Ah rats! Kildare the 3rd most rat infested county in Ireland

The pest control experts predict that the number of rodent infestations in homes will continue to rise, as winter approaches, and the pests will likely continue to multiply. The company also noted that rat infestations in Ireland have increased by 38% between July and September this year, compared to the same period in 2016.

The top ten counties for rat infestations in Ireland in 2017 are:

-          Dublin                   32%

-          Cork                       12%

-          Kildare                  8%

-          Kerry                     6%

-          Galway                 6%

-          Limerick               6%

-          Meath                  5%

-          Wicklow               4%

-          Cavan                    3%

-          Wexford              3%

Dr. Colm Moore, Area Technical Manager, Rentokil says: ‘During winter months, rodents like to base themselves somewhere warm, quiet and close to a source of food. If you can prevent rats you will also reduce the damage and health risks they cause. They can be very persistent and if rats gain access into your home or business they can spread disease, cause damage and contaminate food. One pair of rats shed more than 1 million body hairs each year and a single rat can leave up to 25,000 droppings. If you have already spotted signs of rats, such as droppings, prevention may already be too late. We would advise you to act quickly to get rid of them and prevent a large infestation.’

·          Keep foodstuffs in metal or glass containers with tight fitting lids.

·          Tidy inside the house and around the garden - less clutter means less places to hide.

·          Put outdoor rubbish bags in metal bins with securely fitted lids to stop them feeding from contents.

·          Clean up pet food and bird seed debris, and store pet food in robust containers with fitted lids - preferably above ground level.

·          Keep gardens free from debris. If you have a compost heap don’t include organic food waste, as this will attract them.