Pest Control Broadwater Down

Pest Control in Broadwater Down

Broadwater Down is a leafy residential area on the southern edge of Tunbridge Wells, where large detached houses and period properties sit along tree-lined roads with substantial gardens. The area has a long-standing, comfortable feel, with mature trees, hedgerows and patches of woodland running between the gardens. That green setting is part of the appeal but it also creates pest pressure that keeps us busy. Squirrels are one of the most frequent calls from Broadwater Down. The abundance of mature oaks, beeches and other trees gives grey squirrels routes to every roofline in the area and once they find a gap in the eaves or a loose soffit board they move into the loft. They chew through timber, wiring and insulation and squirrel control here almost always involves sealing entry points and trimming back branches that give them access.

Mice and rats are both present across Broadwater Down. The large gardens provide cover and food and the older properties have the kind of gaps and cavities that rodents exploit. Rat problems tend to be linked to drains, compost bins or rear areas of the garden where the boundary meets open ground. Mice push indoors through autumn and winter, finding their way in through gaps around pipes and under doors. The bigger houses with cellars or basements can be harder to proof because there are more potential entry points at ground level. Wasps nest in the roof spaces, wall cavities and garden outbuildings every summer and the sheltered spots under tiles on the older properties are exactly the kind of undisturbed voids that queen wasps favour. Moles work through the lawns and borders in many of the larger gardens and the well-drained sandstone soil in this part of Tunbridge Wells suits them well.