A leading pest control company is breaking down the cities where rats and mice are the most out of control. Terminix ranked the top 50 cities where the company receives the most rodent-related calls, and the top-ranked city likely comes as a shock to no one.
Big picture view:
New York City, a city famous for its bold and omnipresent rats, topped the list. Of course, being the United States’ largest city probably helps drive up the number of calls a pest control company will receive. Similarly, the country’s second-largest city, Los Angeles, ranked second on the list. Here is the full list:
Why are there so many rats?
In addition to the number of people in a city, Terminix blamed the glut of rats and mice in these cities on the amount of available food for the rodents as well as the number of places there are to hide.
What they're saying:
"Large populations generate significant amounts of food waste, while dumpsters, alleys, parks, and other urban spaces can give rodents easy access to food," the Terminix report explained. "Older buildings, subway systems, and sewer networks provide additional places to travel, hide, and nest."
Particularly important to remember as winter weather moves in, extreme temperatures can send the critters looking for someplace indoors to hide, the company also pointed out.
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Why you should care:
Rats and mice are famous carriers of diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that humans can contract diseases spread by rats or mice by handling them, breathing in air or eating food contaminated with rodent waste, or being bitten by the animals. Rats and mice also can carry ticks, mites, and fleas that can spread disease.
The health agency points out that, in many cases, people will see signs that rodents are present before they see a rat or mouse. It advises keeping an eye out for rodent droppings and gnaw marks.
What you can do:
The CDC advises that the best way to keep rodents from invading is to eliminate potential food sources, access to water, or spaces where the animals could take refuge.
In its report, Terminix recommended keeping living spaces clean and free of crumbs and food residue, sealing as many entry points as possible, storing food in airtight containers, putting garbage in sealed bins, and organizing cluttered storage spaces that could be used by mice as nesting space.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from Terminix and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This story was reported from Orlando.