When it comes to pests, some are just a nuisance, while others are full-on nightmares. Whether it’s them ruining people's sleep, infesting peoples homes or just generally making their life unpleasant. We’re diving into the world of the “bugly” and looking at the top 5 pests that are the absolute worst and how Lodi UK can help you keep these at bay for your customers.
Bed Bugs: The Persistent Menace
While there are numerous contenders for the title of "worst pest," bed bugs certainly rank near the top. These elusive parasites spread rapidly, hitching rides on personal belongings such as luggage and clothing, and can even be transported by pets. With the ability to lay 200-500 eggs in their 10-month lifespan, bed bugs can turn a minor issue into a full-blown infestation before you know it.
One of the greatest challenges in dealing with bed bugs is ensuring every single one is eradicated, as even a couple of survivors can go up to a year without feeding. And the consequences of their bites? Itchy, red welts that, in some cases, can cause severe allergic reactions. For an in-depth look at bed bug biology and control strategies, check out our guide on bed bug management.
But fear not, there are definitely ways to get rid of these pesky bedbugs, with Lodi’s Phobi Caps and Digrain Force. Now we recommend the two as it is always best practice to use one for your initial treatment and then change it up for your second treatment to avoid resistance.
Digrain Force has a high strength EW concentrate combining actives to ensure fast and effective control with long term residual. Phobi Caps works similarly; however, the Prallethrin gives the product a shock effect while the microencapsulation of Cypermethrin ensures the stability to light, temperature, and humidity. Thanks to the different sizes of capsules, the release of cypermethrin is regular and continuous.
Fleas:
Fleas, the dreaded jumping jacks of the pest world. As much as they can be a nuisance to pets, they can also be a pain to your customers directly, from spreading diseases like typhus and even the plague in extreme cases (yes, that still happens in some parts of the world!).
One of the reasons fleas are so tricky to deal with is their size—they’re tiny, hard to spot, and can jump up to 2 feet in height. Their rapid reproduction rates mean they can quickly overrun any home if not dealt with promptly. A single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, leading to potentially thousands of fleas.
To stop these horrid pests we suggest using the Bugster EC as it provides a fast knockdown with an 8-12 weeks residual. Designed for use when both hot or cold fogging and as a surface spray, it’s an effective control method against flying and crawling insects including moths, wasps, fleas, red mite, and cockroaches.
Bugster contains a generous 2% of Lodi’s much-loved prallethrin active offering a fast knockdown with great results in minutes. Coupled with cypermethrin, a trusted residual, Bugster is a general-purpose insecticide that every pest controller should have in their armoury.
Digrain Bugster can go where many other products can’t, including hospitals and kitchens, as well as domestic and commercial properties, hotels, restaurants, ships, and more. However, best practice is to change your product when you go on your second visit, we also recommend Phobi CAPS, which works in less than 15 minutes and protects treated surfaces for up to 12 weeks.
Wasps:
Wasps might seem harmless buzzing around homes, gardens and businesses, but they can become a major problem during wasp season. Their season begins in April/May, when the queen wasp emerges from hibernation till around October.
However, in between these months wasps can be a real pain! They tend to become very territorial about their nest and do not like to be disturbed, which isn’t ideal for your customers when they invade your personal spaces.
What makes these a nuisance pest is their aggression, as we mentioned above they don’t like to be messed with, and if they feel they are under attack or at risk of being compromised they can become aggressive and tend to sting. On a plus (I suppose), they don't all sting as it’s only the females, but be warned…no matter how many times you have been stung in the past it does not stop you from having an allergic reaction to being stung.
However, once again, Lodi has you covered with our Digrain Wasp & Hornet Destroyer spray. The power blast nozzle and valve design provides a directional jet of product at 18 feet offering operator safety. Combined action of 0.25% Permethrin with the knock down of 0.24% Tetramethrin. The large 600ml can size ensures that you don't get caught short when faced with a large wasp nest.
Flies:
Flies are more than just a pest. With over 120,000 known species, and scientists believing there are many more yet to be discovered, flies can carry a range of diseases. Whether it's a housefly contaminating food or a fruit fly swarming a kitchen. Flies reproduce quickly and can lay up to 500 eggs at a time. Their vast numbers and fast reproduction means eliminating them can be challenging, and in some cases, the best solution is prevention.
Lodi provides a range of fly monitoring solutions, traps and prevention tools, but we also provide Twenty One. A uniquely formulated product for professional use against flies in agricultural settings such as in poultry, pig and livestock housing. Twenty One can either be diluted in water and sprayed onto walls or floors, or mixed into a thicker emulsion to be painted onto boards and hung. Twenty One contains fly pheromones and attractants that lure the flies to the treated area for fast and effective control.
What makes Twenty One so special is it contains Azamethiphos, which is the fastest chemical on the UK market. On top of that it is one of the only products available on the market that can be both sprayed and painted.
Let’s not forget about Sheila Fly Bait. Toxic, attractive and deadly, our ready to use granular insecticide for the control of flies. Sheila works wherever flies congregate (think animal pens and livestock housing in those warm summer months). Containing unique sex pheromones and attractants that lure flies to the bait, before killing them almost instantly. Flies love the colour of Sheila, which also works as an attractant.
Ants:
Last but not least, we have ants. While they might seem harmless at first glance, an ant infestation can quickly spiral out of control. Their level of issue can also be determined by their species.
For example, Black garden ants are typically found outdoors but often venture indoors in search of food, especially sweet substances. Their colonies can number in the thousands, and once a food source is located, they form long trails, becoming a persistent annoyance in homes and gardens. Pharaoh ants, smaller and brown in colour, are more problematic indoors, particularly in hospitals, kitchens, and heated buildings. These ants pose a greater health risk as they can spread harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and Staphylococcus, through their movement across surfaces.
Both ant species require different types of treatment. Control measures for Black ants often involve using insecticidal baits or sprays that target foraging ants and their nests. Since these ants are usually located outside, treatments focus on sealing entry points, removing food sources, and applying insecticide near nests and trails.
In contrast, Pharaoh ants are more complex to deal with because they tend to nest indoors. They can form multiple interconnected nests and are known to split their colony when disturbed. Traditional insecticide sprays are ineffective or counterproductive for Pharaoh ants, as spraying can cause the colony to scatter, worsening the infestation. The preferred treatment involves using slow-acting, non-repellent baits that the ants carry back to their nests, gradually killing the entire colony without triggering the colony's dispersal.
To keep the Black Ants at bay we recommend Digrain C40WP. This highly effective wettable powder with strong knockdown and long term residual action has a proven 100% mortality rate. If you want to get a hold on Pharaoh Ants then we would suggest using our Imidasect Ant Gel. Foraging ants will feed on the bait and then return to the nest, transferring the bait to the queen and the entire colony. Visible signs of the bait working should be seen within a few days of application.
Conclusion:
Pests come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they’re a pain to get rid of! Whether it’s bedbugs that sneak in undetected, fleas that jump from pets to furniture, or ants marching two by two into your customers home, the key to winning the battle against pests is early detection and the right treatment. With the help of products like those from Lodi UK, you’ll be able to provide your customers with safe spaces.
So, next time you get a call, tell your customers to remember: it’s always best to act fast before things go from bad to bugly!
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