You might want to take some steps to keep rodents out of your home as winter quickly approaches.
Pest control company Orkin Canada is out with its list of the “rattiest” cities in the Atlantic Region.
Halifax is amongst the top five cities found to have a rat problem.
It has claimed 4th place. Dartmouth is in the eighth spot.
The cities are ranked by the number of rat and mice treatments the company performed between August 1st, 2020 and July 31st, 2021.
It includes both residential and commercial properties.
Atlantic Canada’s “Rattiest” Cities. (CREDIT: Orkin Canada)
Moncton, New Brunswick holds the top spot. Second place has been claimed by St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dieppe, New Brunswick has been ranked the third “rattiest” city.
Pandemic has impact on rat sightings
Orkin says the pandemic has also had an impact on the pesky pests, forcing them to adapt.
Lockdowns caused some of their resources to disappear. Rats frequent dumpsters that are located close to restaurants and other food establishments.
Orkin says those resources were reduced when the lockdown forced businesses to shut down and people to stay away from urban centers. As a result, the company believes rats became bolder during the daytime.
The quiet streets gave them freedom to move around and roam the roads for food.
“Rodents from commercial areas migrated to residential areas in search of food,” Orkin says. “There was also increased sightings and rodent population in residential areas. This population influx has led to increased rodent damage, as more rodents take residence in and around homes.”
The company adds the increase in sightings does not necessarily mean a rodent population boom.
Rat. (CREDIT: Wolfgang Vogt from Pixabay)
You might have to get used to seeing rats more
Orkin doesn’t know if the pandemic will have a lasting impact on rats and their behaviour.
It says more aggressive and visible rats may be here to stay.
“We also don’t know if the behavioural changes seen during the pandemic will eventually become genetically passed onto offspring. If this happens, it may result in more aggressive, bold rats that are active during the day,” Orkin says.
It adds if these behaviours do get passed on that has the potential to lead to more structural damage along with an increase in rodents moving and nesting indoors with the change of the seasons.
If you want to keep the critters away, it’s recommended you seal any cracks and holes in your foundation and install weather stripping.
Another tip is to trim trees around your property to prevent hiding spots near your home.
You can also cut off any water sources, including clogged gutters, and prevent water from gathering in trash or recycling bins.
