Hammersmith Pest Control News:
What do Hammersmith cockroaches look like? by paulg on 17/04/2012 |
Cockroaches in Hammersmith. Do you know what they look like and would you know what to look out for? Not surprisingly many of us don’t. This maybe because they are primarily a nocturnal insect, coming out to scavenge and breed when most people are asleep. The truth is, when we turn the out the lights, the cockroaches come out to play. There are two main types of cockroach to look out for that pesters Hammersmith and many other parts of London. The German cockroach and the Oriental cockroach. There are also American cockroaches, these are not as prominent here yet but are definitely on the increase. The German cockroach is light tan to dark brown in colour with two distinctive dark stripes just behind the head. They can be between 1 to 2cm in length and just 5 to 10mm in width. They have 6 legs and 2 large antennae that curl back round on the body. They are probably the most successful cockroach on the planet populating all continents and most countries in large numbers. The most favourable places for them to dwell in urban towns and cities like Hammersmith are in places where food is prepared like restaurants, hotels and other premises with kitchens. This unfortunately means our homes as well. Large residential tower blocks often find themselves with cockroach problems because of the ability to travel from flat to flat with ease. They are an omnivorous insect eating almost anything including other insects, greasy surfaces and any food waste they can find. One of the ways of identifying cockroaches is by spotting that they leave in areas of habitat. This is their excrement and is usually found in the corners of kitchen units and cupboards and around the motor housings of fridges and freezers. Oriental cockroaches have a different look about them. They are larger than the German cockroach, with an average size of about 2.5cm at adulthood. They are dark brown to black in colour with a rounder flatter body. At around 1 to 1.5cm in width they are also wider than their German family. Their preferred habitat is in cooler, darker and damper places like basements and cellars. Just like the German cockroach they are also omnivorous eating almost anything. Again, an easy way to identify an Oriental cockroach infestation is by the same spotting that the German cockroach leaves. But due to the different habitat of the Oriental cockroach the spotting may be harder to find and see. As with all cockroaches, hygiene plays an important part as to whether you may get an infestation or not. As with all animals and insects their need for food and water is vital. If an environment is kept clean and tidy, there should be no reason for cockroaches to bother you. But if your neighbours or an establishment near you has hygiene issues, then there could be a problem in the making. If you have a problem with cockroaches that you’re finding to hard to deal with, don’t be too proud to call a pest control company that will help you. |
Mice found in Hammersmith restaurant by paulg on 04/03/2012 |
Health inspectors found a mouse swimming in sweet and sour sauce about to be served to customers during an inspection of a Chinese restaurant in Hammersmith. They managed to photograph the rodent as it jumped out of the bowl and scampered along a draining pipe in the kitchen of the restaurant. But there were more shocks in store for them. They also found cockroaches, whose eggs were found in the dim sum and baskets of prawn crackers. Mice droppings were found all over the kitchen including inside the fridges, on crockery, in soy sauce containers and on a chopping board next to some meat. The hygiene was so bad that the ventilation canopy in the restaurant was dripping with grease. The restaurant was shut down in May 2010. Photographs taken at the time also show cockroaches living in fridge seals. The kitchen was also covered in grease and grime, with cracked tiles and stained walls. The owner was arrested and admitted 7 counts of breaching food hygiene regulations. Environmental officers from Westminster council said the conditions were "disgraceful" and branded them an "appalling risk" to the safety of customers. They said: "Thankfully there has been no evidence of actual illness being suffered by customers." The restaurants have since reopened and are being closely monitored by the council. The owner was given an four-month jail term suspended for a year. He was also ordered to pay fines totalling £20,000 plus £8,124 costs. The judge said if he had not pleaded guilty he would have gone to prison immediately. The restaurant boss has three months to improve standards before a decision is made whether to ban him from operating a catering business altogether. |