Winter Pests: Rats
& Mice
The shorter daylight hours, the chilly
temperatures and the endless rain and grey skies perfectly sum up the winter
months here in the UK. There are clear, crisp days with bright blue skies and
winter sun and, when these days dawn, we should take advantage of them.
But in recent years, the winters have
thrown tumultuous weather in our direction. From howling gales to torrential
rain, people have been flooded out of homes and communities. The clear up takes
weeks and getting back into your home can take months of restorative work.
But when there are floods, there are health
concerns too. From sewage in people’s homes and belongings
to pests becoming a nuisance. Of all the pests that cause problems in winter,
rats and mice are possibly two of the most common. But why?
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Forced Out of Their Natural Habitat
Flooding, endless rain, storm damage… you
name it, what the winter weather throws at us, is also thrown at wildlife. All kinds of animals and rodents
are displaced from their natural habitat, including mice and rats.
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Scarce Food Supply
Just as our crops can be damaged by
weather, so too is the natural food source of rodents and animals. And that
means hungry pests will go in search of another food source – and that can mean
the rubbish in your bin and the food scraps in your compost.
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The Perfect Nesting Site
Frankly, a garage,
shed, cellar or even the wall cavity of your home is warmer and safer than a
nesting site in the wild. Few predators will have the courage to ‘attack’ in a
place inhabited by humans and even though rodents don’t seek our company, they
have sufficient resources and abilities to mainly avoid us, even when they are
nesting right under our nose…
Prevention – Always
Better (and Cheaper!) Than Cure
As the winter weather closes in, act to
keep pests at bay, especially rodents;
·
Seal holes and other entrance
points into cavities and small spaces in sheds, garages and so on.
·
Don’t be tempted to lay poison ‘just
in case’. There is research that shows rats and mice become accustomed to it
and simply change their direction of travel to avoid it. In the meantime, a
non-target species nibbles at it and dies. The cycle continues with birds
eating a poisoned carcass and dying from secondary poisoning.
·
Some people lay rat or mouse traps
as they know they have problems in winter with rodents. As a pest control
company, we offer value for money long-term service contracts that would be
more cost-effective and efficient.
·
If prevention measures fail –
make sure bins are sealed, holes sealed, stored food stuffs effectively stored
– and you see or hear evidence of rodents, the only thing you should do is call
a professional pest control company that specialises
in rodent extermination and control. Anything else is a waste of time, effort and
money.
