Journal Article

Environmental influence on urban rodent bait consumption

Patergnani, Matteo, Pasqualucci, Fernando, Mughini Gras, Lapo, Poglayen, Giovanni, Farina, Marco, Stancampiano, Laura, Gelli, Aldo

2010

Overview

Anticoagulant poisoning is a common rodent control method in urban areas, but rodents may exhibit versatile feeding behavioural habits in varying environmental conditions. This study has been conducted to determine those environmental factors that could directly influence bait consumption and which therefore may affect an urban rodent control plan carried out with chemical methods. In the city of Bologna (Italy), 2500 bait stations have been monitored in various urban biotopes and the bait consumption studied in relation to several environmental factors, using both bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results reveal that the rodent patch distribution triggers the avoidance of baits placed outside of their home-range, hence the importance on bait placement. The logistic regression model confirms that vegetation, harbourage and water supplies are important variables in determining bait consumption, probably because they may spatially and temporarily facilitate the agoraphobic rodent movement, ensuring undisturbed bait consumption. The role of predators (dogs and cats) and food competitors (synanthropic birds) remains insignificant. However, bait eating invertebrates may consume part of the bait. For a proper rodent control plan the first real need is to minimize the alternative food sources, which may compete with baits. Weather conditions in which rodents could possibly pass unnoticed (fog and rainfall) may encourage bait consumption, vice versa with a cold climate. The considered environmental factors have satisfactorily explained bait consumption, highlighting the importance of human influence. The study of environmental factors may be useful in categorizing several site-specific conditions where rodent control efforts should be targeted, enhancing any intervention by matching the correct and specific strategy.

• Publisher: Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag,Springer-Verlag,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Agriculture / Animal behavior / Anticoagulants / Baits / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biotopes / birds / Bivariate analysis / cats / cold zones / Competition / Consumption / control methods / dogs / Ecology / Entomology / Environmental conditions / Environmental factors / Environmental studies / Feeding behavior / Fog / Food / Food sources / Forestry / Home range / Human influences / ingestion / Invertebrates / Italy / Life Sciences / Multivariate analysis / Organic chemistry / Original Paper / Plant Pathology / Plant Sciences / poisoning / Predators / rain / Rainfall / Regression analysis / Regression models / Rodent bait consumption / Rodent control / Rodent pest control / Rodentia / rodenticides / Rodents / Urban areas / Urban rodents / vegetation / Water supply / Weather