Blog Layout

Do You Hear Scratching Noises? Roof Rats In Florida.

Jonathan Simkins

What’s The Cost And How To Control?

Rats and mice enter houses and warehouses in Florida for both food and shelter. They eat just about any kind of foods that people are eating. The rats and mice also contaminate 10 times the amount of food that they eat, with urine, droppings and hair. They start fires by gnawing matches and electrical wires in homes and can cause serious damage. People deal with the most persistent populations of rats and mice both indoors and outdoors. Here’s what to look for.

ROOF RATS

In roof rats, nesting on the ground is uncommon, but they can be found nesting in attic spaces, roofs, palm trees, and shrubbery. Roof rats are climbers and prefer to nest off of the ground. They are destructive to citrus groves, as they live in citrus trees and gnaw on the fruit. They can be quite destructive in attics, gnawing on electrical wires and beams.

Roof rats generally prefer vegetables, fruits and grain; however, they eat ¼ to 1 ounce per day of food from various sources. Because they must have water to survive, roof rats also consume an ounce per day and may travel 100–150 feet from their harborages in search of water or food.

Color ranges from black to grizzled gray to tan with a lighter underbelly. The tail is a bit longer than the combined head and body. Adults weigh from ½ to pound. Their droppings are approximately 1/2 inch long and spindle-shaped. Roof rats live about 1 year and reach sexual maturity in 3–5 months. They have 6–8 offspring per litter and up to 6 litters per year.

IMPORTANT RAT BEHAVIOR

The movement of rats and mice is usually related to food, water, or harborage. Knowing where they are likely to go is important to controlling them.

Rats use any technique to get to food, water, or harborage. Their excellent sense of balance enables them to run on pipes, narrow ledges, and utility wires. Rats, especially roof rats, will climb anything their claws will hold on to, including wires, pipes, and rough walls. Because rats are exceptional swimmers, they often live in sewers, and occasionally enter homes through toilets.

Rodents prefer to use regular paths or runways along walls and behind debris. To get food in the open, they will run behind things to get as close to the food as possible. They are uncomfortable around strange objects or strange food and may avoid both. Rodents and mice frequently gnaw on their surroundings. Their teeth grow 4½ to 5½ inches per year and only gnawing keeps them short and sharp.

Rats and mice are mostly active at night. Rats have greatest activity during the first half of the night, if food is abundant. Mice have normally been active after dark both at night and between midnight and dawn. Rats and mice will be active during daytime hours if food is scarce, if there is an overpopulation of rodents, or when a poison has been used and the population is sick.

RECOGNIZING RAT AND MOUSE SIGNS

Since rats and mice are active at night and are rarely seen during the day, it is necessary to recognize signs of their activity.

 

Droppings and Urine —Most homeowners first observe rodent problems by finding droppings or urine stains in and around buildings. Rodents usually have favorite toilet areas, but will void almost anywhere. Old droppings are gray, dusty, and will crumble. Fresh droppings are black, shiny, and puttylike. Rodents urinate while running, and the streaks are characteristic. The urine glows under ultraviolet lights, and glows blue-white if fresh.

 

Rubmarks —Along runways, smeary, black rubmarks appear from contact with the rodent’s body. Rubmarks on walls appear as black smudges left by the rodent. New rubmarks are soft and will smudge. Old rubmarks are brittle and will flake when scratched. Rafters may show swing marks of roof rats.

 

 Sound— Usually rodent sounds are heard at night or in quiet areas. Rodents moving at night often scratch, gnaw and fight. The young often squeak while in the nest.

 

RODENT CONTROL

Rodentproofing— Rodentproofing is changing the structure of buildings in order to prevent entry of rats and mice. In considering rodentproofing, you must know that:

· Rats can squeeze through cracks ½ inch wide; mice, ¼ inch wide. Any place a pencil can be poked, a mouse can go.

· Rats can climb the inside of vertical pipes 1½–4 inches in diameter.

· Rats can climb the outside of vertical pipes up to 3 inches in diameter and any size if within 3 inches of a wall.

· Rats can jump vertically 36 inches, horizontally 48 inches, and reach horizontally or vertically 15 inches.

·  Rats can jump 8 feet from a tree to a house if the branch is 15 feet above the roof.

We realize the importance of securing a dependable pest management firm to eliminate and control any pest population in all urban environments. Let Insect IQ take care of your wildlife problems. Here’s what we will do for you.

Critical Elements to Successful Animal Exclusions

    ✓ Key harborage sites and factors encouraging rodent build-up.

    ✓ Animal proofing by the physical elimination of all entry points and potential openings.

    ✓ A thorough inspection to identify the species involved.

    ✓ Population reduction by the use of live traps, sticky traps or other control measures

Interior Monitoring & Inspection

    ✓ For thirty-days, animal traps will be set in inaccessible areas.

    ✓ Traps will be checked once or twice/week for animal capture.

    ✓ After the thirty-days, the snap traps/live traps will be removed from the property.

    ✓ All animal exclusions are GUARANTEED FOR TWO (2) YEARS

We are confident that Insect I.Q., Inc., through the expertise and guidance of an Entomologist can provide you with the highest quality service available.

Intensive Exclusion

(1) a thorough inspection to identify the species involved, key harborage sites and factors encouraging rodent/animal build-up.

(2) recommendations for effective sanitation to deny rodents/animals food and harborage.

(3) rodent/animal proofing by the physical elimination of all entry points and potential openings through which rodents/animals can enter buildings.

(4) population reduction by the successful application of rodenticides, sticky traps or other control measures.

Interior Monitoring & Inspection

The interior monitoring will consist of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to rodent control. For thirty days (30) following the Intensive Exclusion (rodents only), rodent snap traps will be set throughout the entire building in inaccessible areas. These traps will be checked once or twice/week for rodents. After the thirty-day period, the snap traps will be removed from the building.

