Common rodent poisons may be becoming less effective, scientists warn, as research suggests that mice and rats are increasingly evolving resistance to them.
Data from a new study revealed that an alarming number of house mice carry a genetic mutation associated with rodenticide resistance, which makes them more likely to survive poisons commonly relied upon for pest control.
Among house mice sampled from urban areas in Northeast America, nearly 70 per cent were found to carry genetic mutations already known to help them survive common rodenticides, while roughly 35 per cent of Norway rats – often called brown or sewer rats – carried mutations in the same gene.
House mice are adapting to rodent poisons faster than rats - Credit: Getty
Reports from flummoxed pest control professionals of increasingly stubborn rodent populations caused researchers at Rutgers University to investigate.
