Rodent Awareness Week, which this is year is being held October 20-26, is the Professional Pest Management Alliance’s (PPMA) annual event to teach the public about rodents and their dangers. PPMA is the public outreach side of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) that educates consumers and homeowners.
Rodent Awareness Week highlights all types of rodents from roof rats and house mice that can get into homes to squirrels, moles, gophers and voles that can be a pest in your yard. While Mickey Mouse and Rocky the Flying Squirrel are cute, their real-life counterparts can be dangerous. Just as bad, hearing rodents of any kind in your walls is scary.
Are Rodents Dangerous?
Rodents are a year-round problem that destroy property. They can even carry ticks that spread disease and parasites. A study by Advanced Symbolics found that rats are the most feared pest in America. It also said that rodents are twice as likely to be found in bathrooms than in any other room.
Rodents are a threat in a number of ways. Rats, mice, and squirrels can chew wiring, leading to an electrical fire. In fact, it’s estimated that 25% of house fires in the U.S. are caused by wires exposed when rodents chewed them.
Even if they leave your wiring alone, rodents can still cause a great deal of damage to your home because mice and rats eat almost anything. That includes cardboard, wallboards, insulation, and they can even chew wood.
Do Rodents carry diseases?
Allergens from rodents can trigger asthma and allergies. Worse, studies have shown rodent urine in 35% of homes are at levels that could trigger allergic reactions. Even trace amounts have been found in 82% of homes. Just as many people are allergic to mice, usually without realizing it, as there are people allergic to dust and mold.
Rodents can also transmit salmonella, hantavirus, tularemia, rat bite fever, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, leptospirosis and, of course, bubonic plague. Rodents are frequently carriers of ticks, mites and other parasites. Even on their own, rodents can transfer germs through their urine and feces that can be deadly.
Rodent Awareness Week is in the fall because as the temperatures drop rodents (especially rats and mice) have extra incentive to enter homes. It’s estimated that rodents infest 21 million homes every winter. In addition to having a warm place to shelter during the winter, it provides them with an abundance of potential food.
Let Arrow Solve Your Rodent Problem
Whether they’re in your walls or digging holes in your yard, rodents can be difficult to eliminate. Our experts can evaluate your situation and help you determine the best course of action to remove your rodent problem. Contact us today for more information.
