San Francisco Among America’s “Rattiest” Cities
San Francisco’s parklets are giving rats a perfect place to eat, shelter, and multiply.
Move over, mold. San Francisco has a rat problem.
For the third year in a row, SF has ranked fifth in a list of rat-ridden cities compiled by pest control company, Orkin. New York City took second place, losing out to Chicago. Orkin rated the Windy City America’s “rattiest,” marking its eighth year as king of Rodentia americana. Los Angeles came in at third most rat-infested, two slots higher than San Francisco.
New York edged out Los Angeles for the silver medal. Hartford, Connecticut and Miami, Florida made the top twenty.
See also: Rat problem raising concerns at San Francisco’s busiest playgrounds
Orkin bases their list off the number of commercial and residential treatments they conduct across the states. 2022’s list runs from September 1st, 2021, to August 31st, 2022.
Rats and other rodents invade approximately twenty-one million American homes each fall, Orkin said. Infestations begin when temperatures plummet in October and persist until spring. They come in search of shelter from the cold and a readily available supply of food and water.
“Rodent infestations are among the top pest issues of the fall and winter seasons,” said Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist. “Not only are mice and rats a nuisance, but they are known to spread a variety of dangerous diseases, including Salmonella and Hantavirus.”
Rats are also known carriers of plague, which still exists, as well as pox viruses, including monkeypox. Unlike previous years however, rodents have a new habitat. The advent of parklets has inadvertently provided perfect breeding grounds for rats living off food scraps.
See also: Outdoor Parklet Dining Is About to Get Smaller, More Accessible—And More Limited
Cities that made the top ten:
10. Denver
9. Detroit
8. Cleveland
7. Baltimore
6. Philadelphia
5. San Francisco
4. Washington, D.C.
3. Los Angeles
2. New York
1. Chicago
Orkin recommends the following tips to prevent rodent infestation:
- Do not leave out food. Small crumbs and garbage are popular food sources, as are dry goods such as grains and cereals. These should be kept in sealed metal or glass containers.
- Avoid cluttering up your space. Cardboard objects attract rodents, as they tend to chew them up for use in their nests.
- Don’t let your landscaping run wild. Tall grass and convenient harborages, such as woodpiles next to the house, are ideal rat habitats. Tree branches in contact with homes, fire escapes, and roofs can also offer rodents easy access to your home.
- Inspect both inside and outside your home for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards and walls. The more quickly rodents are found, the sooner the infestation can be stopped.
- Look for possible entry points outside your home and seal cracks and holes if found. Install weather strips around entryways, especially under doors, to block rodents from sneaking in.
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