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237
Flies and Mosquitoes
During the year 73 complaints of flies and one of mosquitoes
were received, resulting in treatments being carried out to 95
rooms and 101 external areas.
On request from the Borough and Greater London Council
Housing Departments, dust chutes and containers in the multistorey
flats are treated with Gammexane.
Disinfestation of Verminous Premises
Dieldren Concentrate continues to give good results in dealing
with verminous premises.
During the year the department dealt with 110 cases of dirty
and verminous premises, and the disinfestation staff sprayed 269
rooms and contents.
Of other pests which necessitated the treatment of rooms and
external areas, the following initiated the greater number of
complaints.
Ants.—Ants normally carry no disease but their presence in
human foodstuffs is objectionable. However, the very small red
House or Pharaoh's ant (Monomorium pharaonis), being of tropical
origin, breeds in temperatures around 80°F. and, ipso facto,
is found largely in bakehouses, restaurants, larders, kitchens and
sometimes in hospitals. In hospitals they become potential carriers
of disease by reason of tihe fact that in their excursions from their
inaccessible breeding places such as heating ducts and from behind
tiled walls and surrounds they are liable to traverse contaminated
materials which could give rise to cross infections.
Foods of a relatively high sugar content are particularly attractive
to ants and the insects are prepared to go to great lengths in
order to obtain a sufficiency for their community.
In the main, the 181 complaints received concerned either the
black garden ant (Lasius niger) or the yellow meadow ant
(L. flavis), the workers of which will gain access to houses through
cracks in the walls or floors, over sills or through window frames
in search of food. One hundred and sixty-five treatments involving
345 rooms and 121 external areas were carried out to combat the
reported nuisances.
Cockroaches.—The cockroach (Blatta orientalis) and its
smaller relative (Blattella germanica) are well known for their
destructiveness, especially in relation to stored organic matter,
ranging from foodstuffs to book bindings. Food is rendered