Plagues of roaches, rats, and bedbugs sweep Britain
Pest infestations are on the rise as cash-strapped councils phase out free extermination services 
By Emily Dugan
Sunday, 21 November 2010 They spread disease, feast on our blood and destroy our clothes. And their numbers are soaring. Britain’s populations of rats, mice, cockroaches, bedbugs, wasps and moths are growing, in some cases unchecked, as more local authorities charge for extermination – or simply stop offering the service altogether. In 2002, 99 per cent of Britain’s 402 councils provided pest control, according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH). By last year one in 10 had stopped, with more expected to follow. Of the rest, almost a third now charge for the service, resulting in fewer call-outs from residents. Private pest control services are thriving. Lodi, which makes rat and mouse traps and poison for home use, says sales of rodenticides are up 25 per cent on last year. And Beaver Pest Control, a private company working in London and the Home Counties, has reported a 44 per cent increase in call-outs for mice and rats over the last three years. The National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) says there are similar increases across the UK. Bedbugs are also on the rise. Since 1992 infestations have risen by 38 per cent, partly thanks to the “upcycling” of second-hand furniture. In the first half of the year Rentokil reported 24 per cent more call-outs than in the same period last year, linking the rise to an increase in foreign holidays. Call-outs for wasps’ nests this summer were up by 231 per cent on last year, according to Rentokil. The sharp rise was attributed to the warm summer and to council cut-backs. … John Davison, chief executive of the NPTA, warned that council cut-backs could become a serious problem. “If you look at New York, it ceased its pest control for five years and things got so bad it cost millions to get the problem sorted again,” he said. …
omg, this is a horrible problem, the bed bugs are taking over! I just dealt with those little pests. I needed to find a non-toxic and safe solution. I lucked out and found these guys, they completely eradicated those nasty critters. They were also very professional. http://www.decongreeninc.com