SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pestec today announced that Rodent Log, the free data collection app developed for the Effective Urban Rodent Ecology Knowledge Alliance (EUREKA), is now available on Android. Funded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), Rodent Log gives pest management professionals (PMPs) a standard way to log, map and share rodent activity, creating a shared dataset for researchers, public health agencies and industry.
The launch comes as forecasters watch for a strong El Niño this winter, as public funding for scientific research tightens, and ahead of PestWorld 2026, where the EUREKA team will be exhibiting with alliance partners Rat Sense.”Pest management professionals are on the front line of rodent activity every day,” said Luis Agurto, CEO of Pestec and Principal Investigator of the EUREKA grant. “Rodent Log turns what our technicians already see into data that can answer real questions about rodents, and gives PMPs neighborhood data they can share with their customers.”
Rodent Log now on Android and iOS
Rodent Log is free on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Technicians using Android devices can now log rodent activity during routine service visits, just as iOS users do. Each entry follows EUREKA’s data collection standard and feeds an open data repository that industry, researchers and policymakers can use. An instructional video is available in the EUREKA knowledge base.
The standard is also reaching beyond the app. EUREKA partner RatSense USA will incorporate Rodent Log’s data collection standards into its own platform in support of the alliance’s industry science effort.
How will a Super El Niño affect rodents?
“A strong El Niño can bring heavy, sustained rain to some regions. Flooding and overwhelmed sewers can displace rats, so PMPs may see a short-term rise in sightings and calls during and after storms. Longer-term effects are less certain: flooding may reduce some populations, but wetter conditions and added vegetation could fuel a rebound the following year,” said Agurto.
Rodent Log enables data collection in one consistent format across companies and regions. That data can help answer questions that matter to homeowners, businesses and public health officials:
- Are America’s rodent problems getting worse, and where is the evidence?
- Are warmer winters changing where and when rats thrive?
- What do pest management professionals know about rodents that scientists don’t?
“Too many claims about rodents go unsupported by hard data. Those of us doing this work every day are best positioned to collect it, and to put it to use for science, public health, and smarter policy,” said Agurto.
A call to action for pest management professionals
Budget cuts to scientific research are leaving gaps in what we know about urban rodents and the risks they carry. PMPs are well placed to help fill them. They collect data every day on thousands of properties, and Rodent Log gives them a simple way to share it with researchers.
Contributing data also benefits the companies that share it. PMPs gain research, data and statistics they can use in sales and marketing, to show existing and future customers what is happening in their area and why a recommended service makes sense.
“Research cuts are a call to action for our industry,” said Agurto. “We are already collecting this data. By sharing it, we strengthen the science, and we earn customer trust with services backed by evidence.”
Meet the Rodent Log team at PestWorld 2026
The Rodent Log team will be at Booth #1725 at PestWorld 2026, Oct. 20–23, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Attendees can try Rodent Log on Android or iOS, learn how the EUREKA data standard works, and find out how their company can contribute data.
About EUREKA
The Effective Urban Rodent Ecology Knowledge Alliance (EUREKA) brings together industry, rodent scientists, public health professionals and community stakeholders to advance ecologically-based rodent management in California. Funded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and running through June 2027, EUREKA is building data collection standards, digital tools, an open data repository and an IoT sensor network to validate alternatives to rodenticides. Partners include Pestec, Orange County Vector Control, Alameda County Vector Control, the San Francisco Environment Department, Rat Sense USA, and the Centre for Urban Ecological Solutions. To join, visit eurekalliance.org.
This project was funded by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. The contents may not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the State of California.
Media Contact
Diane Agurto McCorriston
Pestec
925-757-2945
diane@pestecipm.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84395e72-b6a6-4989-89cd-17656d00267c
