Preventing Rats This Fall

Preventing Rats This Fall

During the colder months, rats are looking indoors for shelter, providing them with warmth and a food source. Once inside, they can not only cause considerable damage to homes by gnawing electrical wires, but they can also pose health risks as they are known to carry bacteria, such as salmonella. To help avoid these pests, every homeowner should utilize preventative measures throughout their house for rodent control.

Keeping the exterior of your home well-sealed is the first step to prevent rats from the inside. Check around the outside of your home for any gaps or holes that are leading inside. Make sure to seal around any openings in the walls, especially utility pipes and vents. Consider installing weather stripping for the gaps in doors and windows.

While outside, look throughout your yard for debris such as piles of leaves or excess woodpiles. Rats will often use these to hide or take cover. Consider keeping your woodpiles 20 feet from your home. Try to keep your shrubbery away from the sides of your home and mow the grass frequently.

Rats are always in search of a food source. Eliminating access to food from your property is another great way to keep them from infesting. If you leave your pet bowls outside, consider bringing them inside to avoid attracting them. Make sure to keep all food, including pet and bird food, in airtight containers. Likewise, make sure your trash cans are sealed tightly and take the garbage out frequently.

Suspecting that you have a rat inside your house is always alarming. It’s best to contact a pest control professional who can inspect your home, identify the type of rat, and set you up with a comprehensive treatment plan.

What to Know About Overwintering Pests

What to Know About Overwintering Pests

Overwintering is a common term used to describe pests and their activities that allow them to survive the colder temperatures. Overwintering pests will often seek comfort and shelter in homes and buildings because of their warmth. These pests can be especially sneaky and if you don’t take preventative measures as they can infest quickly. Here are some common overwintering pests and some easy do-it-yourself pest control tips to keep them outside of your house.

Stink Bugs

Stink bugs can infest homes in large numbers, especially during the fall. You can often find these bugs on the side of your home, where they can receive the most sunlight to keep warm. While these bugs aren’t harmful to humans, if crushed, they will emit an unpleasant odor.

Boxelder Bugs

One of the more aggressive species of overwintering pests, the boxelder bug has mouthparts are both piercing and capable of puncturing the skin if being handled. This can cause slight irritation and produce red spots, like mosquito bites. Crushing these bugs is not recommended, as their bodies will produce a strong odor and remains can leave a reddish stain on fabrics.

Lady Bugs

Ladybugs are considered harmless and deemed beneficial. They will often consume plant-eating insects such as aphids, mites, and scale insects, all of which can harm crops and plants in gardens; though if they invade your home, they can become a nuisance and can be difficult to get rid of.

Overwintering Pest Protection Tips

  • Seal or caulk all cracks and crevices around house foundations, siding, doors, windows, electrical, and plumbing.
  • Clean your yard by raking, keeping the grass cut, and picking up debris throughout the yard.
  • Use tight-fitting insect screens throughout your windows, screened doors, and attic vents.
  • Contact your local pest control company for routine maintenance and prevention.
Preparing for Fall Wildlife

Preparing for Fall Wildlife

Fall is just around the corner! While we are all eager for that brisk fall breeze to arrive, we know that as the temperatures get cooler, certain wildlife creatures will be more active during the fall season. Wildlife such as squirrels, mice, opossums, and rats are just a few that will start to look indoors for a warm habitat and food source. Before the fall season arrives, every homeowner should start wildlife control preparations early to help prevent these animal intruders from getting inside.

Wildlife animals are constantly in search of food and water to survive. Animals such as opossums and rats often look to garbage cans to find food, making a huge mess in the process. To keep them from scavenging through your trash cans, make sure your garbage isn’t overflowing. Keep your exterior garbage cans secure by locking and sealing the lids overnight.

Raccoons, squirrels, and birds will easily sneak into open gaps or holes leading right into your home. Screen attic vents and openings in chimneys can provide them with ideal openings. Ensure that the vents and chimneys are fully screened and sealed off. Likewise, check around the exterior of your home for any gaps or holes leading inside. Rats and mice only need a small opening to get inside, so ensuring that you’ve sealed any openings can help eliminate the chance of infestation.

Your yard is the first thing that wildlife creatures will enter. Keeping your yard well-maintained can help to prevent these pests from inhabiting. Make sure to clean up leaf piles, brush, and debris throughout the yard. When cleaning up the piles, put them in sealed waste bags and store them in the garage until garbage day. Trim your tree limbs or branches away from your roofline as animals, such as squirrels, will use them as a guide to enter inside the home.

