Fall Pests: Part 1—The Rodent – from Tri-County Pest Control

Two weeks ago, we shared with you a little information about fall pests and how to deter them. Now, with the fall equinox just around the bend, we would like to explore each one of them in-depth in a three-part series to give you a little more information on each one. So without further ado, let’s explore the first fall pest on our list: The Rodent.

Throughout the course of human history, rodents have been a pest to humanity, and history suggests that they played a hand in the spreading of the Bubonic Plague throughout Europe in the mid 14th Century that killed about 30%-60% of Europe’s population. Rodents include anything in the order Rodentia, which include 40% of all mammal species. Common animals from the order Rodentia include squirrels, rats, gerbils, hamsters, beavers, chipmunks, and opossums.

However, not all rodents are pests—just look a Punxsutawney Phil! Some rodents are fun and cute, but the bad ones, such as rats and squirrels, give Rodentia a bad name.

Rodents such as rats, squirrels, and opossums are harbingers of disease, which is why they are considered a pest. According to the Center for Disease Control, these critters can carry diseases such as Leptospirosis, Hemorrhagic Fever, Rat Bite Fever, Salmonellosis, and finally, Plague. Some of these diseases occur just from breathing in the feces of a rat, where others can be caused by a bite with a rat or squirrel, and finally some can be attained just by making contact with an infected animal.

If you happen to stumble across a rodent in your home, do not touch it! Instead, give us a call and we’ll handle the critter for you, or follow these tips to keep these guys out of your home:

• Be sure to seal up any cracks in your siding and foundation.
• Clean out your crawl space regularly ( they love to burrow in the insulation).
• Trim back any branches that touch or are close to touching your home, as these serve as a bridge for them.
• Eliminate excess clutter in your garage or bedrooms, as they see it as a cozy hiding place.

The best offense with rodents is a good defense, but if they still find a way in, call Tri-County Pest Control, and we’ll make sure they see their shadow and scurry out of your home.

That’s it for this week’s (more in-depth) edition of Fall Pest Prevention! Next week, we’ll cover arguably the most infamous pest: The Cockroach.