Strategies to Control Rodent Populations in Your Community

1. Strategies to Control Rodent Populations in YourCommunity Travis Quirk PCAB Pest Control Coordinator

2. Integrated Pest Management "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a decision-making process that anticipates and prevents pest activity and infestation by combining several strategies to achieve long-term solutions. Components of an IPM program may include education, proper waste management, structural repair, maintenance, biological and mechanical control techniques, and pesticide application." IPM Steps InspectionIdentify Pests and Conducive ConditionsPreventionConsultationSanitation, Exclusion and, if necessary, Pesticide ApplicationEvaluationMonitoring

3. IPM - Inspection Routinely inspect property for signs of infestation and damage Inspection should be carried out by a knowledgable, experience individual. Concentrate inspection efforts in areas of greatest concern.

4. IPM - Identification Rats - Norway rat (wild & domestic) Mice – House mouse - Deer Mouse Ground Squirrels (AKA gophers) - Richardson Ground Squirrels - Franklin’s Ground Squirrel - Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel Pocket Gophers (AKA moles) - Northern Pocket Gopher Voles -Meadow Vole -Redback Vole Beavers & Muskrats

5. IPM - Prevention Identify the rodents in the area that could cause a problem Remove or limit sources of attraction - place to live / home - food - water General tidiness and sanitation will go a long way to keep the most destructive rodents from becoming established

6. IPM - Consultation Consult with stakeholders - Is the level of infestation severe enough to warrant further action? (threshold) Consult with experts and professionals - What options are available to proceed?

7. IPM – Sanitation, Exclusion or Pesticide Application Remove infestation Level of action should be appropriate for level of infestation. General sanitation will improve outcome. - keep grasses trimmed - remove excess litter/garbage - remove abandoned buildings/vehicles

8. IPM – Evaluation & Monitoring Are we getting the results we expected? If not why? Did our plan work? Was it economically justifiable? What could we do better? Are steps in place to prevent this in the future?

9. Norway Rat (Rattusnorvegicus) Physical characteristics: Weighs approximately one pound Body is 7 – 10 inches long Snout is blunt Ears - short and thick with fine hairs Fur colour - reddish brown/black with white underbelly Tail - 6-9 inches long with ridges of short hairs - Senses Poor sight Keen smell Excellent taste perception Acute hearing Exceptional touch sensitivity

10. Rats are pests! Health concerns - Salmonella - Rat-Bite Fever - Leptospirosis - Toxoplasmosis Economic Concerns - structural damage to buildings (walls, insulation, foundations, plumbing, electrical systems - consumes 10% of body weight per day and contaminates food with urine & feces

11. Do you have rats? – Property Inspections Thoroughly inspect property (house, garage, gardens sheds, etc) for signs of rats (burrows, runs, smudge marks, droppings) and identify areas where rats may be attracted.

12. How can I discourage rats? Remove or limit access to sources of attraction (water, food & harbourage) Food – garbage, compost, pet food, bird seed Water – low lying areas, bird baths, fish ponds Harbourage – wood piles, junk piles, old cars, dilapidated buildings,

13. Preventative Measures Rodent proof your house – block all entries (doors, windows, drains, conduits, vents, ducts) Yard maintenance – keep grass trimmed, remove bushes along edge of buildings. Elevate buildings Garbage – tamper proof containers (with lids!) Preventative baiting to quickly deal with rats that travel into the area.

14. You’ve got rats – now what? Control Methods Baits – different formulations; anticoagulants Traps – effective for household use Glue Boards – more popular for mice Fumigants – sulfur dioxide or carbon monoxide Predators – not an effective means of control

15. Proper use of Bait Stations Permanent stations Strategically placed along runs Use 2 -3 different types of bait Keep bait well stocked and fresh Well marked and secure from non target animals and children

16. Community effort – everyone needs to do their part! Everyone must make an effort to eradicate the problem. Provincial Legislation Destruction of pests – every person shall take measures to destroy, control and prevent the spread of all pests on any land or other premises owned, occupied or controlled by them

17. Deer Mouse House Mouse Nuisance in homes – feces and urine • Known carriers of Hanta Virus

18. Beavers & Muskrats Beavers can cause considerable damage to trees adjacent to waterways. Bank dens of beavers can cause some instability of stream banks. Muskrats can cause some damage due to their burrowing but relatively harmless

19. Ground Squirrels Richardson ground squirrels (commonly called “gophers”) dig burrows and create mounds of dirt in grassed areas. May attract predators

20. Raccoons Skunks Skunks produce an unpleasant odour as a defensive tactic Major rabies reservoir Relative newcomer to prairies Destructive to structures Host to parasites

21. Bats Beneficial as they consume large numbers of insects. Have a bad reputation Feces can cause damage Exclusion is best option in getting rid of bats. Deer Can become habituated to humans Damage / consume vegetation Vehicular hazard

22. Pigeons Large numbers of Pigeons make a mess Waterfowl Nuisance – accumulation of feces Sound disturbance in large numbers.

23. Community Strategies Create an integrated pest management plan Have experts identified to help deal with potential problems. - Commercial Pest Control Companies - Sask. Environment - Health Region - Pest Control Officers Larger communities should have licensed and qualified pest control individuals on staff