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New Orleans is unlike any other city in America. Our architecture, our climate, and our water table make it a paradise for culture—and for wildlife. At HWCS, our New Orleans team faces challenges that technicians in Ohio or Indiana rarely see.

## 1. Roof Rats (The Acrobats)
In New Orleans, we deal primarily with Roof Rats (*Rattus rattus*), rather than the Norway Rats found in northern cities.
*   **The Habitat:** These rats live in the palm trees and live oaks lining St. Charles Avenue. They travel via power lines and tree branches, entering homes from the top down.
*   **Historic Homes:** The beautiful eaves and corbels of historic NOLA architecture provide ample gaps for these agile climbers to squeeze into attics.

## 2. Nutria (The Swamp Rat)
While mostly a wetlands issue, Nutria are invasive, large semi-aquatic rodents that damage levees and canals. Homeowners near canals or on the Northshore often find them digging under bulkheads or destroying gardens.

## 3. Bats in Raised Homes
Many New Orleans homes are raised on piers to prevent flooding. This crawlspace creates a cool, damp environment, but the bigger issue is the attic. Our humid, subtropical climate means bats thrive here year-round. They don't hibernate as deeply as northern bats, meaning they are active and producing guano for more months of the year.

## 4. The Termite Connection
It sounds unrelated, but Formosan termites soften the wood in many local attics. Raccoons and squirrels find this soft, termite-damaged wood incredibly easy to chew through to gain access. Often, a wildlife call reveals a structural termite problem.

## Protecting Your Historic Home
We understand that you don't want ugly metal patches on your 100-year-old Victorian home. HWCS specializes in **aesthetic exclusion**. We paint our flashing to match your trim and hide our exclusion materials so that your home stays beautiful—and critter-free.

If you own a home in Orleans or Jefferson Parish, you need a wildlife company that understands local architecture. Contact HWCS New Orleans today.

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