Brits are not the only ones sheltering in their homes from cold weather and rampant flooding as hordes of rats take up refuge in houses across the country.
The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) said it has seen a 115 percent increase in people seeking advice on controlling rats over the last 90 days. The huge rat invasion is reportedly also the result of delayed bin collections.
There is an estimated 250 million rats in the UK – and with temperatures plummeting, many are seeking out the warmth inside homes. Natalie Bungay, BPCA technical manager, said: “It’s common to see an increase in rat infestations during the winter period, as rats and mice are on the hunt for warm, dry shelter with access to a food source.
“Disruption to bin collections over the festive period can also be a factor, as overflowing wheelie bins and black bags full of rubbish are basically a buffet for pests.”
When bin collections are delayed, foxes can tear apart overflowing bins and spill the contents – drawing rats out from the sewers to feed.
One resident, Ged Needham, told The Mirror he had begun setting out traps to catch them, adding he had caught almost 50 in the space of a few months.
He said: “The rats are huge and taking over the street. I know you’ll never get rid of rats but the amount I’ve caught in such a short space of time is a health hazard.”
While London-based pet controller Paul Bates of Cleankill told the outlet of the surging figures, saying: “2022 was 6 percent up on 2021 and last year was 3 percent up on that. Since December I have 235 calls for rats, which is a lot compared to normal. Since the coronavirus pandemic, the problem has been getting worse.”
He added that local councils re-wilding grass verges can “create habitats” for the critters.
In Swindon, locals have shared horrifying images of overflowing bins, saying they could see foxes, cats and rats picking through the remains.
Swindon Borough Council apologised for the delays to bin collections and cited the amount of cardboard being recycled over Christmas along with the loss of “two working days” as the reason.
Lockdown also led to more rats hunting for food in residential areas, where they have since stayed after discovering bountiful supplies of food.
And local councils are left increasingly unable to cope with the issue as they are forced to cut costs. The Local Government Association has estimated that councils in England could face a £4billion funding gap over the next two years.
Storm Henk has further exacerbated the issue, as rat nests in fields, gardens and woods have been flooded, pushing rats to run into people’s homes for shelter.
Rats both communicate and mark their territory by urinating wherever they go, which can pose health risks to humans. They carry several diseases – including Weil’s disease, salmonella and listeria – that can spread to us through their urine or body coming into food preparation areas.
Pest expert Mark Moseley, founder of PestGone Environmental Ltd, offered some advice to keep rats away, saying: “If you’ve got squirrel or bird feeders in your garden you want to try and have a catch tray to catch the food from hitting the ground because rats find that food and they then stay in the local area.
“It’s the same with fruit trees, plum trees, raspberry trees or bushes. Rats will stay close to those because they know fruit is good for their diets.
“Do not put bins straight on the floor because foxes will rip through them and rats will then come in and feed from it. Get hardened bin containers and put them in the wheelie bins.
“Any foliage in your gardens, try and trim them back as best as possible. It stops habitats from being created in the foliage in people’s gardens.”
