Pests are not always easy to identify; this is especially the case with users that may have limited or no previous experience when dealing with pest issues. At ProPest we offer a free identification service to help users identify the pest and offer products that may best suit their control.
Most pests fall into 4 main categories being either rodents, mammals, insects or birds. Out of these categories, the most encountered problematic species are rodents and insects; please see some basic information on the pests below that may help identify your issue without having to use our service:
Rodents
In the UK we commonly have 3 pest rodents that are commonly encountered; the brown rat, house mice and the grey squirrel. Rats and mice are commonly found in and around houses and will often appear in unwanted areas such as a kitchen or bedroom; they are nocturnal and often will only be active at night. Squirrels can often enter buildings, but they usually limit themselves to voids close to an entrance point, often within attics; squirrels are diurnal so they are mainly active in the day, but they can be noisy around their nest (or drey) at night.
Rats, mice and squirrels are very different in both size and look; often however noise or droppings are the only signs of activity, and infestations can often go undetected for several weeks, especially when the population of pests are low. As a rough rule of thumb, hearing noise within cavities or under flooring will restrict the activity around rats or mice. Droppings, when available, can be extremely useful, and budding detectives should always try to investigate for any sources; rodents will always leave droppings in areas of an established issue, especially within confined spaces.
Brown Rat
Brown rats are one of the leading pest species found in the UK. They are often found in buildings and can often do severe damage to buildings if left uncontrolled. Brown rats are nocturnal and will normally only be active at night; larger populations will often result in more daylight activity as they look for food sources. Rats can often be found under sheds, garages and attic spaces; occasionally they can be active within kitchens.
Droppings are often found with brown rats, and they are usually the size of an olive stone, often in high numbers within the areas of activity. Holes in the ground around an infestation site will likely be present and are usually about 4″ in diameter
House Mice
House mice are a common pest found in buildings within the UK. House mice can cause considerable damage to wires and control should be undertaken when present. Nocturnal in nature they are usually active only at night and often can go undetected for a long time before they are detected. Mice can be found throughout a building including in kitchens and attic spaces.
Droppings are usually small and no larger than a grain of rice, often in large numbers especially within voids and confined locations away from normal human habitation. Mice can squeeze through tiny holes so it’s often challenging to locate mouse ingress points.
Grey Squirrel
Grey squirrels are an introduced species of squirrel and if left uncontrolled can cause considerable damage to both trees and occasionally buildings. Squirrels will often enter properties via fascia boards taking advantage of old bird entry points and, once established can damage wires and timber including structural support beams. Squirrels do not venture too far from their main ingress holes.
Droppings are similar size to rats but are usually rounded in shape; commonly droppings are only found in established populations and confined to the nesting site. Misdiagnosing squirrels and rats can be a common problem for amateur users.
Crawling Insects
Most crawling insects do not cause major issues however some repeat offenders within the pest world can often be a minor nuisance to major issues; identification can often be difficult for some species as they often do undetected until the population size increases; this is particularly the case for insects such as cockroaches where infestation sizes can often go unnoticed behind voids.
The below insects are a sample of the pest species of crawling insects commonly encountered within UK properties
Black Garden Ants
Commonly found within and around buildings; ants can cause a nuisance around kitchens as they look for food sources for their growing nest.
Common Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a serrious and growing issue in the UK, especially within hotels. Commonly found around bed frames bed bugs feed off humans leaving itchy bites.
Oriental Cockroaches
Commonly found within towns Oriental cockroaches prefer dark humid locations and are often found in basements and sewers.
German Cockroaches
The most common species of roach in the UK the German cockroach is commonly found in kitchens, they are fast and often difficult to control.
Varied Carpet Beetle
Mainly found in carpets made with natural fibres but also in bird and wasps nests. Can be difficult to find as they often have ecosystems away from human habitation.
Cat Fleas
Fleas often infest buildings when the principle hosts (cat or dog) has been treated or no longer present; fleas often bite humans around the legs and exposed body parts.
Silverfish
Commonly found in damp environments such as bathrooms and kitchens; silverfish and can damage textiles, wallpaper and leather products.
Flying Insects
Most flying insects can be easy to identify as they are normally more present within the area of infestation; however, moths in particular are a common species that can be extremely difficult to identify even to the untrained eye. Common clothes moth is a great example as there are several other types of similar moths that may look the same but behave completely different. Identification is an important factor in treating these pests.
The below insects are a sample of the pest species of flying insects commonly encountered within UK properties
Varied Carpet Beetle
Mainly found in carpets made with natural fibres but also in bird and wasps nests. Can be difficult to find as they often have ecosystems away from human habitation.
Cat Fleas
Fleas often infest buildings when the principle hosts (cat or dog) has been treated or no longer present; fleas often bite humans around the legs and exposed body parts.
Varied Carpet Beetle
Mainly found in carpets made with natural fibres but also in bird and wasps nests. Can be difficult to find as they often have ecosystems away from human habitation.
Cat Fleas
Fleas often infest buildings when the principle hosts (cat or dog) has been treated or no longer present; fleas often bite humans around the legs and exposed body parts.
Varied Carpet Beetle
Mainly found in carpets made with natural fibres but also in bird and wasps nests. Can be difficult to find as they often have ecosystems away from human habitation.
Cat Fleas
Fleas often infest buildings when the principle hosts (cat or dog) has been treated or no longer present; fleas often bite humans around the legs and exposed body parts.
Pest Identification
We offer a free pest identification service for our customers, all we ask is for as many clear photos of the pest in question as possible; for insects and in particular, moths taking the photo on the back of the wings in important as this is the primary method of identification. Providing details such as the location of the issue or
The following form is for insect identification only. For general enquiries please use the main contact form here.