Residents, Restaurants, and Rodent Realities
Learn from pest specialist on how we can best safeguard ourselves from the notorious and increasingly aggressive NYC rat
Residents, Restaurants, and Rodent Realities
The notoriety of the NYC rat long ago reached heights of psychological hysteria. Everyone has a disgusting fascination with these “big as cats” creatures that largely stay out of sight but are hardly out of mind.
For many years it was commonly believed that there was one rat per NYC resident, which would mean a city population of roughly 8 million rats. However, a rat census a few years ago showed that the actual population in NYC is closer to 2 million. But that itself is still amazing. Imagine being an unwanted inhabitant of a city where everyone was out to get you, nobody was your friend, and there were even trained, hired killers on the lookout for you, setting traps and baits, and making your life miserable every chance they got. Do you think that you would survive so well that your family would grow to 2 million? But that’s exactly what the rat in NYC has done, and so we must begrudgingly tip our cap to them even as we try to get rid of them.
One of the trending stories about rats in 2020 concerns how, since the onset of COVID-19, they have become desperate due to a decrease in their food supply following the closure of NYC’s restaurants, and have now resorted to cannibalism and home invasion. But neither of these habits is new for rats. It is the increase in these activities that is causing concerns for restaurant operators and homeowners alike. One recent headline read, “Ravenous Rats the Size of Beavers As Pest Control Call Outs Skyrocket,”1 and the CDC has issued warnings this year of “aggressive rat behavior” due to the pandemic lockdowns.
Rats are known to be commensal rodents, meaning they eat from the same table as human beings. They thrive when we thrive, and a healthy hospitality industry is indicative of a thriving society. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the hospitality industry has taken a major hit, and therefore so have the rats that have long depended on the same table scraps for survival. (I have said for years that the most certain way to get rid of the rats in NYC would be to get rid of the people.) And with the onset of COVID-19 the city population dipped, the restaurants and residents stopped supplying the rats with food, and the struggle for survival turned desperate. The rats had little choice but to do what we’ve all had to do: pivot, hustle and make it work one way or another.
How then can we best safeguard ourselves from these increasingly aggressive rodents, who, as we all know, may be carrying any number of communicable diseases with them?
First, monitoring is now more than ever critical to rat control. The old adage “where there is one there are more” is usually true. Through early detection, little problems will not have the chance to become big problems. Rodents can move fast and never stop trying to get into structures, especially if food, water, or shelter are inside. Restaurants especially need to be hyper-vigilant in this regard.
Secondly is sanitation, and we are fortunate that all of us are more mindful of cleanliness and living an asepsis lifestyle thanks to our united desire to defeat COVID-19. One man’s trash is another rat’s treasure, and our food leftovers are exactly what rats are looking for. We must be willing to change our protocols re: garbage disposal, and realize that when we “throw food away” we are in fact “throwing food to” the pests and vermin that eat it.
Finally, but just as essential as the first two points, is exclusion, the process whereby current and potential rodent entry points are identified and eliminated through the proper installation and maintenance of materials that deter penetration. We major on this because anything less than this is treating the symptoms not the cause. Rodents, even large Norway rats, are known to squeeze through very small holes. And they gnaw new holes constantly with their teeth. Vigilance in exclusion is absolutely key to maintaining rodent control.
As these desperate times for rats cause them to take desperate measures, restaurants and residential buildings must increase their control measures to stay one step ahead of the vermin. The new normal requires a new deduction, innovation, and application of a process to stay pest-free and safe from the notorious NYC rat. Contact BHB for a complimentary site evaluation for your home or business.
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1 https://www.indy100.com/article/rats-uk-homes-beavers-pest-control-9591921
About NYCHG
Established in 2009, The New York City Hospitality Group ("NYCHG") is a New York City-centric organization dedicated to serving the restaurant and hospitality industry. NYCHG is comprised of the best in class professionals that act as a resource to each other and the hospitality community.