The History of London’s Most Prominent Pest

From the Black Death to modern infestations, rats seem to find their way into every nook and cranny of London. Though the streets have been plagued with rats in the past, how is the situation today?

Well, the truth is, this capital has been labelled by Animal Planet as one of the worst cities for rats on the globe. Don’t fear though, as we are here to help with any pest control problems in London!

Before www.empirepestcontrol.co.uk go into how we can help though, let’s take a look at the history of London’s most prominent pest and how it has affected the city over the centuries.

The Black Death

One of the most horrific yet notable events that occurred in London is, of course, the Black Death, in which rats played a pivotal role. This major event in history was thought to have lasted seven years; from 1346 to 1353.

At the time, much of the blame was put on rats, and rightly so. Though the Oriental Rat Flea was the true perpetrator behind infection, rats did their part in spreading the disease, with the fleas acting as passengers as rats crossed borders.

The fleas carried a bacterium known as Yersinia Pestis, which was the main cause of the bubonic plague.

The origin of this disease is thought to have been central Asia, and rats would spread the disease on their travels on merchant ships. Looking to destroy your pest problem? Look no further than EPC, view our website today and discover how we can rid you of vermin!

Modern Day Infestations

Today, there are various reports claiming that rats are getting tougher and more difficult to get rid of due to a mutant resistance to the common poisons used to kill them. ITV published a news report last year looking at the mutation.

Steven Belmain, Professor of Ecology, said: “We’re using the same group of chemicals over and over again, resistance will build up, so the UK, but also many other parts of the world, are suffering from this phenomenon of resistance development.”

However, it isn’t just the resistance that’s a concern; the size of the rats has changed drastically in the past few decades, with more and more popping up that are almost – or more than – double the usual size.

The worst part though is that this issue isn’t just confined to the UK’s capital. Other areas of the UK, such as Kent, are vulnerable to rat infestations.

The Express details how just last year, an unwelcome giant rat was found in Kent. Images can be found at the link provided.

So, as you can see, rats played a pivotal role in the spread of disease in London during the Black Death, and now they seem to be armed with resistance that has developed throughout the decades.

If you have a rat problem and you need help, get in touch today. Here at Empire Pest Control, we specialise in the extermination and removal of rats and other pests. We would be happy to help in any way we can.