Pest Control and Disinfection

Bullet Pest Control

Pests such as cockroaches, rats, mice and fleas are found in all societies and know no boundaries. The Agency's Pest Control Operatives are dedicated to their control and use the latest environmentally friendly pesticides and techniques to exterminate them when found. Great care is taken to ensure that only the intended species is exposed to the pesticide. When poison bait for rodents is used, tamper proof containers designed to prevent access to it by non-target species such as dogs, cats or birds are used. The main sewer system is continuously being treated for rodents as part of an ongoing program and other areas are treated as the need arises.

During the warm spring months it is sometimes necessary to carry out an anti-mosquito campaign to reduce their populations. This requires a slow systemic search through an area looking for bodies or containers of stagnant fresh water which may be allowing the mosquito larvae to breed. Contrary to popular believe they do not breed in refuse or sewage and since they can fly about 2km in still air a breeding site at one end of town may affect persons at the other end.

Common household pests found locally:
Periplaneta Americana: American Cockroach usually associated with sewers and drains and damp dark undisturbed environments. Do not live in domestic premises but may enter when their normal habitat is disturbed.
Blatta Orientalis: Oriental Cockroach usually found in old wooden floors and old buildings. Not very common locally
Blatella Germanica: German Cockroach or Steam Fly common in kitchens
Calliphoria Vomitoria: Blue bottle blow fly
Musca Domestica: common house fly
Culex Pipiens: blood sucking mosquitoes found locally. Only the female bites
Ctenocephalides felis: Flea - blood sucking
Cinexlectularius: Bed Bug - blood sucking
Rodents found locally which would require pest control measures to be adopted are:
Mus Domesticus: house mouse
Rattus Norvegicus: brown or sewer rat
Rattus Rattus: black or ship rat

The control is firstly exclusion by various rodent proofing techniques in buildings and premises, and secondly elimination by the use of traps or poisons. This is carried out only by trained operatives.

The agency only carries out pest control treatments in government premises.

The Agency is not responsible for the culling of animals and birds. However the Agency organizes and supervises pigeon culls conducted by a third party as part of the Avian Flu Control Strategy of the Gibraltar Government's Civil Contingency Committee.

Bullet Disinfection
On rare occasions when certain serious infectious diseases are diagnosed it may be necessary to disinfect a premises or its content to prevent the spread of the disease. Items like bedding and clothing are taken to the steam disinfector operated by the Agency. This is most effective in eliminating pests and infection sources.