RATS - PRIVATE PEST CONTROL

"....................................Rats!
They fought the dogs and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradle,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cook's own ladles.... "
Robert Browning

Britain is home to two species of rats, the black rat and the common rat or sewer rat. The black rat is now rare and restricted to old city ports. However, they were responsible for transmitting the Black Death which wiped out 75% of Europe's population. The common rat, as it's name suggests, is the rat we see. It originated in Asia and spread westwards with the growth of international trade and human settlement. It was first recorded in England in 1728 and now has spread worldwide.

Rodents cause immense economic loss worldwide. The World Health Organisation estimates that about 33 million tons of food is destroyed worldwide each year. Damage by gnawing is likely to be most relevant to Dorset homeowners. Rat incisor teeth continually grow and are kept in good condition by chewing on hard materials. Most worrying is their penchant for electrical cables, under floor or in lofts, and the associated fire risk. In the 1950's U.S. insurance companies estimated that 25% of fires of unknown origin were caused by rodents. In Germany in the 1970s rats gnawing on cables started a production line moving causing a number of cars to fall off the end resulting in £100,000 of damage. On another occasion the lights at London Airport failed due to chewed wiring.

Rats can carry a number of diseases, notably, salmonella (food poisoning) and leptospirosis (Weil's disease) which can be fatal.

Rat populations are mainly limited by food availability and have recently increased in town centres and out of town leisure / shopping centres due to the increase in fast food take-away litter. In suburban areas regular feeding of wild birds has also encouraged rats. Only enough food for birds to consume quickly should be put out. Food left lying around will encourage rats.

Control of rats by the householder will normally be restricted to traps or poisons. Traps are usually ineffective as rats display neophobia - a fear of new objects. Anticoagulant poison baits are available but must be used with great care to prevent other wildlife from eating them. Irresponsible use has led to an increase in accidental poisoning and it is likely that it will become illegal to sell pesticides to unqualified people.

Local authorities provide a service for householders. Most authorities now charge for this service which once was free. This has raised concerns that some householders won't bother so allowing rat populations to increase. Others may do it themselves thereby increasing the risk of poisoning other animals. Local authorities have a range of poisons they can use and special containers to protect the baits.

Specialist pest control companies usually have a wider arsenal of poisons to deal quickly with infestations and can often respond more rapidly. Charges can vary considerably between companies with some comparable to those charged by local authorities. However quotes should always be obtained before agreeing to any work.

Steve Bohane, Britannic Environmental Services Ltd. Tel: 883062

Archive Winter 2004 | next

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