Mike Dilger on pest infestation report

Rats, mice, wasps and bedbugs – just some of the pests that are blighting our homes.

Research out today shows UK councils attended more than 300 thousand (351,392)  pest control call outs to homes last year, responding to a request for help on average every 85 seconds.

The largest number of requests in 2019 came from householders dealing with a rat problem in their property, with councils handling 160,773 cases, according the study from Churchill Home Insurance.

Humans can be infected with Weil’s disease through contact with the urine of an infected rat, which while a rare condition can lead to meningitis, kidney failure and even prove fatal

Rats can also cause serious structural damage to a home as they are capable of gnawing through brick, timber joists, plastic waste pipes and insulated electrical cables! Over the last three years, councils have responded to almost half a million call outs to tackle the problem of rats invading people’s homes.

Aston spoke to Mike Dilger, TV ecologised natural history presenter to discuss more about the infestation report.