The good news for Vernon is the city is no longer in the top 20 rattiest cities in B.C.
The bad news for Kelowna is that city is still in the top 10 of Orkin Canada’s annual list at No. 7, down one spot from 2017, and one of three cities north of Hope that made the list.
Vernon was No. 18 in 2017.
Cities are ranked by the number of rodent (rat and mice) treatments the company performed from Jan. 1, through Dec. 31, 2018. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
“As far as rats are concerned, they’re definitely on the increase,” said Matt Wright, Orkin Canada’s Interior South branch manager, based in Kelowna.
“Rats weren’t around 10 years ago. It’s been fairly busy in 2019, the snow was around for a long time, then it kind of all just went at the same time.”
Wright said that mice have always been around, but rats are an increasing concern.
Orkin Canada reminds home and business owners to take precautions to help keep rodents out.
• Close the gap: seal any cracks or holes in your foundation with weather-resistant sealant. Install weather stripping around windows and doors, as well as door sweeps.
• Trim the trees: landscaping can be a big rodent attractant. Keep shrubbery cut back at least one meter from the exterior walls of your home to eliminate any hiding spots for rodents.
• Cut off the water: eliminate any moisture sources, necessary for the pests’ survival, such as clogged gutters or water gathering in trash and recycling bins.
• Inspect both inside and outside your property for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards and walls. The more quickly rodents are detected, the better.
The other two cities north of Hope to make the list are Kamloops (No. 14) and Terrace (No. 20).
The top 20 Rattiest Cities in B.C. in 2018 are:
1: Vancouver
2: Victoria
3: Burnaby
4: Richmond
5: Surrey
6: Langley
7: Kelowna
8: Duncan
9: Abbotsford
10: Coquitlam
11: Delta
12: Nanaimo
13: Sidney
14: Kamloops
15: New Westminster
16: Port Alberni
17: Maple Ridge
18: Port Moody
19: Port Coquitlam
20: Terrace
@VernonNewsroger@vernonmorningstar.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
