Wildlife Control in the Big Easy: Unique Challenges in New Orleans
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.