Swampscott Pilots Rodent Birth Control Initiative

Swampscott has launched a pilot program to control its rat population using SenesTech's Evolve Rodent Birth Control devices.

The devices work by allowing rats to nibble on bait through small entry points in small black boxes. The boxes are filled with what resembles uncooked sausage. This bait contains ingredients such as oat flour, palm oil, and hydrogenated soybean oil. Together, this combination of ingredients interferes with the reproductive systems of both male and female rats.

SenesTech Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Bryan DiMenna explained to The Item that the contraceptive operates at 1,000 parts per million to be effective on rats and mice. This nonlethal technology is highly effective and preferable to traditional poison methods, which can harm other animals, he said.

 “We're doing trials all over the world, and everywhere that we've done a trial, people have used the product effectively. … We've had success in every single case,” DiMenna told The Item.

The company determines effectiveness by using tracking plates near burrows, consisting of black chalk and ethanol, to measure the quantity of rat prints in an area.

SenesTech's previous studies, such as those conducted in Chicago, demonstrated a 60% to 70% decrease in rat sightings over four months, with rats remaining localized around bait sites, according to DiMenna.

To be effective, DiMenna said he would like to have Swampscott place a bait device every 50 to 75 feet.