For the eighth consecutive year, Chicago scored the unwanted first place ranking in Orkin”™s annual list of the nation”™s Top 50 Rattiest Cities.
Orkin, a pest control services provider, ranked metro regions by the number of new rodent treatments performed from Sept. 1, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2022, and the ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments. New York City beat out Los Angeles for the second-place spot, while Washington, D.C. and San Francisco completed the top five. Connecticut”™s capital city Hartford entered the top 20 for the first time with a 19th place finish.
“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.”
Hottel added that rodents can cause severe structural damage with their strong jaws and burrowing skills, and they have been known to damage electrical wires, water pipes and gas lines.
