Apr 14, 2023 | Wildlife
Water moccasins, also known as cottonmouths, are one of 6 venomous snake species found in Georgia. These snakes are often mistaken for non-venomous water snakes (which are illegal to kill in the state of Georgia). Water moccasins are found in most areas of Georgia with the exception of the northern central region. While they often sunbathe on land, logs, or stumps found near water sources, they will also inhabit swamps, backwaters, and slow-moving streams.
Water moccasins are large, heavy bodied snakes with dull colors and rough scales. They have a single row of these scales under their tails (while water snakes have a double row). They also have elliptical eye pupils and heat sensing pits between their eyes and nostrils. Most have banding on their bodies with wider bands on the sides that narrow and taper near the top. These bands look like hourglasses when looking at them from above. They also have a dark stripe that runs from the back of their eye to the corner of their jaw which distinguishes them from water snakes and other species.
When agitated, water moccasins will vibrate their tails (similar to a rattlesnake rattle) and gape their mouths open, exposing the white coloration inside (hence the name cottonmouth). While these snakes have gotten a reputation for being aggressive, they are actually more likely to flee when encountered.
Water moccasins prefer to lay on logs and tree limbs near the water’s edge but will move into the water, as well. They can open their mouths and bite underwater, often hunting for frogs while swimming. The way they swim is also a distinguishing factor for these snakes. Water moccasins swim with their bodies riding on the surface of the water and their heads elevated above the water. They don’t typically submerge underwater, although they can. Water snakes will dive underwater when fleeing from a disturbance.
If you encounter a water moccasin in the wild, don’t panic. Stop moving towards them and back away slowly. Steer clear of them as you make your way away from them. Don’t ever attempt to kill or move a venomous snake on your own. If one makes its way into your home, call a professional wildlife control company for proper snake removal and relocation.
To keep water moccasins from lurking around your home, minimize stacks of wood near your house, get rid of standing water, bush piles, and any other moisture prone cover they can use. They also love to eat frogs so keep populations of these reduced around your property. They love wet hiding places with decaying plants or wood. Keep your home and yard clear and dry.
If you have a problem with snakes, contact your local pest control company for assistance.
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Mar 22, 2023 | Wildlife
South Florida Wildlife Control: How To Prevent
While Florida sees warmer temperatures year-round compared to other states, there’s bound to be a cold front hit during the winter season. Wildlife creatures look to our Harlem Heights homes for food, shelter, and warmth. Before they enter, it’s important for every homeowner to brush up on their knowledge of the types of winter wildlife and how to prevent them!
Rats & Mice
Rats and mice are notorious for entering our homes for shelter and food. These creatures are known to inhabit our crawl spaces, basements, kitchens, and attics. Once inside they can cause serious damage, such as chewing wire, destroying insulation, and leaving behind their feces.
Rats and mice are known to carry and spread diseases such as salmonella, lice, fleas, and ticks. Their droppings can also contain pathogens, dangerous to humans. Major signs of these creatures inside your home are hearing noises coming from the walls or ceilings, such as tapping or scratching.
Raccoons
Nocturnal animals, raccoons are dexterous, often opening doorknobs, cabinet doors, and trashcan lids to search for any available food source. These creatures are known to inhabit suburbs, and you will often find them invading hollow trees, attics, or garages.
Raccoons can cause significant damage to the outside of your home such as ripping of shingles, fascia boards, and even chimney vents! If they infest inside, they will destroy insulation, chew electrical wires, and contaminate the home with their urine and feces.
Bats
Bats are looking for a protected place that stays above freezing to inhabit. These creatures will often look to our attics for shelter, so they can huddle in a group together. If you suspect you have bats inside, don’t be surprised if there’s a group of them instead of just one. Bats will usually stay in attics during the day, leaving at night to search for a food source.
These creatures are known to carry diseases, such as rabies, which can spread to humans. In several states, removing bats is a delicate matter and will need to be done by a professional.
Preventing wildlife can seem daunting but there are a few easy ways you can keep them from invading your home. Check out our top wildlife prevention tips below:
- Seal your garbage cans and compost bins
- Trim or cut tree limbs away from your house’s roof line
- Place a grated screen on top of your chimney
- Consider enclosing your crawlspace to eliminate entry points
- Inspect the exterior of your home for holes and gaps, sealing them immediately
- Reach out to your local South Florida wildlife control company to set you up with a prevention and treatment plan to avoid a wildlife infestation
Mar 17, 2023 | Wildlife
As the weather warms up, snakes will emerge to take advantage of the warm weather and kick start their mating season. One of the snakes you’ll start to see this spring is the water moccasin. This venomous snake, also known as the cottonmouth, is a semi-aquatic snake found throughout the southeastern United States. The water moccasin is often mistaken for other snakes, so recognizing this snake in the wild is critical.
