0:00:02 > 0:00:04There could be unwelcome intruders...
0:00:04 > 0:00:06- Eugh!- It's all right. It's only a little one.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08..in your home right now.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11You see all the blotches?
0:00:11 > 0:00:12It makes me feel horrible!
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Whoa!
0:00:15 > 0:00:18There're the most despicable creatures that you could imagine.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Britain has 18 million feral pigeons.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27Moth infestations have shot up by 75%.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29They're coming out of the towels.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32And rats are growing immune to poisons.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35No word of a lie, probably 20 to 25 rats on that grass
0:00:35 > 0:00:37in the middle of the night.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39The pests are coming.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42There's no doubt about it. We've got an infestation.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44On the front line...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46We are at war with pests.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48..four women are leading the fight.
0:00:48 > 0:00:49- GUNSHOT - Got it!
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I said I'm a rat-catcher.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Well, he nearly choked on his pint!
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Working in a man's world, they're a force to be reckoned with.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Just pop it on over my face and you won't hear me again, OK?
0:01:02 > 0:01:04I haven't had a rat escape my clutches yet.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Armed with specialist cameras for a close-up view of the enemy...
0:01:08 > 0:01:10This is good for us to see.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13..they use all their guile to solve each mystery.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Every case is like a detective story.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Who are you going to call?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20It's time to start the eviction.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I really do not like rats.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I hate the thought of them running up my trouser legs. Eugh!
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I think I'd cry my eyes out if that happened.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Dirty, horrible things, aren't they?
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Go and have a look at this shed...
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Not keen on that.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Farmer Will is facing his worst nightmare,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54a barn infested with rats.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Lady-killer Angela is already on the case.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Will doesn't like rats, full stop.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02He's absolutely terrified of them.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Some men are like that.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06And, obviously, women are as well. It's not just men.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Some people tell me it's the tails.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11And some people say it's the way they move.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Eugh! That's as far as I'm going in there.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Not keen on that. Not at all.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19No way!
0:02:19 > 0:02:20It doesn't really bother me.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22I was brought up like my brother and like my dad.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23They just treated you
0:02:23 > 0:02:26like you were no different from any of the other lads.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- Are you all right with this?- Ew...!
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Angela examines the evidence, in search of a solution for Will.
0:02:37 > 0:02:38Let's have a look...
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Oh, dear! Oh, look at the gnawing!
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Oh, my God! It's like dinner on a plate.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44How long's it been like this?
0:02:46 > 0:02:48- Couple of months, I suppose. - And that's it?
0:02:48 > 0:02:49- They've done this in this time?- Yeah.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51You've got straw bales,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54which are providing nesting material for the rats,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56which is absolutely ideal.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Then we've got food source. Obviously, potatoes.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01They've got everything they want.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04A pile of potatoes left over from last year's crop
0:03:04 > 0:03:06attracted a few rats.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09From there, the population spiralled.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12- This is the worst bit. - Suck it in. Suck it in.- Oh, no...!
0:03:12 > 0:03:16In their new home, Will's uninvited guests are thriving.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Oooh!
0:03:17 > 0:03:19Smells ratty, as well.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Is water readily available on site, as well?
0:03:22 > 0:03:23There's a tap that drips at the top.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Have you caught them licking underneath?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28Yeah. Every time you walk in, a couple will run down the side.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- Look at where they've been going in and out.- Ew...
0:03:31 > 0:03:33They're still steaming, some of the droppings.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I'm a little upset, to be honest, because it's true as it goes,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39when a pest controller rolls up, there's never any rats to see.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41But looking at the evidence that we've got here,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I'm surprised there's not, to be honest.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I think what we'll do is probably set up some cameras
0:03:46 > 0:03:48so we can see what they're doing.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50I imagine it's like a party in here at night.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Rats are nocturnal.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58So, Angela's night-vision cameras
0:03:58 > 0:04:01should reveal the true extent of the scourge.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03Are you ready for this?
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Yeah. Let's see how many we've got.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15- Can you see all the eyes, look?- Yeah.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Look...
0:04:25 > 0:04:27Look at them!
0:04:30 > 0:04:32That's a lot of rats, Will.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35And how many of those are pregnant?
0:04:45 > 0:04:49I would say there's a good 50 to 100 rats here.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- Did you think there was that many? - No, not that many.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54They make my skin crawl. Just...
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I'm nervous standing here now, to be honest.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01If I don't get rid of them, they will destroy our livelihood.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03I wouldn't like to think how bad it could get, to be honest.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08Rats in the wild live for up to 18 months.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12In a single year, one breeding pair can produce a colony of 2,000.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17- I'll probably set up traps and stuff and get bait boxes in place.- Yeah.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I'm looking forward to doing this.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21- I'm glad you are... - Are you all right with that?
0:05:21 > 0:05:23..because I'm not.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- You know, I get excited. You don't look that enthusiastic.- No...
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I'm not great, but I'll have to just man up a bit, won't I?
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- I'll hold your hand. You'll be all right.- Yeah.
0:05:42 > 0:05:43They're so tiny.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45You can see it and you know what it is.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48Oh...
0:05:50 > 0:05:51You can see them...
0:05:52 > 0:05:53..on the towels, look.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Flying away now. It's on the bathroom carpet.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Oh, dear...
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Why don't they just attack the tea towels or something like that?
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Actor and writer Geoffrey, his dog Coco
0:06:06 > 0:06:08and all of his prized possessions
0:06:08 > 0:06:11are at the mercy of a moth infestation.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13But help is on its way.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I'm a scientist by training.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I suppose you could say I've got a passion for insects.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I have many more calls to do moths
0:06:24 > 0:06:27than either mice, rats, bedbugs.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32For lady-killer Imogen, this is a routine investigation.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37One in every ten British homes has trouble with moths.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43These damn moths!
0:06:43 > 0:06:45They have been driving me to distraction.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Pests can probably smell me coming
0:06:48 > 0:06:51because I smell of all the other pests I've already killed.
0:06:51 > 0:06:52'Hello?'
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Hi. Pest control.
0:06:54 > 0:06:55DOOR ENTRY BUZZES Thank you!
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Irritating creatures.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01They're often on the roof part, you know?
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Yeah. I just saw one flying then.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08I hate the feeling that something's flying around while I'm asleep
0:07:08 > 0:07:10and possibly crawling on my head.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12I can't see any here.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- One, two, three! - Yeah, it's quite heavy.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16- There we go.- Oh, my goodness!
0:07:16 > 0:07:18So, you can see here...
