RI, MA EHS Pest Control Blog

(click to enlarge image)

Rodents have lanolin on their fur that causes tell-tale rub marks in heavily traveled pathways. Lanolin is yellow viscous oil in the fur that is made of fatty acids and esters. It allows rodents to squeeze into tight voids & spaces with great ease.

We know that when we do a rodent inspection that this is one of the signs we look for to determine activity. The more frequently traveled in the same area means there will be a buildup of lanolin. To the untrained eye it looks like oil but to us it is an important find that will aid in control because it tells us that it is a rodent highway.

The attached image shows the rub marks leading under a wooden deck.

by Ryan Metterville, Service Specialist

Location = Milton, MA

ScienceDaily (July 31, 2009) — You probably hadn't noticed -- but the head shape and overall size of rodents has been changing over the past century. A University of Illinois at Chicago ecologist has tied these changes to human population density and climate change. Species can adapt quickly to rapid environmental changes -- quicker than many people have thought, especially for mammals," said Oliver Pergams, UIC research assistant professor of biological sciences. "Those mammals (rats, mice) that can adapt quickly have a much higher chance to survive big environmental changes caused by humans. Understanding which species and populations have the greatest ability to change has a crucial impact on being able to conserve biodiversity.