FALSE WINTER: then came the rats…

By Ditch Keeling, Coastal Pest Solutions

Gidday Folks. Just when my Achilles rupture was healing to the point that I could start moving about properly, down comes the rain –enough to kill o half of Auckland’s rabbits and wasps! I’m not complaining too much, though; despite so many of you dealing with severe flooding damage, I’m quietly pleased that the deluges will have resulted in fewer pest problems, in the short term at least. Unfortunately, the rain has also meant we’re seeing a spike in calls about rats and mice – more on that to follow.

With regards to rabbits, numbers decline during winter, which is entirely moisture driven – saturated burrows lead to young rabbits and even adults becoming much more susceptible to viruses and pathogens. The terrible weather has definitely knocked the snot out of rabbits, which should mean lower numbers to deal with heading into autumn.

It’s a similar story with wasps. The vast majority of nests Janet has been dealing with this year have been the large underground nests of German and common wasps. Calls concerning these all but stopped as soon as the rain started, and the flooding should lead to a massive di erence in wasp numbers going forward.

As for rats and mice, on the other hand, they generally only move into buildings during winter, but the recent ‘wintery’ conditions seem to have brought this on a few months early. With any luck this will be short lived, and they’ll head back outdoors as soon as the waters recede, but do keep an eye out for the presence of rodents in buildings over the next month. Remember that the damage these guys cause is often extensive and has the potential to be particularly dangerous – gnawing on wires and pipes is far more common than you might think.

One factor so often overlooked when dealing with rodents in buildings is access. They love getting into ceiling cavities and onto roofs and, if they get onto a roof, you can bet they’ll find a way under the iron or tiles and set up camp inside all that lovely, warm insulation. Removing branches that allow roof access is an important first step in reducing the risks these guys pose.

Many bait stations will have been flooded out or completely washed away in the recent deluges. So, just as you would at the start of winter, dig those stations out (pun intended!) give them a good clean and fill them with Pesto Rodent Blocks. Fresh bait will also be really attractive at the moment, so give it between five and 10 days then fill them again. I suspect such stations will get plenty of attention and should help reduce the number of rodents that show up later on, once winter really kicks in.

Until then, all the very best while dealing with the flood clean-up and feel free to drop me a line to talk pests at any time.