Problem
Rats are some of the most serious rodent pests in the world. They can carry life threatening diseases such as the Plague, Leptospirosis (Weils Disease), Salmonellosis, Rat Bite Fever, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis and Murine typhus. They also carry parasites including Ring Worm, Mites, Nematodes, Tapeworms, Ticks and Fleas. They also have the potential to damage growing crops and stored food on a huge scale. Not only do they consume food but rats are also responsible for much of the filth, droppings, hairs and urine, found in food stuff. This contamination is often difficult to remove and leads to the rejection of food for human consumption. Rats and mice often destroy much more than they consume because of their wasteful habit of discarding partially eaten food.
They also cause structural damage by gnawing and burrowing. In particular they undermine foundations and destroy the fabric of the building. Structural drain sewers can be damaged by burrowing between joints in the surrounding earth and behind brick sewers. Sometimes this causes or contributes to the collapse of roads and pavements. Almost any commodity is susceptible to gnawing. Lead pipes and even metal sheathed cables can be gnawed through. Rats frequently attack electrical wiring, resulting in electrical failures and fires. The presence of rodents in buildings is highly undesirable. The rat most commonly found in Britain is the Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus). The Black Rat (Rattus rattus) is only likely to found in or near Ports.
Life Cycle
A pair of rats have the potential to produce thousands of off-spring in one year. Conditions which suit a rapid population increase are even temperatures, surplus food, adequate water and undisturbed cover for rearing young and escaping from enemies. Under these conditions rats and mice may breed throughout the year. In less favourable conditions rats usually breed in the summer and autumn, becoming sexually mature within twelve weeks of birth. On average they may have four to six litters a year with an average litter of six to eleven rats.
Rats do leave signs of their activity, which help to signal their presence, indicate the size of an infestation and help identify the species. Indications of their presence include sighting, smell, droppings which are on average 12mm long and described as spindle shaped (tapered to a point at one or both ends). Fresh droppings appear soft and shiny but within a few days depending on climatic conditions become hard and dull. Rats also tend to follow the same route when travelling. These characteristic pathways or trails are likely to be near or under cover. Outdoors the runs of rats can appear as continuous depressions in grass or other low vegetation or eventually as well worn path ways of bare trampled earth. Runs indoors are most easily discovered along regular routes through dusty places when the surfaces will tend to have a clean and shiny appearance. Other signs of infestation include footprints, tail swipes, smears and evidence of burrowing and nests.
Unfortunately, often the first clear evidence of rodents is the discovery of partially eaten, spilled or hoarded food, damaged packaging material and other signs of recent gnawing.Control Measures
The ability of rats to burrow, climb and jump combined with their natural intelligence makes them very difficult to control. It is not normally possible to deal with an infestation without professional help. The Pest Control Officer is equipped with a range of poison baits and traps which provide a variety of treatments. The most important aspect of control is prevention. Keep all properties in good condition and repair all holes at ground level, make sure external doors fit well and if necessary fit metal panels at the base. Storing food properly and good house-keeping within premises will discourage rats and ensure any infestation is more easily identified and controlled. Advice on rodent proofing is available on the same basis as treatment.
|
Problem
It is not generally appreciated that the common house mouse causes almost as much damage and constitutes as great a health hazard as the rat. A world-wide pest of buildings, it is distinguished from rats by smaller size and from young rats by the larger ears of the mouse, much longer tail and smaller head and feet relative to the body.
The house mouse is grey above, light grey below, normally lives indoors, preferring dry nesting locations. It usually lives at ground level but can climb. Movement in search of food is very limited, nests often occurring within the food stuff itself and frequently made from shredded paper. Cereals are the preferred food.
Mice have the potential to damage and contaminate stored food on a fairly large scale. This contamination is difficult to remove and can result in the rejection of food for human consumption. Mice often destroy much more food than they consume because of their wasteful habit of discarding partially eaten food.
Mice may cause structural damage by gnawing almost anything, although damage caused by mice is much less severe than that found in an infestation of rats.
Life Cycle
Mice are much more prolific than rats with a gestation period of about three weeks. The size of litters varies from 6 to 16 and the number of litters average 7 to 8. The period from birth to sexual maturity is 8 to 10 weeks and a mouse normally lives for 6 to 12 months.
The maximum reproductive potential of a pair and their young is about 2,000 in a year.
Control Measures
Mice tend not to move far during their lifetime. They can however squeeze through any crack into which a human finger can be inserted. During the Autumn and early Winter, a seasonal migration of field mice can occur from their Summer quarters to the more comfortable surroundings in houses or stores, where adequate warmth and protection from the elements are provided.
It is best to seek professional help in eradicating an infestation of mice as advice will be given on entry points and proofing measures necessary to prevent further entry of the mice.
The Pest Control Officer is equipped with a range of poison baits and traps which provide a variety of treatments suitable for every location.
The most important aspect of control is prevention. It is good practice to keep all properties in good condition and repair all holes or other likely points of entry. Mice tend to live where there is a readily available food supply so it is important to ensure that food is stored properly and that there is good housekeeping within the premises to discourage any infestation and to make the presence of vermin more readily detectable and controllable. Advice on mouse proofing is available on the same basis as treatment.
Treatment (Seek Professional Advice)
Treatment will involve assessing the extent of the problem, laying baits or traps as necessary, checking the uptake of bait regularly and removing material at the end of the treatment. Contracts for preventative treatments are also available. The treatment is carried out using an approved rodenticide.
Further information on the rodenticide is available on request.
Please note:
- The use of rodenticide is carefully controlled by the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.
- The Pest Control Officer is fully trained and all necessary measures are taken to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Etc., Act 1974 and Regulations thereunder.
- Instructions will be given at the time of application in relation to the safety of the householder and pets.
- In some cases more than one application is necessary to ensure control.
It should be noted on some occasions after treatment a smell may be noticeable from the decomposition of the dead mice. Where possible bodies will be removed. If this is not possible the Pest Control Officer may be able to provide material to deodorise the premises for the short space of time, normally up to a week, when the smell is at its worst. Decomposition of the body is only a temporary matter and the smell soon disappears. |
