With all things going wrong this year, the visibility of
rodents has increased, causing problems for home and business owners alike.
Since fewer restaurants have been open these days, rodents have been forced to
find new food courses, driving them to scavenge new areas. Even the CDC issued
guidance on rodent
control in order to help people keep rats and mice out of their homes and
businesses.
Orkin, a well-known
pest control service, ranked metropolitan regions "by the number of new rodent
treatments performed from September 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020." New Orleans
saw a rise of six additional treatments, making it number 21 on the list of 50
cities. With colder weather coming, the indoor activity levels of rodents will
continue rising, since they seek shelter in warm places with food and water.
Since the U.S. population is spending more time at home this
season, residents should pay close attention to things that may potentially
attract rats and other rodents. According to Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist,
"Rodents are experts at sniffing out food and shelter, and they're resilient in
their ways to obtain both. Residential properties offer the ideal habitat for
rodents, and once they've settled in, they're capable of reproducing rapidly
and in large quantities." Rodents can cause severe structural damage by
burrowing and chewing on a variety of things, especially pipes, wires, and gas
lines.
Even though it has been debunked that rats were the cause of
the Bubonic Plague, they are known to carry viruses, so preventing contact with
them is always a good idea, especially during a pandemic. Thankfully, according
to Orkin, rat infestations are preventable. Orkin recommends not leaving food
out, avoiding clutter and excessive amounts of cardboard, and making sure that
your lawn is well groomed. Make sure to check both the interior and exterior of
your home for rodent droppings and possible entry points.
