here has been a huge increase in rat activity lately even in small towns like Grafton, Massachusetts, and Auburn, Massachusetts. There has also been a large increase in the Worcester and Boston areas as well.
Other local pest control companies have been reporting the same levels of rat activity in MA.
We have had calls for both commercial buildings and residential properties. Several calls have been due to rats gaining access into peoples kitchens and basements.
Kind of creepy, right?
So How Do You Know If You Have Rats?
The main thing that you see with rats is their droppings. The droppings are fairly large and oval-shaped. They’re usually found in clusters behind places like stoves and on the basement floor.
Other signs to look for are rat burrows in the ground around the house. Burrows are usually the size of a softball. You can also look for places where the rats are chewing to gain access.
Rats do a good amount of damage as compared to mice. They will chew holes on the wall or the bottom of doors to gain access to food.
If you do notice burrow holes, droppings, or chew holes, call a local exterminator.
So Why Would Rats Come Onto Your Property?
One of the reasons for the increase in rats is due to the construction. Almost every town has been going through a lot of road repairs and construction. The rat populations get disturbed and they start to look for new homes and food sources.
A lot of the rat calls have been due to spilled birdseed. Rats love birdseed. When the birds kick the seed onto the ground, rats find it and then start setting up burrows near the food source.
Eventually, they start seeking new food sources i.e. they try to get into your home.
They’re looking for things like trash and pet food.
What Can We Do About The Increase In Rats?
First, we have to make sure trash is kept inside trash bins, and that birdseed is not spilled onto the ground.
Rats may be in the area, but the last thing that we want is to attract them to our homes.
Rats are also a lot harder to get rid of than mice. Usually, you will need professional rodent removal services to treat rat burrows and to trap rats that are inside of your home.
If you think you may be having a rat or mouse issue – contact us today for free local home pest control in Massachusetts and evaluation of your property.