Water moccasins have large, triangular shaped heads with large jowls (due to their venom glands). Their eyes have a dark line through them and elliptical-shaped pupils. These snakes are large in size, ranging from 24″ to 48″. They have thick, heavy bodies when compared to their length. Their coloration can vary. These snakes can be completely brown or black (usually adults) or brown or yellow with dark crossbands. Adults tend to be darker while juveniles tend to be more brightly colored. They also have dark brown or yellow blotches on their bellies and black on the underside of their tails.
Water moccasins have facial pits they use to sense heat from predators and prey. They got their cottonmouth alias because the inside of their mouths are white in color. They will gape when they feel threatened, exposing this white color in an attempt to scare the threat away.
These snakes are found throughout the southeast, as far north as Virginia. They can be found in almost any freshwater habitat. They are active both during the day and at night, but will commonly hunt at night, especially during the hotter seasons of the year. They eat a variety of prey, including lizards, amphibians, other snakes, small turtles, birds, fish, mammals, and even baby alligators. They mate in the early summer.
Water moccasins are often mistaken for other nonvenomous water snakes. While the water moccasin has a thick body and short, thick tail, nonvenomous water snakes have more slender bodies and thinner tails. The shape of the head is also important. Water moccasins have large, blocky heads with pronounced necks that are much more narrow than the head. Water snakes, on the other hand, have more slender heads with necks that are more comparable in width to their heads.
While it can be tempting to run away or grab the closest thing you can to kill a snake when you come across it, the best practice is to leave it alone and slowly back away. In the case of a venomous snake, contact your local pest control company who can implement safe snake removal and relocation techniques.
Feb 20, 2023 | Wildlife
Raccoons are highly adaptive pests that are capable of causing significant damage to your home. The two main reasons raccoons come around are a search for food and a search for a place to live. These wildlife creatures are easily recognizable with their ringed tails and mask-like markings on their faces. Their paws are dexterous, allowing them to access areas other pests can’t. Raccoons can bite when threatened and also carry diseases such as rabies, distemper, and parasites. They can cause damage to crawlspaces and attics by chewing through walls, sheetrock, etc.
Raccoons are nocturnal creatures and oftentimes can hang out around your house without you even realizing they are there. Here are 5 signs you may have a raccoon problem around your home.
- Raccoon Tracks: Raccoon tracks are one of the most common signs that they are in or near your home. Raccoon tracks are easy to identify; in fact, they are very similar to human footprints. They usually measure 4″ or less in size. They can commonly be found in areas with soft soil, near fences, near buildings, at the bases of trees, and near trash cans.
- Feces: Raccoon feces, also known as scat, can be hard to tell apart from the feces of other animals. Raccoons will usually leave their scat near tree bases, woodpiles, and trash cans.
- Scratching: Raccoons are known to scratch the bark of trees, especially near the base. You may also find scratch marks on sheds, porches, and other outdoor structures.
- Sounds: Raccoons are capable of producing over 50 unique sounds including growls, squeals, and purrs. If you are hearing odd sounds that you can’t attribute to other common animals, you may have a raccoon lurking.
- Trash: Raccoons are attracted to the smell of garbage in your trash cans. With their dexterous paws, they are capable of opening trashcan lids and will do anything within their means to get inside. When raccoons are present you will often wake up to trashcan lids open, cans turned over, and ripped trash bags with their contents strewn around your yard.
Raccoons can become an issue when they take up residence in or near your home. Keep raccoons out of your home with these tips:
- Don’t approach a live raccoon. They will bite or scratch if they feel threatened.
- Don’t feed raccoons. They will continue to return in search of more food.
- Secure your trashcans with rope, chain, clamps, or even cinder blocks.
- Feed your pets indoors; if they must be fed outdoors, don’t leave their food out overnight.
- Bring in bird feeders at night, as well.
- Lock pet doors at night.
- Secure compost containers, as well.
- Cover any entry points to your home with metal mesh or metal flashing.
- Double bag any meat products before throwing them away.
