Rat Evidence in East Brunswick, NJ

Thursday, February 21st, 2019 by Chris Fyfe

Challenge

Recently, while performing a routine servicing of one of our commercial accounts, an apartment complex in East Brunswick, NJ, I discovered an unmistakable sign that Norway rats were visiting the complex’s dumpster.

Norway rats are larger and more aggressive than roof (black) rats, These stocky rats, also called brown rats and sewer rats, often live in close association with people everywhere — in cities, suburbs, and rural areas. No matter where we live, we offer rats plenty of food, water, and shelter. These rats eat any type of food, fresh or rancid, and can survive on as little as 1/2 to 1 ounce of water daily (just one or two tablespoons). Food waste in dumpsters provides more than enough sustenance for these rats, providing them with enough food to live and thrive.

There is a popular misconception that rats are only an inner-city problem since most media attention on rat outbreaks is focused on urban areas. On the East Coast, we often hear about rat issues in Newark, Elizabeth, and of course, New York City. Actually, right now, Chicago has the distinction of being the rat capital of the US-based on the number of complaints — more than 50,000! NYC is a distant second. However, those who live in suburban communities here in Monmouth, Middlesex, or Ocean counties can just as easily find themselves with a rat infestation, especially those who live in higher-density apartments. Unfortunately, the more garbage, the more attractants there are for rats, mice, and other pests.

Solution

Norway rats burrow to make nests under buildings and other structures where suitable food, water, and shelter are available. These tunnels can be hard to find. However, sometimes pest control technicians get lucky and, today, nature was on my side. We had just gotten a light dusting of snow, and there were plenty of rat footprints around the dumpster coming from behind the dumpster where there was heavy vegetation. For locating rats inside, I’ve applied a light film of baby powder in those areas of suspected rodent activity. Here, nature did it for me!

However, the overgrowth of weeds and debris made it difficult to locate the burrow entrance and exit holes, which are only 2- to 3-inches wide. As the rat population expands, more burrows are built, and it does not take long for there to be a full network of underground tunnels that is home to dozens of rats! As nocturnal pests, rats scavenge for food at night and then return to their burrows before daylight. So, it was not surprising to me that no rats were observed in the dumpster area by tenants or staff. Rats are experts at escaping detection.

I spoke with the property manager about my observations and, come spring, all of the vegetation around the dumpster will be cleared out to eliminate these harborage areas. Also, which was already part of our program, I set up rodent bait boxes at each dumpster area of the complex. During my periodic servicing, I will check the bait and replenish it as necessary. This also helps me determine the level of rodent activity and formulate an appropriate treatment plan. It is far better to deal with mice and rats while they are still roaming about outside before they find their way inside structures!