Everything Is Coming Up Rodents As Dallas Makes 'Rattiest Cities' Top Ten List

DALLAS, TX — Dallas has made the list of "rattiest cities," according to a new report issued today by pest control company Orkin. Coming in at number 10 — up four spots from 2016 — Dallas has joined the ranks of cities like Seattle and Baltimore with its prominent position on the list. Dallas is the only Texas city on the list.

According to Orkin's rattiest cities report, "The metro regions are ranked by the number of rodent treatments the company performed from September 15th, 2016 – September 15th, 2017. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments."

Fall is the start of rodent season — a period of time when cold temperatures push small, outdoor animals like rats indoors. Rats and mice can enter the home through a hole as small as a quarter and live undetected inside walls and attics. Rats cause damage to the foundation and electrical wiring of a home and are estimated to be the cause of a number of unexplained fires. Orkin's aim in creating the annual rankings is to help make homeowners aware of the health and safety risks posed by rodents in the home.

"Rodents chew on many materials, including wood and the insulation around wires," Orikin's website says. "It’s estimated approximately 25 percent of unexplained wildfires start from rodent chewing. If rodent issues go unrecognized or ignored, their chewing can damage wires in the attic, basement or even in vehicles."

“Rodents like to chew on wood and electrical wires, increasing the fire danger behind your walls and potentially damage to your home,” said John Kane, entomologist and Technical Director of Orkin’s Midwest Region “Beyond property damage, there are other important reasons to prevent, notice and eliminate rodent infestations. They can contaminate food and transmit pathogens through urine, feces and bites that affect health.” (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Dallas Patch, or click here to find your local Texas Patch. Also, if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The top ten cities on the "rattiest cities" list are:

1. Chicago
2. New York City
3. Los Angeles
4. San Francisco
5. Washington D.C.
6. Philadephia
7. Detroit
8. Baltimore
9. Seattle
10. Dallas

An infestation of Norway rats, a common household pest, can be easily identified. According to Orikin's pest library, "Sightings during the day often indicate a potentially large infestations... Other signs of Norway rats are their gnaw marks on food and objects such as utility lines. Rub marks or grease stains caused by rats running along an edge also can indicate activity... Perhaps one of the most well-known signs is their droppings."

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.

Image via Associated Press/Mary Altaffer