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America is a large country. It is bordered by the two largest oceans in the world, one on each side. Her trade with other countries ranks near the top of any country in the world. This has been the case for over a century. Naturally any hardy pest will have found its way over to “The New World” by now and will have already spread through the land.
This is exactly the case today and is why some of our most plentiful pests have other countries or regions in their name. The German cockroach and Japanese beetle come to mind. This is also the case for the first rodent on our list of Most Common Rodents Found in America.
This rat obviously made its way over from Europe and Scandinavia. Columbia.edu claims that this rat arrived here in the year 1776. Their arrival date is fitting when you think about it. The birth of a new nation for both humans and rats I suppose.
This is the rat you see most in movies and entertainment. It is the rat that dominates cities like New York. The rat is a powerful scavenger and can survive some of the most hostile environments. They can get quite large too. Some rats can get to be as large as small dogs.
This rat carries disease with it. They carry salmonella, rabies and a host of other infectious diseases. They often climb and crawl through unclean spaces and take the bacteria and viruses with them.
You can prevent this rat from taking hold by cleaning thoroughly, keeping your home clutter free, and laying a rat trap at the first sign of infestation. Keep boxes off the floor and dry. Rats love dark damp places and actually eat the paper pulp material in storage boxes.
The House mouse is the most encountered pest throughout the United States. They are smaller and more nimble and can squeeze through tiny holes or cracks in walls. They prefer dark areas without a lot of human traffic. This makes them often found in attics, basements and storage spaces.
Mice chew on electrical wiring. I don’t have to explain why this is so dangerous. They also carry salmonella and other disease. They will often turn one spot of your house into their toilet. This is both unsanitary and very costly to repair.
The same advice for preventing Norway Rats applies to house mice. Keeping a clean and well-maintained home free of clutter is the best thing you can do for prevention.
The Roof Rat hails from Southeast Asia. It is a hardy pest and can be hard to extract once it has set in. It can be found throughout most of the United States but especially in the south. This is a very mobile rat and so it comes into contact with a lot of infected animals. It’s been known to spread diseases like typhus, jaundice and trichinosis. In fact, this is the rat you think of when the Bubonic Plague comes to mind. Its the black rat that can swim for miles, giving it the nickname “ship rat”. Yes, these are the rats which also infest ships.
Prevention consists of keeping your lawn policed of heavy debris. You also should pick up any fruits which may fall from your fruit tree. These scavengers love fruit trees. Make sure your screen doors are 100%. These little pests can sneak in through the tiniest of holes and are stealthy.
These are the three most commonly encountered rodents in the United States. If you spot one of these three rodents in or around your home, know that millions of other citizens have too. It is quite common. If you decide to forgo trying to remove your rodent problem yourself you can hire a professional pest control agent in your area. They have surely dealt with a rat or mouse problem many times.
