Aucklander's, we’re sorry to say that there have been reports of rat infestations. Not just any kind of rat, but HUGE, cat-sized rats– yuck! And not just one report, there are more each week. This is a real problem!
The most probable reason for there to be such high numbers of rats this year is because we have just had a long and hot summer. This, in conjunction with it being a 'mast year', meant that the trees grew large and plentiful with seeds. The seeds dropped, and the rats came in, ate them (hence why they are so huge this year) and then multiplied in numbers. The cold, wet weather is bringing the rats out to the surface to search for food and have been seen scurrying around the streets of Auckland suburbs.
It’s super critical to get these rats under control. Increased numbers have a massive impact on our native wildlife. It is especially important to act on it now before the bird breeding season begins in spring as rats seem to flourish too in the spring. This alarming increase has left kokako and other native wildlife in major threat.
In more recent news, the number of rats has doubled across the country, keeping our JAE branches busy with pest control throughout.
So, not only is it disturbing and not overly pleasant for us as homeowners to be experiencing rats taking over our space, it’s unsafe for our native wildlife. Please give your local JAE branch a call to get expert help with pest control and we can recommend the best solution for you. In the meantime, don’t leave food outside and try to remove weeds or overgrown grass to limit the hiding places for rats.
Please note that not all of our branches offer pest control, but they can certainly help point you in the right direction!
Read more about other Household Pests in our Guide to Pest Control in New Zealand
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