Articles & Inspiration

General Introduction to moles: 

The common mole, or if you want its full scientific classification the Talpa europaea is a small but mighty creature, which there are 35-40 million estimated to be living in the UK.  These creatures are dark grey/black in colour with velvet-like fur, and sized between 11-16 cm.  Moles also possess 44 teeth, which is an extraordinary number considering humans only have around 32 and are a much larger species! 

Despite popular belief, moles are not blind.  However, they are colourblind and mainly detect light and darkness, which results in poor vision and makes humorous cartooned mole representations in glasses rather accurate.  

Moles are extremely receptive to touch which compensates for their poor eyesight, and their vibrational sensitivity drives a directional pathway toward

Whilst “Popular” is not a term generally associated with spiders, we have put together a handy list to help you identify some of the most common you are likely to see in your homes this season. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the excellent solutions The Big Cheese has for dealing with them. 

• Daddy long-legs (Pholcus Phalangioides) 

An arachnid, not a spider! As the name suggests Daddy long-legs have long and very spindly legs. They’re a great fan of humid households so will often be found inside bathrooms. If disturbed, they will vibrate and shake their web to scare off potential threats! They also have defensive

With many of us set to enjoy a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day, The Big Cheese has listed off some of the “dishes” that pests have a passion for so that you can make sure you keep them well hidden.

Ants love sweets! They’re drawn to sugary substances in your home because this is a firm favourite of theirs in the wild too; with honeydew, rotting fruit and nectar high on their list of favourites. Keep all the surfaces in your home and garden as clean as possible to avoid an invasion.

Bed Bugs like blood…whilst some species have favourite mammals, the majority are happy to play the field and will feed on anything that can get to.

Carpet Beetles

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

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 AND 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

Whilst we all try to recycle and re-use as much as possible, inevitably bins can overflow during the Christmas holidays as we accommodate more guests, food and used packaging than we would at any other time of year.  Alongside this, rubbish collections can be a little bit later as refuse collectors take a well-earned break for the festivities.

In order to keep your bin area and households rodent-free this Christmas (and all year round), The Big Cheese recommends taking the following steps:

1. Make sure that your bins are kept firmly shut and secure, especially when you have any food waste. If your bin is cracked or broken ask your local council for a replacement immediately!
2. Clean your bins regularly, dirty bins = rats and mice.
3. Don’t let