Tag Archives: New York rats

Disease Carrying Pests, News, Pest Control, Pest Eradication, Rats, Rodent Control

What’s That Smell? Critter Cologne Is NYC’s New Rat Strategy

What's That Smell? Critter Cologne Is NYC's New Rat Strategy
What’s That Smell? Critter Cologne Is NYC’s New Rat Strategy

Could a cologne be the key to solving NYC’s rat problem? Scientists have been looking into using male and female rat pheromones to deter rats from going to certain areas. While this critter cologne is still being studied, keep in mind that you’ll need to rely on professional NJ pest control if you have a problem with these rodents.

Rat Pheromones

Pheromones are scent hormones given off by male and female rats. Researchers found that rats tend to avoid visiting areas that are filled with the scent of male rat pheromones. Instead, they typically visit areas where female rat pheromones are more distinct.

Using male-scented rat pheromones could end up being a way to keep rats away from certain areas. One problem with this approach is that it attracted more cats than usual, which could lead to other problems.

Dealing with Rats

Pheromone critter colognes aren’t on the market yet, so it’s important to have pest control experts handle rat infestations for you. Relying on professionals helps ensure that your rat problem is under control, which helps lower your risk of disease, property damage, food contamination, and other issues. Pest control experts can also help reduce your risk of having more rat problems in the future.

If your property has a rat problem, contact Stern Environmental for NJ pest control services. We can safely eliminate rats or other rodents and pests from your property.

Disease Carrying Pests, News, Rats, Rodent Control

Wild Norway Rat Behaviors Impact Commercial Businesses

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Wild Norway Rat Behaviors Impact Commercial Businesses
Wild Norway Rat Behaviors Impact Commercial Businesses

Norway rats weren’t always a problem for business owners in the NJ and NYC areas. However, these invasive rats have become a big issue in our region. Knowing more about their behavior can help you understand why they’ve been so successful at building large populations and why they’re such a menace to local business owners.

High Birth Rates

Norway rats don’t have a long life span. In fact, they only live for about a year in the wild. However, these rodents make up for that short life span by having a high rate of birth. Norway rats were found to have a birth rate that falls between one and six percent per month when conditions favor their reproduction. This allows them to maintain larger populations in many areas even if individual rats don’t live very long. These large populations also make professional NJ rat control a must for business owners who have an infestation of these rodents.

Food Access 

Norway rats in the wild sometimes live completely apart from humans, but this usually doesn’t last long. These rats have learned that food is easy to find around human dwellings and businesses, causing them to hang around dumpsters or get into restaurants, homes and other buildings.

If Norway rats are invading your building, Stern Environmental can provide prompt help. Contact us to learn more about our NJ rat control services.

News, Rats, Rodent Control

Traps, Poison, Dry Ice – Now There’s New York’s Newest Method To Control Rat Infestations: Drowning

Traps, Poison, Dry Ice - Now There's New York's Newest Method To Control Rat Infestations: Drowning
Traps, Poison, Dry Ice – Now There’s New York’s Newest Method To Control Rat Infestations: Drowning

If you live in New York, you’re no stranger to rats. They seem to be everywhere, and they pop up in restaurants, in the streets, and even on the subway. Over the years, there have been many attempts to control them and decrease their numbers. But those attempts haven’t been successful.

A new method is being considered that involves drowning these pests, and there are those who think it just might work. Could this be the answer we’ve been seeking for NYC rat control?

The Newest Rat Trap in New York City

A man by the name of Eric Adams has come up with a rat control method that he claims to have great faith in. Essentially, the trap is nothing more than a bucket that is filled with a vinegar-like solution. The rats are lured into the bucket, where they drown. When Adams presented his idea, he also presented a bucket that was filled with dead rats.

There are many who discount Adams’ plan, claiming that the dry ice that was attempted a few years ago seemed to be a much better solution. But he disagrees. Time will tell if this pilot program will be implemented once the kinks are worked out.

Stern Environmental – A Real Solution for NYC Rat Control

If your home or business has a rat problem, we offer rock solid solutions. Please contact us to schedule your inspection today.

Disease Carrying Pests, News, Pest Animal Removal, Pest Management, Rats, Rodent Control

Too Smart: Rat Rides the Subway and Exits at 42nd Street

Too Smart: Rat Rides the Subway and Exits at 42nd Street
Too Smart: Rat Rides the Subway and Exits at 42nd Street

Video footage from NYC subway patrons recently showed a rodent hitching a ride on the train. It’s nothing NYC rodent control teams or residents haven’t seen before. Although it was a little amusing to watch the rat’s excursion on Twitter.

Feet Up!

It’s not uncommon for subway passengers to lift their feet while furry stowaways scamper beneath subway seats. The rodent in question in this event was apparently headed for Manhattan’s 42ndStreet, high-tailing it up subway stairs as if late for a meeting.

Why Are So Many Rats Riding the Subway?

It will come as no surprise if you’re a native New Yorker that NYC has a sanitation problem. Trash is everywhere, offering rodents a hospitable home.

Do Subway Rats Bite?

Rats typically avoid people, preferring to emerge when buildings are quiet, but there are exceptions. When rats do attempt cohabitating with humans, they can become aggressive if cornered or threatened.

Though no bites have been known to cause rabies, rats do carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans via bite. This may lead people to wonder if lifting your feet, desperately trying to climb the subway pole, running through the aisle, or fleeing at the next (wrong) stop may not be an overreaction after all.

Don’t join the crowd. Keep rats out of your home/business with the help of the NYC rodent control experts at Stern Environmental today.

Disease Carrying Pests, Mice, News, Rats, Rodent Control

Why Getting a Cat Isn’t the Answer to Rat and Mouse Problems

Why Getting a Cat Isn't the Answer to Rat and Mouse Problems
Why Getting a Cat Isn’t the Answer to Rat and Mouse Problems

Farms and country homes often keep “mousers” around to control rodent problems, but is that the answer for NJ pest control? Surprisingly, recent studies indicate the solution may not be that simple.

Do Cats Deserve Their “Killer” Reputation?

Domestic cats have long been considered aggressive and effective predators. That view seemed to be supported by a 2017 study which found that cats played a part in the extinction of more than 60 vertebrate species around the world.

However, the fierce reputation of cats took a hit with a study published in the September 2018 issue of Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. A team of researchers spent five months observing a colony of approximately 150 rats at a Brooklyn waste management facility with the original intent to study animal pheromones.

Playing the Cat-vs-Rat Game

During the final 79 days, the project evolved into a study of cat-rat interactions. Scientists were taken aback to find that cats attacked a total of only three rats, and one actually survived.

Two possible reasons were suggested for the results:

– Urban rats are notoriously large, so cats may opt for easier prey such as birds and mice.

– Rats tend to seek cover when they sense the presence of cats.

NJ Pest Control Removes All Traces of Mice and Rats

Before you stock up on kitty litter, contact Stern Environmental. Our commercial NJ pest control programs eliminate rodent problems efficiently and discreetly.