0:07:18 > 0:07:20- Look at these holes...- Oh, no! - ..in the carpet here.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- There's something white here. Is that anything to...- Yes.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25That could be eggs.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Because the eggs are white and sticky...- Mm-hm.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30..and these are all the caterpillars here.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33- Oh, my goodness!- Mm.
0:07:35 > 0:07:36Can you see it wriggling?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I would never have imagined
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- that these were actually living creatures.- Here, here...
0:07:41 > 0:07:43It's really quite frightening.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- Can you see that it's got a darker head, a whiter body?- Yes.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49So, that's how you recognise the caterpillar of the clothes moth.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52This is the moth poo.
0:07:53 > 0:07:54It's gritty.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56- Oh, yes.- Can you see?
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- I just thought, oh, it's just dust. - No.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Where the legs of furniture
0:08:00 > 0:08:02- and the bits where your vacuum cleaner would miss...- Mm.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05..is where they would lay their eggs.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07The adults that you've got flying around
0:08:07 > 0:08:09are breeding and laying eggs
0:08:09 > 0:08:11and it's the eggs that then develop
0:08:11 > 0:08:13into the terribly destructive caterpillar.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17They're the most despicable creatures that you could imagine.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19- Oh, look. You see? This is one. - Oh, yes, there's one there.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21- That's alive, look.- Yeah, yeah.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22Wow.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25I mean, I'm just horrified. This has happened very recently.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- Oh, it's for a morning coat for a wedding.- Yes, yes.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29Oh, no!
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Oh, my goodness!
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- See? There we go... - They're alive, aren't they?
0:08:34 > 0:08:36They obviously like whatever this is made of.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40They like to eat fibres that are based on animal material.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44So, things like wool, cashmeres.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46The more precious, the better.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Until some funds come in,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49it looks like having to be the charity shops
0:08:49 > 0:08:51to replenish my, er...
0:08:52 > 0:08:53..my depleted wardrobe.
0:08:53 > 0:08:54But never mind.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Moths usually breed once a year in the warmth of summer.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03But in our centrally-heated homes,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06they can reproduce three to four times more often.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09All those are eggs.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11This is the part of the job that's interesting.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15You know, investigating where is it living,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18where is it breeding, where is its food source?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21There's a moth just flying right underneath you.
0:09:21 > 0:09:22It's on your jumper now.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24They're coming out of the towels.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28I don't want to have to do loads of cleaning and dusting myself.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32I want to be able to go away and come back to a comfortable home.
0:09:34 > 0:09:35This is quite serious.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39A small London flat, it's like an oasis for moths.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Imogen's specialist cameras
0:09:44 > 0:09:46give them a close-up view of what's made a home
0:09:46 > 0:09:48in Geoffrey's rugs and carpets.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Oh, my... Oh, God!
0:09:53 > 0:09:55That's unbelievable!
0:09:55 > 0:09:57Oh, my goodness me!
0:09:57 > 0:09:59How many do you think there are?
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Oh, I think you've got a fair population of moths
0:10:03 > 0:10:04living in your house.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Oh, my goodness me.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09And, presumably, they're eating?
0:10:09 > 0:10:10It's just like the hungry caterpillar.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13"I ate one Chinese rug.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15"Two cashmere jumpers.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18"Three very smart waistcoats."
0:10:18 > 0:10:19- And it goes on.- Yes.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Now I'm blooming horrified.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24The devastation that these little creatures cause,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26it's amazing, considering their size.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28I mean, if they were an army,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31they would wreak havoc wherever they invaded.
0:10:41 > 0:10:47I'm on my way now to do a pigeon job at a castle in Northumberland.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51What it is with pigeons,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54sometimes they're not such a cut-and-dried job to do.
0:10:55 > 0:10:56They're so crafty.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00I love doing this job.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03My dad had me gassing rabbits at sort of seven years old.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05It's just my life.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Every new job is a challenge, really.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11You know, it's just doing your bit of detective work.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Lady-killer Janet's latest case is at Barmoor Castle.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23This ancient building has been plagued by pigeons for 15 years...
0:11:25 > 0:11:29..despite the efforts of mother and son owners, Ann and Jamie.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Three times a year, I'll go round and I'll have a look at everything,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35make sure the windows are boarded up,
0:11:35 > 0:11:36there's no holes they can get in.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40The thing what we need to do is have a walk round and investigate.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Ann and her late-husband bought Barmoor in 1979,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48creating a caravan park in the 12-acre estate.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55The whole ethos of the park is about caring for the wildlife.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59And, you know, we've planted hundreds of trees to feed the birds.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01So, it's ironic
0:12:01 > 0:12:05that we now have to look at a solution
0:12:05 > 0:12:07to the pigeon problem within the castle.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Ann and Jamie plan to restore the derelict castle.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19But the health risk presented by the pigeons has put the work on hold.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21This is the central tower.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25But this is where the pigeons seem to home in to.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29It was originally a peel tower from the 1100s.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32The ultimate aim was to do something to the building
0:12:32 > 0:12:36but, before we can start work, we'll have to clear these pigeons.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41So, this is the main sort of area
0:12:41 > 0:12:42where I have problems with the pigeons.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46It's the top floor and I suppose you can call it the pigeon penthouse.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- Are all the windows sealed on this level?- Yeah.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50- Everything.- OK.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53There's two main front rooms here
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and I think that's where the main nests are.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Hiya, girls...
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Coo-coo!
0:13:00 > 0:13:04They are the whole way around the top of the building.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- You can see the pigeon guano...- Yeah.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09..that's built up on the ledges there.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Pigeons can transmit 60 human diseases through their droppings,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17known as guano.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Including a potentially deadly form of pneumonia.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25This is one of the jobs that most of us dislike.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27It's unhealthy.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30And most builders would refuse to come in and do work.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33If I could get rid of one pest for good,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35it would be pigeons.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37I just... I just can't do with them, me.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42People don't realise the damage that they do cause.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43If people were more aware,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I think they'd look at them in a different light.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Feral pigeons choose to nest on or in buildings,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55where they thrive due to the lack of natural predators.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59The main problem at Barmoor is in the peel tower.
0:13:59 > 0:14:04But Jamie's also spotted pigeons in the opposite side of the castle.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06- This is what room? - The haunted room.- Oh, right...
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- And apparently... - Not right good with ghosts, me.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Are you not?
0:14:11 > 0:14:12No, I'm not.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I've just had a look at the open loft hatch
0:14:16 > 0:14:18and there's a pigeon peeping out at me.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Jamie's sure he's sealed up every window and hole
0:14:23 > 0:14:25in the 62-room castle.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27And the building's historic status
0:14:27 > 0:14:30means little more can be done to keep pigeons out.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Is the castle a listed building?
