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Getting Rid of Rodents

— By Chad Gore —

 

Proactive steps to prevent rodent infestations in your facilities this winter.

 

 

As retail and restaurant facilities prepare for increased foot traffic over the holiday season, it is imperative for store operators to familiarize themselves with the signs of rodent infestations. If not properly monitored, rats and mice seeking shelter from cold temperatures can lead to costly structural damage, health and safety hazards, product contamination and a negative brand reputation. Facility managers can use these essential tips to understand the facts, anticipate the signs and identify proactive steps to prevent a rodent infestation this season.

Step 1: Understand the Facts

Chad Gore, Rentokil North America

Large retail spaces and restaurants with stored products and food are at an increased risk of experiencing rodent infestations. If left unchecked, mouse and rat populations can quickly expand. Rodents can multiply from one to hundreds in just a few months. To stay ahead of a potential infestation, retail and restaurant managers should understand a few basic facts about rodents.

Rats are neophobic, meaning they do not like new things in their environment. Mice and rats often travel the same paths and pick natural trails to follow, such as girders, heating and electrical lines and utility runs. They will change their movement patterns if something new, such as a trap, is introduced, making them hard to capture.

These small creatures are often seen scurrying across a floor, but rodents are also excellent climbers and can quickly and easily travel across elevated spaces. Rodents prefer quiet, undisturbed areas, such as closets, storage areas, wall voids and sheds. Other common hiding spots in these facilities include:

As nocturnal creatures, rodents are most active between dusk and dawn and usually hide from humans during the day. Although they may be experts at hiding, there are additional ways to uncover a potential rodent problem.

Step 2: Anticipate the Signs

One effective way to stop a potential rodent infestation from spreading is to train floor staff on what to look for. Retail and restaurant employees can look for these additional signs to help identify potential rodent problems:

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Identify Proactive Steps

Acting at the first sign of a suspected problem can help to drastically reduce the health risks posed by mice and rats and the length of time needed to effectively control an infestation. In order to prevent potentially dangerous health, safety and brand image risks retail and restaurant operators can use these proactive steps to stay one step ahead:

 

 

 

 

Store operators should also pay attention to the environment, neighboring properties, potential changes in the areas around a facility and be in communication with a trusted pest management provider. This knowledge can help the provider implement the best preventative measures. With increased vigilance and a scheduled preventative maintenance plan, any facility can prepare now against an onslaught of rodents this winter.

 

 

 

— Chad Gore, PhD is a certified entomologist and market technical director at Rentokil North America, which provides commercial and residential pest control to customers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.rentokil.com/us.

 

 

 

 

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