December 24, 2003Phoenix Blog Archives |
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Roof Rats!It was just about a year ago that we first heard about roof rats invading the Arcadia section of Phoenix. An older section of central Phoenix, Arcadia is known for its abundance of citrus. The homeowners of that area, and, with the assistance of various agencies, banded together to combat the infestation.Well guess what? They're baaaacck! But in a different neighborhood.... The City of Tempe is assisting residents interested in learning more about preventing and eradicating roof rats. Residents are being urged to pick up fruit and nuts from the ground, keep garbage containers covered, keep pet waste cleaned from the yard, store bulk foods in sealed, rat-proof containers, keep pet food stored and harvest citrus promptly and completely. "The Arcadia neighborhood in Phoenix has learned that home proofing, detection, eradication and county monitoring have helped to significantly reduce the rat population," Mayor Neil Guiliano said. "Tempe is using these processes as an example of how to address this challenge." People who suspect that they have roof rats should call Maricopa County Vector Control at 602/506-6616 and immediately press "3" to report sightings under the category of "Smoking automobiles and other environmental issues." Leave your name, address, telephone number and the location of the sighting. The county has confirmed the presence of roof rats in the area bordered by Rural Road to Dorsey Lane and Southern Avenue to Alameda Drive. However, residents in the adjacent areas of Broadway Road to the U.S. 60 and Mill Avenue to McClintock Drive are encouraged to look for signs of roof rat activity. If sightings occur, residents should work with their neighborhood or homeowner associations to set up neighborhood meetings or citrus clean-up dates. Call Tempe's Neighborhood HOT LINE at 480/350-8234 for more information on this process. Additional Resources More About Roof Rats: History, Description and Prevention 06:21 PM # |
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