0:14:34 > 0:14:36- Yeah, it's a list two-star.- Right.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39So, it's fairly well-restricted as to what we can do with it, you know?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Yeah, yeah. You've done a good job yourself
0:14:42 > 0:14:45in going around and sealing up as much as you could.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47But you have to look at a building and think,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49can I put spikes on?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Can I put netting on?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54You know, can I put bird feed gel on?
0:14:54 > 0:14:55But a building like this...
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- Nothing's applicable. - No, that's just it.- Yeah.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Janet must now find a way to rid the castle of its resident pigeons.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06And she has very few options left.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10- The best way forward would be to do a culling exercise.- OK.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13I had hoped for a humane way of dealing with this.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18- We could put the traps in, but it's a very lengthy, lengthy process.- OK.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19And, at the end of the day,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22they're still going to have to be eradicated,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24even if they're in the trap.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27And with a culling exercise, it's done as quickly as possible.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31"Culling" or killing the pigeons is a last resort.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34But even so, it doesn't sit well with Ann.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I feel uncomfortable about killing anything,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42but then, I've got to think of the future of the building.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45And we have to solve the problem of the pigeons
0:15:45 > 0:15:47before we can allow workmen to go in.
0:15:55 > 0:15:56Oooh... What are you looking at?
0:15:58 > 0:15:59In North London, mum of three, Imogen,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02has battled pest infestations for 20 years.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08My eldest child finds it appalling
0:16:08 > 0:16:10that I'm a pest controller.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12With two science degrees to her name,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15she's well-suited to the job.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Being a female pest controller
0:16:17 > 0:16:19is just the same as being a male pest controller.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Anything a man can do, a woman can do possibly better.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27These are what we're going to use today.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30An insect growth regulator.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Mini smoke generators.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Geoffrey's infestation is far greater
0:16:36 > 0:16:38than either he or I had imagined.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41It's a fairly comprehensive treatment that's needed.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Across Britain, moth infestations are on the rise.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Powerful pesticides, that once kept them in check, are now banned.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54So, Imogen has her work cut out.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Actor Geoffrey's flat is riddled with them.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03My first professional role was playing the part of Puss
0:17:03 > 0:17:05in the pantomime Puss In Boots,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07which we did in Dartford.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10One of the problems I've had with the moths,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12I found them behind the photographs
0:17:12 > 0:17:14and in my books.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Well, it isn't cluttered, exactly,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but I'm not into minimalism at all.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23If I was, I'd probably buy one of those awful places in the Barbican.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Hello! How are you, Coco?
0:17:27 > 0:17:29I'm just getting ready to take him out.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Are you going to go for a walk while I do the work?
0:17:32 > 0:17:33So, the plan is,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37I'm going to spray throughout the flat with an insecticide
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- and an insect growth regulator. - Mm-hm.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And then I'll set off smoke bombs.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43And then I'll leave.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Right.- Is that OK?- That sounds OK.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50When Geoffrey first noticed the telltale holes in his upholstery,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52he had one prime suspect.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58I thought he must have been having a nibble at the carpet.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02And then I said, "Coco, have you been doing this?"
0:18:02 > 0:18:04And I said, "That's not very nice, is it?"
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Well, he doesn't understand, of course.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10And then the moth situation reared its ugly head
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and Coco has been completely exonerated of blame.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Well, see you later, then. Come on, Coco...
0:18:18 > 0:18:19There's a good boy.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38I'm going to spray on the carpets,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39underneath
0:18:39 > 0:18:41and the one on top on both sides,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45because we had found quite a problem in here, didn't we?
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Recent legislation limits the pesticides Imogen can use.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Thinking creatively,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55she has devised a combination of treatments to attack the moths.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02The chemical will be composed of carbonate insecticide
0:19:02 > 0:19:05mixed with an insect growth regulator.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08It prevents an insect developing in the way that it ought to.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11It's like having a child.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13The baby can't become a toddler,
0:19:13 > 0:19:14the toddler can't become an infant,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16the infant can't become a fully-grown child
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and then you can't get a teenager, so that's wonderful!
0:19:21 > 0:19:24The smoke bombs create a cloud of insecticide
0:19:24 > 0:19:26that targets the mature adult moths.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29SMOKE ALARM BEEPS
0:19:30 > 0:19:32SHE TURNS OFF THE SMOKE ALARM
0:19:32 > 0:19:35In a few hours, the fumes will subside,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38so Imogen can return to finish the job.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46Moths are hard to kill because, if one leaves a single viable egg,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49you can quite soon have a new population.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06I've come back to put moth pheromone detectors in place.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11It releases a female pheromone, so the male moths are attracted to it.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16The pheromone traps lure in the adult males,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19which then get stuck to the glue pads inside.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22They'll also give Imogen an indication
0:20:22 > 0:20:23of how many moths are left.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29This has been a nightmare with the moths.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I'm a little bit concerned that, because there's so many,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35you know, getting rid of them could be a bigger problem
0:20:35 > 0:20:37than, perhaps, I realised.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39We shall just have to wait and see.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46The plan of action is to put the rat traps down
0:20:46 > 0:20:48and see what we can catch tonight.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50On a Nottinghamshire farm,
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Ange is going into battle with a 100-strong pack of rats.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59It's just because of the rat urine. To protect my hands, obviously.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00I've been doing it 12 years now
0:21:00 > 0:21:03and I'm not about to get a disease now, I'll tell you that.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Rats contaminate everything they touch
0:21:07 > 0:21:10through their droppings, urine and hair.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13And half of the UK's ten million rats
0:21:13 > 0:21:15carry the deadly Weil's disease.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19They don't look very big traps when you see how big the rats are,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21but they're very, very effective.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23They're called T-rexes because of that...
0:21:23 > 0:21:24Rargh...!
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Might put some chocolate flavours on,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29give them a bit of dessert tonight, I think.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Right, I'm going to put this on this ledge.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36So, when Rodney comes along, snatch!
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Let's put one here. See, they're comfortable down here.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43They've chewed all this up, as well.
0:21:43 > 0:21:44There you go.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Look at the size of them droppings there.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51With traps, you should really check them every day.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54You've got to make sure it's humanely destroyed. That's what matters.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Just put that there...
0:21:57 > 0:21:58Let's see what we get.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02It may be tricky because there's still a good food source in here
0:22:02 > 0:22:03and they're so used to it
0:22:03 > 0:22:06and all they know is potato and grain at the moment.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08But let's see if they can get lured in by a bit of chocolate.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20- Watch the road. - Stop telling me how to drive!
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- Lots of room, look. - Stop telling me how to drive!
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Watch me van, and all.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Never mind "watch me van." It's my van!
