Rats live alongside man, invading his buildings and eating his food. Rats transmit disease which are potentially fatal to man such as Weil's disease and murine typhus. They also carry organisms which can damage man's health such as Salmonella bacteria, viruses and parasites such as nematodes and worms.

Damage by rats to the fabric of buildings can be costly. Fires can easily be started after a rat has gnawed a cable. Gas and water pipes are also at risk and rat burrowing can undermine foundations and damage water courses.

Control is essential in agricultural, domestic and industrial premises.

Mice carry diseases such as Salmonella and they can also transmit a type of Leptospirosis. Their continual dribble of urine contaminates food and feedstuffs. They are a very real pest in grain stores, warehouses, hotels, shops, hospitals and domestic premises. At six weeks mice reach sexual maturity and can have over a dozen in a litter. This means their numbers can increase rapidly which in turn demands effective methods of control and erradication to halt their spread.