Smart Rat Boxes: Rodent Control Device Locations and Catch Data for Cambridge, MA

Modern Pest contractor data tracks rodent catch/kill counts at 'Smart Box' and 'Smart Pipe' devices across Cambridge. Columns suggest monthly catch totals for 2026, annual totals from 2023-2026, and device locations with latitude and longitude. The dataset was last updated on May 26, 2026, by the City of Cambridge via the data.cambridgema.gov portal.

Use Cases

• Map device locations and rodent activity hotspots using Latitude, Longitude, and Total Since Install.
• Analyze seasonal trends in rodent catches by comparing monthly columns like December 2026, March 2026, and July 2026.
• Assess long-term intervention effectiveness by comparing annual totals from Prior to 2023, Total 2023, Total 2024, Total 2025, and Total 2026.
• Correlate rodent activity with urban zones using columns like cambridge_cdd_zoning, cambridge_neighborhoods, and Census Blocks 2010.

Strengths

• Includes precise geospatial coordinates (Latitude, Longitude) for device placement.
• Contains detailed temporal breakdowns with 10 monthly columns for 2026 and 5 annual total columns.
• Integrates with city planning data via columns for Police Response Districts, Participatory Budgeting, and Cambridge neighborhoods.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

data.cambridgema.gov

Collection Method

Data collected from 'Smart Box' and 'Smart Pipe' devices deployed by contractor Modern Pest, potentially supplemented by rodent sightings from Commonwealth Connect, 311, and See-Click-Fix.

Time Range

Includes data from prior to 2023 through 2026, with monthly detail for 2026.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-26 17:49:48; freshness should be verified.

Geography

City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.