0:22:28 > 0:22:32We don't often tell people that we're mother and son.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35I've told him he hasn't to call me Mum at work, he's to call me Janet.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Are you going to go left? Be quicker if you go left...
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Are you telling me which way to go again?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Yeah. Instead of taking the scenic route, yeah.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- I thought we'd go around by the lake. - No, no, no, go left.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48Oh...!
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I have a lot of fun at work and it's mainly down to working with me mum,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54but we can wind each other up quite easily, really.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56I told you we should have gone left, you know?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Janet took on her son Tim as her work partner eight years ago.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04And they're still together.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07I'm dead proud of our Tim, really.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11We both know how each other works and we rub along nicely.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Tonight, they have their sights set on Barmoor Castle's pigeons.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22To help with the cull,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Janet's called in fellow lady-killer Angela,
0:23:25 > 0:23:26who has experience with guns.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30I tell you what, Janet, it's getting darker.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Well, they've shown me this haunted room.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34- Oh, great!- Oh, I know, I know.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35Why did you tell me that?
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Don't... Janet!
0:23:38 > 0:23:39I'll be pooing me pants now!
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Shooting the pigeons is the only option left
0:23:45 > 0:23:47to ensure the castle is safe,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49so that renovation work can begin.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Ange is a good shot. Tim is a good shot.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Two hands are better than one.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I know Ann's not comfortable about shooting,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03so I've asked her to just keep out of the way.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08There's droppings everywhere.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17They're all hiding.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18Just shine it round here a minute.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Yeah.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23We get better results with doing the cull at night-time,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26mainly because the pigeons are a bit more complacent.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30I've got one.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32GUNSHOT
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Didn't hit that at all.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38GUNSHOT
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Bag it, Janet.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43There's one just here. Look, right behind you.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46There's one... There's two there, look.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48Yeah, on that ledge.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50- Do you want me on it? - You take that, yeah.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56GUNSHOT
0:24:56 > 0:25:00What we use is a .22 air rifle, which is what is recommended.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Angela's gun-mounted light has a red filter,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07which is less visible to pigeons
0:25:07 > 0:25:09and less likely to startle them into hiding.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11GUNSHOT
0:25:11 > 0:25:12Gotcha!
0:25:12 > 0:25:13Got it.
0:25:17 > 0:25:18They're so bloody devious.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19They're hiding.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22We've got quite a few. I think ten or 12.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25The team leaves the peel tower
0:25:25 > 0:25:28to investigate the opposite side of the castle.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35DOOR CREAKS
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Is that the haunted room?
0:25:37 > 0:25:39I ain't going in there. You can forget it!
0:25:39 > 0:25:41I don't get paid enough!
0:25:43 > 0:25:44Is this the loft?
0:25:44 > 0:25:45Yeah, this is where...
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I came out of this room and, as I looked up,
0:25:48 > 0:25:49a pigeon stuck it's head out.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- I think that's tomorrow's job.- Yeah.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55It's too dangerous to go up into the loft in the dark.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00I'll go back in in the morning and check that area out.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18I'm back at Barmoor.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22I particularly want to go up into the loft space of the haunted room.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Janet suspects there could be pigeons in the loft.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Then, Tim and Janet spot a hole.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46The position of the hole makes it almost impossible to reach.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50But if Barmoor Castle is to be pigeon-free, it needs to be sealed.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00My customers are all detached houses in the middle of nowhere,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02which makes my job very pleasurable.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Recently, the most common thing I've been doing is wasp nests.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09They're coming in thick and fast.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Lady-killer Deborah
0:27:10 > 0:27:14has been battling pests in the South of England for 12 years.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16And summer is wasp season.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18- Hello!- Hi, Deborah.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20- I hear you have a wasp nest.- Yes.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22They've taken over the owl box.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- That's an impressive nest.- Yeah.- Do you know how long it's been there?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27I only noticed it, literally, three days ago.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30OK. I'm going to treat the nest with a powder.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34It doesn't kill them instantly, but it will make them very angry.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42As soon as my little nozzle goes anywhere near that nest
0:27:42 > 0:27:44you've got about 30 seconds
0:27:44 > 0:27:46and they will attack whatever they find.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53The powder contains an insecticide,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56which coats the wasps and kills them in a few hours.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02I'm getting out of the way before they get even more angry.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07That's the skylight.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- And they're going in and out there? - Yes.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12You've got a few thousand wasps in there.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- Fingers crossed, we'll get it in one go.- Yes. Super-duper.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I like to do things right. I don't like to fail.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25Anyone that says a woman can't do pest control,
0:28:25 > 0:28:26I'd say I'm living proof that they can.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33I love animals and I'm much more of an animal-lover
0:28:33 > 0:28:36than I am wanting to go out and terminate them.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39Deborah's kept horses for 17 years.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44I think every animal has a reason for being on the planet,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48but when they come into contact with humans' houses or property
0:28:48 > 0:28:51and humans can't live with them, then they have to go.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53Good boy.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Back to work now.
0:29:02 > 0:29:03I've just been called up to a church.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08They've got something buzzing in their belfry.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12I suspect it's possibly going to be wasps or bees.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15If it is bees, it will be a very big job,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17a very long job,
0:29:17 > 0:29:18but it will be very interesting.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23We have something in our belfry. I don't think it's bats.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25The problem is we need to have it reroofed
0:29:25 > 0:29:29and we've discovered that there is some infestation in there,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32whether it's wasps, bees or something flying.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36So, we need to get rid of whatever it is,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39basically, so that we can do the reroofing.
0:29:39 > 0:29:40And we don't want people being stung.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Can you show me where they are?
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Well, they are actually
0:29:44 > 0:29:47up in the top of the bell tower above the bells.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49That's a very active nest.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Right... Let's see what we can see.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04They're most certainly honeybees.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07They're very small, brown, quite fluffy.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Whereas wasps would be much more yellow and black.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Honeybees are not protected but there are limited numbers of them now,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17so we don't destroy them, unless we absolutely have to.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20So, I'm going to need to call in beekeepers to come and help.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Bees have a vital role in our food chain as a pollinator,
0:30:25 > 0:30:26improving the yield of crops.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Moving them is a complex, highly-specialised process.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33I'm a little apprehensive.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36I've never actually removed a bee colony before.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38So, let's see how it goes.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54It's time to have a look at some of the rat traps.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Oh, dear... Got one in here, look.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Angela suspects that Will's barn could house as many as 100 rats.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Yesterday's traps have only made a small inroad.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13Well, we got seven or eight rats out,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16but it's got to the point now where I'm not catching as many.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19If you've used trapping methods before and they know what they are,
0:31:19 > 0:31:20they will avoid a rat trap.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24So, the best way of getting rid of these rats on this site
0:31:24 > 0:31:25will be the dogs.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28If you think, a dog's jaw is like a backbreaker trap.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30As soon as the rat pops out, the dog's on it -
0:31:30 > 0:31:32snap, bang! Done with.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34Far swifter than poison,
0:31:34 > 0:31:37this is Angela's preferred way to kill the rats.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Good boy.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Her dog Alfie is a trusted workmate.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43And today, he's joined by Will's dog, Jinx.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48I am terrified! I am not looking forward to this.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50I normally stand well out of the way.
