Website URL : http://www.cherwell.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1695

Pest control

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Problems with pests? We provide a service to control pests in people's homes where there might be a risk to public heath or food safety.

What the service is for:

Image depicting picture of a wasp
waspWe provide pest control in domestic premises for the following:

  • rats
  • mice
  • wasps nests
  • fleas
  • bedbugs
  • cockroaches
  • other insects such as ants and carpet beetles

We do not provide a pest control service for businesses or educational establishments.

What will it cost?

There is a charge for rats, mice, wasps and insects. Current charges are as follows:

  • rats and mice - £26.09 (inc VAT)
  • wasps nests - £44.33 (inc VAT)
  • fleas, bedbugs, cockroaches and other insects - £52.88 (inc VAT).

The first step is to establish whether there is a problem on a scale that requires pest control. pdf Pest information and advice (26kb)

If after reading this you feel that pest control is needed, please use the contact details on the right. The council's pest contractor will then contact you directly.

In normal circumstances, the council's pest contractor will contact you within 48 hours to arrange a suitable appointment date. However, please note that during busy times (e.g. the wasp season), it may take a little longer than normal.

These charges are also available on a pdf document that you can download.  pdf Pest control list of prices (7kb)

There is no charge for the treatment of rats and mice to residents who are 60 years of age and over. Please note that link card discounts no longer apply to pest control.

We do not provide pest control for the following. For further information on bees click on the link.

  • bees
  • snakes
  • moles
  • foxes
  • rabbits
  • squirrels
  • deer
  • birds

Bees are not classified as pests, as they are important in the pollination of fruit and flowers. They should not be destroyed, unless they are in a location that is causing a danger to humans or pets, and cannot be collected by an experienced bee keeper. Further information can be obtained from Oxfordshire bee keepers' association or British bee keepers' association.

There are many types of bees, such as bumble, honey, masonry & mining. Only the honey bee forms a swarm. A colony of honeybees reproduces itself by swarming. In the spring, the colony will start to build in numbers quite rapidly and once the hive starts to become overcrowded, the worker bees will rear a new queen.  When the new queen is due to emerge from her cell, the older worker bees will fill themselves with honey and fly off with the old queen to create a new colony. When the swarm lands they will gather in a cluster surrounding their queen.

Please don't panic if you do come across a swarm - the bees are usually quite docile while they are swarming, although the noise from their wings can be quite loud when they are in flight. To be on the safe side keep children and pets well away so that the bees are not disturbed, close any open windows overlooking the swarm, and then telephone a local beekeeper or bee keeping association.

The council does not offer a service for the treatment of bees' nests. Should you believe a bees' nest is a health & safety hazard you should contact a commercial pest control company for further information. Please note that bees can only be destroyed if they are in a dangerous location.

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