With many of us set to enjoy a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day, The Big Cheese has listed off some of the “dishes” that pests have a passion for so that you can make sure you keep them well hidden.

Ants love sweets! They’re drawn to sugary substances in your home because this is a firm favourite of theirs in the wild too; with honeydew, rotting fruit and nectar high on their list of favourites. Keep all the surfaces in your home and garden as clean as possible to avoid an invasion.

Bed Bugs like blood…whilst some species have favourite mammals, the majority are happy to play the field and will feed on anything that can get to.

Carpet Beetles - despite the name, carpet beetles aren’t too fussy. They will eat human and pet hair, paper, and dead insects, too.

Clothes Moth – another slightly misleading name. Clothes moths will take fiber over any specific fashion item, this is because natural fibers contain keratin, which larvae convert into nutrients.

Deer are happiest in the spring and summer when they can get hold of fruit because they enjoy the natural sugar flavour, and it provides quick energy. As with a great many animals, you might be more likely to come across them in the winter months when food is scarcer.

Flies – the majority of flies feed on decaying matter. As annoying as they can be, they are an important part of the ecosystem - so long as they’re staying away from our own food. The Big Cheese has a variety of curtains to keep these irritants at bay.  

Herons – Grey Herons primarily feed on fish, but they have been known to eat Ducklings, Frogs & Toads. They’re not the most romantic though and prefer to feed alone.

Moles have 44 teeth, which helps an 80g mole eat its way through around 50g of earthworms a day, they’re not too fond of castor oil though!

Rats will generally eat whatever is available. But, their preference is for fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. So make sure you keep your bird feeders clean and seal your compost and bins securely.

Slugs eat leaves, decaying plants, fruits, and vegetables. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they aren’t too keen on wool though!

Although they get a bad press, Wasps actually eat a lot of pest species each year and can be a gardeners friend. However, they are attracted to our sugary foods, and when they have been feeding on fermented fruit they can become more aggressive. 

So, remember, the golden rule of pest control if you are dining in this Valentine’s Day – keep it clean!