NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS
REGARDING ROOF RATS

There are several steps homeowners can and should take to prevent and minimize the rodent's length of stay and possible ensuing damage. If you have a rat problem, so do your neighbors. Pass along this information.

Roof Rat Description
Roof Rats are dark brown to black in color and measure 13 to 18 inches in length including tail. They weigh 5-9 ounces, are slender, and their ears are large and nearly hairless. Their droppings are long and cylindrical.

Nesting Requirements
Roof rats nest outside in trees, woodpiles, storage outbuildings, landscape debris, and in dense vegetation, such as oleanders. Inside, roof rats prefer to nest in the upper levels of a building in the attic and ceiling areas.

Food Preferences
Typical food is fresh citrus and apple fruits, plant material, pecans, wild bird seed, vegetables from gardens and pet foods left outside. Water is key to the rodent's survival, such as pools, ponds and landscape irrigation.

Indication of Roof Rat Presence
Hollowed out citrus attached to the tree, as well as on the ground. Smudge marks can be found around openings and ledges. Be vigilant for rat droppings, nests in attics and storage rooms, gnawing marks, and pet excitement.

Potential Damage
Rats do damage by gnawing door frames, woodwork, plastic piping, upholstery, electrical, alarm and telephone wires, as well as contaminating stored foods. They have been known to chew automotive hoses and wiring.

Rat Eradication Methods
A combination of poisons and traps properly placed and maintained will easily rid your property of any roof rat activity. Both traps and poisons should be placed in containers to protect children, pets and wild birds.

Rat Proofing

1. Inspect your attic, laundry room and garage for possible entry locations and seal accordingly.
2. Manicure landscape, thin hedges, trim trees from roof edges and remove all debris from property.
3. Keep pet waste cleaned from yard, do not leave pet food outside overnight.
4. Promptly pick up any fallen fruit and nuts from yard area.
5. Harvest your citrus crops promptly and completely when roof rats are present.
   

Personal Use Bait Stations (PUBS)
Personal use bait stations are offered by the NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR Campaign (see number below) for

$5.00 each. This includes the bait station and instructions on how and where to install. The resident is fully responsible for purchasing and placing the recommended poison in the bait station. Read and follow directions and warnings on poison label. The bait station is ideal for people who have lush landscapes, unpicked citrus, pecan trees, figs, date palms, pomegranates, apples, and peaches. The roof rats are attracted to these areas because of their search for food and and water. They are prone to take the poison bait, leave the PUBS and usually die outside within 3 to 5 days. Dead rats should be sealed in plastic bags and placed in the trash.

To report a complaint, call the Maricopa County Citizen's Environmental Complaint Line at 602-506-6616. For more information about controlling and eliminating roof rats, contact Barry E. Paceley, director of the Arcadia NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR Campaign at 602-667-0366 or visit the website, www.roofrat.net

Lets Talk -Rats, Bees, Mosquitoes

Be Prepared as there are ENEMIES COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU!

Roof Rats
As early as the year 2000 there has been confirmed sightings of Roof rats in the Valley. Recently they have become a major topic of news media and social conversation.

Here's Why?
The number of Roof Rats in the Arcadia Districts have steadily grown, especially in the past year. Roof Rats have also been sighted in other parts of the Valley including Tempe and Mesa.

Here's How?
The Roof Rat is not indigenous to our climate of area. More than likely they traveled from an area of infestation to another in boxes, on trucks or the like.

They are nocturnal creatures that do not like intense heat, so as it warms up, we will less likely hear about them. However, it would be remiss to not recognize the seriousness of this problem as it begins to cool again inn the fall. The Roof Rat will be in most neighborhoods of the Valley in the next several years!

What can you do?

The City of Chandler is conducting neighborhood meetings informing and educating us of the impending problem. Rats can affect all types of neighborhoods. Here are a few tips on what you can do to help yourself ad your neighborhood.

Trim and clean your landscaped areas. Roof Rats tend to build nests in dense plants such as oleanders. Barbeque grills, storage sheds, trees, attics and even underneath automobile hoods are favorite spots for the Roof Rat.

