Winning the Battle Against Rodents with Smart IoT Solutions: Larry’s Story
At SensorWorks, we believe technology can solve some of the most persistent challenges, including rodent control. Today, we’d like to introduce a firsthand account from one of our IoT Solutions Engineers, Larry Liang, who took matters into his own hands using our Victor LoRaWAN Smart Rodent Trap. Here’s Larry’s story, in his own words…
Larry Liang
Director of Business Development | Wireless Architect IoT & LPWAN
Embedded Works Corporation
So, I recently learned that I had a problem when the neighbor I share a fence line with came strolling up the walkway with a funny look on their face. They told me there might be rodents under their raised wooden deck, which butts right up against our shared redwood fence. That made sense since that’s also where they BBQ, picnic, and hang out.
This also explained why my cat had been spending most of her days sitting by that section of the fence, in the shade, watching intently. Sure enough, when I went to check the area, I found signs of rodent activity—rat droppings and footprints in the diatomaceous earth I’d sprinkled along my fence line just days before.
Now, I didn’t want to use poison. My cat, my neighbor’s cats, and even local wildlife could end up as collateral damage if they caught or scavenged poisoned rodents. So, I started with “eco-friendly” wheat pellets, thinking this might be a safe and effective way to solve the problem. The results? Every morning, the feeder trays were empty, but no rodents were caught. After refilling the trays for seven days straight, I gave up. It felt like I was providing an all-you-can-eat buffet for the rats.
Time to step up my game.
I moved on to traditional wooden snap traps, the kind you find at any hardware store. I figured I’d get creative, so I smeared peanut butter on a gummy bear and hooked it to the pedal of the trap. I thought it was a genius. Well, I quickly learned otherwise. All the small snap traps disappeared from the scene, and the large snap traps were found triggered in the neighbor’s side of the fence, minus any rodents! What the….?
It was clear I needed a better solution. Enter the Victor LoRaWAN Smart Rodent Trap from SensorWorks. It’s a humane, high-tech solution that not only eliminates the rodent but also sends me a wireless notification when the trap is triggered. No more guessing or constantly checking traps.
The setup was a breeze. After unboxing the trap, installing four AA-Li batteries, and onboarding it to the SensorWorks Portal (which took about five minutes), I placed the trap right along the shared fence line. No fuss, no muss.
To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. After two nights with no catches, I wondered if this was going to work. But soon enough, I started seeing results—4 rodents caught in just 8 nights, and I’ve been receiving real-time notifications from the Portal every time the trap is triggered.
Now, I’m a believer. I’ve got the upper hand, and I think I’m going to win this one. 😊
Larry’s story highlights how SensorWorks’ smart solutions are making rodent control more effective and easier than ever. If you’re ready to take your pest control strategy to the next level, click here to learn more about our Smart Rodent Trap and other smart building management solutions.