Pests not dealt with by the Council

West Wiltshire District Council's Pest Control department are unable to treat any of the following pests:

Ants - please contact Pest Control on 01225 776655 for advice.

Badgers - please contact English Nature on 01380 726344
Badgers are protected animals. You should notify the Police if a person is seen digging at badger sets or badger baiting. If you find an injured badger at the side of the road, contact the RSPCA or a local vet.

Bats - please contact English Nature on 0870 8339211.
All species of bat and their breeding sites or resting places (roosts) are protected. It is an offence for anyone intentionally to kill, injure or handle a bat, to possess a bat (whether live or dead), disturb a roosting bat, or sell or offer a bat for sale without a licence. It is also an offence to damage, destroy or obstruct access to any place used by bats for shelter, whether they are present or not.

Foxes and Rabbits - please contact the RSPCA for further information at http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/RSPCARedirect&pg=wildlifeadvice

Birds (including pigeons)

Moles

Snakes - all snakes are protected by law from killing and injury under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. So if you come across a snake, do not harm it. If it is trapped or injured contact the RSPCA on 08705555999. For further advice please contact the the species protection officer at English Nature on 01823 283211.

If you are concerned about snakes in your garden there are several points to consider:

• Snakes (and lizards) pose little or no threat to people or pets. It is quite likely that the snake is just passing through your garden on a search for food, you may never see it again.
• Snakes usually glide off into the undergrowth when approached, they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

Bumble Bees (see 'Bees' page for advice and contacts)

Good Sources of Pest Control Advice

Bat Conservation Trust

British Pest Control Association (BPCA) – represents commercial pest control companies and includes a directory of members

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) – advice on a range of wildlife control issues, including licences to control normally protected birds and animals

English Nature – advice on protected species including bats and badgers

Froglife – advice on snakes and amphibians

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) – advice on seagulls, pigeons, bird deterrents and wild birds and the law