As the weather starts to turn cooler, many pests will look for places to get out of the cold. If you run any kind of commercial business that deals with food, either storing, preparing or serving, it’s essential that you know what autumn pests you may encounter. Knowing how to prevent a pest infestation is key to keeping your property compliant with hygiene regulations.
Rats and Mice
Rodents will naturally gravitate to buildings at this time of year as they seek warmth and food. They are attracted to foodstuffs, smells of cooking, stored food and waste food are all likely to get their attention. Checking your property regularly for possible entry points is a good idea, as you may also spot signs of activity such as droppings and teeth marks. Keep any outside waste bins securely covered up to prevent rodents from accessing them, and make sure any spills are cleaned up straight away. If any bins are damaged, replace them as quickly as possible. Inside your premises, the same rules apply; check for access points that may not be visible from the outside, keep food securely stored, and clean up any spills immediately.
Ants
At this time of year ants will be starting to stockpile food for the winter, so will seek out easy places to get food. Entry points are more difficult to spot due to their size, but there will usually be a pile of dirt where they have excavated a tunnel. They work as a team so if ants have invaded your property you will invariably see a line of ants going to and from the food source. As with rodents, keeps food secured and keep your premises spotlessly clean. Use disinfectant as the smell will deter ants from entering the building.
Flies
No-one wants a fly infestation to affect their business as the repercussions can be far-reaching. Closure, loss of revenue and the effect it can have on your reputation can be disastrous to food-related businesses. To prevent flies from entering your property cleanliness is the key. Flies are attracted to warmth and food and can breed very fast, so putting preventative measures in place really does pay dividends.
How can we help
In the unfortunate event that you find yourself with a pest infestation speed is key, so get in touch immediately. Our highly-trained staff will visit your premises to identify the scale of the problem and will work with you to create a tailored plan to deal with the pests. We are audit compliant and provide detailed reports at all stages of our work to ensure you are kept informed of the work carried out. We work with many large organisations and have years of experience so you can rest assured that with Shield you are in safe hands.
Ongoing preventative treatment
Once your pest problem is cleared up we offer a regular plan to keep you pest-free. This includes regular visits to carry out risk assessments, check on housekeeping and identify any possible issues that could lead to a recurrence of pest infestations. Our reporting tool, ShieldNet, means all parties are kept updated on visits and actions carried out or required.
Contact us today
Don’t leave it until you have a pest problem, get in touch today to see how Shield can help you stay compliant. Don’t risk your reputation or your business, call us on 01757 212727 or email sales@shieldpest.co.uk
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