The rate of rat infestation in empty and closed buildings in the UK has reached “biblical levels” as pest controllers warn landlords and builders to check the premises for infestation before lockdown restrictions wear off.
“The big concern is that as stores, restaurants and offices go live in preparation for opening in the next few months, business owners will discover fairly advanced infestations of rats and mice,” said Jenny Rathbone of Pest.co.uk.
The major freeze, lockdown, and stockpiling of food created the ideal environment for rats and mice to spend some quiet time in vacant buildings – and with many being locked down and abandoned quickly, there is concern that the infestation may have arrived Has.
“Rats will always find something to eat – even a leather sofa will do. Any property with leftover food will attract rodents, and empty buildings and shops are ideal. Rats climb sewers easily and can reproduce like crazy in an empty building and do a lot of damage, ”added Rathbone.
Rats, in particular, are very bad news in any commercial building as they chew wires, internet cables, keyboards, and electrical wires. Its bite is six times stronger than that of a great white shark for its size, and the damage can be severe. Pest controllers have seen evidence of crafty rats moving a crispy packet and placing it over a glue trap so they can ride over it without getting caught.
With grocery stores closing, meaning less food on the street, rats have had to adapt to their new world and move around to live in empty commercial properties that have been locked down and abandoned by businesses that have been locked down.
“The concern now is that if lockdown restrictions are relaxed and businesses reopen for the time being, the growing population of rodents will be discovered. We are preparing for a busy year in 2021, ”explains Jenny Rathbone of Pest Controller Pest.co.uk.
The main concerns of rodent infestation after lockdown are caused by:
* Population: The UK rat population increased 25% in 2020 from 120 million in 2019 to 150 million in 2020
* Resistance: Common pest control methods are less effective as rats develop resistance to poisons used to fight numbers
* Lockdown: Empty buildings are ideal breeding grounds for rodents
“As always, the best solution is to be proactive. Otherwise I would recommend anyone responsible for a vacant commercial property to check their premises well in advance of the opening, ”concluded Jenny Rathbone of Pest.co, United Kingdom.
