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Wildlife creatures can bring a host of issues to your business. Some of these can disrupt your business, create unsanitary conditions, and drive customers away. The first step in dealing with these nuisance pests is knowing the type of animal you are dealing with and how to prevent them. We break down which ones to watch out for around your business and give some easy wildlife prevention tips.
Birds
Birds can pose a major health threat to your business as they can spread diseases and contaminate your business space. Their droppings can cause quite a mess and harbor diseases and parasites. These acidic droppings can corrode and ruin your business roof, walkways, windows, ledges, signage, and even your customers’ vehicles. These pests can also easily access and damage the roofline and chimney, which can lead to problems with your electrical wiring.
Rats & Mice
Rats and mice are looking for a place to eat and sleep. They can easily invade your business by entering through the smallest crack or hole that is unsealed. Just like birds, rodents can spread disease throughout your business, making it unsafe for both your customers and team members. These creatures are also known to gnaw on merchandise, packaging, equipment, and electrical wiring.
Squirrels
Squirrels can look cute and cuddly, but they are also known to create structural damage and disturbances at businesses. These creatures are in search of a food source, and you can tell if they have been searching around in your property by seeing uprooted plants and flowers, dug up holes, and eaten nuts or fruits. Squirrels are also known to create holes in roofs, chew on wires, damage vents, and create a musty smell from their urine if they’ve infested inside the building.
Utilizing preventative measures is the key to ensuring wildlife don’t infest your business and disturb your customers!
While rodents will typically infest your home during the colder months of the year, it is still possible for these pests to be found inside the home during the warmer months too. If a rodent, like a mouse or rat, is found inside a house during spring and summer months, it’s likely that they’ve been there since winter! Rodents can cause expensive damage to your property. Learning some common signs of rodents in your home is the first step in identifying an infestation and establishing a rodent control plan.
One of the most common and telling signs that a rodent is in your home is finding their droppings. Measuring around 1/8 to ¼” long, droppings are left behind in places where food is stored, such as the kitchen and pantries. Rodent feces can be dangerous as it can carry harmful bacteria and transmit dangerous diseases such as salmonella. When looking for these droppings, make sure to check under the sink, in pantries, in cabinets, along baseboards, and on top of wall beams.
Mice and rats are always in search of food and water and will often chew their way to it. Both rodents can cause serious damage by chewing through materials found throughout the house, such as plastic and lead pipes. House mice and Norway rats are known to gnaw on wires that are behind walls, causing the dangerous risk of a fire. Check throughout the house for any suspicious chewing marks on wires, pipes, or even plastic containers as these can be an indication that a rodent is inside your home.
Hearing strange noises at night is always concerning, but it’s also a common indicator that rodents have made their way inside. These pests are typically active during the night and, if inside, hearing them scurry around the house is common. Rodents usually prefer dark, secluded spots to build their nests, such as in attics or in between walls. Checking these areas could give you the answer on whether rodents have been infesting!
If you suspect a rodent infestation in your house, contact your local pest control company who can safely remove them from your home.
Warmer weather triggers the emergence of animals from hibernation. What many homeowners don’t realize is that wildlife will sometimes take refuge inside your home during the cold winter months. Once the weather starts warming up, these overwintering pests will start waking up and come out in droves looking for food and water. While some wildlife may be harmless, others can cause significant damage to both your home and your health. Some pests leave feces behind that can contaminate your food, kitchen surfaces, and even the air inside your home. Other pests can chew through wood and wires in your attic and walls, putting you at risk for fires.
Some common spring wildlife that can cause issues for homeowners include birds like swallows and sparrows; rodents like rats and mice; bats; squirrels; and raccoons. Birds use eaves, vents, and holes in the roof to make nests. Bird nest removal and bird control is regulated and usually best left to professionals. Rodents are some of the most common nuisance pests, getting inside through tiny spaces and reproducing quickly. Chewing and contamination are huge problems with rodents. While not as common as some of the other wildlife mentioned previously, bats can cause problems for you in the springtime. Bats will usually roost in gable vents and soffits but can also get into your home through the chimney or holes that they can use to access the attic. Larger mammals like squirrels and raccoons can get into attics and chimneys and even crawlspaces and basements. They are some of the most destructive spring wildlife, chewing through materials in your home and leaving behind huge messes.
