A first-of-its-kind study examined the rat populations in 16 cities worldwide. According to the study, which was published in the Science Advances journal via AP News, 11 of those cities saw an increase in complaints of infestations. 

Even if you don’t live anywhere near these cities, it’s still a good idea to protect your home against possible pests.

Here’s how to shield your home from rats, mice, or really any unwanted rodents, whether you live in New York City or Kentucky.

Relentless rats plague major cities—and small towns

The Science Advances study found that Washington, D.C., saw the highest increase in rat sightings in the last year. 

In fact, Washington’s rising rat-reporting trend was three times greater than Boston’s and 50% more than New York’s, according to the journal. 

Other cities that saw increases included San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Toronto.  But it’s not just big cities being affected. Smaller metropolitan areas like New Orleans and Louisville, KY also made the list—though mercifully, they’ve seen declines in their populations. 

The note causes for the increase were varied, but researchers pointed to warming temperatures as the biggest factor.  

Study lead author Jonathan Richardson, a biologist at the University of Richmond, explains that as the seasons are changing so do the mating habits of the animals. 

“If we’re warming the climate and winter starts a week or two later and spring arrives a week or two earlier, that’s one, two, maybe even three or four weeks across the entire year where those rats can be above ground foraging, acquiring more food and maybe squeezing out one or two more reproductive cycles," Richardson says.

How to know rats are in your house

Unfortunately, the signs that a rodent has snuck into your home will be plentiful—and gross. 

Jim Fredericks, chief entomologist for the National Pest Management Association, says the first telltale sign is rat droppings. 

Look, too, for chewed surfaces or food supplies as well as burrowing points where the rats might have made their way in.

And don’t think that just because you live outside the city that you’re safe. 

“I don’t think armies of rats with pitchforks and torches are marching toward suburbia,” Fredericks says. “But they are definitely seeking food in places where they haven’t previously.”

How to keep rats out of your house

Whether you live in a metro area or not, it doesn’t hurt to assess your home in advance of a possible rat problem. 

Michael Parsons, a visiting research scholar at Fordham University who studies urban rats, suggests you start thinking like the enemy.

“Walk around the property, and pretend you are a rodent,” Parsons says. “This might take some imagination, but we take the same approach when we burglar-proof our homes. Where would we enter the home if we weighed 400 grams?”

Rats can squeeze through holes the size of a quarter while their smaller counterparts, mice, can wriggle into holes the size of a dime. Given how small that really is, Fredericks suggests focusing on hot spots first. 

Look closely at doors and windows, around pipes and exhaust vents, and at any electrical cables coming into the house.

Fredericks adds you’ll want to secure food both inside your home and outside, including garbage cans.

“Plastic bags holding garbage are just like wrapping paper to rats,” he says. “It’s a gift.”

And don’t forget to secure your pet’s food, including bags of kibble you might be keeping in odd places like the basement.

“Rats do have a great sense of smell,” Fredericks adds

Parsons suggests sweeping your home weekly to look for signs of rats. Doing so regularly will ensure you know what’s changed if rats do come around.

In the Northern U.S., Fredericks says, that might mean burrows from your flower beds into your homes. In warmer climates, it might mean rats have made their way into your attic by way of overhanging palm trees.

When to call a pest control professional

Pest control can be a DIY ordeal (especially when you have so much time on your hands), but there are times when you'll want to call in the big guns.

“When a pest control pro is called out, they take a holistic approach to what’s going on,” Fredericks says. “It’s not just about setting out mousetraps.”

Fredericks suggests hiring a professional for a more thorough evaluation of your home’s hot spots and to address a current infestation.

These experts can tell you how you can try to fix a problem, and they can ensure a thorough extermination of the rats with safe and humane methods.

Original post courtesy of realtor.com.

Rich Dallas/Sharon Fincham

(c) 412-965-6387

(o) 724-941-3340

The Dallas-Fincham Team and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Rich@DallasFinchamTeam.com

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