and so on. 

The boss guy told us, when we phoned from site, that his blokes phoned him at 5.30 on the Friday with this news. So why not let me know too? It just grinds your gears. Communication is key with your customers.

Argentine Ant infestation in Eastbourne

I am dealing with an Argentine Ant infestation in Eastbourne tomorrow. They are located in a specific area, which I'm aware of, having dealt with a few local properties with the same ant species. I don't want to be too specific, as it appears to be under the radar at present, and I don't want to embarrass my client or notify my competition.

The BBC link details the potential enormity of this tiny pest. The ant has the similar colouring to Lasius niger (Garden Ant). But, it is distinctive as it is significantly smaller. As opposed to one Queen per colony, the Argentine Ant has numerous Queens.

Your probable reaction might be to treat with an insecticide powder or spray? STOP! This is akin to throwing petrol on a fire. The many Queens react by abandoning the colony and establishing satellite colonies. Ultimately their pheromone; which does not disturb nor antagonise other Argentine Ants, helps to develop ever larger super colonies.

View the article on the BBC.

Always correctly research and identify the pest. You will then understand, crucially, their behaviour, how they breed, feed and so on...