Los Angeles Reclaims Second Spot, New York
Drops to Third
ATLANTA, Oct. 23,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago continues its first-place run in the
rat race, topping Orkin's Top 50 Rattiest Cities List for the
ninth year in a row. Los
Angeles moved up to the #2 ranking while New York rounds out the top three spots.
Jumping up 10 spots this year is Houston to #20, and Greensboro, N.C., moves up 17 spots to take
#50.
Chicago
ranks #1 on Orkin's Top 50 Rattiest Cities List for the ninth
consecutive year.
New this year, Orkin is celebrating Chicago's top spot placement by releasing
a limited-edition t-shirt made available for free
while supplies last. The shirt will feature a Top Rattiest City
design made specifically for Chicago, commemorating the dedication of the
city as it perseveres in the battle against rodents.
Cities on the Rattiest Cities List are based on the number of
new rodent services showcasing the demand and also indicates the
efforts that residents and businesses of the top cities have taken
to treat rodent issues.
Orkin ranked metro regions by the number of new rodent
treatments performed from Sept.1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. This ranking includes both
residential and commercial pest control treatments.
1.
CHICAGO
2. LOS ANGELES (+1)
3. NEW YORK (-1)
4. WASHINGTON, DC
5. SAN FRANCISCO
6. PHILADELPHIA
7. BALTIMORE
8. DENVER
9. DETROIT (+1)
10. CLEVELAND-AKRON (-1)
11. MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL
12. SEATTLE
13. BOSTON
14. ATLANTA
15. INDIANAPOLIS
16. PITTSBURGH
17. HARTFORD
18. COLUMBUS, OH (+3)
19. MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE (+1)
20. HOUSTON (+10)
21. CHARLOTTE (+16)
22. DALLAS-FT. WORTH (+2)
23. RALEIGH-DURHAM (+8)
24. MILWAUKEE (-6)
25. GRAND RAPIDS (-2)
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26.
PORTLAND, OR (-4)
27. NORFOLK-PORTSMTH (+1)
28. SAN DIEGO (-9)
29. RICHMOND-PETERSBURG (+3)
30. NEW ORLEANS (+8)
31. CINCINNATI (-6)
32. GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG (+10)
33. SACRAMNTO (+7)
34. KANSAS CITY (-5)
35. NASHVILLE (-9)
36. TAMPA-ST. PETE (+5)
37. ORLANDO-DAYTONA BCH (+12)
38. BUFFALO (-5)
39. ST. LOUIS (-5)
40. PHOENIX (+5)
41. CHAMPAIGN, IL (-14)
42. ALBANY-TROY (-6)
43. FLINT (-8)
44. BURLINGTON-PLATTSBURGH (+4)
45. ALBUQUERQUE (+17)
46. ROCHESTER, NY (+5)
47. SOUTH BEND, IN (-4)
48. SYRACUSE (-9)
49. CHARLESTON-HUNTINGTON (-2)
50. GREENSBORO, N.C. (+17)
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Each fall, mice and other rodents invade an estimated 21 million
homes in the United States. They
typically enter homes between October and February looking for
food, water and shelter from the cold.
"Rodents multiply swiftly and when an infestation is left
unattended, they can cause extensive damage to homes and yards,"
said Ben Hottel, an Orkin
entomologist. "Rats are capable of squeezing into spaces
through holes as small as a quarter, which makes it especially
important to seal cracks from the outside."
Rodents can cause health issues and also severe structural
damage with their strong jaws and burrowing skills. They have
oversized front teeth for gnawing, and teeth which are adapted for
chewing a variety of items including electrical wires, water pipes
and gas lines.
Because of the threats that rodents pose, it's important for
homeowners and business owners to know how to spot a rat or mouse
infestation in order to take a proactive approach in eliminating
them from their homes and facilities. A few common signs of a
rodent infestation include:
- Droppings: Rodent droppings are often left behind in
places where food is stored, such as kitchen cabinets or pantries,
under sinks, inside chewed cardboard boxes, along baseboards and on
top of wall beams
- Gnaw marks: Mice are known to bite through walls, wood
and wires. The damage to wiring within walls can increase the risk
of a house fire.
- Nests: Rodents prefer to nest in dark, secluded areas
where there is little chance of disturbance. Be on the lookout for
shredded paper products, cotton, packing materials and other
fabrics, as house mice like to build nests out of these
materials.
- Rub marks: Rats tend to leave dark grease or dirt marks
along walls and floorboards as they follow a trail throughout the
home between their nest and food.
- Strange noises: Scurrying in the walls or in the attic
could mean a rodent family is present. Rodents are especially fond
of attics as it's an insulated area for nest building.
The good news is homeowners and business owners can help prevent
rodent infestation troubles by taking a proactive approach in
eliminating entryways into their home and business. To help avoid
the potential health and safety risks associated with rodents,
Orkin recommends the following tips to help keep rodents out:
- Store away 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 to prevent
contamination.
- Declutter. Cardboard objects prove attractive to
rodents, as they tend to chew them up for use in their nests. Take
advantage of your extra time at home to clean and organize crowded
spaces around the house and facility.
- Maintain your landscaping. Tall grass with adequate
harborages, such as woodpiles next to the house, can be ideal
habitats for rodents. Tree branches in contact with homes can also
offer rodents easy access to the upper levels of your home where
they may find a way into the attic.
- Inspect both inside and outside your home. Keep an eye
out for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards
and walls. The sooner rodents are detected, the better.
- Look for possible entry points. Seal any holes and
cracks that are found around your home. Install weather strips
around entryways, especially under doors, to help keep mice out of
your home.
Using the tips above, homes and businesses across the nation can
be better equipped to keep rats and mice out. To effectively
control rodent infestations, contact an Orkin Pro who can assess
your situation, implement a sound solution that is designed just
for your home and monitor for improvements over time.
For more information about rodent prevention, visit
Orkin.com/pests/rodents.
About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based
Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and
protection against termite damage, rodents and insects. Orkin has
358 owned and operated branch offices and 47 franchises in the U.S.
The company also has international franchises and subsidiaries in
Canada, Europe, Central
America, South America, the
Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa, and Mexico. For more than 120 years, Orkin has
been committed to protecting public health by helping prevent and
control pests as well as educating consumers on the potential
health risks posed by these pests. As such, Orkin Pros always put
the customer first and approach every opportunity with the utmost
professionalism and the knowledge and skillset to solve any pest
problem. Since 2020, Orkin has partnered with the American
Red Cross® to inform the public
about the health threats of mosquitoes while boosting our country's
blood supply through monetary contributions and blood donations.
Orkin is committed to hiring the world's best to help protect the
places where we live, work and play. Learn more about careers at
Orkin here. Visit Orkin.com for additional information. Orkin is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL). Follow us
on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Orkin, LLC