Rodent Control in Scottsdale

Scottsdale changes as you head north. The south end borders Arcadia, so it's no surprise roof rats walked right over. Older south Scottsdale neighborhoods near Old Town and along the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt have mature citrus, palms and ranch homes from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Farther north it turns into desert lots with native plants, washes and big custom homes climbing toward the McDowell Mountains. That's pack rat country, and some homes in the middle, around Shea and the 101, get a little of both.

Roof rats along the greenbelt

The Indian Bend Wash greenbelt runs for miles through the city with parks, lakes and golf courses. The neighborhoods along it, McCormick Ranch and the streets around Old Town have big trees and plenty of water, and roof rats use the canopy and block walls to move yard to yard. Older homes in the south end look a lot like their Arcadia neighbors: mature fruit trees, alleys in some neighborhoods, detached storage.

South of Shea, most calls are roof rat control, plus rat-proofing the citrus and palm yard and often attic cleanup. The citrus and roof rat calendar fits these yards well. Arcadia next door shares the same history, and Tempe to the south sees it in its older neighborhoods. Old Town restaurants and shops can call about commercial rodent work too.

• Pick citrus promptly and clear dropped fruit
• Keep trees and palms trimmed away from the roof
• Seal roof vents and tile eave gaps

Washes, casitas and cholla up north

North Scottsdale homes on big desert lots get pack rats in cholla, prickly pear and rock piles. Casitas, detached garages and long driveways give them more places to settle, and the washes that cut through neighborhoods work as travel lanes. If your house backs onto a wash, keep the back wall clear of brush, rock piles and stored lumber, and check stored vehicles, RV storage and covered patio furniture in the cooler months.

Calls up here lean toward pack rat middens. Have the tech include the casita or guest house in the inspection, since rats often use those first. A lot of north Scottsdale homes also have long stretches of natural desert left right up to the patio. That's pretty, and it's also where the pack rats live, so keep a clear strip of gravel between the native plants and the house walls.

Around Scottsdale: Old Town Scottsdale · Indian Bend Wash greenbelt · McCormick Ranch · Arizona Canal · Chaparral Park · Scottsdale Rd. and Camelback Rd. (ZIP 85250, 85251, 85257, 85258, 85260)

Also serving Arcadia, Ahwatukee Foothills, North Central & Sunnyslope, Encanto & Willo, Maryvale, Paradise Valley Village & Desert Ridge, Tempe, Glendale, Mesa.