Oh, Rats! Atlanta Among Worst Cities For Rodents

ATLANTA, GA — Well, rats ... this is a Top 20 list we all would have been happier for Atlanta not to show up on.

Atlanta is one of the nation's 20 "rattiest cities," according to a new list from pest control company Orkin. The city ranked No. 14 on the list.

Orkin — which is, itself, based in Atlanta — has compiled the list for the past three years. It's based on the number of rodent treatments the company performed in various cities from Sept. 15, 2016 to Sept. 15, 2017. That includes both residential and commercial treatments.

Chicago landed in the not-so-lucky number-one spot on the list, followed by New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland and Washington D.C.

Fall is the start of rodent season, according to the pest control company. As the weather gets colder, rats and mice seek out food, water and shelter to survive the winter. According to the National Pest Management Association, more than 20 million rodents invade homes each year. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app)

"Each city on this list is a major urban area that provides ideal conditions for rats and mice to thrive," said entomologist and Orkin Technical Services Director Ron Harrison. "Commensal rodents depend on humans and their resources to survive, so unless residents and city officials take proactive steps to prevent rodents, infestations can easily get out of hand."

"Commensal" refers to a species that depends on another species for food, water or other benefits.

See the entire list of Orkin's Top 50 Rattiest Cities list for 2017 here.

Rodents can contaminate food and transmit pathogens through urine, feces and bites that affect health. Rats can enter through a hole the diameter of a quarter while mice can enter through a hole the diameter of a dime, according to Orkin.

According to a 2013 Orkin survey, one-third of Americans saw a rodent in their home in the previous year. Rodents eat between 15-20 times a day, so nearly 40 percent of homeowners saw rodents for the first time in kitchens. While rodents are commonly found eating human or pet food, they are also found chewing and gnawing other materials, causing damage to furniture, clothing, wiring, insulation and piping.

Orkin provided these tips to help people avoid the health and safety risks because of rat and mice infestations:

• Inspect both inside and outside the home for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards and walls. The sooner they're detected, the easier the problem is to manage.
• Look for possible entry points outside the home and seal cracks and holes if any are found. It’ll be hidden, dark, probably warm, and difficult to reach.
• Install weather strips around entryways, especially under doors, to help block rodents from sneaking inside.
• Store food properly by keeping it sealed tightly in rodent-proof containers like plastic bins or metal canisters.
• Clean up crumbs and spills as soon as they happen to avoid leaving food residue or sugary substances that can attract rodents.
• Cut back trees and bushes to at least three feet away from homes to avoid giving rodents a "jumping off" point to access the gutters, roof or other hidden openings.

File photo by Richard Drew/Associated Press