Guides

Living with fewer insects.

AntsWhere they come inBed bugsWhere they come inCockroachesWhere they come inSilverfishWhere they come inMosquitoesWhere they come inTicksWhere they come in

2 October 2026

Autumn cleaning checklist: the edges insects use

An autumn cleaning checklist for the edges insects use: skirting, thresholds, window frames, cellar steps and behind appliances, done over one weekend.

12 September 2026

Bed bugs in second-hand furniture: a student room checklist

Bed bugs in second-hand furniture are easy to miss on moving day. What to check on a bed, sofa or desk before it enters a student room, and what to treat.

10 September 2026

The cellar in autumn: damp, cardboard, and the edges in between

Autumn is when everything outside decides your cellar looks better than the garden. Most of what makes it attractive can be fixed with a dehumidifier and some plastic boxes.

10 September 2026

Back from a trip: twenty minutes in the bedroom

Bed bugs travel in luggage, not through walls. What you do in the first hour after you get home matters more than anything you do in the following month.

10 September 2026

The kitchen in spring: where ants get in, and where to spray

Ants do not wander. They follow an edge from a gap in the wall to whatever is sweet on the counter. Find the edge and you have found the job.

24 July 2026

Insects on window sills: where they get in each summer

Insects on window sills in summer come in along the frame, the seals and the gaps around them. Where they get in, and how to treat it from the inside.

10 July 2026

Holiday home opening clean: frames, skirting and beds

A holiday home opening clean is the day to treat the frames, skirting, bed bases and storage that stood closed all winter, before the first guests arrive.

20 February 2024

Fruit flies: why they arrive, and where a treated surface helps

Fruit flies breed in about a week and find fermenting fruit from across the room. Most of the answer is housekeeping; a treated surface helps with the rest.

16 February 2024

Silverfish: damp, dark and paper, and what to do about them

Silverfish do not bite, but they eat paper, glue and some fabrics. Fix the damp first, then treat the edges they travel along.

19 May 2023

Permethrin on textiles: how it works, and what the tests measure

Permethrin is the insecticide behind many treated nets and textile sprays. It works by contact, and that shapes what it does and does not do.

17 May 2023

New mosquito species in Europe, and what they mean for you

Several mosquito species that used to be rare in Europe are now seen far more often. Who they are, why they are spreading, and what helps at home.

9 May 2023

Insecticide resistance in mosquitoes: how it develops

Mosquitoes around the world are becoming less sensitive to the insecticides used against them. How resistance develops, and how it is managed.

7 May 2023

For pest control companies: adding a repellent treatment to your service

A repellent surface treatment gives pest control companies a preventive service to offer between visits, and a product clients can use themselves.

27 April 2023

Cockroaches: a repellent surface treatment in professional pest management

Cockroaches in kitchens, food courts and schools challenge even experienced pest controllers. A repellent coating gives them another tool alongside baits and monitoring.

26 April 2023

Ants in the kitchen: how they follow a trail, and where to break it

Ants find your kitchen by following scent trails laid by other ants. Knowing how the trail works tells you where a treatment does its job.

22 April 2023

Ticks in Europe: where they are, and how to keep them off

Ticks are active from spring to autumn across most of Europe. Where you meet them, the checks that matter, and where a textile treatment fits.

4 April 2023

Keep insects out with a longer-lasting repellent

Most pest control starts after the insects have arrived. A controlled-release coating works the other way round: it is on the surface before they come.