Baton Rouge Rental Pest Checklist

With two universities, state government and a busy port, Baton Rouge has a lot of rental housing and a lot of move-ins and move-outs. Pests take advantage of every one of them. Tenants who know what to report, and how fast, save landlords money and save themselves a lot of trouble. Share this list with each new lease.

Report within a few days

• Big roaches showing up after rain
• Ant trails in the kitchen or bathroom
• Fire ant mounds near doors or play areas
• Spider webs in closets or the garage
• Gaps under doors or torn window screens

Report right away

• Winged insects swarming inside, especially near windows or lights in spring
• Small tan roaches in kitchen cabinets
• Droppings, gnaw marks or scratching in walls or the attic
• Bites in a line or dark spots on mattress seams
• Mud tubes on walls, piers or baseboards

Simple prevention

1. Keep food sealed and take trash out often
2. Don't leave pet food out overnight
3. Run water in unused drains so traps stay full
4. Keep mulch and firewood away from the walls

Termite season

Spring swarms are a warning sign, not just a nuisance. Save a few swarmers in a bag and tell the manager. More: Formosan termite swarm season.

For property managers

Louisiana's warm, wet climate means pests are active in nearly every month. A tenant who mentions the first few roaches or a single swarmer saves everyone from a much bigger treatment later, and landlords who respond quickly keep good tenants longer.

Inspect units between tenants, keep a termite contract current and treat neighboring units together when roaches or bed bugs show up. See termite control, roach control, rodent control and bed bug treatment.