There are a lot of bragging rights fought over by the different counties in the Killeen-Temple metro area. Some counties like to show off their athletic achievements, some brag about their academic awards, and there are other counties that can boast all of their volunteer and social work. Well, there are two Central Texas counties that are at the top of a least that they probably don't even want to be seen on at all.

Which Central Texas Counties are the Winners?

Cinch.io, a marketing automation platform, conducted a study recently that listed U.S. Counties with the worst rodent problems. Lampasas County was ranked as the number one county per capita for homes with rodents in them. Almost 16% of the homes in Lampasas had rodent invaders. Meanwhile, even though Bell County was in third place with a per capita percentage of just over six percent it actually led the area in total houses with rodent roommates. Over 23,000 homes in Bell County have the unwanted house guests shacking up with them.

How to Prevent the Invasion

This information is coming out during a time of the year that rodents are more inclined to try and enter your home. During the colder months there is less food available outside, and your warm home feels a lot more inviting that the garden shed. There are ways to prevent them from coming into your home, and there are also some tried and true methods to get rid of them if they have already breached the perimeter.

Keep the rats out

  • Seal food and water sources.
  • Take out the trash regularly.
  • Keep your yard in good shape.
  • Cover any access points with sealant or steel wool.

Get rid of the rats

  • Use rat poison.
  • Set lethal traps.
  • Set catch and release traps.
  • Apply essential oils around infested areas.
  • Get a cat.

The 50 Most Rat Infested Cities in the USA

Each year, the pest control experts at Orkin tally up their residential and commercial calls for extermination or removal to determine which city in the US is crawling with the most rodents. For full methodology, see the link on #1 city in Orkin's Top 50 Rat-Infested Cities in the USA

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

These Are The Best Ways To Keep Stink Bugs OUT

Stink bugs love to take refuge in your house during the winter months and then come out during the spring. If you want to keep them out of your home, try these tricks provided by HGTV and Rose Pest Solutions.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

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Photos captured in a residential area of Park Ridge, Illinois show cicadas and their shells in a pile along streets and trees. The cicadas are part of a rare event that sees two broods emerging at once over parts of Illinois.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

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