Newbury, West Berkshire

Pest control in Newbury: rats, mice, wasps and bed bugs

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What gets treated

From one mouse behind the cooker to a hornet nest in the shed.

  • Rats and mice

    Droppings, scratching in the roof or the walls, gnawed wires and food. The pest is found and treated, and the way in is sealed.

    • Survey and treatment
    • Proofing
    • Follow-up visits

  • Wasps and hornets

    Nests in lofts, sheds, eaves and wall cavities, treated from a safe distance.

    • Single visit in most cases
    • Lofts and wall cavities
    • Garden nests

  • Bed bugs

    Bites, rusty spots on the sheets and bugs in the seams of the mattress. Usually more than one visit.

    • Inspection of the whole room
    • Heat or insecticide treatment
    • Follow-up check

  • Fleas

    Bites round the ankles, black specks in carpets and pet bedding. The home and the pets both need treating.

    • Carpets, sofas and bedding
    • Advice on pet treatment
    • Follow-up visit

  • Cockroaches and ants

    In kitchens, bathrooms and around boilers, and ants indoors and in the garden.

    • Gel and spray treatment
    • Finding the nest or the source
    • Advice on cleaning and storage

  • Homes and businesses

    Landlords, restaurants, shops and offices: a single visit or a regular contract with records.

    • Landlords and agents
    • Food premises
    • Regular visits with a log
Hornets crawling over the layered paper nest they built inside a wooden shed

What is living in your home?

Choose the pest you suspect for the usual signs, where to look and what to do in the meantime.

  • SignsDroppings about 3 to 6 mm long with pointed ends, scratching at night, gnawed food packets and a musty smell.
  • Where to lookKitchens, behind cookers and fridges, lofts, airing cupboards and under floors.
  • Do nowKeep food in hard containers, plug gaps with wire wool as a stop-gap and note where the droppings are.
  • Worth knowingA mouse can get through a gap of about 6 mm, no wider than a pencil. Numbers grow quickly.
Close-up of a house mouse sitting in straw next to a cardboard tube
PestSignsWhere to lookDo nowWorth knowing
MiceDroppings about 3 to 6 mm long with pointed ends, scratching at night, gnawed food packets and a musty smell.Kitchens, behind cookers and fridges, lofts, airing cupboards and under floors.Keep food in hard containers, plug gaps with wire wool as a stop-gap and note where the droppings are.A mouse can get through a gap of about 6 mm, no wider than a pencil. Numbers grow quickly.
RatsDroppings 12 to 18 mm long with blunt ends, gnawing, greasy marks along walls, burrows by drains and under sheds, noises in the loft.Drains, compost heaps, under sheds and decking, bin stores and lofts.Remove food, stop feeding birds on the ground, keep bin lids shut and do not block burrows.A rat can use a gap of about 20 mm. Rodent poison belongs in tamper-resistant boxes, away from pets and wildlife.
WaspsMany wasps flying in and out of one spot, a papery grey nest the size of a football or more, a steady buzzing in a wall or loft.Lofts, eaves, sheds, hollow walls, air bricks and holes in the garden.Keep children and pets away, close nearby windows and leave the nest alone. Do not block the entrance.A nest starts small in spring and is largest in late summer. The colony dies out in winter and the nest is not reused.
Bed bugsBites in lines or clusters, small rusty spots on the sheets, tiny pale skins and a sweet, musty smell.Mattress seams, bed frames, headboards and behind skirting and sockets near the bed.Wash bedding at 60 degrees, bag it and keep it in the room. Do not move the bed to another room.An adult is about 5 mm long, flat and oval, about the size of an apple pip. They travel in luggage and second-hand furniture.
FleasItchy bites round the ankles and legs, black specks in pet bedding and carpets that turn red-brown when wet.Pet bedding, carpets, rugs, sofas and along the skirting.Vacuum often and empty the bag, wash bedding at 60 degrees and treat every pet at the same time.Most of the fleas in a home are eggs, larvae and pupae in the carpets, not on the pet.
CockroachesSightings at night, droppings like ground pepper, egg cases and a stale smell.Behind cookers and fridges, under sinks, around boilers and in warm, damp corners.Clear crumbs and spills, store food in sealed containers, fix leaks and note where you see them.They hide in tiny gaps by day, so one sighting usually means many more out of sight.

