Rodent Problems In 2020 And How To Protect Your Woodbine, MD Home

Mice and rats are not just annoying – they can also be dangerous. They are the top vector for disease transmission – with over 45 diseases on their list. 35 of these can be directly or indirectly transmitted to livestock and humans.

It’s widely known that cities generally experience higher rodent populations. In New York City, for instance, rats have been part of city life for the longest time. So much so that rat-hunting is now a pastime activity for some dog owners:

Taking your dog out to hunt rats in trash cans may not be your preferred approach to rodent control. However, it’s still important to be vigilant about rodent control. When the Covid-19 restrictions were enforced, most rodents lost their primary source of food – leftover food from restaurant trash cans.

In order to survive, these rodents began to move towards residential areas for food. With more people spending more time at home, residential trash cans became their primary source of food. Rats, in particular, became more aggressive, and eating each other became the norm. As a result, a lot of the rat populations around the country currently consist of the most aggressive Alpha rats.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a page on its website titled “Rodent Control.” It says that since rodents rely on the food generated by restaurants and other commercial establishments currently closed to help limit the spread of COVID-19, “Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food. Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior.” Read more at KVUE…

The rodent problem has been quite rampant in this season. Some pest control companies report a 20% increase in calls from new customers. Calls for pest control are not limited to mice and rats – people are calling for help with wildlife and raccoons.

While homeowners in Howard County may choose to set their own rat traps, this is not always effective. When rodents interact with traps and don’t get caught, they learn to avoid them in the future. So every time you get a miss, the trap becomes less effective. This is why professional rodent control service providers will approach each case uniquely:

“You can take a long time to get things done depending on the scale where you’re working,” Madere said. “We can’t just go, ‘Well, I’ve seen it before.’” Pest behavior varies based on the environment, particularly among rats and mice. It’s important for PMPs to consider how these rodents may have adapted to certain aspects of their environment (e.g., weather) and use that knowledge to their advantage when trying to catch trap-shy rodents. Read more at PCT Online…

Are you in need of an effective rodent control solution for your home in Woodbine, MD? Backyard Bug Patrol provides perimeter rodent control that prevents mice and rats from entering your home. We strategically place outdoor rodent control bait station boxes around the perimeter walls. These boxes contain ‘delicious’ rodent food that the rodents take back to their nest – ultimately wiping out their population. Call us today!