Whenever I tell someone that I live in New York City the two questions that always follow are: “how much is your rent?” and “have you ever had a rat in your apartment?”. To that I answer “too much” and “yes, unfortunately”. Dwellers that do not pay for their portion of rent are never fun to have around, especially when they are pests. No, I’m not talking about your friend that comes to visit and overstays their welcome, I’m talking about rodents. I’m sure just reading that word made you squirm. Don’t worry, it sent a shiver down my spine too. Dealing with unwanted pests such as roaches, termites, rats, and other bugs can be a daunting task. You don’t want them running around but you also don’t want to have to go anywhere near them in order to rid them from your space. It is important to know the implications of having infestations and what to do when you notice it, so let’s talk about it.
What Are Some Common NYC Pests and Why Are They So Common?
If you have ever walked down virtually any street in Manhattan you will notice bags of trash piled on the streets. When visitors are exposed to this, they are shocked. This is not very common in other cities, so why New York? Due to a lack of alleyways, there is really no other place for garbage to sit while it awaits pick up. Unfortunately, garbage is attractive to pests due to an excess of food available as well as a warm place to dwell. According to M&M Pest Control, the ten most common pests in Manhattan are: rodents, cockroaches, bed bugs, spiders, house centipedes, crickets, cluster flies, multicolored asian lady beetles, stink bugs, and pigeons. Yuck.
Other Than It Being Foul, Why Is This A Problem?
Unfortunately, having a pest issue can be bigger than having a gross little creature scurrying around your safe haven. These pests can carry infectious diseases that could potentially be fatal. Some medical complications that can be spread by these creatures, stated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, are Vector-Borne diseases (Zika Virus, Lymes disease, and rabies), asthma/allergies, and microbial diseases/infections. So, not only do you not want them there because they are filthy, but you certainly do not want to have to deal with any of the above.
How To Keep These Pests Out And What Do I Do If I Notice An Issue?
First off, it is crucial to know where pests tend to hide and how they have behaviors that differ from each.
- Rodents tend to hide between insulated spaces, kitchen cabinets, and around cluttered items.
- Bed bugs within seams and folds of mattresses, cracks or joints of bed frames, in corners and screw holes of dressers and nightstands, behind wall art and picture frames, and in cracks along baseboards (sometimes even in electronics).
- Spiders in storage spaces, garages, sheds, and light fixtures.
- Cockroaches in dark/moist places, behind kitchen appliances (stoves, sinks, stoves), kitchen and bathroom drains.
- Centipedes in dark areas, basements, closets, and bathrooms.
- Crickets in cool/damp locations, underneath appliances, inside crawl spaces.
- Cluster flies around corners of windows, under curtains, inside cracks/crevices of walls.
- Multicolored Asian Lady beetles in tiny cracks within walls or windows, within the corners of attics or garages, and corners of windows.
- Stink bugs inside wall cracks and crawl spaces.
- Pigeons in attics and windowsills.
One of the most important ways to keep pests out of these places are being aware of them and fixing things like cracks and clutter. You don’t need to be on the hunt for such cracks or clutter 24/7, but if you notice it then try to fix it up immediately. If you have a landlord, we recommend calling them to see to issues that pertain to your apartment. On the other hand, if you have clutter, open food items, and dirty spaces then it is on you. I know it is a pain to alter your ways of living, but I promise it is better than having to deal with opening your shower towel to find a rat laying there (which sounds wildly specific and personal, but that’s because it is).
Many pest control experts recommend installing weather stripping, repairing screens on doors and windows, and plugging any open holes to the best of your abilities. Again, this can easily be done by a landlord so don’t go off to Home Depot and take on a DIY project if you don’t need to. If your reduction methods aren’t successful (which sometimes they are not no matter how hard you try) you may need to call in a professional. There are a multitude of pest control experts within the five boroughs that will come and clean up any mess with a price. Some buildings have a designated exterminator, so this is another reason you may have to call up your landlord. If you notice an unwanted pest you should first try and find the source, see how many of the pests there are, attempt to safely remove them by setting down traps, and then contact your landlord as soon as possible. The quicker you act, the quicker the problem will be solved. Try not to freak out too much regardless of the severity of the situation. Worse comes to worst, you may have to stay elsewhere for a night or two, but that is only if you don’t feel comfortable in your space. But, don’t worry too much. You are not the first person in all of New York City to have to deal with this and you certainly will not be the last.