How small a gap is too small?

Rodents get in through gaps far smaller than most people expect: round a pipe, under a door, behind a cooker. Both holes are drawn here at their real size, at four pixels to the millimetre.

  • 6 mmA gap a mouse can use. A pencil is about 7 mm across.
  • 20 mmA gap a rat can use. A 1p coin is about 20 mm across.

If a pencil fits in a gap, a mouse can get through it. Wire wool pushed into the hole stops them for a day or two. A proper repair is what keeps them out.

When each pest is about

A rough guide to the year. Wasps and rodents follow the seasons, the others live in heated homes all year.

Technician in a white protective suit treating a living room with a cloud of mist, seen from above

Before the technician arrives

Six small things that make the first visit count.

  • Write down what you have seen, where and when. Photos help the technician.
  • Clear the places where the technician will work: under sinks, behind appliances and the loft hatch.
  • Keep children and pets out of treated rooms until the technician says it is safe.
  • Do not use foggers or DIY sprays before the visit. They can scatter insects and make treatment harder.
  • For bed bugs, wash bedding at 60 degrees and bag it. Do not move the bed to another room.
  • Mention pets, young children, pregnancy, allergies and fish tanks before any product is used.

What a pest control quote should say

So that you know what is being treated, how, and what to do if the pests come back.

A good quote says

  • A survey or inspection, and whether it is included in the price
  • The number of visits and the follow-up visit
  • The method and the products, and whether they are safe for children and pets
  • Proofing: whether sealing the entry points is included
  • A technician with a recognised qualification, such as BPCA or RSPH
  • Insurance, a guarantee period and a written report

Qualifications to look for

Pest control is not licensed in the UK, so look for a recognised qualification. Technicians are often trained through the RSPH, and many companies belong to the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

Ask to see it. A professional will be glad to.

Newbury and the places around it

Each place sits in its true direction from the centre of Newbury, with rings at 5, 10 and 15 miles (straight-line distances).

Places around Newbury, by distance and directionRings at 5, 10 and 15 miles from the centre of Newbury, with Thatcham, Hungerford, Reading and other places at their true direction.5 mi10 mi15 miEThatchamCold AshBurghclereHighclereHermitageKintburyKingsclereHungerfordComptonPangbourneBasingstokeReadingNewburyN

Postcode areas: RG14, RG17, RG18, RG19 and RG20.

Frequently asked questions

Look at the droppings. Mouse droppings are about 3 to 6 mm long with pointed ends, rat droppings 12 to 18 mm with blunt ends. Gnawing, greasy marks along walls and noises at night in the loft or walls point the same way.

Usually yes. Most treatments for rodents, fleas and wasps do not need you to leave. The technician will tell you if a room has to stay empty and for how long. Keep children and pets away until you are told it is safe.

A wasp nest is often a single visit. Rodents, fleas and cockroaches usually need a follow-up, and bed bugs typically need two or three visits.

It is better not to. A nest can hold thousands of wasps, which defend it, and a nest in a wall or loft is hard to reach. Keep away from it and let a professional treat it.

It differs from one council to the next, and many no longer offer a free service for all pests. Check the website of West Berkshire Council. Private companies cover the rest.

It depends on your tenancy and on the pest. Tell your landlord or the agent in writing as soon as you notice a problem, and keep a record of what you have seen.

Professionals use approved products, put rodent bait in tamper-resistant boxes and explain how long to keep children and pets away. Tell the technician about any pets and young children before the visit.

Yes: Newbury and the towns and villages around it, including Thatcham, Hungerford, Kintbury, Hermitage, Compton and Highclere. Enter your postcode in the form to start.

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