What do mice eat? If cartoons lead us to believe anything, a big block of cheese laying tantalisingly on a mouse trap is irresistible to a mouse. However, the answer may not be as black and white as cartoons lead us to believe!

Research on mice and their feeding habits show that they will eat pretty much anything that has some nutritional value. However, like humans, they have dietary preferences. So, whilst in a pinch they would eat cheese, this does not mean it is the most effective way to bait them and would often not succeed. So, we wouldn't waste your best mature cheddar on these rodents, and instead try the options below:

Sweet Treats

When given the choice, mice seem to have a preference for sweet treats like fruit, or high calorie & fatty foods like peanut butter. Our Fresh'N'Tasty rodent attractant is made from a prune extract, which is extremely enticing to rodents and

During the colder months, rodents will be on the lookout for sustenance and warm conditions, often this can mean that they are drawn into our homes. We've created the list below to show just some of the signs you need to be aware of in case you have any unwanted house guests at the moment. 

EVIDENCE OF A RODENT IN AN AROUND YOUR HOME

Sound

Rodents are nocturnal and feed mostly at night so that scuttling sound waking you during the early hours could indicate their presence in your home.

Droppings

Mouse droppings: 3-6 mm long, black and rod-shaped. Approximately 80 droppings per day, often appearing in clusters.

Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) droppings are 1.5cm long with blunt ends.
Black Rat (Rattus Rattus) droppings are 1.3cm long with pointed ends.
Both appear in clusters.

Smear marks

Dark grey marks on surfaces from oil on hair.

Nest

Grow-your-own is no longer an aspiration, but a necessity for many home-bound families enduring lockdown.  And as the nation digs in and home-grown produce becomes a more essential part of everyday life, so the swing to organic gardening is growing, too.
 
In particular, chemical-free plant protection is proving a hit on home-grown salad and vegetable crops this Spring, with sales of wool-based Defenders Slugs Away products increasing dramatically with on-set of warmer weather at the start of April. 
 
The biodegradable wool pellets form nutrient-rich mulch after a good soaking from rain or irrigation water, which also creates in-penetrable barrier to protect young salad crops against slug and snail damage. 
 
Slugs Away Wool Mats from Defenders are a new, ready-to-roll mulch matt that will boost soil temperature as well as provide pest protection.  The Wool Matts are ideal for transplanting delicate plugs and seedlings through, and as

Continued over-the-phone and online support of its products by pest control specialist STV has been welcomed by home-users since the start of lockdown, with incoming call-rates and emails exceeding 100 a day and rising.

The most common query is simply, “Where can I buy your products?” according to STV team member Kerry Spicer-Denford, who reckons the demand for mouse and moth killers is reaching an all-time high. 

“Customers really do appreciate getting a quick response to their queries and any over-the-phone advice that we’re able to offer them,” says Kerry, who says DIY store closures and the restricted availability of online vendors including Amazon is making it difficult for home-owners to buy everyday pest control essentials.
 
With the continuation of lockdown and the nation at home and out in the garden, every pest problem is a big problem, according to STV. Day-to-day production and distribution from the company’s Norfolk site has continued t

Earwigs can be easily identified by their pincers at the tail, and antennae at the head. Their pincers are used as a defence mechanism, usually against other earwigs. There are around 2,000 different species with only four found in the UK. Adults can grow to a size between 5-25mm and have 6 legs.

Like other insects, earwigs produce a pheromone that acts as a marker to lead large groups in outdoor areas. They typically don’t pose a problem until their population gets out of control. The damage they cause is comparable to that of caterpillars or slugs: irregularly shaped holes in leaves and gnawing on shoots.

Earwigs feast on young sprouts or dying vegetation, preferring to hide in moist or damp conditions and becoming active at night, or when their cover has been disturbed. Like woodlice, they can be beneficial in garden areas, helping to break down garden waste. When living on fruit trees they target aphids as a food source, helping to protect your crop. Earwigs enter h

Foxes and the pest control industry go way back. Initially introduced to the British ecosystem by Normans (after 1066) to cull the then astronomical population of rabbits (also introduced by Normans), they were once on our side. They were a valuable asset too, not only are they proficient hunters but they have tendency to surplus kill too. For example, if left in a chicken coup alone, they would undoubtedly kill the lot and cache remaining carcasses in a den for later consumption. For these reasons, the Normans saw foxes as an intelligent method of population control. However, it served as a catalyst to a lengthy war between man and fox which is still being waged to this day.

Maybe people dislike foxes because, despite our superior ranking in the animal kingdom, they manage to outwit us at every turn. The idiom ‘sly as a fox’ is not undeserved. Being crepuscular and solitary, foxes hunt by themselves at hours when human activity is at its lowest. They do so by implementing their ext

The garden mole (Talpa europaea) is a stocky, black/dark brown nocturnal mammal that has adapted to life underground. It has wide, flat paws with sharp claws to assist with digging and burrowing for earthworms. A bite to the head of an earthworm immobilises it and they can store them alive in specially created chambers for later consumption. Almost blind with a weak sense of hearing, moles rely on the vibrations they feel to hunt worms and avoid danger.

They’re typically found in woodlands or grassy areas, such as gardens. Moles eat insects that may destroy the roots of crops and their digging aerates soil, making it better for growing plants in. However, they can cause a headache for gardeners who have plant beds and mowed lawns upturned.

Once a permanent tunnel has been established deep underground, it can be used by future generations of moles. Feeding tunnels can be temporary and are usually just below ground, often breaking the ground to create molehills. T

Commonly found throughout the rural areas of the UK, rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) are a small, brown-furred mammal. Originally introduced by the Normans in the 12th century for their fur and meat, they multiplied quickly. They may look cute but they have a destructive nature when it comes to chewing and burrowing. It is estimated that they cause over £100 million in damage every year. The Pests Act of 1954 made the majority of England a rabbit clearance area; this means you’re responsible for the control of rabbit damage if they’re on your land and must take action to stop the damage spreading to neighbouring crops. Rabbits must be controlled in a way that doesn’t cause unnecessary distress or suffering to the animal.

They are typically more active overnight but can be sighted during the day if they feel safe enough. Their burrowing causes unsightly holes and can lead to the ground becoming weakened by their tunnels underneath.

They are renowned for their breedi

STV has re-launched its consumer website, offering customers a comprehensive array of tools and product support. 

The website includes helpful A-Z pest guides that empower end-users in identifying infestations and product recommendations with best-use tips, to downloadable information sheets, posters, sales sheets and more for stockists. 

Our well-used product finder has had a refresh, making it mobile-friendly for use across all portable devices, and complete with the 'Find a Stockist' feature to direct them to their nearest independent hardware or garden Key Stockist in their area.

STV regularly updates product pages, and after sign-in, trade users have access to exclusive content, including downloadable product information and POS material. 

The new website launches the next step in STV’s online and digital presence, invigorating our online activity. We aim to become the go-to site for any end-user with a pest problem.