In food businesses chemical agents must be avoided as far as possible. There is a risk of contaminating the food and the dead rats stink horribly. However, it is advantageous to place boxes of rat poison in strategic locations outside buildings, so rats are fought before they find their way into buildings and establish themselves […]
Rat prevention
Windows should always have full glasses or be fitted with galvanized mesh with openings no greater than 20 mm and a wire thickness of at least 0.7 mm. Also vents should be secured with wire mesh. If there is room for a rat to pass, holes for pipes and wires should be covered with a […]
The black rat
Latin: Rattus rattus. This rat came to Europe in the early Middle Ages and raged fiercely until the 1700s where it was driven away by the brown rat. It was the black rat, or rather the fleas of the black rat, that caused the plague epidemics which under the name “the Black Death” depopulated much […]
The brown rat
Latin: Rattus norvegicus. The brown rat is found all over the world. It originated in East Asia, from where it has spread, partly on foot and partly by sea on ships. It arrived relatively late into Europe. We first hear about “wandering rats” ravaging the continent in the early 1700s. The brown rat has great […]
Rat proofing and eradication
In most civilized countries serious attempts are made to control and eradicate rats, and in some places regular inspection of properties is required by law. All means of access should be made secure against rats. Windows should either be completely glazed or fitted with galvanized wire netting with a mesh of 1-2 cm, the wire […]