Apr 15, 2021 | Wildlife
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.
- Check the outside of your home for any possible entry points and seal them.
- Repair any leaks or damaged and rotted wood around your home.
- Repair or replace damaged window and door screens.
- Use chimney caps.
- Use screens over dryer vents, air vents, and stove vents.
- Trim back trees from your roof line and shrubs from the sides of your home.
- Seal trash in containers with lids and don’t put it out until the day of trash pickup.
- Don’t leave pet food or water out overnight.
- Store unused pet food in sealed containers.
- Empty bird feeders daily.
- Keep your gutters clear or consider installing gutter guards.
- If you suspect you have a wildlife problem, contact a professional wildlife control company to safely remove any animals you may have.
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Mar 19, 2021 | Pest Control
Squirrels are classified as rodents making them distant cousins to other more popular species like rats and mice. Like their rodent counterparts, squirrels can cause damage to your home and spread diseases to you and your family. Squirrels can access your home through small openings such as open doors and windows, down chimneys, through fireplaces, and through holes or openings in roofs or eaves. Once inside, these pests can chew through wires, siding, and insulation, causing costly damage and putting you at risk of fire. To keep these nuisance pests out, here are five ways to deal with a squirrel in your house.
Identify Where They Get In
The first step in dealing with squirrels is to figure out where they are getting into your home. Squirrels only need a small opening to squeeze through and once they are inside, getting them out can be difficult. Perform a thorough inspection of both the interior and exterior of your home, checking for holes, openings, and gaps that squirrels and other pests can use to gain access.
Seal Up Entry Points
Once you’ve identified where the squirrels are getting in, seal it up to prevent them from using it again. If there is no presence of squirrels inside your home, go ahead and seal up ALL of the entry points you find. If there is a squirrel present, make sure to leave one entryway open so they have a way to get back out. Cover this last opening with a single sheet of newspaper. If it is still intact 2 to 3 days after you stop hearing the squirrel, it is safe to go ahead and seal it up. Make sure doors and windows are covered with screens and properly fit to your home. Place wire mesh over chimneys and open vents. Use caulk, steel wool, or other appropriate materials to seal any other openings you find.
Give Them A Reason to Leave
Squirrels will often not leave your home on their own, especially if they have already given birth to a litter. To avoid this, try to drive the squirrels out as soon as you notice their presence. Playing loud music or keeping the lights on are both good ways to repel squirrels. If there is a squirrel present, try to avoid the area as you can spook them, causing them to flee to another part of the house, usually causing even more damage.
Use Traps
As a last resort, you can use traps to get rid of squirrels in your home. There are several different types of traps you can use. Live capture traps are a box-type trap that allows you to capture the squirrel alive and then release it outside. These traps have to be checked frequently and some states even require permits to use them. Kill traps are also box-type traps but eliminate the squirrel quickly and safely. Body-gripping traps can be used outside known entry points to capture the squirrels as they go in and out of your home.
Prevention is Key
As with any other type of pest control, prevention is key to keeping squirrels and other nuisance pests out of your home. The first step, as mentioned above, is to seal up any entry points around your home. Trim any overhanging trees that squirrels and other pests can use to access your roof, windows, and attic. Use traps as necessary.
If you have a problem with squirrels or any other pests, contact a professional pest control company who can help identify the type of pest you are dealing with, find potential entry points, and help prevent future infestations.
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Feb 10, 2021 | Pest Control
Unfortunately, we haven’t quite gotten over the cold weather yet. Lower temperatures means there are plenty of pests and wildlife creatures looking for warmth inside your home. Common wildlife, such as rodents, can be a major nuisance during the colder seasons. If found inside, these pests can damage electrical wires, insulation, and even spread disease. Identifying the type of rodents that have entered your home is the first step in the wildlife exclusion process.
Norway Rats
Norway rats are known as one of the largest species of rats, measuring about 10 inches in body length. These rats have thicker bodies with fur that’s usually brown with black shading. In addition to having a pale color underneath their tails, the tail itself is shorter in length when compared to their bodies. Norway rats, if desperate enough, will eat just about any food source they can find, although they prefer to eat meat. If they find food in a particular place, they will continue to return to that same spot. This can make baiting and removing them easier. These rodents make their habitats in burrows but can also be found throughout buildings and in sewer systems.
Roof Rats
Roof rats have gray fur with black shading and smooth coats. They are about 8 inches long with slender bodies. They have darker tails than Norway rats and they are usually hairless and scaly. These rodents are extremely agile and are skilled climbers. They often prefer higher levels of buildings or homes, hence their name “roof rat.” While they prefer to eat fruit, roof rats will eat any available food source they can find. Unlike the Norway rat, the roof rat will not go back to the same location for food, making them much harder to bait.
Prevention is the key to making sure these rodents don’t enter your home. Use these rodent prevention tips throughout your home to ensure these creatures stay out.
- Repair any roof damage such as broken tiles or gaps under the eaves.
