The rats that reside in Delta for the most part are Norway rats, thanks Norway. These rats hitched a ride to the Americas on ships. So why do we loathe them, well it all goes back to the great plague, that killed millions of people in the 14th century. But, even before that when we were living in caves with the Flintstones, these beasts would scurry into our caves with their tails dragging behind them (probably had spikes on their tails back then) and bite us to see if we were alive or dead pickings - we learned very early on to be fearful. These rodents still carry dreaded diseases like Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM), Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever, Rat-Bite Fever, Salmonellosis and finally Tularemia. So is there anything about a rat to like? Domestic pet rats are smart as they learn and remember quickly and we do use these animals to test our pharmaceuticals. So do we try to get rid of rats completely, well no, with our luck something even worst will replace the rats - like raccoons.
Go Green Pest Control owner Randy Bilesky is a long-time South Delta resident. Trained and certified, Bilesky has first-hand knowledge of the pest problems that local homeowners and business owners encounter.
