FEATURE: PEST CONTROL
HOW
TO NOT ATTRACT THOSE
EXPERT REVEALS ENVIRONMENTALLY- FRIENDLY SOLUTION TO PREVENT ANTS
ENORMOUS RATS
Although usually associated with dark alleyways and underground sewers, wild rats are more common than you think. They’re resilient creatures, and will usually make visits to your garden in search of food and shelter. Garden specialist James Ewens at Green Feathers –
www.green-feathers.co.uk – explores three habits that could be attracting rats.
T
hey’re one of the largest carriers of potential diseases, and as they are hard pests to get rid of - a property with a
severe infestation could take up to three months to clear - it’s crucial to rat-proof your garden.
Unexpected food sources Bird feeders – The most common reason rats enter your garden is through food sources. One of the main causes is bird feeders that drop seeds onto the ground. Replace standard bird feeders with squirrel and rat-proof ones, and as birds are messy eaters, make sure they have a fitted tray that catches any falling seeds, leaving no leftovers for these pesky pests. Compost – Helping the planet one compost heap at a time, although they are great resources for various insects and your soil, they can also become an all-you-can-eat buffet for rodents. Never put cooked food in the compost, and if you think rats are visiting your garden, stop putting raw food in there too. Food storage – If you store your food in an outbuilding, make sure it is stored securely. For an extra layer
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of protection, use chicken wiring or metal plates to ensure that they can’t get in under any circumstances. Dinner time – If you leave food out for other garden animals, do so in the open. Rats like to stay hidden when feeding, so move your feeding station to the middle of the garden. Bins – Rubbish bins can get very dirty very quickly and give off enticing smells to rodents. Keep your bins as far away from your property as possible, don’t keep them in direct sunlight, and make sure that rats can’t climb in and access them.
Providing nesting spaces Compost again – Your compost bin doesn’t only just make a great food source; it can make a great shelter
too. Consider a sealed compost heap, if not make sure to turn it regularly, and don’t keep it near any sides, fencing or hedging. Movability – Reduce garden access and mobility by blocking any holes, walls, floors and doors of your garden outbuildings, decking, and anything that rats could pass through and set up shelter in.
Slacking on maintenance Upkeep – When enjoying your garden, you can become complacent when it comes to upkeep. Keep your garden pruned and trimmed, and rid your garden of any long weeds or grass which provide cover, and allow for rats to move around out of sight. Clutter – As rats don’t like open spaces, clutter also makes great hiding places. Remove anything from cardboard and wood to leftover construction materials, or garden waste. Keeping your garden tidier and more open will be more likely to scare rats away. Open spaces – Keep an open space of lawn at the centre of your garden as rats hate open spaces, this might be enough for them to find your garden inhospitable, and move on to new pastures.
If you’ve ever noticed loose patio tiles, uneven paving or unexplained cracks in your garden path or patio, ants could be the culprits. While tiny, ant colonies under hard surfaces can cause surprisingly big structural issues - tunnelling through sand or soil, loosening materials and even causing minor subsidence. Tunnelling ants displace material, widening cracks and loosening tiles. Over time, this can create uneven surfaces, creating trip hazards. Sophie Thorogood, pest
prevention expert at Pest Stop, explains: “Ants are an important part of a garden’s ecosystem, but when they nest under patios or paths, they can cause structural problems. Though there are preventative measures including keeping lawns mown and bushes and hedges trimmed, to tackle tunnelling ants, decisive action is often required.” To help homeowners manage this issue without resorting to harsh chemicals, Pest Stop has launched Ant-Seal – a non-toxic, ‘liquid soil’ solution. It provides homeowners an environmentally friendly solution which targets nests beneath hard surfaces. The substance penetrates deep into ant tunnels, solidifies and safely displaces the colony, helping to stabilise the surface above and prevent further damage. Made using Soilic technology, Ant-Seal is a natural clay and water-based solution that flows into nests and solidifies, which in turn stabilises the surface above. It’s free from pesticides, safe for pets, wildlife and children and gentle on the environment. Ant-Seal is suitable for any paved area where ants are causing visible disruption. No specialist tools are needed and it can be used as part of routine garden maintenance. Pest-Stop’s Ant-Seal is available now with an RRP of £14.99. For more information, visit
www.pest-stop.com
SEPTEMBER 2025 DIY WEEK 29
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