Rats are hardy pests that can damage your property, spread diseases, and attract parasites that cause secondary infestations. No one wants to live with rats in their home or business, so it’s critical to address the situation as soon as you suspect you have a problem.
Common Rat Species on Long Island
The two most common rat species on Long Island are Norway rats and Roof rats. Norway rats are prolific and can outgrow, outfight, outswim, and outbreed roof rats… but the two species can coexist in the same area if there is plentiful food and no need to compete for resources.
Norway rats are known by many names: brown rats, common rats, street rats, sewer rats, and wharf rats. They are brown or brownish gray in color and can grow up to 19 inches long. They are good climbers but are more likely to burrow, so they can be found in any area of your home or business. Norway rats are common throughout the United States.
Roof rats (also known as black rats) are smaller and sleeker than their “Norwegian” cousins, topping out at 16 inches long. They are excellent climbers, finding their way into your home or business via trees, roofs, fences, or utility lines. They tend to nest in upper areas of buildings – particularly in attics. Roof rats are a non-native species that came to coastal areas of the U.S. on sailing ships from Europe, where their claim to fame was spreading the plague in the Middle Ages.
Signs of Rats in Your Home
- Droppings: Rats leave shiny black droppings that are up to ¾” long.
- Marks: as they travel repeatedly along walls or baseboards, rats leave greasy marks.
- Tracks: Tracks are up to an inch long and may be accompanied by tail-dragging marks. Notably, rats have four toes on their front feet and five toes on the hind feet.
- Noises: Scratching noises in your walls may signal a rat infestation.
- Damage: Rats chew constantly… gnawing on baseboards, food packaging, electrical wiring, water pipes, and most anything else – including concrete!
Integrated Pest Management with Skyway
Skyway Pest Management uses the principles of integrated pest management. We focus on the full ecosystem of your home or business, using the best and safest combination of methods to target and remove rats as well as to prevent their future return. We view our clients as partners in long-term rat control, and our pest removal and prevention methods are designed to be environmentally friendly while minimizing risks to humans and domestic animals.
Contact Skyway Pest Management Today
Our professional rat extermination experts will work hard to ensure your property is rat-free. We are your authority on residential rat control as well as commercial rat control. Call us now at 631-789-9940.
