WATCH: Rats Run Riot in Glasgow City Centre! Urgent Action Needed to Stop Rodent Rise.

After almost 25 years spent tackling pest infestations across the UK, it takes a LOT to surprise the Pest Solutions team.

Based in Greater Glasgow, graduate pest control technician Chloe Smith is no stranger to rodent infestations, expertly removing them from homes and businesses across the city on an almost daily basis.

However, even Chloe was stopped in her tracks when she spotted multiple rodents sat feeding contentedly in the middle of a busy street in broad daylight.

The shocking footage Chloe managed to capture is the latest in a long line of similar videos that have viral online over the past 12 months, each highlighting the sharp and deeply concerning rise in rodent populations that has occurred in Glasgow (and across the UK) in recent years.

WATCH: Numerous rats were seen feeding on scraps in Glasgow City Centre on Wednesday afternoon

Posing a severe threat to public health, property, and even human life, large populations of brown rats living in our towns and cities is a serious cause for concern, but why exactly are sightings in Glasgow becoming more common, and what action needs to be taken to reverse the trend before we reach the point of no return?

Why are rat sightings in Glasgow becoming more common?

Whilst the sight of rats frolicking about Glasgow in broad daylight remains a rarity, sightings are becoming more and more common, and there is a simple reason why.

Rats are nocturnal by nature and will rarely venture outside their nests during the day.

For this reason, we often have the unpleasant task of informing new customers that if they have physically spotted a rat inside their property, it is likely that there is a pretty significant population nearby and professional BPCA pest control is required straight away to remedy the issue.

Exactly the same thing is true of Glasgow as a whole. Populations of rodents have grown dramatically in recent years, making it more and more likely that residents and visitors will spot them out and about at all times of the day and night.

Just a few months ago, Kelvingrove Park was labelled as a ‘Ratland’ by one local after their video of over 20 rodents scuttling around the historic site made both local and national news headlines.

What is the cause of Glasgow’s rising rat population?

Back in April, research by Direct Line also highlighted the issue, revealing that Glasgow had the largest number of domestic rat control call-outs in Scotland (no surprise to us!), with their findings featured in a daily record article that went viral online.

The story was also picked up by BBC Scotland with Pest Solution’s own Gemma Sutherland (Service Manager/Graduate Advanced Technician) and Iain Mackinnon (Advanced Service Technician) appearing on Reporting Scotland to offer a professional pest controller’s perspective on the route causes of rising rat populations.

So, what exactly is the cause?

Well, like any good societal issue, there are a number of contributing factors that have led to where we are today, but there are two main areas of concern that MUST be tackled if we are to reduce rodent numbers going forward.

1.      Litter and improper waste disposal

Rodent populations aren’t the only thing that has risen over the past few decades.

The amount of litter left lying around the streets of Glasgow, Edinburgh and other urban areas across the UK has also increased massively, creating the perfect habitat for rats and other pest species to live, eat, and breed.

Disgusting, unsightly, and a serious threat to public health and the environment, the current litter crisis is one of our country’s biggest failures, but very little action is being taken to raise awareness of the issue in relation to pest activity.

Real change is needed, and we have been calling on the Government, council and other public bodies to introduce mass public awareness campaigns and start taking this incredibly important problem seriously. We have even gone as far as starting our own anti-litter campaign called ‘Enough is Enough’, fed up with the lack of action being taken by decision makers across the nation.

2.      Increased rodenticide resistance and bait shyness

Responsible rodenticide use is absolutely essential to the effective control of large brown rat and other pest rodent infestations. Without it, tackling larger populations of rodents would be almost impossible and the situation would already be beyond critical.

Unfortunately, many of the pesticides which were once highly effective against rodent species, have become less so in recent times with increased resistance to the substances being discovered by scientists researching rodent biology.

Furthermore, many of the baits that were once highly attractive to rodents, are now less so, leading to bait ‘shyness’ that is only exacerbating this issue, something that can be linked back the rise of waste which is providing rodents with almost unlimited options for finding their next meal.

One of the biggest causes of increased resistance and behavioural pattern changes is the irresponsible widespread use of rodenticides by untrained members of the public who are unaware of the potential consequences of their actions.

‘DIY’ Pest Control, is not only highly unlikely to be successful (effective rodent control requires an in-depth understanding of rodent behaviour and a combination of both control methods and habitat modification), but it could also be dramatically increasing the potential of future rodent related issues in the area, and across the country as a whole.

If one of the most valuable tools in a professional pest controllers toolbox is to remain effective in the years to come, stricter regulations over the purchase and use of pesticides is a must, and we will continue to lobby public bodies to introduce them going forward.

We also fully support the BPCA in their pursuit of professionalism within the UK pest control industry, placing restrictions on who is allowed to perform pest control treatments and the substances and equipment that is available to unlicensed individuals.

Dealing with a rat problem on your property?

At Pest Solutions, we have an industry-leading track record of eliminating rodent infestations from homes and businesses, with a tried and tested multi-treatment programme that provides unparalleled results time and time again.

If you are facing a rodent issue of any kind on your own property, and live anywhere in Scotland or Northern England, our BPCA approved, highly trained team would be delighted to help.

Whilst individual infestations are no match for our highly trained team, things are certainly getting more challenging, with Chloe’s ‘shocking’ footage set to become the norm if something isn’t done, and done now. Only together, can we start to make real change, and protect our beloved City of Glasgow from this public health crisis before its too late.