An appeal for pest control technicians, farmers and gamekeepers to collect tail samples from freshly killed rats and mice has been issued by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU).

In the past two years, new hotspots of rats with resistance genes have been found in Northumberland and County Durham, Tyneside and North Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and along the River Severn valley from north-west Shropshire to Somerset, Devon and East Anglia.

Over a number of years, resistance genes have become widespread across central southern England.

Leader of CRRU’s Monitoring Work Group Richard Moseley says a serious concern is the almost complete lack of data from central England and most parts of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

"We can only manage the spread of resistance when we know where it is," he says. "Currently we have the worst of both worlds.

"Farmers, pest control technicians and gamekeepers could be using products that are ineffective in places where rodents are resistant.

"And where resistance genes are still absent, others may be using resistance-breaking products unnecessarily. Only more samples can solve this."

Before sending tail tips, participants need to read guidelines from University of Reading's Vertebrate Pests Unit, where the genetic finger printing is being done.

They will be analysed for rodenticide resistance genes and the results added to an online national map.

The deadline is 29 May and every sender will be notified of their own results.

The guidelines are available on the University of Reading website and a factsheet with the same information can be downloaded from Think Wildlife.

SEND YOUR SAMPLES

Contribute to the fight against rodenticide resistance by sending in rodent tail samples.

FIND OUT MORE

Source: CRRU press release