So what can you do to keep these animals from seeing your home as a safe haven? Check out these tips to help control wildlife this spring.
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Rodents are one of the most resourceful pests when it comes to getting into your home. Mice and rats can squeeze through the tiniest cracks to gain access and they require very little space to travel inside. Rodents seek shelter indoors, especially during the fall and winter months as they go in search of warmth, food and water. While a rodent sighting can be scary enough, these pests also pose serious hazards to your home and your health. They can gnaw through cardboard, paper, and even electrical wires, putting you at risk for fires. They are known to carry bacteria, like salmonella and hantavirus, and can contaminate your food, kitchen surfaces, and other areas of your home. Even rodent droppings are dangerous – helping spread these pathogens to you and your family.
The first step in rodent control in and around your home is to prevent them from getting inside in the first place. Here are 10 easy tips you can use for preventing mice and rats:
If you do find signs of rodents in your home, best practice is to remove them and prevent re-entry as soon as possible. This is best accomplished by a professional pest control company who can not only eliminate the nuisance pests, but help identify nesting sites and points of entry to help prevent reinfestation in the future.
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When cold weather hits, winter wildlife go in search of three things: food for their bellies, water to quench their thirst, and warm shelter to keep them safe. When the going gets tough, these winter pests have to get creative in order to survive – often by making their way into your attic, chimney, basement, or crawlspace. While it’s beneficial for them, it can cause serious damage to both your home and your health to have them sharing space with you.
How do you know if you have a stowaway for the winter? Common signs of wildlife include:
Now that you know what to look for, what kinds of animals can cause these signs? Some of the most common winter wildlife include:
Prevention is key to avoiding a winter wildlife invasion. Critter control starts at home with these winter wildlife prevention tips:
Chimneys provide a great hideout and also a gateway for wildlife to get into your home. Make sure the top of your chimney has a grated screen that is in good repair with no holes. Check above the flue panel for any leaves, debris, droppings, or animals before sealing it up. Make sure your chimney is secure.
Small holes, cracks, open pipes, etc. in your foundation provide easy routes for wildlife to get into your home. A careful inspection of your foundations should be performed every season throughout the year. Seal any openings as you find them.
Any tiny cracks or openings in your roof or siding means easy access to your attic. Check the entire exterior of the roof, starting with the intersections and siding. Make sure to also check the flushing seams on the roof. Siding that connects to the roof should not be warped or pulled away. Be sure to check around exhaust openings and for loose vent screens, as well.
Many wildlife critters love to hide out in the attic. Use a flashlight or headlamp and thoroughly inspect this space, checking for openings or chewed up or damaged areas of wood. Seal any holes you find but always make sure the animals are not still present before you do.
Your trashcans offer a buffet of food sources for pests. Use cans with tightly securing lids, avoid overfilling them, and wash the bins regularly to get rid of food waste.
Branches and limbs offer squirrels, raccoons, and other creatures a bridge directly into your home. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from the house. Prune shrubs to keep them at least 12″ from the sides of your home. Trim any branches that overhang or touch your roof, as well.
Leaving food sources outside your home will just attract wildlife in. Try to avoid leaving pet food outside and tossing scraps or pouring leftover grease in the yard. Pick up any fallen fruit. Protect your gardens with fences that are designed to keep animals out. Clean up any spilled birdseed from feeders and bring them in overnight.
Wildlife control is an ongoing process that needs special attention and consideration, especially in the cold winter months. If you have a problem with winter wildlife, contact your local pest control company for an inspection and appropriate treatment or wildlife exclusion plan.
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