RODENT MANAGEMENT

7 factors in successful rodent infestations

By Dr. Stuart Mitchell

The sympathetic nervous system (SNS), or “flight and fright,” and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), or “rest and digest,” have different effects on perception. The SNS enhances alertness and responsiveness to stimuli, while the PNS facilitates relaxation and deeper sensory processing. Both systems work together to regulate the physiological state and optimize perception based upon external stimulation.

Rodents demonstrate metacognition, which is awareness and understanding of their thought processes. As thinking and learning animals, they problem-solve and use tools. Rodents also demonstrate empathy, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Even inexperienced rodents learn about new environments by watching experienced rodents.

The rodents’ environment is rich with external stimulation. Rodents are hyperesthetic animals, which means they possess situationally increased sensitivity to sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. When they are organoleptic, which means acting on their sense organs, rodents collect sensory inputs from the environment within microseconds. These inputs enable behavioral exploitation of resources by these resource-dependent animals. In short: Their sensitive senses help them not just survive but thrive. Here are seven factors to consider when devising a control and prevention strategy:

1. Rodents can detect and exploit airborne molecules.
From a protected distance, they can sense the odors of other rodents, food, trash, compost, predators and many other things that can help them establish their population. With smell recognition within about 50 milliseconds, airborne molecules enable rodents to move toward a reward or evade capture.

2. Rodents are attracted to and exploit poorly managed vegetation.
Unintended plant life spread provides efficient cryptic travel routes, diverse nesting materials, high-quality refuge, and food sources. With senses of smell, taste and touch (proprioception), rodents effectively navigate through dense vegetation.

3. Rodents prefer to move within and exploit umbrae (shaded) areas.
With visual acuities of 20/60 to 20/2000, rodents “see” through hearing or touch. As a result, rodents function well in low-light areas such as corners. Shadows provide a sense of protection and cryptic travel behind objects or along walls where there is less visibility.

4. Rodents exploit structures that offer guidelines for movement.
Structures such as corners, walls, fences or linear architectural features provide cryptic and efficient navigation through the environment. Rodents possess specialized vibrissae (whiskers) on the face, feet and tail, which allow sensory navigation through complex environments With a clear path of movement, rodents can sweep vibrissae across surfaces at speeds of a few millimeters per second up to more than 1 meter per second, or 2.2 miles per hour.

5. Rodents can enter a structure by exploiting holes, cracks and gaps that are less than 6 millimeters, or a quarter of an inch.
The No. 1 violation in third-party audits (holes) are readily exploited by rodents. Their anatomy — sensory vibrissae, efficient gnawing, flat-like skull, flexible skeleton, collapsible ribs, flexible joints and a lack of collarbone — helps them accomplish this.

6. Rodents exploit poor trash-handling accumulations as a reliable supply of calorically dense food.
Observed to detect odors at concentrations down to a few parts per billion (ppb), rodents are attracted to organic molecules from food and food residues in and around dumpsters. As extraordinary-rich resource sites, dumpsters provide rodents with trash that is “metabolic cash.”

7. Rodent scats, urine, and sebum (oily secretions) contain pheromones (Greek pherein “convey” + hormone), which provide intraspecies communication.
Rodents sense pheromone excretions and secretions through smell. Pheromones convey identity, reproductive status, social hierarchy and territorial boundaries.

Through mobile app and portal-based rodent sensing devices, pest management professionals (PMPs) collect sensory inputs from the environment. Advanced technology sensing devices keep rodents out of a facility through early detection and timely, targeted interventions. When rodents are detected, devices know when and where they travel, as well as record and time-stamp activity. The collected data can help identify where PMPs need to concentrate efforts.

Through the combination of early detection, rapid response, and data-driven insights provided by rodent control sensing devices, rodents’ keen senses cannot circumvent our defenses. We do not abide! PMPs, set rodents aside!