Photo: WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Experts are predicting an uptick in rodents and ticks this spring in Boston.
According to the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) Public Health Pest Index, Boston is one of the worst cities in the country for rodents. Winter storms have pushed a lot of rodents indoors, while a projected warmer start to spring is expected to give ticks “a jumpstart to the season.”
In Boston’s North End neighborhood, warmer weather means a drastic increase in foot traffic. However, a plethora of amazing restaurants also means a plethora of critters as trash begins piling up.
According to a report from the Boston Rat Action Plan, one out of every 41 residents in Ward 3 filed a 311 complaint about rodents in 2023. Ward 3 covers the North End, Downtown, Chinatown, South End, and Haymarket neighborhoods. In Mattapan, the ratio of complaints was much lower at one per every 441 residents.
WBZ’s Jim MacKay asked North End residents if they thought Boston deserved to be considered one of the worst cities for rodents.
“I’m not personally afraid of them. They don’t really bother me, but my partner is [afraid of them], so we’ll cross the street at certain blocks in order to avoid them,” said Justin.
“I don’t think that’s fair. I’ve been to some really dirty cities. Come on,” said Sarah, who disagreed with Boston being on par with other major cities on rodents.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.