Rats! Where Indianapolis lands on this cringe-worthy Orkin list

John Tufts, Indianapolis Star

Colder weather brings to mind warm jackets, fuzzy blankets and hot chocolate. Pest control experts say it should also make us think about rats.

Orkin recently released its list of Top 50 Rattiest Cities in the country, in which Indianapolis was named 15th most rat-infested city in America. Fourteen other metro areas fared worse.

Chicago earned the dubious honor (as well as a cheeky T-shirt), in being named Orkin's "rattiest city" of 2023, beating out Los Angeles and New York respectively for the ninth year in a row.

Orkin's list is released annually as the weather gets chillier, the time when mice and other rodents look for warm places to nest. An estimated 21 million homes in the United States are invaded by rodents each year, according to the National Pest Management Association.

This not only poses a health risk to humans but potentially serious damage to property. Experts say rodents can chew through wallboards, wood, and electrical wiring, which can cause a fire.

“Rodents multiply swiftly and when an infestation is left unattended, they can cause extensive damage to homes and yards,” said Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist. “Rats are capable of squeezing into spaces through holes as small as a quarter, which makes it especially important to seal cracks from the outside.”

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Orkin's Top 20 Rattiest Cities for 2023

Orkin based its rattiest rankings on the number of new rodent treatments performed from Sept.1, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. This ranking includes both residential and commercial pest control treatments, the company said, and indicates the efforts being made to treat rodent issues.

  1. Chicago

  2. Los Angeles

  3. New York

  4. Washington, DC

  5. San Francisco

  6. Philadelphia

  7. Baltimore

  8. Denver

  9. Detroit

  10. Cleveland-Akron

  11. Minneapolis-St. Paul

  12. Seattle

  13. Boston

  14. Atlanta

  15. Indianapolis

  16. Pittsburgh

  17. Hartford

  18. Columbus, OH

  19. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale

  20. Houston

How to tell if rodents are in your house

Orkin recommended homeowners be wary of the following signs that might indicate you have a rodent infestation in your home.

  • Droppings: Rodent droppings are often left behind in places where food is stored, such as kitchen cabinets or pantries, under sinks, inside chewed cardboard boxes, along baseboards and on top of wall beams

  • Gnaw marks: Mice are known to bite through walls, wood and wires. The damage to wiring within walls can increase the risk of a house fire.

  • Nests: Rodents prefer to nest in dark, secluded areas where there is little chance of disturbance. Be on the lookout for shredded paper products, cotton, packing materials and other fabrics, as house mice like to build nests out of these materials.

  • Rub marks: Rats tend to leave dark grease or dirt marks along walls and floorboards as they follow a trail throughout the home between their nest and food.

  • Strange noises: Scurrying in the walls or in the attic could mean a rodent family is present. Rodents are especially fond of attics as it’s an insulated area for nest building.

How to keep mice and rats out of your home

Homeowners can take a proactive approach to keeping mice and rats away. The key, Orkin says, is to make your home as unwelcome to rodents as possible by eliminating their easy access to food and shelter. Keep all food properly stored in containers and keep your home free from clutter, such as cardboard boxes lying around, which make attractive nests for rodents.

The National Pest Management Association recommends these steps:

  • Make sure all holes, cracks and voids are sealed around your home or business.

  • Keep branches and other plants cut back from the house. Rodents can use them to gain access to the upper levels of your home.

  • If you find rodents in your home, call a local pest professional to identify and correct the problem.

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John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis on Orkin's list of rattiest cities in 2023

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