IN YARRAVILLE, the cold weather has sent more than its residents running inside for warmth.

Mice and rats are increasingly making an appearance in Yarraville homes with the suburb one of the top 10 in Melbourne to call pest management company Amalgamated Pest Control.

Ferntree Gully, Hoppers Crossing, South Melbourne, Blackburn, Altona, Ascot Vale, Brighton, Richmond and Northcote also made the top 10.

The list is based on data from Amalgamated Pest Control’s Victorian call centre.

Operations manager Ron Aliotta said the winter weather had caused a surge of complaints about mice and rats in suburban areas.

“Rodents are a widespread problem during the cooler months, however we have noticed that a common factor this year is the large number of properties close to railway lines experiencing rodent infestations,” he said.

“Mice and rats in buildings pose a serious threat to human health as they are known to carry diseases that are easily transmitted to humans.

“The most widespread problem is the distribution of food poisoning organisms, particularly salmonella bacteria.”

The most common rodents around Melbourne are house mice, the Norway rat and the roof rat.

Mice typically nest in wall and roof voids, cupboards, stored food, boxes and furniture.

Mr Aliotta advised residents to seal up any holes or entry points larger than a five-cent piece, fix any leaking pipes and store rubbish in bins with tight-fitting lids.