End of lockdown prompts surge in rat infestations in hospitality areas
The potential for food waste has encouraged the rodents to stick around
As businesses reopen following the end of COVID restrictions, there has been a surge in rodent infestations across the country.
According to pest control company Rentokil, there was an 82% increase nationally in the number of commercial enquiries into exterminating rodents like mice and rats.
It is thought that due to a lack of footfall in towns and cities, mice and rats moved into areas that had previously been pest-free.
The worst affected area is London and the South East of England, with a 91.4% increase in rodent activity.
Other regions such as the North West, the Midlands and North Wales are also becoming rat hotspots, with increases of 86.4%.
With the opening of the economy, the animals could be forced out of populated areas, but to increased food waste, the potential for an easy meal might help keep the animals around.
As well as this, an unusually warm January in 2022 - almost 0.8 degrees Celsius warmer than the average temperature - could also be responsible for the surge in reports.
However, it is not just England that is suffering from rodent infestations. Both in Scotland and Northern Ireland, enquiries into pest extermination tripled in January, compared to 2021 figures.
Speaking about the rise in reports, Paul Blackhurst, head of technical academy at Rentokil Pest Control said that lockdown had also changed rodents' behaviours.
"The lack of footfall in certain areas of towns and cities saw these nocturnal and fearful creatures become more confident as they were not being disturbed by regular human activity and noise," he said.
"Now, with regular business activity gradually returning, and with potentially more people now eating out, food waste is naturally on the rise and this could increase the number of rodents and other pests looking for an easy meal.
"For offices, restaurants, bars and cafes, it is time to take note and mitigate against the risk of reputational and financial damage that a rodent infestation can bring."