0:31:50 > 0:31:51Don't grab hold of me.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54I won't grab hold of you. I will run!
0:31:54 > 0:31:55He doesn't seem very happy about it.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58But, hopefully, he'll stick with me and doesn't run out the building
0:31:58 > 0:32:00and leave me with it all to do on me own.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Knowing that rats can jump and climb,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07Will had been too terrified to clear out the barn on his own.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Eurgh! This is horrible, this is!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12I've tucked my socks into my trackies,
0:32:12 > 0:32:14because I don't want them running up my legs.
0:32:14 > 0:32:15It's just when they come near you,
0:32:15 > 0:32:18I just think they're going to run at me, you know what I mean?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24We're actually trapped in here now!
0:32:24 > 0:32:25I know that!
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Don't you think I already realised that?!
0:32:28 > 0:32:29There's no backing out.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41It's come through your side, Will!
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Here! Here! Here, Jinx! Here! Here! Here!
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Where did it go?
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Back down there in one of them there.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- Go! Go!- Here, Jinx! Here! Here!
0:32:50 > 0:32:53Get it, Jinx! Get on it! Good girl, get on it!
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Eh, we've had the first one!
0:32:59 > 0:33:01Get ready, because they are behind there.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Oh, no, this is horrible, this is!
0:33:03 > 0:33:05They're going to come my way!
0:33:07 > 0:33:08Whoa! Whoa! Go on!
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Here! Here, Jinx! Here! Here!
0:33:12 > 0:33:13Here! Here!
0:33:15 > 0:33:17Alfie!
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Good lad! Good lad! Get on it!
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Yes, good boy! Good boy!
0:33:24 > 0:33:25Ah, don't push them towards me!
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Go! Good!
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Two!
0:33:33 > 0:33:35Good boy!
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Get ready...
0:33:38 > 0:33:41Shake the bale where that wet patch is. I saw something move.
0:33:45 > 0:33:46- There!- Told you.
0:33:46 > 0:33:47I knew I'd seen one.
0:33:47 > 0:33:48Get it! Get it!
0:33:48 > 0:33:50There's one there!
0:33:51 > 0:33:52Alfie!
0:33:52 > 0:33:53Get it! Get it!
0:33:54 > 0:33:56- There's ten round there.- Yeah.
0:33:56 > 0:33:5912, 13, 14... That's 15 rats.
0:33:59 > 0:34:00- And I've already caught nine rats. - Yeah.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05And I've got a feeling there's quite a lot of rats in this bit.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- Ready, Will?- I'm ready!
0:34:14 > 0:34:16Why are you up there? Get down!
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Oh, my God, the size of that one!
0:34:22 > 0:34:23Jinx, here!
0:34:23 > 0:34:24Here, Jinx!
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Here! Here!
0:34:26 > 0:34:27Here!
0:34:30 > 0:34:31Here! It's behind you!
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Good boy, Boo-boo. Bring it to Mummy!
0:34:44 > 0:34:45We've had a successful day.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48I'd say we've cleared plenty of rats out. Nearly 40.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50So, I'm quite chuffed with that job.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52We're going to have a continuous baiting plan
0:34:52 > 0:34:54around this area of the building,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56because it's always going to be a food source.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Make sure that, obviously, it doesn't re-infest to that level again.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Will's surprised me on how he coped with it.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04He coped with it really well.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06Happy about that. Not got to go in there worrying about...
0:35:07 > 0:35:09..rats running across my feet.
0:35:09 > 0:35:10Hopefully, that'll be the last of them.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14I can start using it again now and get ready for next year.
0:35:14 > 0:35:15Oi!
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Alf...
0:35:16 > 0:35:18In this truck. Good boy.
0:35:18 > 0:35:19Oh, he's tired.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20Come on. Up... Oh!
0:35:21 > 0:35:22Up...
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Good boy. On your bed.
0:35:29 > 0:35:30INTERCOM BUZZES
0:35:30 > 0:35:31Hi, it's Imogen.
0:35:31 > 0:35:32Thank you.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Imogen's calling on Geoffrey for a progress report
0:35:36 > 0:35:39on his war against the clothes moths.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42- Have you seen less moths actually flying around?- Oh, absolutely.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Let's go and look at all the monitors,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46see how many are trapped in each one.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- This is the way we can see exactly how many are remaining...- Yeah.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53..and whether we need to do something else to pick up the remnants.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57A lot of moths in the traps
0:35:57 > 0:35:59will mean the population is still thriving.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03Have you seen many in your bedroom?
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Not a significant number, no.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Oh, that's very good,
0:36:08 > 0:36:12- because, actually, the bedroom was quite badly infested.- Yes. Yeah.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16One, two, three, four, five, six.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- There's nothing dead here. - Oh, fantastic.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24And there were about seven or eight moths in here.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26Yeah. There's none. Absolutely none at all.
0:36:28 > 0:36:29Oh, Imogen... You're letting me down.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31You're not putting them as tidily as they were.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- Oh, I'm sorry! - It's all right, I'll do it later.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Last of all, Imogen checks Geoffrey's upstairs office.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43So, this area wasn't sprayed with the insecticide
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and the insect growth regulator.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48We only did the smoke bomb.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Because of the computer and the work surfaces
0:36:51 > 0:36:52and there was lots of stuff up here,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55I didn't want to spray with an insecticide.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59I have noticed a few moths have been up here.
0:37:00 > 0:37:01Ah...!
0:37:03 > 0:37:0538 moths.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Shown us that there's much more activity up here, which I expected.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13I think what I should do is I should vacuum everywhere up here
0:37:13 > 0:37:15that I can reach.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17And then I might use a fogger up here,
0:37:17 > 0:37:20which is an insecticide, which is actually organic,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22so that you're not actually going to be poisoned by it.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Little droplets coming out...
