Blackberry Thickets, English Ivy and Rats
Two plants show up in almost every older Beaverton yard that backs onto a creek or greenway: Himalayan blackberry and English ivy. The Oregon Department of Agriculture lists both as noxious weeds, and both make dense cover that stays put all year.
Why Rats Like Them
The state describes Himalayan blackberry as forming large, impenetrable thickets, and the arching canes leave open runways underneath at ground level. Ivy climbing a fence, a tree or a wall gives roof rats a ladder and gives Norway rats a mat of cover on the ground. OSU Extension advises thinning plant growth near buildings for this reason, because plants give rats places to hide.
Cutting Them Back
You don't have to clear the whole lot. Focus on what's close to the house:
- Keep ivy off the siding, the chimney, the fence near the house and any tree touching the roof
- Cut blackberries back from the fence line and the back of the shed
- Clear a strip along the foundation so you can see the ground
- Bag or haul the cuttings instead of building a brush pile
When to Call First
Wear heavy gloves, since thorns and rat droppings are both reasons to keep your hands covered. If you find burrows, droppings or nests while you're clearing, stop and call. The provider can trap the rats out before you take away their cover, so they don't scatter into your crawl space. See rat control.
Questions People Ask
Will cutting the ivy make the rats leave?
It helps by taking away cover, but rats already living there may just move closer to the house. Trap and seal along with the clearing.