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33
and instruction. The Corporation's representative on the Local
Workable Area Committee for Pest Control also spent a very enjoyable
and instructive afternoon in the laboratory,,
Insect Pest Control. The department carried out control and
maintenance treatments in all types of premises. During the year
requests were received to deal with infestations which involved the
following insects: ants, cockroaches, carpet beetles, fruit flies,
flour moths, clothes moths, mosquitoes, woodworm and house flies.
Besides the usual treatments for insect pests, the department
dealt successfully with a large infestation of biscuit beetle in a
pets' food shop and with "Pharoahs Ants" a very minute insect in a
restaurant kitchen.
In addition, the department was asked to identify insects
submitted by members of the public and in this connection we acknowledge
gratefully the assistance given by the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food Laboratory at Tolworth.
The use of insecticidal lacquer continues to bring very
satisfying results.
Birds. The control of feral pigeons is well under way,
although it is made more difficult than need be by certain misguided
people.
The control of sparrows in a large industrial canteen and
kitchen is now complete, but the danger of these birds swooping about
in factories, particularly where operatives are working on high speed
machines, needs no emphasizing and this problem is receiving our
attention. A bird nest was found in the vent of a gas water heater
which might have had unfortunate results if not found in time. In a
school class room, maggots were descending on very young children,
through a ceiling where a young bird had died in a nest built in the
roof space.