0:37:29 > 0:37:32It should be just making things wet.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40I've got a larder of things that I could use against clothes moths
0:37:40 > 0:37:43and I'm not sure any of them is successful on their own.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50If this doesn't do it, I don't know what will.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Judging by what Imogen's done today,
0:37:52 > 0:37:54I've just got to remain hopeful that
0:37:54 > 0:37:56we'll see the end of the moth problem.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00The only thing that I am really conscious of now
0:38:00 > 0:38:03is that, since the initial treatment,
0:38:03 > 0:38:08I've been talking to various people, as one does, in the local area
0:38:08 > 0:38:10and it seems these clothes moths
0:38:10 > 0:38:13are pretty prevalent around here at the moment.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23Look at these... I found my vintage sunglasses.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25I had them on the other day.
0:38:25 > 0:38:26You've had my glasses on?
0:38:26 > 0:38:28Yeah.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30They're vintage, these are. They're good, aren't they?
0:38:32 > 0:38:34We're back at Barmoor today.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36We've got a cherry picker on site.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41At first, the castle was thought to be all sealed off to the pigeons.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44But last time, Janet and Tim found a small hole in the loft
0:38:44 > 0:38:46where they were still getting in.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Now Janet is wondering how secure the castle really is.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54- See that one there? - Yeah. Where it's been bricked up.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57They're there now. They're there! There! Look, look, look!
0:38:58 > 0:39:00It's just come waddling out.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03They're sneaky. Little tinkers.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06There's a hole to the side, to the left
0:39:06 > 0:39:08and there's a hole at the top.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14Janet suspects that this could be another unsealed hole.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Pigeons can squeeze through gaps as small as five inches.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Can we check this window halfway down?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28This is that window that we thought
0:39:28 > 0:39:30- where they were getting in at the side, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33And, look, there's no holes in there.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37You know what I mean? It's sealed up, yeah.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43This was a false alarm.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47But that still leaves one hole into the loft to be properly sealed off.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48Oh, look at that.
0:39:49 > 0:39:50Perfect for them.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52So, we need to get a good bit of mesh in there.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58It's quite a strong mesh. It'll fit compacted into the hole.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00So, that's going right in.
0:40:03 > 0:40:04That should hold them out, that.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09The cherry picker gives Janet and Tim a chance
0:40:09 > 0:40:11to check for any more gaps.
0:40:12 > 0:40:13- It's in good nick, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17The roof, it is sealed.
0:40:19 > 0:40:20- There's nowt, is there?- No.
0:40:23 > 0:40:24All of these are well-sealed.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Just have a look at this one.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30I just want to get my hand in and see what I can see.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33That'll do, mate.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35No, yeah, you're right. It's just blocked off.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37After a painstaking search,
0:40:37 > 0:40:41it seems the castle could finally be pigeon-proof.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44But Janet knows that you can never be too sure.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47We think they were getting in across that loft space,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49above the haunted room,
0:40:49 > 0:40:50because there's no loft hatch on.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52We think they're dropping down
0:40:52 > 0:40:54and walking into the peel tower that way.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56So, you've sealed that off now, Janet?
0:40:56 > 0:40:59Well, we've sealed it off from the outside area.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01- We've put the mesh in.- Right.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04The best thing to do is to watch.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Mm-hm.- And this is what I want you to do now.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12Once we leave, I'd like you to go in and see if there is any inside.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16- The next couple of days is going to be the real test, isn't it?- It is.
0:41:16 > 0:41:17Fingers crossed.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Looks like a good-sized swarm.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26One of the most active ones I've seen.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Deborah's called in beekeepers Steve and Dave.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32They'll show her how to move the honeybee colony
0:41:32 > 0:41:34that's taken hold in the church belfry.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36What's the worst that could happen up there?
0:41:36 > 0:41:38If you smell lemon or banana smell,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41that is a clear sign the colony is getting agitated
0:41:41 > 0:41:43and its always best then to back off.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Well, I'm quite happy just to keep still
0:41:45 > 0:41:48and keep calm at this stage, anyway.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Maybe, if they're seriously buzzing around me, that might change
0:41:51 > 0:41:53and I shall just back off gracefully.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01The first job is to establish the size of the colony.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08There's a significant amount of bees just in this area here.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11How many nests do you think there may be?
0:42:11 > 0:42:13We believe there's up to four.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17In just a few months,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20four hives could become home to over 200,000 bees.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27To move them, the beekeepers must expose the whole colony.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Oh, look at that!
0:42:36 > 0:42:37That's pretty impressive.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41The colony is pretty much contained in that area there.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Deborah's specialist cameras
0:42:45 > 0:42:48allow her a close-up view of the hard-working bees.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51In a colony, you would have several thousand worker bees,
0:42:51 > 0:42:53which are all female.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56You'd have a few hundred drone bees, which are males.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59And one queen bee.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03The bees' regimented society is centred on a queen,
0:43:03 > 0:43:04who lays all of the eggs.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09She also emits pheromones that control the whole colony.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13Without her, there's no hive.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17If we can find the queen, all the bees will follow wherever she goes.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21We try to save as much of this brood comb as we can.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22What is a brood?
0:43:22 > 0:43:26It's where they lay their eggs, which then hatch into larvae.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28- Bit like a maternity wing.- Exactly.
0:43:29 > 0:43:32Try not to cut any deeper than about an inch
0:43:32 > 0:43:35because there could be another layer behind here.
0:43:35 > 0:43:39The bees are buzzing around us, but they're not attacking us.
0:43:39 > 0:43:41And considering we are really attacking their home,
0:43:41 > 0:43:43that's very impressive.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Oh, there's the queen. She's there.
0:43:46 > 0:43:47Oh, I see her.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50Take her gently...
0:43:52 > 0:43:55So, I'm going to put her into this thing here.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59- And there we have a queen. - Fantastic.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04The plan is to transplant the colony into a new hive...
0:44:04 > 0:44:06That pops in next to that.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09..so that the bees can be moved to where they will no longer be a pest.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14This is the beehive in here.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16And this contraption on the top and the bottom
0:44:16 > 0:44:19allows us to use a Hoover to suck up the bees
0:44:19 > 0:44:21as if you were doing your normal housework.
0:44:21 > 0:44:27And the bees will end up inside, in there, totally unharmed.
0:44:29 > 0:44:30MACHINE WHIRS
0:44:31 > 0:44:33Let's suck it and see!
0:44:35 > 0:44:37I can feel them going up the tube.
0:44:39 > 0:44:41So, even though the Hoover is coming down on to them,
0:44:41 > 0:44:43they're not trying to fly away from it.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46How many bees do you think are in this colony?
0:44:46 > 0:44:48Perhaps 15, 20,000.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51Whoa!
0:44:52 > 0:44:55These two new hives are larger still.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57That's an awful lot of bees!
0:44:58 > 0:45:00This is huge.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Are you ready, Deborah, to get started on this one?