Roof Rats require nutrition and water. They are attracted to citrus and pecan trees, dog food, dog fecal material, standing water, water sources, and woodpiles.

Therefore, harvest the fruit form trees, trim trees back from structures or the roof 5 feet. (Rats can jump 3 feet.) Be sure no other plants or shrubs are touching the house. Pick up after your pets daily and store wood at least 18" off the ground. Dog food should be stored in a sturdy, sealed plastic container and not left out at night. Eliminate water sources.

Roof Rats require spaces or openings of approximately 1/2" to enter a structure. Seal all cracks, crevices, holes, gaps and entry points with a suitable material. All pipe chases should be screened and A/C piping properly covered or filled. (This provides protection from scorpions and other pests as well. ) Dryer vents require unrestricted exhaust so be sure not to improperly block the airflow!

There are mechanical methods and poisons to control Rats but without proper maintenance and sanitation practices, the programs will most likely fail and the Roof Rats will continue producing their offspring. When you do the math, 3-5 litters per year @ 5-8 rats per litter, if one half are female, a year later we would have 630,000 plus Rats, OUCH!

Bees
Africanized honeybees, often referred to as Killer Bees, are alive and well. As the desert flowers, pollinating begins and swarms of bees will appear.

Do

• Be aware of your surroundings especially during the spring and fall for bee swarms.
• Listen for humming or the buzzing sound produced by bees.
• When starting lawn or power equipment, be aware that it may startle the bees and create an aggressive behavior.
• When endangered, cover your head and run for shelter.
• Protect your home by sealing cracks, crevices, gaps, and holes which allow bee entry.
• Screen areas with mesh or hardware cloth preventing bee access to attics, etc.

Don't

• Don't assume that the Queen Bee will automatically leave and the swarm will follow.
• Don't attempt to rectify a bee swarm on your own. Call a professional beekeeper or licensed pest control company.
• Don't throw objects at the bees such as as rocks to see if they will become aggressive. They Will!
• Don't' jump into a swimming pool for safety from the bees. They will wait for you to surface.
• Don't wear colognes or perfumes that can attract bees. Freshly cut grass can even intensify a bee population.
• Don't swat or flail your arms or hands at the bees.

Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes shouldn't be taken lightly. Experts have predicted an active mosquito season with the fear of West Nile Virus striking the Valley. Speaking from my own observation while working outdoors, I do not recall seeing a population of mosquitoes this active so early in the season and in the numbers that I have observed

Controlling adult mosquitoes has marginal benefits. Many times it is a case of too little too late. As with the Roof Rats and Africanized Honey Bees, the key here is preparation and prevention. The time to target mosquitoes is before they have the opportunity to reproduce.

Therefore,

• Eliminate standing water!!!
• Install or repair window and door screens.
• Keep entry doors shut whenever possible.
• Be aware of peak mosquito hours. Early evening to early morning is prime time for activity.
• Wear suitable clothing protecting exposed skin. Examples, long sleeved shirts and pants.
• Apply a mosquito repellent when outdoors.
• Mosquito proof your home (Same techniques as Roof Rat and Bee exclusion.)
• Report dead birds to the local authorities immediately.
• Clean up your landscaped areas clearing away brush, thatch, overgrown grass and plants or bushes. And, most importantly don't allow standing water!

As you know the best solution is prevention. For prevention information, I highly recommend the Paceley website below. Barry Paceley and his group have generated remarkable neighborhood resources in a cooperative effort to clean and improve their communities. They have created a successful Neighbor to Neighbor program in the Arcadia District. It can in our neighborhood too! Many thanks to Barry for his time and commitment in presenting information at the Public Meetings.

Should you have questions, I am providing a list of people or online sites that you can contact for further information. I also remain available to you as a resource.

Roof Rat Sightings -602-506-6616 or www.maricopa.gov/envsvc/forms/complaint.asp

Mr. John Townsend Maricopa County Environmental Services www.maricopa.gov/envsvc

Barry Paceley @ Arcadia Neighbor to Neighbor Campaign @ 602-667-0366 www.roofrat.net

Thanks. Have a great summer and a safe year!

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