Ew, rats.

During the pandemic, New York City’s rats scurried out of their underground nests. They crawled into the open air, feasting on a smorgasbord of scraps in streets and parks. Diners ate outdoors instead of indoors. So did the rats. The rodents loved to nibble on bits of meals left behind.

City data says people are seeing more rats in New York than they have in a decade. People have called in some 7,400 rat sightings. That’s way more than before the pandemic.

Will people continue to see more and more rats?

“That depends on how much food is available to them and where,” says Matt Frye. Mr. Frye is a pest management specialist for the state of New York.

God made rats with a purpose—to get rid of garbage. And they do so gladly. But too much garbage means too many rats.

Rats have been a problem in New York since the city was founded. Every new generation of leaders has tried to stop them. And for good reason! Rats do more than make people squeal. They can spread disease.

Mayor Eric Adams tried a trap that used a bucket filled with a vinegary, toxic soup to drown rats lured by the scent of food.

Mayor Bill de Blasio spent tens of millions on his rat project. Trash was picked up more often. Housing inspections became more aggressive. Dirt basement floors in some apartment buildings were replaced with ones made of concrete.

The city also launched a program to use dry ice to suffocate rats in their burrows.

And did the rats vanish?

Nope. Rats are tough. They can survive on less than an ounce of food per day. They rarely have to travel more than a city block to find something to nibble.

The city’s new plan: Padlock curbside trash bins. Authorities hope this will cut down the big piles of garbage bags that turn into rat buffets.