Dublin, and Ireland in general, is a beautiful place to live. Unfortunately, this isn’t just the case for us humans! Pests of all kinds thrive in the damp and mild climate that prevails in the country.
This can be inconvenient at best, but at worse, left to their own devices, pests can quickly multiply out of control. In these instances, infestations can quickly change from mere inconveniences to being a threat to health and property.
It’s worse for business owners. In the case of businesses, not only do infestations pose a health threat, but they can also quickly destroy hard-won reputations.
Luckily, in Dublin and throughout Ireland, Complete Pest Control are on hand to quickly and efficiently eradicate pest infestations.
This guide identifies the top pest problems common to the Dublin area and discusses why prompt action is crucial.
Top Unwelcome Pests in Dublin and Ireland
Infestations can happen to any property at any time, from cockroaches to mice and from silverfish to fleas. Ireland’s climate and the urban environment of Dublin makes for the perfect breeding ground for all manner of pests.
The first step in eradicating any infestation is determining the type of pest involved. Here we have a look at some of the most common infestations that we face in Dublin and throughout the rest of Ireland.
Rodents – Rats and Mice
Amongst the more common and unpleasant types of infestation is that of rats and mice.
Both species have a nasty habit of breeding rapidly, so what may just start as one or two individuals can quickly grow out of hand if not quickly dealt with. Both these species carry multiple threats that make this type of infestation more than just an unpleasant experience.
Rats and mice are both known carriers of a multitude of unpleasant diseases, including:
- Salmonella
- E-coli
- Tuberculosis
- Weil’s Disease
They also carry a serious risk to property, in the best-case scenario, this might just be gnawed fixtures and fittings, but in the worst cases, many building fires have been attributed to rodents gnawing through electrical cables.
When dealing with rat infestations, it is always best to call in the experts at the first sign of trouble. The risk of disease and property damage is high, and knowledge of their behaviour and the appropriate treatment is essential to quickly eradicate your pest problem.
Cockroaches
If there is one creature that is guaranteed to bring a shudder of dread to most people, it is the cockroach. These prolific breeders also bring their own set of nasty diseases to the table, including:
- Dysentery
- Typhoid
- Salmonella
Caught early enough, a cockroach infestation can be easily dealt with, but because of their rapid breeding and ability to quickly spread to adjoining properties, speed is vital when dealing with these little blighters.
Cockroaches are smelly and unsightly, and anyone unfortunate enough to suffer from an infestation will be able to tell you horror stories of the sound of scuttling when you turn the lights on at night.
If this sounds familiar, then don’t delay, the sooner a cockroach infestation is tackled, the easier it is to eradicate them.
Bed Bugs
This is another critter that can quickly spread from being an isolated instance to being rife throughout a property and adjoining properties. These are bad enough in a home environment, but for hotels and B & Bs, they can be business destroying nightmare.
These feed on human blood and have a painful bite; infestations can also easily occur. In many cases, they return with us from our holidays or business trips as unwanted stowaways in our luggage.
Bed bugs are stubborn little blighters, and eradication is almost impossible without calling in the experts. Once again, speed is essential, bed bugs are difficult to remove once they have established a good population (and that doesn’t take long!), so at the first sign of trouble, it is best to call in the experts.
Fleas
Fleas are usually found in households with pets, mostly cats and dogs. Although they don’t live on humans, they will happily breed in our carpets and soft furnishings and are not adverse to an opportunistic feast on exposed flesh.
The difficulty for homeowners in eradicating fleas is the whole lifecycle needs to be targeted. This is tricky and should be left to the experts. Perhaps more worrying for those suffering from an infestation is that many of the treatments are harmful to cats and certain other pets, so it is always better to err on the side of caution and have the infestation professionally dealt with.
Other Common Pests found in Dublin and Ireland
This is by no means a comprehensive list of the pests commonly found in the Dublin area. Some of the other main offenders include:
- Wasps
- Flies
- Silverfish
- Moths
- Ants
- False Widow Spiders
- Pigeons
Why early eradication is important
You may have spotted a common theme in the article – The importance of dealing with any type of infestation as quickly as possible. By their very nature, most pests multiply rapidly, and what starts as a minor issue can quickly grow out of control.
This poses increased risks to both health and property but also makes eradication more difficult. As an example of how quickly an infestation can spread, it is worth having a look at how quickly one of the most common types of pest infestation can spread, that of the common house mouse.
A female mouse has a gestation period of around 21 days and can breed again almost immediately after giving birth. This means one female can produce up to 10 litters per year, with each litter averaging between 5 and 7 pups.
When you also consider that each of these pups will reach sexual maturity after only about a month, it is easy to see why infestations quickly become major problems.
This is only an example of one common type of infestation, but the story is similar for most pests common to the Dublin area.
What to do if you think you have an infestation
At Complete Pest Control, we understand that speed is of the essence. In most cases, we can attend to any infestation within 24hrs of being contacted.
Our fully qualified and highly-trained pest control technicians will quickly, efficiently, and discretely eradicate your problem, and all our services are backed by a commitment to excellent customer service and our 100% guarantee that we will resolve your issue.
Don’t delay, if you think you have a pest problem, then contact us today.