Preventing wildlife from entering your property can be difficult but possible. If you’ve noticed more wildlife creatures than usual, consider calling your professional wildlife control company. These wildlife exclusion experts will inspect your home, identify entry points, safely remove infested animals, and prevent them from entering in the future!

Wildlife on the Move!

Wildlife on the Move!

The temperatures have dropped, the warm heat is running throughout the house, and we are all bundled up under a blanket come nightfall. While we enjoy the indoor warmth, the creatures outside could be a bit envious. Most wildlife animals are looking for shelter to keep them warm and provide them with a food source. We breakdown some common wildlife that roam about during the colder months and why they can be harmful to your home and family. 

Norway Rats 

One common pest encountered in the fall and winter is the Norway rat. These rodents are most active at night, when they begin their search for food and water. They exist in large numbers and are known to produce up to 5 litters per year with an average of 7 babies per litter! If given the opportunity, Norway rats will enter through open holes and gaps leading inside your home. If they gain access, they can be dangerous as they will chew electrical wires, putting you at risk of house fires.

Raccoons  

While raccoons can look cute to some, having them destroy your property is not ideal for any homeowner. These animals are talented, capable of using their paws to open doors and lids. They often live in hollowed trees or caves but can also sneak inside the attic and garage to find warmth and food. Once these pests find a food source, they will keep returning to search for more. This can be not only dangerous, as there is potential they could have rabies, but it is also a nuisance as they can cause considerable damage to your roof or inside the home. 

Squirrels  

Squirrels spend most of their time in trees foraging for food. While these animals might look harmless, they can easily become a threat if they find themselves inside your home. These pests are looking for a food source and will commonly invade bird feeders, garbage cans, and attics. If access is gained into your attic, squirrels can cause damage to the wood, insulation, wires, and even storage boxes. Their urine and droppings can also contaminate attic insulation, which can be extremely costly to replace.  

If you suspect that one or more of these wildlife creatures have gotten inside your home, it’s best to contact your local wildlife control company. A professional will be able to locate any entry points, create a customized plan, and prevent them from returning in the future. 

5 Reasons To Be Thankful for Pest Control

5 Reasons To Be Thankful for Pest Control

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the things we are thankful for. Many people are thankful for life, health, family, and friends. Whatever you are thankful for this season, pest control probably isn’t very high on the list. What you may not realize is that there are several very important reasons to be thankful for this service. Here are five reasons to be thankful for pest control this holiday season.

Cost Savings

Routine pest control provides scheduled service throughout the year. This allows your service technician the opportunity to provide ongoing treatment for existing issues and regular inspections to help catch new problems early, before they manifest to serious infestations. This helps shift the focus of your pest control service from treatment to prevention, helping to save you from costly treatments and repairs in the future.

Improved Health

Routine pest control provides many opportunities to improve the health of both your family and your home. Pests offer a wide range of hazards to your family’s health and safety. Venomous spiders and ants can cause painful bites; rodents and other wildlife can leave droppings that can contaminate your food and household surfaces; cockroaches can exacerbate allergies and asthma. Routine pest control can help eliminate all of these threats, as well as provide you with stress and anxiety relief knowing that your home is protected.

Protecting the Value/Integrity of Your Home

Pests can cause serious damage to the structure of your home, decreasing its value and costing significant amounts of money in repairs and treatments. Rodents and other wildlife can chew through walls, wires, drywall, and even roofs, damaging them and increasing the risk of fires. Termites can eat through wood undetected for years before their damage is realized. Rodents and roaches can contaminate food, costing you money by having to throw it out and replace it. A routine pest control program can help catch these pest issues early and keep them from getting out of control.

Eco-Friendly Options

Pest control used to mean harsh chemicals that were dangerous for your small children or pets. Nowadays there are green pest control options that are eco-friendly and safe for use anywhere in and around your home while still remaining effective against pests. The active ingredients in a green pest control service are derived from flowers, plants, and other natural elements from the earth and are safe for both children and pets.

Service Guarantee

Most pest control programs offer a service guarantee. Routine pest control visits are scheduled so that problems can be identified and remedied at that time. The service guarantee allows the technician to come back in between scheduled visits for any issues that arise at no additional cost to you.

As you can see, there are many reasons to be thankful for pest control. If you suspect you have a pest problem or you want to stay ahead of the pests before they take over, contact a professional pest control company who can thoroughly evaluate your home and provide you with the treatment and prevention options needed to make you thankful this season.

 

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