Rat - Rats As Pests

Rats As Pests

Rats have long been considered deadly pests. Once considered an modern myth, the rat plague in India has been verified. Indeed every fifty years, armies of bamboo rats descend upon rural areas and devour everything in their path. Rats have long been held up as the chief villain in the spread of the Bubonic Plague, however recent studies show that they alone could not account for the rapid spread of the disease through Europe in the Middle Ages. Still, the Center for Disease Control does list nearly a dozen diseases directly linked to rats. Most urban areas battle rat infestations. Rats in New York City are famous for their size and prevalence. Some statistics claim there are more rats than people in the Big Apple and that they are pretty wily characters. New York has specific regulations for getting rid of rats--multi-family residences and commercial businesses must use a specially trained and licensed exterminator. Places to look for rat infestations are around pipes, behind walls and near garbage cans. Effective rat control requires municipal workers and individuals to work together.