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These 3 Michigan cities have some of the worst rat problems in the U.S., Orkin says

By Amber Ainsworth
Published  October 21, 2022 11:34am EDT
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FOX 2 Detroit
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10 March 2022, Berlin: 10.03.2022, Berlin. A Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) sits on a path border next to a green strip at an S-Bahn station in the Dahlem district. There are several snack bars here, so a lot of fast food is thrown away. In addition,

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DETROIT (FOX 2) - Three Michigan cities have some of the worst rat problems in the country, according to Orkin.

The pest control company looked at its new rodent treatments from Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022, to determine the rattiest cities in the United States.

Detroit made it into the top 10, ranking in the ninth position, while Grand Rapids is the 31st worst city for rats, and Flint is the 40th.

"Rodent infestations are among the top pest issues of the fall and winter seasons," said Ben Hottel, an Orkin entomologist. "Not only are mice and rats a nuisance, but they are known to spread a variety of dangerous diseases, including Salmonella and Hantavirus."

Rattiest cities:

  1. Chicago
  2. New York (+1)
  3. Los Angeles (-1)
  4. Washington, D.C.
  5. San Francisco
  6. Philadelphia (+1)
  7. Baltimore (-1)
  8. Cleveland, Oh. (+2)
  9. Detroit (-1)
  10. Denver (-1)
  11. Seattle
  12. Minneapolis
  13. Boston
  14. Atlanta (+1)
  15. Indianapolis (-1)
  16. Pittsburgh
  17. Cincinnati (+2)
  18. San Diego (-1)
  19. Hartford (+2)
  20. Miami
  21. Milwaukee (+1)
  22. Houston (-4)
  23. Dallas (-3)
  24. Portland, OR
  25. Columbus, OH (+1)
  26. Richmond (+2)
  27. Kansas City (-2)
  28. Norfolk (-1)
  29. Nashville (+7)
  30. St. Louis
  31. Grand Rapids (+1)
  32. Raleigh (+3)
  33. Champaign (+4)
  34. Albany (-3)
  35. Louisville (+5)
  36. Sacramento (-7)
  37. New Orleans (-4)
  38. Charlotte (+4)
  39. Buffalo (+2)
  40. Flint (-6)
  41. Greenville (+3)
  42. Syracuse (+4)
  43. Tampa (+7)
  44. South Bend (+21)
  45. Portland (-7)
  46. Phoenix (-3)
  47. Charleston
  48. Ft. Wayne (+12)
  49. Orlando (+3)
  50. Burlington (-11)

Orkin offered a few signs of rodent infestations you can check for 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 for 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.