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Cumbria and The Lakes
Local technicians covering Whitehaven and the West Cumbrian coast around it, from the harbour and the Georgian streets to Hensingham, Kells and Mirehouse. Rats in cellars, gulls on harbour roofs and bees in old stonework, handled with care for buildings that have stood for centuries.
The town we work in
Whitehaven is a planned harbour town with one of the oldest street grids in England and a long run of historic buildings. Old stone, cellars, chimneys and a working harbour decide most of the pest calls here.
22,945
People in the town
Built-up area population at the 2021 Census, with Hensingham, Kells and Mirehouse part of the wider town.
1680s
A planned street grid
One of the first planned towns in England since medieval times. Rows of joined houses with cellars let rodents move along a whole street.
170+
Listed buildings
Old stonework, chimneys and roof spaces attract bees, birds and spiders, and any proofing has to suit the building.
100 moorings
Marina and fishing harbour
The working harbour sits right against the town centre. Fish, food and quayside bins bring gulls and rats close to homes.
Coast & fields
Towards St Bees
Open coast and farmland start at the edge of town. Gardens and paddocks backing onto fields are where moles turn up.
Sellafield
Largest local employer
The nuclear site has a large office base in town, so offices, cafes and rented homes in the centre stay busy all week.
Source: Whitehaven (Wikipedia)
Local pest pressure
Whitehaven's pest problems come from its age and its harbour. Joined houses, cellars and worn stonework give pests places to live, and the sea and fields on either side keep bringing new ones in. Our pest control service starts with finding out exactly how they are getting in.
Quayside bins and fish waste feed rats, and old cellars, outbuildings and joined terraces give them shelter. Cluttered cellars and empty properties are often where an infestation settles, so clearing the space is part of the fix. Our clearance and cleaning team can do that alongside the treatment.
Roofs and chimneys near the harbour are prime nesting sites, and years of droppings build up on ledges, in gutters and in roof voids. Heavy fouling is a health risk and needs proper biohazard cleaning before any proofing goes up.
Solitary bees use existing gaps in stone and worn mortar, and on a sunny wall there can be dozens going in and out. They are docile and rarely sting. Honey bees and bumblebees in chimneys or wall cavities are a different matter, so we identify the species before deciding what to do.
Mice travel between joined houses through lofts and wall voids, and nest in insulation. Once droppings and urine have soaked into it, the insulation itself becomes the problem. In those cases we recommend loft insulation removal after treatment.
Cellars, under-stair cupboards and gaps around old sash windows suit house spiders, and damp cellars and bathrooms suit silverfish. Spider numbers jump in early autumn when the males wander indoors looking for a mate. Both are harmless, but large numbers in a let or a business are worth dealing with.
Gardens, sports pitches and paddocks that back onto fields towards St Bees see molehills appear almost overnight. Moles are most visible in spring and autumn, and one mole can cover a large lawn.
Source: Mason bee (Wikipedia)
The Whitehaven pest year
Spring
Solitary bees appear on sunny walls. Gulls start nesting. Fresh molehills on lawns.
Summer
Gull chicks on harbour roofs. Silverfish busy in damp cellars and bathrooms.
Autumn
House spiders come indoors. Mice move into lofts and wall voids.
Winter
Rats in cellars and outbuildings. The time to clean and proof roofs before gulls return.
Along the coast and inland
The same technicians cover the rest of the West Cumbrian coast, the northern Lakes and Furness.
Before you book
Bees in the walls, spiders in the house and moles in the lawn: what is going on and what you can do about it.
Why Do Bees Nest in Walls and Chimneys? How Bee Infestations Start
Read article →
Bees Nest in the House, Loft or Garden: Types, Risks and What the Law Says
Read article →
Why Are There So Many Spiders in My House? Causes, Seasons and Entry Points
Read article →
Moles in the Garden: What They're Doing, the Damage They Cause and the Myths
Read article →
House Spiders in the UK: Which Species Are Common and When They Invade Homes
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 CA28 area, including the town centre, the harbour, Hensingham, Kells, Mirehouse and Bransty, as well as nearby St Bees, Egremont and Cleator Moor. Same-day callouts depend on technician availability, 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.
First, find out which bees they are. Small solitary bees using gaps in stonework or old mortar are docile, rarely sting and only stay for a few weeks in spring, so they are usually best left alone and the gaps repointed once they have gone. A honey bee swarm can often be collected by a local beekeeper. Bumblebee or honey bee nests inside a chimney or wall cavity are harder to reach, and that is when it is worth calling us.
Often, yes, but Whitehaven has more than 170 listed buildings and work that changes how one looks may need listed building consent. Check with Cumberland Council's planning team before anything is fixed to the outside. We can advise on low-visibility options such as fine netting and wires that suit older roofs and chimneys.
In late summer and early autumn, male house spiders leave their webs and wander indoors looking for a mate, so you see far more of them for a few weeks. They are harmless to people. Sealing gaps around windows, doors and pipes and reducing clutter in cellars and cupboards cuts numbers down. A heavy, ongoing problem in a rental or business can be treated.
Yes. Since 2023 Whitehaven has been part of Cumberland Council, which runs a pest control service for homes and businesses in the former Copeland area by appointment, with charges listed on its website. We work independently, so you can also call us for a local technician, proofing work or cleaning and clearance after an infestation.
More questions? Read our full FAQ or browse our pest advice.
Tell us what you have found, from the harbour to Hensingham. A local technician will take it from there.
