Dear Sir,

Can you please inform residents of Newton Aycliffe that Pestguard, based in Newton Aycliffe, has now re-started pest control activities after receiving clearance and key worker status from government ministers to carry on.

We want to assure customers that social distancing will be implemented at ALL TIMES for the duration of any call out. We ask customers to please help with any social distancing requests.

We are in unprecedented times, and not knowing how long the lockdown will continue, or for how long social distancing will effect us . . . we must stay safe at all times.

The rat population has increased over the past few months as people will already be aware and we are receiving a lot of calls from customers saying they have rats in there gardens, garage, and even bathrooms. We ask residents to be mindful of storage of waste in there bins, keep lids closed, do not overfill so that the lids do not close, any overfill WILL attract rodents, and if you have to use plastic bags for excess waste, please store it in a safe place until bin clearance teams call to collect. Please call a pest controller if you encounter a rat problem.

We are also receiving calls about wasp nests in walls, these are MASON BEES not wasps, and as such, are harmless. There is also the ground bee called MINOR BEES, again these are harmless – please do not kill these bees, they will not sting you.

There is also the hover fly, looks like a sort of wasp/bee that hovers motionless in the air, which I know people will have seen in their gardens over the past few weeks, these are fly’s, not bees or wasps and are totally harmless.

I ask people to stay safe, stay at home and help protect lives.

Brian Sowerby

Pestguard

01325 301063

or 07790 732089