As we all know, we’re living in the middle of a climate crisis, an emergency situation that certainly seems to be showing no signs of slowing down, despite the fact that work is being undertaken around the world to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C, as per the Paris Agreement.

All sorts of changes are expected to start coming our way in the near future, everything from more frequent extreme weather events to water shortages, but something you may not have considered before is how rising temperatures could have an impact on the prevalence of domestic pests, both here in the UK and further afield.

Recent research from the British Pest Control Association and author of Urban Pest Control: A Practitioner’s Guide  Dr Partho Dhang shows that insects could actually experience one to five additional life cycles per season if we see a two degree C temperature increase.

Fly populations could rise substantially, with potential increases of up to 244 per cent by the year 2080, while warmer summers and milder temperatures in winter could help support mosquito development, extending the biting season.

It’s also possible that we may see growing numbers of rats, with climate change and warming temperatures helping rats feed and mate longer into the year. This very situation has actually already been seen in New York a few years ago, with surges in rat activity being seen in the city, as well as in Houston, Boston, Washington and Philadelphia.

The Guardian reported at the time that there were 19,152 calls made to New York pest control services in 2017, a rise of around ten per cent compared to the year before.

Do you need the help of an exterminator in Braintree or the surrounding areas? Get in touch with The Exterminator Pest Control today to see how we can help.