UK: Experts issue warning about rat increase in cities
Pest control companies are said to be dealing with a record number of rat infestations due to frequent climate change. Warmer temperatures have increased breeding, while flooded burrows have driven the rodents home across the country.
A milder climate allows more rodents to live, and long, hot summers create ideal conditions for young mice and rats to leave the nest and reproduce quickly.
In the fall and winter, rain and cooler temperatures cause rats and mice to migrate inland where there is more food and shelter.
With the rain, mice are often displaced from their burrows and get inside.
Signs of a rodent problem include an unusual ammonia-like odor, small dark droppings, greasy marks on walls or baseboards, and gnawing marks.
Hot, rainy weather creates a perfect storm for mice (Photo: .)
Hot, rainy weather creates the perfect storm for mice (Photo: NC)
Hearing scratching noises, especially at night, is also a sign of mice and mice, and their nocturnal nature means they can remain hidden for a long time before you begin to suspect they have invaded your home.
In recent weeks, there has been an increase in the number of rats caught in the streets due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Shoppers were horrified and disgusted last week after rats crossed a road near the local Iceland in Wolverhampton.
Gemma Ormi, 43, who was shopping with her son, photographed the mice but said she doesn’t show how many mice there are.
Read more: ‘Cat-sized’ rats have haunted residents for ‘seven years’
The weather creates the perfect storm for rats to infect (Photo: .)
‘I’ve seen rats in Bilston before,’ she said, ‘but not much!
“The video clip doesn’t show them all.”
Wolverhampton City Council said the mice were attracted to people who threw food on the ground to feed the birds.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the rat population has exploded in suburban areas due to the closure of bars and restaurants.
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Five facts about mice (Image: Express)
In late July, London was warned to prepare for a rat infestation after a woman was attacked by more than 100 rodents in a park.
The horrific incident reportedly occurred on July 19, when Susan Treftab was walking through Blondin Park in Ealing.
Treftub claimed that the animals rushed towards her before pounce on her, although fortunately she escaped unharmed.
It was reported last month that ‘cat-sized’ rats were stalking a street in North Belfast down an alley filled with weeds.
Hot and rainy weather creates a perfect storm for mice (Photo: .)
In February, the Belfast Telegraph reported that the city’s rat population had increased by 25 percent in just 12 months.
When asked about the unusual story, Paul Blackhurt, director of the Technical Academy at Rentokil Pest Control, said the health risks associated with mice should not be underestimated.
He told Express.co.uk: “It is worth noting that the rat is a wild animal and if it is threatened by being caught or trampled on, it can react by biting to defend itself.
Rodents play a role in transmitting many pathogens that cause disease to humans.
UK rat infestation (photo:.)
“One of the biggest threats is that mice carry leptospirosis, which can cause Weil’s disease in humans if they are bitten or come into contact with rodent urine.”
The bacterial illness can cause 2 to 4 mild to severe flu-like symptoms, including headache, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, and rash.
The risk of Weil’s disease is very low, Blackhurt said, although it worsens in wetter environments.
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