Dublin residents have been issued with a scary warning after the discovery of 'wall-eating' super rats that have been described as 'long, fat and dangerous'.
Malahide locals have been told to take care of their bins and litter after a group of the rodents were spotted crossing the main road at Biscayne heading towards the Old Golf Links.
The pests were making movements in the area during the middle of the day and one person shockingly said that "a rat had eaten through her walls and gotten into the kitchen".
They said: "These rats can be a real issue and these ones seem to be everywhere.
"Make sure to contact pest control if you see them and watch your bins, litter and make sure your back door remains closed at all times."
They added: "There are plenty running around. There's long and fat ones in the Seabury area too. They seem shy enough and out of the way, but surely they can be dangerous."
The HSE have online guidelines as to what to do if there are pests or rodents hanging around your house.
Here is their key tips:
- Waste food, empty food tins and other waste which might attract rats must be stored in bins with tight fitting lids.
- Food for the birds should not be left in any place where rats can have access to it. Such food is often a greater attraction to rats than to birds.
- Garden compost heaps should not contain anything likely to attract rats.
- The surroundings of your dwelling house must be kept clean, the garden should be free of accumulations of rubbish, hedges should be neatly trimmed and overgrowth of weeds and grass controlled.
You can check the full guidelines on the HSE website
As well as this bed bugs are setting up camp in Dublin and it has resulted in a huge 61% increase in call-outs to get rid of them.
Experts are saying the increase comes as creepy crawlies are making their way to the capital by clinging on to baggage or other clothing.
At 36%, Dublin has seen the most cases with Galway coming in at a close second at 14% followed by Cork (10%) and Kerry (8%).
Experts Rentokil have warned holidaymakers to watch out for the creepy critters while away, because a hotel’s problem can easily become an issue in your own home.
These pests feed on human blood, usually when homeowners are asleep, and bed bug bites can become sore and itchy in some cases.
And the massive increase in cases is expected to grow even more during the sweltering summer months.
Richard Faulkner, Advanced Technical Field Consultant for Rentokil, said: “Bed bugs lay eggs and multiply at alarming rates, and the size of these pests can make them difficult to spot. “At this time of year more and more people are enjoying a trip away, but unfortunately this increases their risk of returning home with unwanted guests.
“We consider hotels and B&Bs to be areas of high risk due to the volume of guests that come in and out, so we recommend that holidaymakers be vigilant in both researching a place before booking and inspecting a room for signs of bed bugs upon arrival.
“We also recommend that if hotels become aware of a bed bug infestation, they have it taken care of immediately”
The top signs that the bugs are around include the presence of dark stains on the mattress and surrounding area from bed bug excrement, an unpleasant, sweet, sickly scent in the room, small dark blood spots on bedding known as ‘faecal spotting’ and of course, live insects.
Despite being small (4-5mm long) it’s possible to spot live bed bugs and shed skins.
Key areas to check include bed frames and mattresses, bedside cabinets, wardrobes, and skirting boards.
For holidaymakers who do unintentionally bring bed bugs into their home, Rentokil recommend that they wash and dry clothes at the highest possible temperatures, eliminate clutter, and vacuum thoroughly.
These steps can greatly reduce the size of the bed bug population, but may not eliminate the problem entirely.
If the problem persists, it’s advisable to call a professional service so they can deal with the problem that’s bugging you.
