Change in seasons has rodents seeking new food, heat sources

As the seasons change, property owners may unintentionally be providing a warm welcome to rodents seeking new sources of food and heat.

“With pest control, it’s basically making sure you’re taking care of the outside of your home before you let them get inside,” says Rick Barret, owner and operator of Saint John-based ABC Pest Control Services.

Barret says property owners should remember a mouse can fit through a dime-sized hole, and inspect their buildings for small openings accordingly.

Often, Barret says the upkeep of residential yards and neighbourhoods can be key an indicator of rodent activity.

“Bird feeders can be an issue,” says Barret. “A lot of the problems we’re running into right now is with garbage.”

Ensuring all trash is stored in sealed containers and that compost is properly sorted can help to deter rodent activity. Fixing leaky pipes can also eliminate a water source for mice and rats.

This week, Orkin Canada’s "Rattiest Cities" list for 2024 has Toronto in the top spot. St. John’s, NL, ranks as the highest Atlantic Canadian city on the list, at number 10.

The rankings are based on the number of commercial and residential rodent treatments Orkin Canada performed between Aug. 1, 2023 and July 31, 2024.

Kenneth Penney, who is Orkin Canada’s area manager for Newfoundland and Labrador, says the relationship pests have with human behaviour is “almost parasitic in a way.”

“We noticed that big time in COVID, when a lot of restaurants and commercial places shut down and people were working from home. Suddenly we had a large increase in activity on the residential side.”

Penney says port cities like St. John’s, Halifax, and Saint John, N.B., are prime for rodent activity, with Moncton’s distribution hub status also an emerging concern.

“We are importing a lot of our necessities, so rodents do come in with those,” says Penney. “That is one component of it.”