Roof Rats Citrus Trees

Pick up all dropped fruit on a daily basis.

Roof rats citrus trees.

Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. Rats found in trees are often known as roof rats as they may jump from a roof into the tree. You can keep roof rats out of trees with wide bands of aluminum flashing wrapped around the trunks but only if the tree can be isolated from other trees fences and other nearby structures from. Place the dropped fruit in a garbage.

In 2001 roof rats were documented in phoenix and likely introduced into the area through freight or shipment of food livestock feed or equipment. How to get rid of fruit rats. Install rat guard around the trunks of the citrus trees. What is a roof rat roof rats rattus rattus sometimes called black rats fruit rats or house rats are aerial very agile climbers and usually live and nest above ground in shrubs trees and dense vegetation such as ivy.

Rats also find their way up roofs and trees when there are vines to climb up. To attract the. The roof rat sometimes called the black rat is a common vertebrate pest in citrus and nut orchards. In apples peaches tomatoes carambolas bananas pineapples and mangos large sections of fruit are eaten away.

In nut orchards roof rats often nest around the base of trees. In citrus it builds leaf and twig nests in trees or it can nest in debris piles thick mulch on the ground or in shallow burrows under the tree especially in hot weather. They get their name. Roof rats are actually black rats though they can be other colors and can be identified by their large ears and scaly tails that are almost always longer than their bodies.

Place dropped or spoiled fruit into a secure garbage can. They have now settled into ideal habitat among old growth citrus trees palm trees and other mature landscaping and take advantage of abundant irrigation canals and food resources around homes. This provides the rats with a convenient food source close to warmth and shelter. If there is shelter available in your yard or near your roof then rats may climb trees to get at the nuts and fruit from the tree.

Set out live traps on ledges branches fences and pipes where fruit rats regularly climb. Half eaten citrus around your home. As we progress through the citrus season from september through march the roof rats that may have been living quietly around your house or grove make themselves known. One of the reasons that roof rats have flourished in the east valley is because of the prevalence of backyard fruit trees especially citrus trees.