0:45:03 > 0:45:05Yes, I think so. As ready as I'm ever going to be!
0:45:08 > 0:45:11It's a lot harder than it looks. It's very tough.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13It feels like a rubbery sensation.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17Trying very hard not to flatten the bees.
0:45:22 > 0:45:23That's incredible.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35Not bad for a first effort!
0:45:35 > 0:45:38I feel absolutely shattered at the moment.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41It's a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44This is the bee colony
0:45:44 > 0:45:48that we rescued from this side of the building.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50And they're going to sit in the shade for a bit
0:45:50 > 0:45:53before they get taken to their new home.
0:45:54 > 0:45:58If the bees survive the move, and the queen carries on laying,
0:45:58 > 0:46:01the beekeepers will have a new colony to tend.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09Back at Barmoor today.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11I've spoke to Ann and she's told me
0:46:11 > 0:46:16there's some pigeons back in the peel tower, much to my annoyance.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22We've been round and round and round the castle...
0:46:24 > 0:46:26..and I can't find any more holes.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31When I checked the building, my heart sank
0:46:31 > 0:46:34when I counted at least four or five of them.
0:46:34 > 0:46:39I know I felt really uncomfortable about having to address this issue.
0:46:39 > 0:46:40Now I'm getting angry.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42Oh, so...
0:46:42 > 0:46:44I can't believe they're back!
0:46:47 > 0:46:49OK, it's about... Oh, gosh!
0:46:49 > 0:46:53All right, just give it a chance to settle.
0:46:53 > 0:46:54- Oh...- Two.
0:46:54 > 0:46:57- And I can hear another one. - There's another one, so that's three.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00I just want to check in those two side rooms.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03Oh, hang on, hang on...
0:47:03 > 0:47:06- Oh, my goodness! Janet! - There's a load.
0:47:06 > 0:47:07Heaven's delight!
0:47:07 > 0:47:09There's about eight.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11That's what pest control's like.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15You'll sort of think, "Right, I've got on top of that now,
0:47:15 > 0:47:16"I know where I'm up to."
0:47:16 > 0:47:20And then, suddenly, something, you know, unexpected happens
0:47:20 > 0:47:22and you think,
0:47:22 > 0:47:24"What's happened here now?"
0:47:25 > 0:47:27But Ann's been watching closely.
0:47:27 > 0:47:32She suspects the pigeons of finding yet another new way in.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37That wire up there looked as if it had been pulled out.
0:47:39 > 0:47:40Oh, it does, you know.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46I think what we need to do is get some better meshing there.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50It's quite possible that's where they've been coming in and out of.
0:47:52 > 0:47:55Pigeons are known to be highly intelligent.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57They're one of the very few birds species
0:47:57 > 0:48:00who can recognise themselves in a mirror.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03Janet sets up a surveillance camera
0:48:03 > 0:48:06to see if they have found a way through the maze of mesh.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20You've got to give pigeons some sort of credit.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22They're very resilient.
0:48:22 > 0:48:24If they want to get in somewhere,
0:48:24 > 0:48:26they'll try their hardest to get in.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28But my mum does not like being beaten.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31It doesn't matter what job it is,
0:48:31 > 0:48:34if she feels as though she's being beaten, she will not be happy.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40Re-sealing this new hole with tougher mesh,
0:48:40 > 0:48:42Tim and Janet are leaving nothing to chance.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47It is good and it is a bit more solid and resilient.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52They're not getting through that now. Not even super pigeons.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55It's really, really secure.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Janet plans to catch the remaining pigeons in live traps,
0:48:57 > 0:49:00to see if these are the last few in the castle.
0:49:00 > 0:49:03I'm going to pre-bait around the trap
0:49:03 > 0:49:05and inside the trap.
0:49:05 > 0:49:08And then drop the bars down.
0:49:08 > 0:49:10So, the pigeons can go in...
0:49:12 > 0:49:14..but they can't come back out.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18And we're going to scrape up some pigeon guano
0:49:18 > 0:49:21and sort of throw that in, as well,
0:49:21 > 0:49:25just so that the pigeons feel a little bit more at home
0:49:25 > 0:49:26in their own guano!
0:49:28 > 0:49:30It is last chance saloon, really.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33The secret is their way in and out.
0:49:33 > 0:49:35If they still have a way in and out now.
0:49:35 > 0:49:36Maybe they haven't.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39Maybe these are the last ones.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46Faced with a recent surge in British moth infestations,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49historic houses need to be on constant guard
0:49:49 > 0:49:51to protect their collections.
0:49:51 > 0:49:54English Heritage employs a consultant entomologist
0:49:54 > 0:49:56to advise them on keeping pests at bay.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01So, this is where Imogen can keep up-to-date
0:50:01 > 0:50:03with the latest expertise.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11Around 15 years ago, webbing clothes moths were not that common
0:50:11 > 0:50:14because some of the insecticides we were using...
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Do you remember the Dichlorvos, Vapona?
0:50:17 > 0:50:18..killed everything.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20- You hung it up as a vapour strip. - Yes.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Very effective.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24It's been banned now for 12 years.
0:50:24 > 0:50:28And many of the other chemicals, which were used as mothballs,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31are no longer legally allowed to be used.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34Obviously, we don't want to treat
0:50:34 > 0:50:37- historic collections or materials with pesticides.- Yeah.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40So, the most important thing is good housekeeping.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45What we basically do is take the curtains down,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47give them a good clean, check them at the same time.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51To clean this curtain properly,
0:50:51 > 0:50:53would you do just the one side or both sides?
0:50:53 > 0:50:55- We do both sides.- Both sides?
0:50:56 > 0:50:59Constant vacuuming removes moth larvae.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03Around here, moth prevention, it seems, is 99% cleaning.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07A lot of people put rugs on top of carpets
0:51:07 > 0:51:11and the problem is this is where the insect pests are going to go,
0:51:11 > 0:51:13where it's dark, undisturbed.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16You'll have a build-up of dirt, debris underneath there -
0:51:16 > 0:51:18hair, human skin, food, possibly.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22And that is providing that insect pest with everything it needs.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25So that is why it's so important to move these items
0:51:25 > 0:51:27and give them a thorough good clean underneath.
0:51:29 > 0:51:33My customer, Geoffrey, actually had moths throughout his flat.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37So, I've vacuumed everywhere, done an insecticidal spray,
0:51:37 > 0:51:40- then did a pemethrin smoke bomb. - Right.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43I'd love to know what you think I should do now.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45Well, you've been doing all right things.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47But, if he wants to get rid of his moths,
0:51:47 > 0:51:49he's got to do more hoovering, do it more regularly.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52People who have moths in their clothes,
0:51:52 > 0:51:54then, the best way of dealing with that
0:51:54 > 0:51:55is to put them in the freezer.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58Can they put them in their own domestic freezers?
