Pesticide usage in Scotland: Rodenticide use by Local Authorities 2023

Rodenticide resistance

Rodenticide resistance is known to occur at a number of locations in Central and South Scotland⁽⁵⁾ and all respondents were asked if they had encountered, or were aware of, any rodenticide resistance issues in their LA areas.

Of the 26 responding LAs, 21 (81%) advised that they were not aware of any issues with rodenticide resistance. Five respondents (19%) did report resistance in their area, an increase from the two reporting it in 2015⁽¹). These were Argyll and Bute, Edinburgh, Moray, South Lanarkshire and Orkney. Of these, only South Lanarkshire had reported resistance in the 2015 survey⁽¹⁾. Moray reported resistance but specified that there was none evident in rats (indicating resistance in mice). All responding LAs indicated that they dealt with suspected resistance by changing bait type to one with a different active ingredient, including in one case to cholecalciferol. One LA also used trapping as an additional alternative response.