Letter: Rat race for the nuts

Sir: We found your article on the brown rat (4 April) very timely, as we have recently discovered we have one living in our garden. This came to light when we were investigating the rapid disappearance of peanuts from the hanging bird feeder.

We have a large variety of birds who feed on the peanuts, including two types of woodpecker, but could not understand the rate at which they were being devoured, until the day we saw a brown rat hanging from the tree branch, eating the nuts. Even the local squirrels have not managed to eat them at the rate this rat feeds.

We now have a dilemma, especially after reading your article, as to whether or not to attempt to eradicate the rat. It is not a sewer rat, and we are not living close to a river or canal. Is our rat harming anyone - or is it just part of the natural fauna in the countryside?

Yours faithfully,

WENDY BARKER

Shillington, Bedfordshire

5 April