With the river on one side and farmland on the other, a Farndon home sees more visiting wildlife than most. A seasonal routine keeps it outside.
Farndon sits on the Trent south-west of Newark, a village of older cottages and newer homes with riverside and farmland around it. That setting brings rats along the bank, mice from field margins, wasps in hedgerows and the odd squirrel along tree lines. The aim of prevention is to make the house a poor option compared with the countryside outside it.
As the weather warms, the first wasp queens look for nesting spots. Check the eaves, sheds, airbricks and any gap in a porch roof. Seal what can be sealed before the queen settles. Spring is also a good time to check the loft for winter damage and look at garden stores for signs of droppings.
Flies and ants increase with warm weather. Keep outdoor eating areas tidy, cover sweet food and drinks, and rinse recycling. Garden ponds and water butts should be covered. If you keep chickens or feed birds, use feeders that stop spilled seed collecting on the ground, because spilled grain is the main reason rats become regular visitors to a garden.
This is the most important season for older cottages. As fields are cleared and nights cool, rodents search for a warm place. Walk round the building and check where pipes enter, the base of doors, airbricks, and the junction between old and new building work. Newer extensions often leave small gaps at the join.
Quiet evenings reveal scratching in walls and lofts. Check cupboards, under the sink and behind appliances for droppings. Keep fresh pet food off the floor overnight and avoid storing cardboard boxes against walls, as they make good nesting material.
Add a few minutes for outbuildings. Garages, sheds and stores in a village often hold bird seed, logs, old furniture and tools, and they are the first places mice and rats settle. Lift things off the floor, keep a clear path along the walls so you can see droppings, and close doors properly. If you keep livestock or poultry, use metal bins for feed and remove spilled grain each evening.
If you spot signs of a problem, or want a second opinion, a free pest prevention survey and free advice come with all treatments. Call 0115 937 5117 to arrange a visit.
Small gaps around pipes, doors and airbricks. Rodents need very little space, so checking those weak points and sealing them with durable materials stops most entry.
Rats are common near water and farmland, so an occasional sighting is not unusual. Keep food waste and bird seed secure, and call for advice if you see droppings or burrows near the house.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
