View report page

228
Flies and Mosquitoes
During the year 57 complaints of flies and 3 of mosquitoes
were received, resulting in treatments being carried out to 46
rooms and 45 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 103 cases of dirty
and verminous premises, and the disinfestation staff sprayed 249
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 the 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 131 complaints received concerned either the
black garden ant (Lasius niger) or the yellow meadow ant
(L. fiavis), 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 twenty-six treatments
involving 253 rooms and 67 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