Data Shows Modern Pests’ SMART Rodent Control Prevented Millions of Rats in Somerville, Quincy, and Greater Boston

New England’s expected warmer fall is the time to seal up home before rodents move indoors again to breed

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, September 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Building on the success of a 2022 pilot program, Somerville and Quincy are continuing to deploy innovative, non-toxic rodent control technology to reduce rodent populations and improve the quality of life for residents. In partnership with Modern Pest Services, the city is using SMART Boxes, which are advanced, industrial-grade trapping units that monitor rodent activity and eliminate rodents without the use of pesticides. Since their installation, Somerville has prevented rodents from producing millions of offspring by removing thousands of rats from the population. Additionally, Somerville has seen measurable results, including an average annual reduction of at least 11 percent in rodent-related 311 calls, with nearly a 15 percent decrease recorded in 2025. Somerville was the second municipality in the nation to pilot this technology in 2022, following Portland, Maine. Since then, the use of SMART Box has expanded to include Cambridge, Malden, Brookline, and Quincy.

Controlling rodent populations in the city is critical for public health. Coastal New England is expected to have a warmer and drier Fall, so now is the time to seal up your home to prevent the migration indoors by rodents when the temperatures fall. Once they move indoors, they will also begin breeding.
A female rat can produce six litters a year of around a dozen offspring, and those offspring reach sexual maturity by 4-5 weeks of age. Each female can produce roughly 1,250 offspring a year. Based on that average, and the collected data on the number of rat removals Modern Pest Solutions has handled for these Boston-area cities since 2023, they have prevented rat populations from swelling to approximately ~6.5 million in Cambridge, ~4 million in Quincy, ~1.4 million in Somerville, and ~2.2 million in Brookline. And all of it was done without the use of pesticides, therefore mitigating concerns over secondary poisonings in water supplies or hazards to other animals.

Fresh data from April through August 2026 alone shows Modern Pest Services has removed 2,952 rats across these four cities in just a five-month window (including 1,866 in Cambridge, 565 in Quincy, 332 in Somerville, and 189 in Brookline), which translates to keeping thousands of potential litters off the streets ahead of the peak fall season.

The SMART program launched with Modern Pest Services in February 2022 as part of former Mayor Katjana Ballantyne’s 100-Day Agenda and reflected the City’s ongoing commitment to proactive and data-driven rodent mitigation. During the initial pilot, the city installed and maintained 50 SMART Boxes across four neighborhoods. Following a successful test period through July 2022.

SMART Boxes are non-toxic, above-ground traps equipped with sensors that detect rodent movement and body heat. In SMART Boxes when a rodent enters the unit, an electrical current is activated, humanely killing the rodent. The trap then automatically resets and remains operational. Each unit securely stores the rodent in a closed container and is locked to prevent access by people, pets, or wildlife. The device monitors and records activity 24/7 and sends real-time alerts to Modern Pest Services, enabling proactive servicing and population tracking. The SMART system provides constant monitoring, is environmentally friendly, contains no pesticides, and is also humane. Because this technology eliminates all physical interaction with rodents, the community at large is not vulnerable to the diseases rodents carry.

The city deploys SMART Boxes to locations identified through 311 Constituent Services rodent reports and Inspectional Services data. Installations represent a range of environmental conditions—including business districts, residential areas, open spaces, and locations near construction and transit—to better understand factors contributing to rodent activity and to inform future mitigation strategies.

"Residents consistently identify rodent activity as a top concern in Somerville, and we’ve been encouraged by the success of this program so far. Remote monitoring through the SMART program not only helps reduce rodent activity, but also provides real-time data that allows the City to better understand where activity is occurring and respond more effectively to areas of greatest need," Alicia Privett, MPH (she/her), Environmental Health Coordinator in the Inspectional Services Department for the City of Somerville.

“It’s not just about removing rodents; it's about using underlying activity data to understand when and where we remove the rodent, then partnering with the city to reduce the conditions that cause population peaks (food, shelter, water)," explained Lisa Cloutier, SMART Program Lead for Modern Pest Services. “By influencing those environmental factors, we move from reacting to infestations to continuously reducing the overall population without causing secondary poisonings.”

The SMART program is a key component of the City’s Integrated Pest Management Plan and complements existing rodent control efforts, including residential inspections, public education, and free baiting services offered through the Residential Rodent Control Assistance Program.
Live SMART Box data is available to the public online, providing transparency and insight into ongoing rodent mitigation efforts.

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About Modern Pest
Modern Pest Services blends the expertise of a large company with the personal touch of a local provider. With nearly 80 years of experience, Modern Pest ensures you receive consistent, high-quality service from local expert technicians. We use the latest, safest, and most environmentally-friendly products, and employ preventative measures for both our residential and commercial clients, like SMART Technology for rodent management.

Heather Atherton
Bright Eyes Marketing
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