Pests

Living within a thatched property is little different to a house with other forms of roofing when it comes to pests. The plastered ceilings and draught proofed windows hinder the migration of spiders and various insects into the home.

The underside of the ceilings is slightly different as the thatch is not in itself sealed and provides a great habitat for these creatures. Spiders and flies are not detrimental to the thatch but from time to time bees and wasps will take up residence too.

Birds can cause more damage than the smaller creatures by pulling individual stems for nesting, from the thatch resulting in a slightly loosened roof which then becomes easier to damage further.

Psocids in Thatch | National Society of Master Thatchers
Thatch Roof Pest Control - NSMT

Other pests which can cause more severe damage are rodents. These rarely attack a roof but when they can gain entry, they can chew their way across a roof leaving unsightly mounds of debris.

Most roofs are covered either entirely or in part with a protective net of galvanised wire or plastic netting to reduce the risk of damage.

Other methods of control include decoys, poison and methods employed by the environmental pest control.

 

Roof Thatchers - National Society of Master Thatchers