City Councilman Steve Kozachik of Sam Hughes’ 6th District has been receiving calls about the rodent problem for about a month and is working with neighbors to find a solution. said. Kozaczyk said it’s not clear if the rodents are common desert pack rats or roof rats, but local exterminators have seen the latter and larger rats in private homes. said that

In the Sam Hughes area, there has been evidence of mussel activity over the past year, and invasive species breeding has “worsened over time,” said Joshua King, senior account manager at pest control firm Truly Nollen.

Pack rats are well-known desert animals that occasionally invade homes, but roof rats are “designed to climb and live with humans,” says King.

The shrew was first recorded in Phoenix in 2001, according to the report. University of Arizona School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and experts document expansion into southern Arizona. Rats breed frequently and are thought to be involved in the transmission of several diseases to humans.

“[The mouse]spread very slowly throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area over about 20 years, and then suddenly it started popping up in other metropolitan areas in the state as well, including Tucson, Yuma and Arizona. Other areas and so on,” said Dawn Gouge, an entomologist and integrated pest management expert.

Gouge believes the rats have “been in Tucson for quite some time,” but they may find their way into homes to escape the heat and emerge in greater numbers this summer. .

“Roof mice will want to be where you are and they will want to escape the temperature,” she says. “They’re going to do everything to get behind the insulation, they’re going to be desperate, and in that temperature they’re going to be even more desperate for air conditioning than we are.”

According to King, that is exactly what is happening. He reported finding evidence of the rats’ presence in the kitchen sink and nibbling on fruit and dry goods in the pantry. Rodents are also drawn to the bird seed and citrus plants found in many Tucson backyards.

Quinn Huber Heidrun, wildlife management operator for the Society of Animal Professionals, has also witnessed increased roof rat activity in Sam Hughes, and at one home a broken pipe in a gap in the basement. He said that nearly a dozen rats flowed in from the river.

“If they find a way, they’ll get in. Especially with the sewage system, they’re just looking for air movement,” he said.

Dr. King and Dr. Huber-Heydrun agree that the origin of rats is probably the phoenix, The metropolitan center has seen in the last few yearsthey believe rodents are also widespread throughout Tucson.

“I spoke with several other pest experts in the area, and this is a population[of rats]from Phoenix, set up shop somewhere here in the Midtown area, and has been spawning from that point of origin ever since. We operate on the general assumption that there is,” King said. “This will soon be rolled out here across the city. It may take years to get to the other side of town. But it will be permanent.”

The Sam Hughes Community Association is working with Kozatik to come up with a solution and to warn residents about the problem. City councilors will host a meeting on Tuesday, July 11, to discuss the issue and possible solutions with residents.

Kozachik said he sought help from local government resources, but was told by the county health department that there were no government-related procedures for pest control on private property. However, the Pima Animal Conservation Center (PACC) stepped in to provide guidance.

Poisons and rodenticides of any kind cannot be used as they harm animals that feed on rodents and cause disruption to the ecosystem. Under the guidance of PACC, Kozachik is considering other solutions, including introducing feral cats and barn owls into the neighborhood.

PACC could provide germ-free neighborhood cats to feed rodents, but Kozachik already suspects cats will kill beloved neighborhood birds or be eaten by coyotes. Concerns have resulted in negative feedback. Wild animals will also take time to adjust to new locations.

A more popular idea is to introduce barn owls into the area, a method that requires a permit from the Arizona Game and Fish Service, but one family of barn owls eats about 1,000 rodents a year. Therefore, it has the potential to reduce the number of rats. to PACC.

“These are just options that people can consider for themselves. Perhaps we will end the meeting[on July 11th]with an agreement among the neighbors. My hope is that the barn owl will It’s about having an agreement among the neighbors to try it and see if it works,” Kozaczyk said.

Although she herself has yet to see any rodents in Midtown, Googe believes owls could “impact” the population, but said: ”

Truly Noren’s King said treatment regimens for roof rats include mechanical trapping with snap traps to kill the rats, followed by careful disposal. He said it’s also important to take precautions to protect your home from rodents by sealing holes and potential entry points.

But King recommends an “evaluation by a licensed pest expert” before attempting do-it-yourself tactics. Experts have the tools and knowledge to capture evidence of rodent activity and identify preventive measures.

It is also recommended that homeowners turn over their outdoor compost piles regularly to remove debris that rats can build nests in.

But while homeowners in the Sam Hughes area are working on solutions to the rodent problem, many homes in the area are either rented or vacant when the snowbirds leave in the summer. there is

King said some tenants live in homes with unobstructed roof vents, saying, “It’s not the tenant’s fault, but they’re not speaking out right now. “Because tenants don’t want to be held responsible for housing-related claims.” creatures in the house. ”

By the time a barn owl is released or another rodent control program is started, “before anyone realizes what’s going on, at that point the problem is too big to control.” I anticipate it,” King said.

But Kozachik is trying to bring together experts to properly inform residents about the problem and, hopefully, devise proper management methods.

“Sam Hughes is where the problem really started, and it will expand and grow, which is why I have multiple neighborhood meetings. They don’t even know the ward boundaries,” he says.