Rat Control: The Problem with Rodents

More than any other pest, rodents generate more concern for homeowners, facility owners and pest control management professionals. Exterior control of rodents is a key part in management and will be addressed in this article.

There is more to rodent controlthen simply placing rodent bait stations and keeping them filled with bait. But this is typically the norm. Rat control involves setting up multiple lines of defense that often includes bait stations along the perimeter (fence line) of the property, bait stations along exterior perimeter of the structures, and stations (traps and glue boards) indoors.

The Roguard RMS (Rodent Management System), was create to improve the way rodent control is performed, and to make the technician's role of servicing stations easier, less time consuming and more efficient.

The Roguard RMS Station was designed to be the easiest station to clean on the market. With no partitions, side walls, troughs, no water accumulates in the station and cleaning the station is as easy as sweeping them out. These stations also have easy to unlock design, and there is an optional internal multi-catch mouse trap device.

Inspection provides the foundation needed to make informed rodent control decisions and conduct quality services. Insect the property, whether you are a homeowner or pest professional, gathering all the necessary information about the property will help you be more successful at your rodent control. Identify sources of food, water, and shelter, conducive to rodent infestation, drainage creeks, dumpsters, sewers, outdoor storage, trailers and train cars, vegetation overgrowth.

Identify burrow, runways, rub marks, droppings, or other evidence of exterior rodent activity. Inspect structure, determine the likely entry points, including but not limited to doors, roof, delivery bays, utility openings, structural defects. Implement exclusion measure to seal off rodent access points. Install rodent control stations, based on your inspection, rodent activity level. For the property perimeter you will want to place stations every 50 ft for heavy populations and 100 ft for low rat population. For roof rats, be sure to include elevated harborage or access points such as roofs. Bait stations should be monitored every 2 weeks.

For exterior building perimeter place stations every 25 ft for heavy rat populations, and 75 ft for low population. Suggestions for stations for common locations and circumstances are as follows, bait blocks for fence lines, dumpsters, active rat condition-clean out and low activity-level maintenance. Internal mouse traps for active mouse control, and adjacent to doors and entry points. Rat snap traps may be effective for fence lines (can be placed inside a rodent bait station) dumpsters, active rat clean out, and monitoring.

These are rat control recommendations for home and commercial structures and will help you understand and determine the location, number of rodent bait stations and traps for your particular situation.