- Seal around utility pipes with steel wool and use either caulk or concrete.
- Declutter any areas where rats may hide out, including your garages, attics, gardens, storage sheds, and even warehouses.
- Apply weather stripping to your doors and windows throughout your house.
Jan 29, 2021 | Pest Control
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:
- Use doorsweeps and screens on windows and doors. Make sure to keep them in good repair and replace them when needed.
- Use screens on vents and chimneys, as well.
- Seal up any cracks and holes on the exterior of your home with caulk or steel wool, especially around utility pipes.
- Store food in airtight containers. Make sure to empty your trash often.
- Clean up any spills and crumbs immediately. Don’t leave food out overnight, including pet food. Sweep, mop, and vacuum on a regular basis.
- Keep basements, crawlspaces, and attics clean, decluttered and dry. Use plastic storage containers instead of cardboard when possible.
- Check foundations and windows and replace any loose mortar and weatherstripping.
- Check for sources of moisture and eliminate them (e.g. leaky pipes, clogged drains, clogged gutters). Make sure downspouts are directing water away from foundations. Consider installing a gutter guard system.
- Inspect everything before bringing it into your home including grocery bags, boxes, packages, furniture, and appliances.
- Keep piles of firewood elevated off the ground and at least 20 feet from your home. Keep grass mowed and shrubbery trimmed back so it isn’t touching the house.
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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Dec 4, 2020 | Pest Control
You’ve found all the signs and you’ve confirmed it – there’s a rodent in your house. But is it a rat or a mouse? Does it really matter? How can you tell? Although there are significant differences in rat vs mouse, it can be hard for the average homeowner to distinguish between the two. The behavior, diet, and habitat of each of these pests affects how they are eliminated and prevented. Proper identification is essential for effective rodent control.
There are over 70 species of mice and rats in the United States. The most common are the Norway rat, the roof rat, and the house mouse. Let’s take a look at the difference between rats and mice and why it matters.
Behavior:
Mice are curious and will investigate anything new they come across. Because of this, you can put set mouse traps directly in their path. Mice can stand on their hind legs when they are supported by their tails. They are excellent jumpers, swimmers and climbers and are extremely fast runners. Mice are nocturnal and most active from dusk until dawn. They do not like bright lights.
Rats are more cautious than mice. They will avoid new things until they get used to them being there. Because of this, unset traps should be placed in their path first to let them get used to them and then replaced with set traps later. Rats are strong swimmers and will often live in sewers, allowing them to enter buildings through broken drains and toilets. They will climb to get to food, water, and shelter. They follow regular routines and paths each day.
Appearance:
House mice are much smaller than their rat cousins. They have small heads, small feet, pointed snouts, and large ears with some hair on them. They are usually light brown in color with some gray shading and dark tails. Their droppings are shaped like small rods.
Norway rats have heavy, thick bodies. They are the largest of the three common rodent species. They have blunt snouts and short ears with dark hair. They are usually brown with black shading and shaggy coats. Their tails are dark on top and pale underneath. Their droppings are shaped like capsules.
Roof rats have light slender bodies. They have pointed snouts and long ears with no hair. They are usually gray in color with black shading and smooth coats. Their tails are dark. They have droppings shaped like spindles.
Diet:
Mice prefer cereal grains and plants but they will feed on almost anything.
Rats will eat nearly anything, as well, but prefer fresh grain and meat. Rats also need 1/2 to 1 ounce of water a day to survive.
Habitat:
Mice prefer to nest near their food sources. They will use any soft material or shredded paper to build their nests.
Rats will burrow under buildings, along fences, and under plants or debris. Norway rats typically live in these burrows while roof rats prefer to nest in walls, attics, and trees.
Breeding:
Mice will have up to 10 litters per year and typically live from about 9 to 12 months.
Norway rats will have up to 6 litters per year and live 12 to 18 months.
Roof rats will have up to 8 litters per year but have fewer babies in their litters than Norway rats do.
Fun Facts:
The house mouse is considered one of the top 100 world’s worst invaders. They are afraid of rats because rats will eat them. Mice are also color blind.
Rats are nocturnal and have poor eyesight. Norway rats and roof rats do not get along and will actually fight each other to the death. Norway rats tend to live on the lower floors of buildings while roof rats will live on the upper floors.
Why Does It Matter?
Why does it matter whether you have a rat or a mouse? Both rat and mice droppings contain pathogens that are dangerous to humans. Both are also very good at breeding and increase their populations quickly, making them harder to control. The significance in properly identifying rats vs mice affects how they are controlled and eliminated. Because they each have such different diets, habitats, and behaviors, different methods are employed when it comes to getting rid of them. What may work for house mice might not be effective in controlling rats and vice versa.
If you have an issue with rodents or any other pests, contact a professional pest control company who can not only properly identify the nuisance pest, but also set you up with the appropriate treatment and ongoing prevention plans.
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