Revealed: the pests which Rentokil got most callouts for last year

Rodents continue to be the number one reason for callouts for pest control company Rentokil, figures for 2022 show. 

Ireland’s leading pest control provider has revealed that rodents, flies, and moths accounted for the majority of its pest callouts across the country in 2022.

Rodents represented 58% of all pest callouts for Rentokil across the full calendar year, followed by flies (15%) and moths (5%). 

Dublin at 22% was the county that accounted for the most callouts in 2022, followed by Cork (17%), Kerry (8%), Galway (5%), and Mayo (4%).

Given that rodents were the most common pest the company was called on to deal with in 2022, Rentokil is warning home and business owners to be vigilant for the presence of rodents and the conditions that encourage them.

Rats and mice typically move indoors during the winter period, in search of shelter, warmth, and food. Rodents can cause damage to premises and stored goods, as well as damage to a business’s reputation, and they can also spread diseases such as Hantavirus and Salmonellosis.

To combat the presence of rodents, Rentokil is advising businesses to explore unmanned, non-toxic, pest control technologies that proactively deliver maximum protection against pests, such as PestConnect, an ‘always on’ digital solution that provides 24/7 protection from rodents. The company has seen an increase in the use of unmanned, technologically enabled pest control solutions in 2022, and expects this trend to continue over the coming year.

Flies and moths also accounted for a significant percentage of pest control callouts in 2022. Flies pose a threat of spreading bacteria such as E-coli and campylobacter when they land on our food.

Moths also pose a risk, as these pest insects can cause damage to textiles and fabrics stored in our homes.

Dr Colm Moore, Area Technical Manager for Rentokil said: “2022 saw significant callouts for pest control services from Rentokil across the country, with rodents accounting for the majority of callouts. This may have been impacted by the number of offices reopening during the year as public health measures were eased. Empty offices served as the perfect shelter for many pest species during lockdown, and their reopening will have led to more interactions between humans and pests”.