Yuck! Several New York State Areas Rank High For Rat-Infestation
It's that time of year when pests and vermin start to indoors. And with a pandemic going on, and many restaurants and businesses still shut down, the rats got to find a place to eat. And that place could be your home. And with less food around, experts says the rats might be getting a little more aggressive this year. Look at this one snatching a McDonald's Egg McMuffin from earlier this year.
Orkin has thrown together their annual rankings of the most rat-infested places to live, and once again, a few New York state cities and towns have made this dubious list. In fact Syracuse, Buffalo, and Albany all made the Top 50. According to the list, it seems all the rats are heading to Albany. The state capitol went up 10 whole spots from last year's rankings to number 38. Buffalo and Syracuse fell to 43rd and 44th place, respectively.
And while Orkin seems to have focused their study on larger metropolitan areas, that sure doesn't mean we don't have plenty around here in the Hudson Valley.
What city topped the overall list? Chicago. Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C. and San Francisco were all next.
Aside from spreading illness and causing structural damage, the CDC says the pests can and will reproduce very quickly. Orkin reminds everyone not to leave out food, avoid cluttered spaces, cover potential entry points, and don't let landscaping and tall grass grow too wild around your property.
Could a rat actually cause an automobile accident? Well, according to experts, they're getting bigger. And while it may seem unlikely. it's not completely impossible. Some might veer off the road just by the sight of one darting out in front of them. According to a recent study, New York ranked 33rd in the nation for auto wrecks cause by animal collisions.