What should I do if I think I have bed bugs? +
Check your mattress seams, headboard joints and bed frame crevices for small dark spots (faecal marks) and tiny rust-coloured blood stains on your sheets. Bed bugs are 4 to 5mm long, flat and brown — they hide during the day and feed at night. Do not throw away your mattress or use shop-bought sprays, as this often spreads the infestation to other rooms. Contact a professional pest controller who specialises in bed bug treatment.
Are cockroaches in my home a health risk? +
Cockroaches are a serious health hazard. They carry bacteria including Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus, and their droppings and shed skins are a known trigger for asthma and allergies, particularly in children. A single cockroach sighting usually indicates a larger hidden population. Contact a pest controller immediately — cockroaches breed rapidly and an infestation will worsen quickly without professional treatment.
What should I do if I find rats in my kitchen in Belfast? +
Remove all exposed food immediately and store everything in sealed glass or metal containers — rats can gnaw through plastic. Clean surfaces with disinfectant, as rat urine and droppings carry Weil's disease (leptospirosis) which can be fatal in humans.
How long does a wasp nest take to die after treatment? +
After a pest controller treats a wasp nest, the colony will typically die within 24 to 48 hours. You may notice increased wasp activity around the nest entrance immediately after treatment — this is normal as returning wasps carry the insecticide inside. Keep windows closed and avoid approaching the nest during this period. The nest does not need to be physically removed once treated.
What pests are most common in Belfast? +
The most common pest callouts in Belfast follow a seasonal pattern: rats and mice peak in autumn and winter as they seek warmth and food indoors; wasp nests are treated mainly between June and September; bed bugs occur year-round but spike in summer with increased travel; and ant infestations are most common in spring and early summer. Cockroaches are less seasonal and are typically found in older properties or commercial kitchens.
Will the pest controller need to visit more than once? +
Most pest treatments require at least two visits. The first visit involves a survey, identification of the pest species, and initial treatment. Follow-up visits — typically one to three weeks later — check whether the treatment has worked, replenish bait stations if needed, and carry out proofing to prevent re-infestation. Wasp nest treatment is the exception, as a single visit is usually sufficient.