- Rake up any fallen fruit from trees.
- Utilize motion activated lights, sound machines, etc. to scare them away.
- Trim back branches and limbs from the exterior of your home to limit their access to your roof.
If you have a problem with raccoons or other wildlife, contact your local wildlife control company for a thorough inspection and wildlife control plan.
Feb 7, 2023 | Wildlife
The weather is still a bit chilly, but spring is just around the corner and that means more wildlife will be out and about. Just because they left your attic alone this past winter doesn’t mean they won’t be attracted to it for the springtime. This is the time of year they will be searching for shelter to bear and rear their young. They are well-adapted to urban life and will typically be attracted to homes to find a safe place to settle down. Let’s go over which animals it’s time to keep an eye out for:
- Raccoons: Raccoons are not aggressive towards people; however, they will attack if they feel cornered. They are known as scavengers and will mostly hunt for food at night. Being highly intelligent helps them to find their way into your attic, chimney, or under decks.
- Opossums: They begin breeding as early as January and will usually produce 2 liters a year. These nocturnal creatures are not aggressive but will hiss and show their teeth when scared. Opossums can cause damage if they enter your house, typically your attic.
- Skunks: These easy-to-spot (and smell) critters emerge form hibernation and become more active in the spring. They will usually give birth to their first litter in early to mid-spring. Skunks can cause damage to your home by burrowing under buildings.
Wildlife Prevention
Most wildlife creatures are generally harmless but can be problematic if they get inside your home. Wildlife control begins with prevention. Here are some handy tips:
- Keep windows locked and screened
- Clean gutters to prevent water pooling and potential nesting sites
- Trim tree branches and shrubs away from your home
- Block off any openings under porches, decks, patios, and garages with wire mesh or chicken wire
- Keep garbage stored in tightly sealed trashcans or use cans that latch close
If you suspect a problem with wildlife or other pests, give your local wildlife control company a call today for a free inspection!
Nov 30, 2022 | Wildlife
Winter is nearing and that means it is time to make sure your attic doesn’t become a sanctuary for wildlife critters. The most common winter wildlife critters that you should keep an eye out for this winter are raccoons, squirrels, bats, and mice. They can all cause severe damage to your home and pose a significant threat to your health.
The most obvious way for wildlife to get into your attic is through vents and any gaps in your home’s exterior. Once inside, they can make their nest in your attic which results in ripped or destroyed insulation. They could also begin compromising the well-being of your attic from their urine or feces. This can make for a smelly home or become a hazard to your family’s health since animal waste can contain parasites or bacteria.
If you discover wildlife has taken over your attic, then it’s best to call in professional help to get them removed. If your insulation has been impacted, then it’s imperative to get it replaced as soon as possible. Insulation that has been removed or contaminated can lead to higher energy bills and no one wants that.
Reach out to your local wildlife control company to assist with the removal of these pests, so you can get back to enjoying your home this winter!
Oct 13, 2022 | Wildlife
Fall is in full swing, and winter is just around the corner. We aren’t the only ones preparing to stay indoors longer than usual. Wildlife are also thinking about making their way inside. This typically means our homes could become refuge for the critters. There are a few wildlife creatures to look out for once it begins to get cooler – squirrels, raccoons, rodents, and more!
Most homeowners don’t think they have a wildlife problem, because they’ve probably never seen it with their own eyes. That isn’t the case. Most homeowners don’t notice the problem because most of the creatures are nocturnal and will only be active at night. The most common signs of a wildlife problem are:
- Chew and gnaw marks around the attic, basement, or electrical wiring
- Garbage cans and bags that have been broken into
- Foul smells lingering around your home – could be urine or droppings
- Scratching sounds coming from the attic or walls
DIY Wildlife Prevention Tips
Many homeowners don’t even realize the things they’re doing that attract wildlife into their homes. Here are some of the best ways you can prevent an infestation in your home this winter!
- Close Access Points: Wildlife can enter your home through the smallest of openings. Make sure your home’s attics, vents, windows, chimney, and crawl space are secure. Seal any gaps and holes that can be considered entry points.
- Secure Garbage Containers: Most of the wildlife mentioned above are known to eat just about anything. Outside garbage containers offer a multitude of food options and the best way to deter them is to secure trash can lids, avoid overfilling containers, and clean out the cans regularly.
