Rodents spread diseases through their bodily fluids and excrement and can cause significant damage to property.
Rentokil has warned businesses to be vigilant in safeguarding their premises against rodent infestations, following a 35% increase in callouts for the vermin over the last four months, compared to 12 months ago.
The pest control provider has recorded a 35% increase in rodent callouts between March and June 2021, when weighed up to the same period last year.
The company believes that the closure of restaurants and the resulting decreased levels of food waste in urban areas during the first half of the year has likely contributed to high callout levels, as rodents venture further in search of food sources.
The top five counties which accounted for rodent callouts are Dublin (which accounted for 25% of callouts), Cork (14%), Galway (10%), Tipperary (6%), and Meath (5%).
As restrictions are lifted and businesses begin to reopen, Rentokil is urging business owners to be on the lookout for signs of rodent infestations on their premises.
Premises that have been vacant over long periods as a result of Covid-19 restrictions may be serving as areas of shelter for rodents.
Rentokil has warned that rodents are the top pests that businesses need to be aware of when returning to work as they can cause significant damage to properties and assets.
"Rats and mice spend extended periods of time every day grinding down their teeth on surrounding objects, and as a result, they can chew through utility lines, electrical wires, support beams and other key infrastructure," the company advised.
Also rodents are a health risk as they spread diseases through their bodily fluids and excrement.
Signs of a rodent infestation include rodent droppings, scratching noises, and footprints.
Rentokil advises businesses to explore unmanned, non-toxic pest control solutions, such as PestConnect, a digital solution that provides 24-hour protection from rodents.
Through a system of infrared sensors, it detects and then captures or humanely kills rodents using automatically deployed bait stations and traps.
