Biscuit beetle plague makes Wath family’s life a misery

HERE’S a story to make your skin crawl...
Nicky Parkinson with daughter Lizzie-Mai who are being plagued by an infestation of biscuit beatles in their home at Wath. 171755-2Nicky Parkinson with daughter Lizzie-Mai who are being plagued by an infestation of biscuit beatles in their home at Wath. 171755-2
Nicky Parkinson with daughter Lizzie-Mai who are being plagued by an infestation of biscuit beatles in their home at Wath. 171755-2

A family have been driven up the wall by a plague of biscuit beetles.

Nicky Parkinson said the little creepy critters were munching through her children’s toys and kept coming back even when her house was sprayed by council workers.

“The house has been sprayed five times but they are still there,” said the frustrated mum of two, who said the infestation had gone on almost a year.

“I’ve had to bag up my children’s toys because the beetles kept attacking them.

“It’s disgusting — I even found them crawling across my son when he was asleep in bed.

“The council won’t do anything but keep spraying but it makes no difference.”

Nicky, of Michael Croft, Wath, said she believed the problem could be linked to the carpet but Rotherham Borough Council were unwilling to replace it.

“The beetles are about the size of head lice,” she said. “I keep clearing them away but they always come back.”

A council spokeswoman said the property had been sprayed several times with insecticide by pest control workers and a bird’s nest on a wall of the house had been removed, which they hoped would solve the problem.

“The council’s pest control team first treated the property in March this year and at the time advised the customer that as they had biscuit beetle in the bedrooms on the window sills,” the spokeswoman said.

“This indicated that the infestation was possibly from a bird's nests and advised the tenant to have the property checked for any nests and have them removed.

“Following this initial treatment the property was treated again on several separate occasions. 

“The last treatment, on September 22, found very little evidence of biscuit beetle activity.

“In addition, on the September 24, the disused bird’s nest which was discovered to be the source of the infestation, was removed by the council and some minor remedial work carried out to replace a missing brick, where the nest had lodged. 

“The council would like to remind tenants that it does not give any guarantee, express, implied or otherwise, that the treatment of biscuit beetles shall in all cases solve the problem.”

Nicky said the problem had still not be solved despite the council’s repeated works, adding that she believed it may be connected to a carpet in her home.

The spokeswoman urged Nicky to contact the council on 01709 336009 or email  [email protected] for further support.

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