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Niagara city makes the list of 'top 25 rattiest' municipalities in Ontario

Rodents have become more plentiful and bolder during the pandemic
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A Niagara municipality has made the list of Ontario’s 25 rattiest cities – and is being advised to stay vigilant as fall rolls in.

St Catharines is, according to pest control enterprise Orkin, the 23rd ‘Rattiest’ city in Ontario, sharing the spotlight with cities like Woodstock and Kitchener, who also ranked in the lower tiers on the list.

Like previous years, Toronto, Mississauga and Scarborough are at the top of the list.

"Multiple lockdowns this past year have meant more people are cooking and eating at home. A recent survey found that Canadians produced 13.5% more food waste during the lockdown than non-lockdown times," said Orkin in a statement.

"Food abundance means potential increases in rodent populations, which is why people may be seeing more rats and mice in residential neighbourhoods."

Orkin also said rats appear to have become more bold in their behaviors over the course of the pandemic.

"Mainly nocturnal, increased sightings of rodent activity during the day have become more common, as well as migrations from resource-depleted urban centres to food-rich suburban areas, where rats and mice may have been able to reproduce and drive up the population."

Orkins website has some tips on how to keep rat populations under control.


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Ludvig Drevfjall

About the Author: Ludvig Drevfjall

Ludvig Drevfjall has been the editor of ThoroldToday since January 2020. He has worked as a journalist in Sweden, British Columbia and Ontario
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