A WAVE of super rats is closing in on Swindon as they fight traditional poisons and invade surrounding counties.

Last week, town pest controller Justin Holloway, of Prokill, exterminated the firm’s biggest rat on record, at 20 inches from nose to tail, in the back yard of a restaurant in central Swindon.

Its size, however, did not classify it as one of this super breed, which is so named so because of a genetic mutation which creates a resistance to mainstream rodenticides.

However, Justin warned that after springing up in pockets of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, growing in number as they survive efforts to exterminate them, the super rats are coming to Swindon.

“Trends in growth and population show it is always expanding,” he said.

“One particular strain of rats were not so susceptible to rodenticides or the anti-coagulants served and, as a percentage of the total rat population, they become greater over time.

“As far as resistance is concerned, it is a growing issue and over a period of time I expect this to be a greater problem than it currently is, but establishing a timeframe is harder.

“The implication is if you are a rat and you’re not being taken on, you might enjoy a longer life and grow to a larger size, because you are not being taken down.

“If there’s a good source of food and water it becomes a larger rat.”

Justin recently updated Prokill’s pest blog, available at prokillpestblog.wordpress.com, with a picture of the 20-inch beast he disposed of by traditional means.

These traditional rodenticides and anti-coagulants do not affect the super rat, but it is not invincible. There are a number of acute baits on the market, also known as single-feed poisons, which can be used inside the home to see off the super rats, but it is illegal for these to be used outside.

The rat hunter is yet to find a foe he cannot see off in Swindon, but can’t say they aren’t already here, waiting to surface.

“We will find in some rare cases they’re consuming the stuff (regular poison) like sweets and not dying,” he said. “They don’t get enough toxins for them to pass away. I can’t say for sure these don’t exist in Swindon.

“I haven’t yet had a problem I can’t take down.”

The restrictions in legislation which prevent the use of acute baits outdoors are not expected to be lifted by the Government.

“We are not seeing any new rodenticides that are licensed for use outside that we have got to use, so there’s a big problem on the horizon as far as controls with poisons is concerned,” added Justin.