COVID-19 has caused the European way of life to change drastically. Businesses have closed down, roads are quieter, and societies are adapting to the so-called 'new normal'.
As human habits are forced to change, so are the habits of the pests that inhabit our towns and cities, thriving off of human activity. Since the beginning of the lockdown across Europe, reports of changes in pest activity have been coming in gradually from cities and towns of rat infestations in particular.
Having moved all food consumption to homes, rodents have been reported as being driven into residences around the UK, infesting towns and cities in France, Germany, Belgium and further afield.
These trends should not go unnoticed, as pests such as rodents pose a serious health risk to all. Steps can be taken by individuals however to stop the spread of pests into the home during confinement, as the British Pest Control Association (BCPA) outlines in this handy guide.