Insect Control

Being bugged by insects in the Midlands? Based in Derby, Derbyshire, Impact Environmental Ltd provide first-class pest removal solutions throughout the local area. As expert insect control professionals, we can deal with all kinds of infestations, including fleas, ants, and woodworms. From biting bedbugs to buzzing bees, no infestation is too big or small for our team. Whatever your needs, we will provide discreet services at a time that suits you. Get in touch or click on the name of the insect that’s bothering you for further information.

WASPS

The main wasp we have in England is the common wasp, this is the one we have all seen flying around our gardens and barbeques in summertime, being a real pest. They can vary in size from around 10mm to 20mm and are fairly narrow.

Queen wasps come out of hibernation in springtime to start creating a new nest, which involves constructing around 10 to 20 chambers and laying eggs in each of them. The sterile females will hatch and by late summer, the colonies grow to a size ranging from 3,000 wasps up to 30,000. During late summer, males and queens mate with each other. Following this, the male wasp dies, and the female queens fly off to find somewhere for winter hibernation, usually inside buildings or hollow trees outdoors.

Although wasp nests last a lifetime, they will only be used for a year. Wasps will not return to an old dead nest, due to the bacteria that grows in the nest over the winter, making it deadly for the wasps to return.

TREATMENT:

When you call us, one of our technicians will discreetly search for and locate the issue. Wasp nests inside properties are usually found in a loft or wall space. Where possible, we will always try to remove a nest completely for our customer’s peace of mind. If removal is not possible, we offer two kinds of treatment – either a basic residual spray for easily reachable nests, or a powder spray for nests in inaccessible locations or wall cavities.

BEES

Although most bee species in England are relatively friendly and docile, they can still affect you and your family. Bees love to create nests in loft insulation or wall cavities. If these nests become large enough, they can cause damage to ceilings and walls due to their heavy weight. What’s more, disturbing these nests can make bees very aggressive, causing them to attack and swarm.

Honey bees are also common in England. We always prefer to take them to professional beekeepers rather than having to eradicate them, as honey bees are one of the biggest pollinators we have around, making them crucial in flowers blooming and natural foods being produced.

TREATMENT:

All our vehicles are unmarked, enabling our engineers to deliver discreet services and consultations to determine what type of bee infestation you have before engaging in any treatment. Nests are usually found in a loft or wall space, and once this has been identified, engineers can recommend the best treatment. While we always attempt to remove a nest completely, we also offer a basic residual spray treatment for nests that are accessible but not removable. Furthermore, we use a powder spray for nests in wall cavities or other inaccessible spaces.

ANTS

Like humans, ants have travelled almost everywhere in the world. Furthermore, they are extremely good at finding their way into our homes through the tiniest of gaps. Wall cavities provide ideal conditions for ants to build nests. Common access points include air bricks in the wall and holes made for electrical cables or unfilled holes that are no longer in use.

Ants do not carry diseases that are harmful to humans, except for allergies, which makes them more of an annoyance than a pest, although they similarly get everywhere and cover vast areas. The life cycle of an ant is rather complicated, and they are known to live for many years.

Queen ants will lay many eggs and 3 to 4 weeks later, a legless grub will hatch. Another 5 weeks later, an adult ant will emerge. During late summer, winged male ants will leave their nests to mate. The male ants die after, while the female ant lives on to create her own nest ready for the following year.

TREATMENT:

Offering discreet and courteous services, our engineers will discuss your needs before delivering treatments. We have a large number of ant treatments available to suit all types of infestation. This includes the use of residual sprays where the ant nest is visible. Powder sprays are also used in cases where the nest is inside a wall cavity or otherwise inaccessible. This will require us to drill into the wall cavity to make an opening and pump the powder inside. If the infestation is extremely bad, we may need to use a gel, which works as a contact poison that exposed ants will carry back to the queen.

FLEAS

Fleas can easily be brought into your property from outdoors by your pets. The most common flea that we have in England is the cat or dog flea. Fleas live off the host’s blood, whether it’s a human or a pet, including dogs, cats, and birds. During the flea’s lifetime, a female can lay up to 2,000 eggs, and once hatched, these can live without a blood meal for around 100 days. They are most often around pets and their bedding, and it usually takes between 2 to 3 weeks to develop from an egg to an adult.

Although they do not fly, fleas can even jump as high as 8 inches, which is roughly around knee height. This is why most flea bites on humans are focused around the lower leg area. Due to the nature of fleas living off a whole number of animals, it should come as no surprise that they carry a whole range of diseases. Most famously, the great plague was caused by flea bites on rats infected with the bubonic plague.

TREATMENT:

Following an initial consultation, we will advise you on the best course of action to deal with your flea infestation. This will depend on where in your property the issue is most severe and whether you have had any bites. Our treatments include residual spray and smoke fumigation, which may be used in conjunction depending on the severity of the issue.

We will spray the whole property’s floor area and furniture, including mattresses, sofas, and rugs. For properties with a very bad infestation, we will fumigate the whole property using a fogging machine. This produces a thin layer of moisture in very fine particles that cover greater areas and get into the tiniest of cracks. With both treatments, the occupier must leave the property for a minimum of 4 hours after. Depending on the severity of the issue, we may schedule a second visit during our first visit.

BEDBUGS

Bedbugs are everyone’s worst nightmare, and we understand why. The thought of being in bed and being attacked by biting creatures is awful. Due to their size, they are commonly found in very small crevices in bedside furniture, beds, mattresses, window sills, skirting boards and even floorboards. Indeed, they can lay dormant for many years without having to feed.

The development of the bedbug depends on the temperature of the area they are in. It usually takes 9 to 18 weeks for them to grow from egg to adult. As well as being a domestic pest, bedbugs can be devastating to a hotel’s reputation. All domestic and commercial infestations should be handled as quickly as possible by pest control professionals. This can be a long process due to the bedbugs’ ability to hide so well.

TREATMENT:

When our engineers visit your property, we will discuss the extent of your bedbug infestation and examine your property to decide the best course of action. Firstly, we can provide a residual spray in conjunction with smoke fumigation, covering all of the floor areas of furnishings in your property, including mattresses, sofas, and bedroom furnishings.

For more severe infestations, we use a fogging machine to fumigate the whole property with a thin layer of moisture in very fine particles. This enables us to cover greater areas and reach bedbugs in the tiniest of cracks. This treatment requires occupants to leave the property for at least 4 hours afterwards, and a second visit may need to be arranged to check the infestation has been eradicated.

WOODWORM

Covering a whole collection of larval wood-boring beetles, the term “woodworm” refers to insects that make tiny holes in wooden features, such as floorboards, windowsills, window frames, and joists. They cause wood to rot and weaken floors and ceilings, which can be very dangerous for occupiers. They usually live for 3 to 5 years in the wood before actually turning into a beetle and leaving through the tiny holes. Woodworms tend to prefer harder woods, like oak, ash, and chestnut. If you are thinking of selling your home and have an untreated issue with woodworms, this can cause an issue for surveys and valuations.

TREATMENT:

Understanding the importance of discreet and effective treatments, our engineers will visit your property to inspect the damage and consult you about your woodworm infestation. If you have a very bad case and the wood in your property has rotted too much, they can discuss having it replaced.

Treating woodworm infestations involve spraying or painting a liquid on affected areas. This will kill any live woodworm, but also protect against re-infestation. All our woodworm treatments come with our 5-year guarantee.