0:51:58 > 0:52:01Yes. Two weeks in a plastic bag will kill everything.
0:52:02 > 0:52:05Imogen's eager to pass on the expertise to Geoffrey
0:52:05 > 0:52:08and to see if her treatments have worked.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Hi, Geoffrey. How have your moths been?
0:52:12 > 0:52:14It has been a whole lot better.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16Would it be OK if I check the traps?
0:52:16 > 0:52:18Oh, yes. By all means, yeah.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22- Just one.- Yeah, it is one.
0:52:22 > 0:52:23That's really good, yeah.
0:52:23 > 0:52:28We've got this population under control now, I hope.
0:52:28 > 0:52:30But what one needs to do,
0:52:30 > 0:52:32and you need to do this yourself,
0:52:32 > 0:52:33is to vacuum really well.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36Rather than just flicking the vacuum cleaner around occasionally,
0:52:36 > 0:52:41you need to have a regular system of vacuuming everywhere.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Underneath the furniture, both sides of the carpet.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46Any clothes, about which you are worried,
0:52:46 > 0:52:48you must put in the freezer for two weeks,
0:52:48 > 0:52:50carefully wrapped up in plastic.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52And that will kill the moths or the larvae?
0:52:52 > 0:52:54That should kill the eggs and the larvae, yes.
0:52:54 > 0:52:56I shall be much more vigilant than I was.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00There's no way it's ever going to happen again, if I can help it.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06Home-bought treatments can also be a deterrent.
0:53:06 > 0:53:11Herbs like lavender can mask the smell of fabric that attracts moths.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14One of my failings...
0:53:14 > 0:53:16I haven't been doing enough of it.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21I think this has been a really interesting job.
0:53:21 > 0:53:22I certainly think that
0:53:22 > 0:53:26if Geoffrey hadn't done something about his moths now,
0:53:26 > 0:53:31every piece of his clothing and every carpet would have been decimated.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33It has been a learning curve for me.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35And I'm now able to actually say
0:53:35 > 0:53:37that I can be on top of this situation.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46I'm here to see how my bees are doing
0:53:46 > 0:53:49after we rescued them from the bell tower.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54It's quite strange being up here on a shopping centre.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56You wouldn't expect to find bees in a place like this.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59More and more people are keeping bees on their roofs.
0:53:59 > 0:54:00We've kept these for five years.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02And, actually, they survive really well
0:54:02 > 0:54:04in a town centre, an urban environment.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08For honeybees to settle in a new home,
0:54:08 > 0:54:11it's vital the queen is healthy and laying.
0:54:13 > 0:54:14So, where's our bee colony?
0:54:14 > 0:54:16It's right over the back there, in isolation,
0:54:16 > 0:54:20so we can just establish absolutely that there's no disease
0:54:20 > 0:54:23before we introduce them too close to our own bees.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27Oh, gosh, look! There's hundreds of them.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30They don't even look that concerned that they've been moved.
0:54:30 > 0:54:31No, they're lovely bees.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33We can see eggs in here,
0:54:33 > 0:54:35which would indicate the queen is alive and well and doing her job.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39Now, if you touch the bees with the back of your hand
0:54:39 > 0:54:41they will gently move.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45And that way, we can make sure the queen's not snuggled in underneath.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48- Can you see her? I can.- You can?
0:54:48 > 0:54:49Yeah.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51Oh, yes, I can! She's down on the right-hand side.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55We have a nice, healthy queen. A nice healthy colony.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58We've seen eggs in there.
0:55:00 > 0:55:04A lot of my job is actually having to terminate pests
0:55:04 > 0:55:06for one reason or another
0:55:06 > 0:55:09and it's really lovely to have been able to rescue one for a change.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11This just makes it worth it, doesn't it?
0:55:24 > 0:55:26All right, girlies. Just be quiet.
0:55:26 > 0:55:28It's a big moment for Janet.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31If there are still only eight pigeons in the castle,
0:55:31 > 0:55:34it means she has finally cracked the case,
0:55:34 > 0:55:36seven weeks after her first visit.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39There's two in that one.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42There's two in there.
0:55:42 > 0:55:44Check them side rooms.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46I can see the back end of one.
0:55:46 > 0:55:47How many's that?
0:55:47 > 0:55:51I've got one, two, three, four.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54- And that's all I can see. - What a result.
0:55:54 > 0:56:00We're quite confident that the pigeons that are in are sealed in.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02They're not going in and out.
0:56:02 > 0:56:03Let's sort these out first,
0:56:03 > 0:56:07then we can concentrate on any others.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11So, what we're going to do is cull,
0:56:11 > 0:56:13in as quick a time as we possibly can.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17Barmoor Castle's last pigeons are humanely destroyed.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20Feral pigeons are classed as vermin,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23so, once trapped, it's illegal to release them back into the wild.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25And that was all of them for me.
0:56:25 > 0:56:26Yep, that's what I reckon.
0:56:36 > 0:56:37- Right. Hi there.- All right?
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41- So, we've had a good day today. - Right.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44You can see with my beaming smile.
0:56:44 > 0:56:47I think we've sealed up every hole.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50So, I think now that it's job done.
0:56:50 > 0:56:51Fantastic.
0:56:51 > 0:56:55But I would like you to go in the castle at least once a week,
0:56:55 > 0:56:57just to make sure they're out.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00We are so grateful for the work that you've done.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02An old boss used to say to me,
0:57:02 > 0:57:05"If you want a job done, bring in a woman and a busy woman."
0:57:05 > 0:57:07And you've just lived up to that.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09So, thank you so much.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11Oh, no, you're more than welcome, Ann.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14I have loved me time here, actually. It's been a pleasure.
0:57:14 > 0:57:15See you soon.
0:57:15 > 0:57:17It's been lovely. Thank you.
0:57:18 > 0:57:21I do feel that we've actually sealed up everywhere
0:57:21 > 0:57:24and we've solved the problem.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27But knowing how crafty pigeons are,
0:57:27 > 0:57:29at some point, you know,
0:57:29 > 0:57:31they may find another way in.
0:57:59 > 0:58:01You see? There's a whole colony.
0:58:01 > 0:58:02It make me feel horrible!
0:58:02 > 0:58:05I know we only did this a few weeks back.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08- Oh!- That side!
0:58:10 > 0:58:12I think there's probably a few hundred rats here.
0:58:12 > 0:58:15I'm used to this and it's a grim reality.
0:58:16 > 0:58:20Some people just don't like the thought of anything being killed.