- Keep Trees and Shrubs Cut Short: When branches or shrubs are too close to your home, it gives squirrels, raccoons, and other critters easier access to your home. Keeping them cut short and away from your home will help cut the bridge of them getting inside.
- Don’t Leave Food Near Home: This goes hand in hand with the garbage can, but another big invitation to wildlife is your pet’s food bowls. Avoid leaving them out overnight, especially outdoors. Another tip is to pick up any fallen fruit and protect gardens with a fence or netting to keep animals out.
If you begin to notice signs of wildlife in or around your home, be sure to reach out to your local wildlife control company and they can help determine the critter causing the issues and create a customized solution to get rid of them.
Oct 6, 2022 | Pest Control, Wildlife
We never expect our homes to fall victim to rodent invaders, but it can happen to anyone! Getting rid of these critters can be difficult, but with the help of a wildlife control company, it can be made possible. Before reaching out to someone for assistance, be sure you’re identifying these rodents correctly. Here are some of the most common rodents found in the South.
Deer Mouse
Often referred to as field mice, these rodents are typically found in the woodlands and desert areas. They rarely invade residential properties but will sometimes seek shelter in our homes for winter since they don’t hibernate. When indoors, deer mice are typically found in basements or attics. The biggest threat about them is that they can transmit the dangerous hantavirus, so it’s vital to get them taken care of as soon as possible.
House Mouse
Just like the deer mouse, these mice also carry diseases and shouldn’t be kept in your home for long once discovered. The house mouse prefers to move along baseboards and countertops and can be seen eating anything they can find. They will contaminate your food and can transmit diseases like salmonella and even the bubonic plague. They are also known to cause structural damage such as creating tunnels in walls and chewing exposed wires.
Norway Rats
These stocky, heavy-bodied rats are larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. They rely heavily on human activity for survival and will eat anything like cereal grains, meats, fish, nuts, and some fruits. Norway rats are more active at night and can cause considerable damage to homes, gardens, and structures. The main concern is the diseases they are known to spread, which include jaundice, rat bite fever, and salmonella.
Roof Rats
Known as a serious pest problem, they are also dependent on humans for survival and will usually infest homes. They have padded feet that make it easier for them to climb, so they are usually found in attics, eaves, and roof lines. Roof rats are known for spreading multiple diseases, including salmonella, leptospirosis, and rat bite fever. They contaminate food when they are foraging, impacting not just humans, but also pets and livestock.
If you think you have a rodent problem, it’s important to get it taken care of as soon as possible. Reach out to your local wildlife control company so they can create a customized plan to rid your home of rodents.
Aug 22, 2022 | Florida Pest Control, Wildlife
Pompano Beach Pest Control: Wildlife Exclusion
Wildlife creatures can be cute from afar, but once they’ve invaded our homes, they quickly become a nuisance! While wildlife typically invade homes in the winter, they are still highly active in the summer, as well, searching for food and water sources. Check out our list of common wildlife creatures in Pompano Beach and how you can prevent them.
Rats
Active year-round, rats are excellent climbers and will adapt to human environments. They often seek out undisturbed areas such as attics, basements, and crawlspaces. For survival, these rodents will need a food source and will look in your home for grains, nuts, fruits, seeds, and vegetables. Harmful to humans, rats are known to contaminate food, cause fire hazards by chewing wires, and leave their droppings that can lead to disease.
Opossums
During the summer, opossums are actively hunting for food for their young. During the day, these pests will hide in trees until the evening arrives. As nocturnal pests, opossums look for their food source primarily at night. Opossums will scour your trashcans for nuts, fruits, grains, and even insects.
Raccoons
Raccoons give birth to their young during the summer and, like opossums, they are actively looking for food for their babies. While raccoons prefer wooded areas to inhabit with trees, water, and vegetation, they can be found in human areas too. They often seek out shelter in our attics, barns, and sheds. Raccoons are also nocturnal, searching for food at night. These creatures eat fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, and even snakes. Raccoons can become a nuisance if they find their way onto our property, often knocking over garbage cans or destroying gardens.
Preventing wildlife starts with the preventative measures put in place around your home. Consider utilizing these do-it-yourself wildlife control tips:
- Keep garbage stored in tightly sealed trash containers
- Remove any food source outside, including your pet food bowls
- Seal any open holes or gaps found in garages, windows, or exterior doors
- Contact your local Pompano Beach pest control company to assess your wildlife issue, provide a treatment plan, and recommend wildlife exclusion options.
