North East Derbyshire District Council does not provide any treatment to remove any of the animals or insects listed on this page from your premises. The following pages only provide basic information and facts. 

 

However, if you would like help with identifying, professional advice or more information on a particular creature, please contact the Pest Control Section (details at bottom of page).

 

There are more kinds of insects on earth than any other kind of living creature.  95% of all animal species on earth are insects.  Millions of insects can exist in a single acre of land.  Over a million species have been discovered by scientists and they say there could be 10 times that many that have not been named.

 

Insects eat more plants than all the other creatures on earth.  They are important in the breakdown of plant and animal matter and without them the world will be covered with dead plants and animals.  They are also a major food source for many other animals.

 

Insects are very adaptable creatures and live in most environments including deserts and the Antarctic.  There are many different sizes and shapes but all insects have 4 characteristics in common.  They must all have:  three body parts (head, thorax & abdomen); six jointed legs; two antennae; and a skeleton on the outside.

 

Beetles are one of the most successful creatures on earth and can adapt to any environment. The name "beetle" comes from old English words for "little biters". There are about 350,000 named species of beetles in the world and many more unnamed species.

 

Beetle facts: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adult larder beetles are 7 - 9mm long, with an oval shaped body covered with round scale like hairs. The beetle has a distinguishing mark of a broad light band with three black spots on each side.

 

The beetles are common where animal products are handled. Infestations in domestic premises often occur in larders or in attics or under floor spaces where they may be feeding on dead rodents or birds.

 

The eggs are white and about 2mm in length often laid in crevices. The larvae hatch out in about a week and are dark brown and hairy, feeding on dry or decomposing animal matter. Damage is caused by the larvae which bore holes into materials.

 

Carpet beetles feed on carpets, wool, furs, silk, feathers, felt and leather and can cause damage to clothing. The larvae of the carpet beetles are 1/4 inch long and it is the larvae that cause the damage. The adults are small oval shaped beetles. The adults feed on flowers but can be seen around light fixtures and windows. They are also found in bird nests and can infect the home through the nests.

 

Bees are a protected species.

Honey Bees produce honey for food stores for the hive during winter. Honey bees are social insects. A colony of honey bees includes a queen, drones and workers. The queen is the largest bee in the colony and has a life span of nearly two years. She can lay 3,000 eggs in a single day. The drones do not collect food or pollen from flowers. Their sole purpose is to mate with the queen. There are 50,000-60,000 workers in the colony and are the smallest bees with a life expectancy of 28-35 days. Workers feed the queen and larvae, guard the hive entrance, collect nectar for the honey and keep the hive cool.

The bumble bee is round and furry. There are three types of bee - the queen, worker and drones. Only the queen and worker bees have a sting. They live in small nests and never swarm. They only produce enough honey to feed their young. They will not attack a human and if they do sting they will die.

 

Birds have been on the earth for over 150 million years. The first ones being flying dinosaurs who had skin for wings. There are now over 9,000 different species of birds. As the birds learned to fly over several million years ago, they were able to travel further and wider in search of food which has led to them being one of the most successful creatures on earth. They live in all climates from the extremes of the North and South Poles, to jungles, deserts and inner cities. The fact they live in housing areas can cause problems to residents.

 

Avian influenza is a highly infectious disease affecting many species of birds, including commercial, wild and pet birds. There is more information on our infectious disease page.

 

Blue bottles are a dull, metallic blue in colour. They are found throughout the country and can enter people's homes. The are a common pest of slaughterhouses and factories handling meat products. They are commonly found in dustbins. They breed in animal refuse - particularly middens and offal bins. They tend to rest on sunlit walls in the daytime or surrounding vegetation at night or dull days.

 

 

The Housefly is one of the most familiar and widely found insects. As well as being a major nuisance it is is a prime carrier of disease. Its whole body is covered by millions of bacteria which are often transmitted to food and can cause such illnesses as typhus, dysentery, tuberculosis and poliomyelitis. From the time a female is hatched it takes just two weeks until she can lay eggs of her own. Breeding sites are dung heaps, exposed human faeces, all sorts of droppings, rotting garbage and carrion.
 
House flies are generally found in greatest numbers during the summer months. They are less that 3/8" in length and have four dark stripes down the back of their thorax. They have sponging mouthparts and eat solid food by first liquefying it with their saliva.

 

 

Booklice, known as paper lice, can be found on stored papers, books, walls, and furniture in undisturbed areas, and on newly plastered walls and uncured green timber in new houses. They feed on microscopic mould and mildew. They do not bite humans or animals, spread disease or damage household furnishings. They are minute, soft bodied, transparent to grayish-white insects about 1-4mm long and usually wingless.

 

Lice infestation on the human body is very common. Certain lice such as body lice can transmit diseases, such as typhus, relapsing fever and trench fever. Most of the time the carriers just suffer from itching.

Lice die if they are away from a human's head or body for more that 2 days. Lice are 1 - 3 mm long and cling to the hair shaft.

Three different types of lice infest people:

 

North East Derbyshire District Council do not treat for the above lice. Advice can be sought from your local doctors, pharmacy or Health Centres / Clinics or NHS Direct