Rodent Control In Urban Industrial Areas: From Research To Action

Pest control measures have an increasing importance due to the rising economic initiatives and urbanization resulting in a growing number of industries facing pest problems. The use of rodenticides is a very common method in rodent control but the bait consumption depends on the environmental alterations in different industry areas. The aim of the present study was to monitor the control of rodents in facilities belonging to various food industries using rodenticide baits and to determine the factors that could directly influence the bait consumption. In the city of Plovdiv and its region, Bulgaria, 89 bait stations were monitored in different industrial sites: glass factory, croissant factory and dairy. The bait consumption was studied using the electronic monitoring PestScan method. The results showed that factors such as industry type, the construction and technical implementation of the buildings, the location of the site and the type and formulation of the rodenticide used influence the decision for the exact bait disposal. Understanding environmental conditions influencing the bait consumption could help to plan the pest control for specific sites by matching with specific strategies.