 

Call today for a FREE consultation, 855-930-2847.

 

By Jonathan Simkins 25 Mar, 2024
Expert Insights: Managing the Annual Lubber Grasshopper Invasion from Insect IQ
By Jonathan Simkins 30 Nov, 2023
Ensuring a Merry and Pest-Free Christmas: Expert Tips from Insect IQ
By Jonathan Simkins 22 Nov, 2023
"Laughing Off Unwanted Thanksgiving Guests with Insect IQ"
By Jonathan Simkins 14 Nov, 2023
Ensuring a Pest-Free Holiday Season with Insect IQ The holiday season brings joy and festivities, but amidst the cheer lies a concern often overlooked – the potential for insects and rodents to join the celebration through your Christmas decorations. At Insect IQ, we're here to guide you through common pests that may infiltrate your holiday decor and provide essential tips on how to prevent and address this unexpected issue.
By Jonathan Simkins 28 Aug, 2023
Bat Season starts August 15th. We can help! The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has set the official bat maternity season from April 15th through August 15th. During this time, it is prohibited to remove, harm or exterminate bats, as this is the time when female bats are raising their young ones, and removing them can lead to the separation of the young from their mothers, causing harm to both the mother and the young. The FWC recommends that if you have a bat infestation on your property, it's best to wait until the maternity season is over before taking any action. However, if there are urgent public health and safety concerns, then FWC recommends contacting a wildlife removal professional or the local FWC office to determine the best course of action. It is important to note that even during the maternity season, if a bat poses an immediate threat to human health or safety, it can be removed by a professional under certain conditions. What To Do If You Suspect Bats In Your House  If you suspect rat or rodent activity, call a wildlife specialist for identification and next steps. Insect IQ has wildlife experts on staff to give you a free evaluation and help you determine what action (if any) you need to take to control your pest problem. For more information call 855-930-2847 (bugs). Or visit https://www.insectiq.com/our-services/wildlife-services for more information about wildlife services. LICENSE & CERTIFICATIONS DACS JB131270 Pest Control License Insect IQ DACS JF8248 1994 Certified Pest Control Operator #insectiq #bats #batbugs #bathouse #batnests #familyowned
By Jonathan Simkins 03 Aug, 2023
AT INSECT IQ We strive to improve the world where we live, work, and play by protecting people, public health, food, and property from the diseases and dangers of pests. We deliver pest management solutions to commercial and residential customers throughout the Tampa Bay Market. We are experiencing year-upon-year continued growth and innovation by solving our customers’ day-to-day pest management, wildlife, termite, lawn & ornamental pest control, and stinging insect solutions. Wildlife Specialist Wanted Insect IQ is seeking a full-time, career-oriented individual to join our team as a Pest Control Technician. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently and be self-motivated. Experience in the field is helpful, but we are willing to train the right person.
By Jonathan Simkins 03 Aug, 2023
AT INSECT IQ We strive to improve the world where we live, work, and play by protecting people, public health, food, and property from the diseases and dangers of pests. We deliver pest management solutions to commercial and residential customers throughout the Tampa Bay Market. We are experiencing year-upon-year continued growth and innovation by solving our customers’ day-to-day pest management, wildlife, termite, lawn & ornamental pest control, and stinging insect solutions. Wildlife Specialist Wanted Insect IQ is seeking a full-time, career-oriented individual to join our team as a Wildlife Technician. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently and be self-motivated. Experience in the field is helpful, but we are willing to train the right person.
By Jonathan Simkins 23 Jul, 2023
What are occasional invaders and why do they enter your home? Britton Simkins notes that while many people in Florida are familiar with structural pests such as rodents, ants, cockroaches, and bed bugs, which infest and breed within buildings, there are also occasional invaders. These pests enter buildings on an infrequent basis, typically during specific months of the year, due to extreme weather conditions or accidental entry through small cracks and gaps in the building's structure. Occasional invaders are pests that invade buildings on an infrequent basis, usually during specific months of the year. They are not considered a major threat to humans, but their presence can be a nuisance. Examples of occasional invaders in Florida include millipedes, centipedes, silverfish, earwigs, crickets, and lady beetles, to name a few. Despite not being a significant threat, their presence should not be ignored, as it can indicate potential entry points for other pests. Occasional invaders typically enter buildings through small gaps or cracks in foundation walls, doorways, and windows, often attracted by lights and moisture. Once inside, they may feed on organic matter or seek shelter from the elements. In addition to being a warning sign for other pests, occasional invaders can also cause damage to property. For instance, silverfish and carpet beetles can damage fabrics and paper products, while millipedes and centipedes can stain walls and floors with their secretions. Therefore, it is important to take preventative measures to keep occasional invaders out of your building, such as sealing cracks and gaps in foundation walls, doors, and windows, and reducing moisture levels inside the building. By doing so, you can reduce the risk of an infestation by not only occasional invaders, but also other more harmful pests.
By Jonathan Simkins 17 Jul, 2023
Identifying animal feces, commonly referred to as scat, can be a task that requires some attention to detail. The appearance of feces can vary depending on the animal's diet, making it a slightly challenging task. However, by asking the right questions and taking necessary precautions, you can narrow down the potential suspects. Please note that engaging in scat identification comes with potential hazards . It is important to prioritize your safety. Droppings can be unsanitary and carry germs, so it is crucial to handle them with proper protection. Avoid direct contact and minimize breathing near the droppings. If you must handle them, use tools, gloves, and wear appropriate clothing. Dust-borne particles from droppings can also pose health risks.
By Jonathan Simkins 08 Jul, 2023
Caution: Roachpalooza - The Toothbrush and Toothpaste Edition! 
More Posts
Share by: