Getting bugged

Do you have that fluttering feeling as Valentine's Day draws near? Well, it could likely an insect infestation!

New figures about insects may bug you with Cork insect infestations flying up, not to mention the amount of four legged creatures is creeping up too.

Pest control provider Rentokil is predicting that callouts for rodents and insects will reach an all-time high in 2020, as a result of climate change and its effect on pest behaviour.

The company recorded an increase of 56 per cent in callouts for rodents and a 14 per cent increase in callouts for pest insects in 2019, when compared to the previous year.

In January 2020, Rentokil recorded a 26 per cent in callouts for rodents and an 18 per cent increase in callouts for pest insects, when compared to the same period in 2019.

The top three counties that experienced insect infestations were Dublin at 64 per cent, Cork at ten per cent, and Carlow at five per cent.

Speaking on the increase, Richard Faulkner, who is an Advanced Technical Field Consultant for Rentokil, said: “Pests including rats, mice, flies, and bed bugs are moving indoors during months that we haven’t traditionally seen.”

Mr Faulkner continued: “In order to contribute to the fight against climate change, Rentokil has been developing more environmentally sustainable pest control solutions, including PestConnect, which utilises technology instead of chemicals and poisons.”