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Birds (AVES)

We have many different species of bird in the U.K, a small number affect humans but most are an important part of the of world ecology if there is a risk of public health, safety and financial loss then control measures can be taken to protect the public interest.

• Urban birds can carry blood feeding parasites
• Can carry Salmonella & Vibrio cholerae
• Bacteria Chlamydia psittaci

Foxes

Foxes are small-to-medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. Foxes have a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or brush).

• Mating season is January/February
• Average life span 2 years
• Mostly active at night
• Characteristic Musty Smell

House Mouse (Mus Domestics)

Mice have adapted to living among humans very well and are possibly the most numerous mammal on earth, second to mankind.

They can adapt to most environments and fit through an area no less than 5 mm square , they prefer dry conditions as when they are wet they cannot hold their body heat well.

• Gestation period 19-20 days
• Weaning 3 weeks
• Sexually mature 5-6 Weeks
• Litter size 5-8.

The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus),

The brown rat also referred to as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats.

• Gestation period 21-24 days
• Litter size 6-11
• Weaning 3-4 weeks
• Sexually Mature 12-16 weeks

Grey Squirrel (Sciurus Carolensis )

Grey Squirrels were introduced intentionally to Great Britain in the 1870’s. Active before sunrise and main spike in activity is 4-5 hours after dawn. Can invade loft spaces and chew wooden joists, water pipes and electrical cables to name but a few. Must not be confused with red Squirrels which are fully protected under the wildlife and countryside act.

• 2 breeding seasons per year
• Gestation period 45 days
• Litter size 1-7
• Weaning 10 weeks

MOLES (Insectivora)

Moles are a member of the Insectivora order, within their habitats they are solitary and live mostly below ground in their tunnel systems, coverage of an average area can be anything between 400 and 1600 m2 although food availability can change this. Moles patrol continuously for 4.5 hours at a time with 3 hrs rest feeding on earthworms that fall through the tunnel system that acts as a pitfall trap.

• Breed from February to June
• 4 week gestation
• Leave the nest at at 5 weeks old

Black garden ant (Lasius niger)

The black garden ant  also known as the common black ant, is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, found all over Europe and in some parts of North America, South America, Asia and Australasia.

• Adults 3-5mm long
• Eggs are laid by Queen
• Larvae are fully grown in around 3 weeks
• Queens are winged initially and can live for several years

Bed bugs (Cimus Lectolarius) Its association is with Human habitats. They Can survive for up to 12 months without feeding and are nocturnal and search for blood feeds at night. Will find harbourage in furniture, crevices and mattress seams to name but a few. 1 female produces 200(possibly more) eggs laying 4-5 a day, full development from nymph to adult is an average of only 4 months.

Oriental Cockroach (Blatta Orientalis) Its association is with human habitats. They are mostly found indoors in the U.K in heated buildings, they carry pathogenic bacteria. They will hide in the daytime and forage nightly. A female lays 5 oothecae (egg cases) and 16 nymphs will hatch on average several weeks later.

• Will forage on many foods
• Mostly nocturnal
• Needs access to free water
• Lives for up to 6 months
• 17-30 mm in size
• Black or dark brown in colour

German Cockroach (Blattella Germanica) Found worldwide and believed to be introduced to the U.K around the time of the Crimean war also known to carry various organisms that can cause human disease. Each ootheca (egg case) contains between 30-40 eggs and carried for an average of 2-4 weeks just before hatching.

• Known to carry and spread various human disease organism
• Mostly nocturnal
• Known to hide in sinks, taps and drains.
• Omnivorous
• 2-15 mm in size
• Yellow/brown colour

Human Flea (Pulex Irritans) 1400 species of Fleas worldwide and up to 60 in Great Britain. They usually lay their eggs loosely among bedding and clothing of the host and are known to have carried human disease (the oriental rat flea was a vector for the plague). The human flea eggs drop from the host and hatch within 2-3 days and are fully grown within 3-4 weeks.

• Adults are parasitic but larvae are not
• Possibly evolved from a specie close to flies
• Can survive for months without a host
• Can be carried in by pets, clothing & people.

Spiders (Arachnida) Spiders are present in all environments apart from salt water, 1 acre of rough grassland will have an estimated 2 million plus  spiders, they are predatory on small animals and insects. Bites from spiders native to Great Britain can cause varying degrees discomfort depending on which spider and susceptibility of the individual, ranging from mild discomfort to severe pain.

• Spiders are classed as arachnids not insects
• All spiders are venomous apart from the Uloboridae family
• Most spiders have 8 eyes
• 650 species currently present in the U.K

• 100 eggs are laid over an 8 week period
• Up to 20 mm in length
• Take 1 year to develop to an adult
• 10 moults in the first year
• Nocturnal