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Cumbria and The Lakes
Local technicians covering Kendal and the South Lakeland villages around it, from Burneside and Staveley to Oxenholme and Natland. Woodworm in old timber, moths in wool, and mice in stone walls, dealt with by people who know how these buildings are put together.
The town we work in
Kendal is a market town of old stone, old timber and a long history in wool, sitting on the River Kent just outside the Lake District. That mix brings a different set of pest problems from a modern town or a big city.
29,593
People in the town
Population at the 2021 Census. A compact centre where homes, shops, cafes and holiday lets share walls and roof spaces.
River Kent
The town's namesake
The Kent runs through the middle of town. Kendal was among the Cumbrian towns hit by Storm Desmond in December 2015.
Grey limestone
The Auld Grey Town
Kendal's nickname comes from its limestone buildings. Thick old stone walls hold gaps and cavities that mice use as runways.
The yards
Historic alleyways
Narrow yards run off the main streets, lined with older buildings and original timber. Old, untreated wood is where woodworm starts.
Wool town
“Cloth is my bread”
Kendal's motto comes from its woollen trade. Wool carpets, rugs and knitwear are still common here, and wool is what moth larvae feed on.
Gateway
To the Lakes
Tourism is a major employer. Guest houses and holiday lets see a steady turnover of visitors, and plenty of them bring their dogs.
Sources: Kendal (Wikipedia) · Storm Desmond (Wikipedia)
Local pest pressure
In Kendal the building itself is often the reason for the problem. Old timber, wool furnishings and stone walls each attract their own pest, and the river and surrounding farmland bring the rodents.
The common furniture beetle goes for seasoned sapwood in old, untreated timber, which describes a lot of floorboards, roof timbers and stair cupboards in the yards and older terraces. Damp makes it worse. Small round exit holes with fine, pale dust underneath usually mean the infestation is still active, so we inspect before recommending any treatment.
Clothes moths and carpet moths feed on natural fibres, and Kendal homes have plenty: wool carpets, rugs, throws and stored knitwear. Damage tends to show up under furniture and along skirting boards where nobody vacuums, and in holiday lets that sit empty over winter.
Old limestone walls are rarely solid all the way through. Mice move along the gaps inside them, behind panelling and under floors, and come in from the fields on the edge of town once the weather turns. Blocking the route in matters as much as the treatment.
Properties near the river and its becks are the most exposed to rats. High water pushes them out of banks and drains, and flood-damaged pipework gives them a way under a building. Where rats keep coming back, a drain survey usually finds the route.
Harlequin ladybirds, which have spread across the UK since 2004, gather in large numbers in autumn and squeeze into window frames, lofts and wall gaps to spend the winter. Homes facing open countryside on the edge of Kendal see this most.
Dog-friendly lets pick up fleas from visiting pets, and silverfish thrive in the damp bathrooms of older stone buildings. A bad review costs more than a callout, so we offer commercial pest control for owners and managers.
Sources: Common furniture beetle (Wikipedia) · Harlequin ladybird (Wikipedia)
The Kendal pest year
Spring
Woodworm beetles start emerging, leaving fresh exit holes. Wasp queens look for nest sites.
Summer
Moth larvae most active in carpets and wardrobes. Fleas peak in busy holiday lets.
Autumn
Ladybirds cluster on sunny walls and windows. Mice move in from the fields.
Winter
Rodents settled in walls and lofts. High water on the Kent disturbs rats.
What we treat here
Outside the town
The same technicians cover the Lakes, Furness and the Eden Valley.
Before you book
How to recognise the pests that turn up most in stone-built, timber-framed and wool-furnished properties.
Woodworm in the Home: What It Is, What It Looks Like and How to Spot Active Damage
Read article →
Moths in the House: Carpet Moths, Clothes Moths and How to Tell Which You Have
Read article →
Mice in the House: Signs, Health Risks and Why They're Harder to Remove Than You Think
Read article →
Ladybird Infestations in UK Homes: Why They Swarm, Where They Cluster and What to Do
Read article →
Silverfish in the Home: What They Are, Where They Hide and Why They're Hard to Shift
Read article →More ways we can help
Treating the infestation is sometimes only part of the job. These services help put the property right afterwards.
Our approach to treatment and prevention.
Restoring spaces after contamination.
Finding hidden rat entry routes.
Decontamination for sensitive spaces.
Insulation spoiled by rodents or squirrels.
Clearing difficult properties.
The people behind the work
Questions
Yes. We cover the whole town and the South Lakeland villages around it, including Burneside, Staveley, Oxenholme, Natland, Sedgwick and Milnthorpe. Same-day callouts depend on technician availability and distances are longer in Cumbria, so calling early in the day gives you the best chance. We are open Monday to Thursday 7am to 8pm and Friday to Sunday 8am to 6pm.
Look for small, clean, round exit holes with fine pale dust (frass) underneath or on the floor below. Old holes that are dark inside with no fresh dust may be from an infestation that has already died out. Damp timber is at higher risk, so a woodworm problem is often a damp problem too. We inspect first and only recommend treatment where there is live activity.
Yes. Holiday lets and guest houses are commercial premises, so we can treat a one-off problem such as fleas, bed bugs or moths, or set up regular visits through our commercial pest control service. Tell us your changeover days when you call and we will plan around them where we can.
Kendal is part of Westmorland and Furness Council, which publishes advice on dealing with rats, mice and insect pests and can investigate some insect problems as a statutory nuisance. Check its website for exactly what it currently offers. If you want a technician to visit, treat the problem and proof your property, you can call us directly.
Most autumn swarms are harlequin ladybirds, a species that has spread across the UK since 2004. In autumn they gather in large numbers on sunny walls and squeeze into window frames, lofts and wall gaps to spend the winter. They are harmless to your home but can stain and smell when disturbed. Sealing gaps around windows and roof edges is the best long-term fix.
More questions? Read our full FAQ or browse our pest advice.
Tell us what you have found and where you are. A local technician will take it from there.
