Rats in Chicago: Windy City tops New York & L.A. for the title of "rattiest city" 8th year in a row

Also, how to keep rodents out of your home this fall and winter.

Image by Ale-ks/Depositphotos.com

(CHICAGO) Orkin ranks cities annually by the number of new rodent treatments performed during the past year. Chicago has the embarrassing honor of winning the title of the country's "rattiest city" for the eighth year in a row.

According to a press release from the pest control company, Orkin, "Chicago may soon need to change its name from “The Windy City” to the “Rattiest City,” after topping Orkin’s Top 50 Rattiest Cities List, yet again."

The top ten cities in Orkin's list of 50 metro areas are:

1. Chicago
2. New York
3. Los Angeles
4. Washington D.C.
5. San Francisco
6. Philadelphia
7. Baltimore
8. Cleveland
9. Detroit
10. Denver

Rodents want to get into your Chicago home this fall

Orkin estimates from October to February, rodents (including mice and rats) invade 21 million homes in the U.S. looking for warmth, food, and water.

The situation has been made worse during the pandemic, as the crop-up of outdoor dining structures attracted rodents on the hunt for food and shelter.

“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 carry diseases

The type of rat common to Chicago is the Norway rat. They can spread disease to humans by carrying infected fleas and ticks.

How to keep rats and other pests out of your home

Orkin offers the following suggestions for keeping your home rodent-free:

• Don't leave food out. Even small crumbs can attract mice and rats. Keep food in sealed containers.
• Cut back your landscaping. Rats and mice love to hang out in tall grasses and wood piles.
• Get rid of clutter, especially cardboard boxes, which rodents like to chew up for their nests.
• Keep an eye out in your home for signs of rodents, such as droppings, gnaw marks, and nests.
• Prevent rodents from getting in by sealing cracks and holes around your home and installing weather strips in your doorways.

What is the city of Chicago doing to combat its rat problem?

City officials say in addition to using rodenticide in rat burrows, the "most effective way to combat rodents is containerization." The city provides residents with free heavy-duty plastic carts with tight-fitting lids to contain garbage, cutting off the main food supply for rats.

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