TRI-CITIES, Wash. – Residents in the Tri-Cities area are experiencing an increase in rat sightings. Regina Cone, a South Richland resident for over a decade, recently discovered rats destroying her backyard garden.
“We caught one, two or three a night for two weeks,” Cone said. “They may not know that they have a problem if you’re not out at night, if you don’t grow vegetables, you wouldn’t know.”
Cone said she caught about 30 rats near her peach tree and bell peppers.
Daniel Anderson, branch manager at Bamboo Pest Control, confirmed the uptick in rat sightings, particularly in South Kennewick and South Richland. He said construction has caused rats to move into different areas.
“As we start to disturb more of their habitat where they already exist, that is what pushes them into our homes and neighborhoods, places that are more resource-rich,” Anderson said.
Anderson identified two types of rats in the Tri-Cities: Roof rats and Norway rats, both non-native species from Europe. He warned that rats can fit through a quarter-inch hole, making it easy for them to enter homes.
“So, primarily when I’m treating for rats, the biggest thing is exclusion, keeping them from getting into customers’ homes,” Anderson said.
Anderson also recommended using bait boxes with rodenticide to help reduce any rat problem.
