Nov 24, 2023 | Wildlife
Georgia, with its diverse wildlife, is home to a variety of snake species. As temperatures begin to drop, many people wonder if snakes, like other animals, hibernate during the winter months. In this blog post, we’ll explore the intriguing world of snake hibernation, the differences between hibernation and brumation, and provide valuable tips for effective snake control in your Georgia home.
Do Snakes Hibernate?
Contrary to popular belief, snakes don’t undergo true hibernation. Instead, they enter a state called brumation. While hibernation involves a deep sleep, brumation is more of a slowed-down metabolic state. Snakes become less active, but they are not completely dormant. This adaptation allows them to conserve energy during colder months, making it easier to survive until warmer temperatures return.
Understanding Brumation
Brumation typically occurs when temperatures drop, signaling snakes to find a sheltered spot to wait out the cold season. Unlike mammals in hibernation, snakes may occasionally emerge during milder days to bask in the sun and regulate their body temperature. Understanding this behavior is crucial for effective snake control, especially if you want to keep these slithering creatures away from your property.
Tips for Snake Control in Georgia
- Seal Entry Points: Snakes are excellent at finding small openings to enter homes. Inspect and seal any gaps or cracks in the foundation, walls, and windows to prevent them from slithering in.
- Trim Vegetation: Keep your yard well-maintained by trimming tall grass, bushes, and overgrown vegetation. Snakes seek shelter in these areas, so reducing hiding spots decreases the likelihood of them setting up residence in your yard.
- Remove Attractants: Snakes are attracted to areas with abundant prey. Minimize potential food sources such as rodents by keeping trash sealed, cleaning up fallen fruits, and securing pet food.
- Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections of your property, especially in warm seasons when snakes are more active. Early detection can prevent a snake population from establishing itself.
Concerned about snakes on your property? Our expert pest control team in Georgia is here to help! Whether you need snake removal or wildlife management, we offer effective and humane solutions. Request a free pest control quote today to safeguard your home and enjoy a snake-free environment.
Understanding the habits of snakes during colder months is essential for effective snake control in Georgia. By implementing these tips and being proactive, you can reduce the likelihood of encountering snakes on your property. For comprehensive snake removal and pest control services, reach out to an experienced pest control company. Enjoy peace of mind in every season with our reliable wildlife management solutions.
Request your free pest control quote today and keep your home snake-free!
Nov 16, 2023 | Florida Pest Control
Rodents, including rats, mice, and squirrels, look indoors for a place to nest and food. Once these wildlife creatures get inside your Florida home, they can wreak havoc, destroying insulation, chewing electrical wires, and contaminating food. Prevention is critical when it comes to protecting your home against rodents, especially as the weather cools down and they begin looking indoors for shelter. Check out our rodent prevention tips below.
Florida Rodent Prevention Tips
Start Rodent Prevention Outside
Your yard is the first defense against rodents, making it essential to place outdoor preventative measures to deter them away. Consider these DIY tips:
- Remove potential nesting sites such as leaf piles and deep mulch
- Fix gaps in trailer skirting and use flashing around the base of your home
- Keep outdoor cooking areas and grills clean
- Remove any old tires, vehicles, etc. From your property
- Elevate woodpiles, hay, and garbage cans at least 1 foot off the ground
- Keep your garbage in containers with tight-fitting lids
- Seal holes or gaps outside of your home with steel wool or metal sheeting
Keep Tidy Indoors
Your home can provide the perfect place for rodents to inhabit, so removing those attractants from inside your home will help keep these creatures out. You can do this by:
- Clean up leftover food crumbs and spills after each meal
- Store food in plastic or metal containers that have tight-fitting lids
- After cooking, wipe down your stovetop and countertops
- Wash your dirty dishes and put them away after each meal
- Keep your home decluttered by removing old newspapers or magazines and storing items in plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes
- Regularly vacuum, sweep, and dust throughout your home
- Remove excess water from inside by fixing any leaky pipes and keeping your attics and crawlspaces dry
Consider Professional Help
If you suspect rodents are inside your home, it’s important to reach out to your professional pest control company. These professionals will be able to inspect and identify the rodent that’s invaded your property. They will also be able to safely remove these creatures, identify areas of entry, and provide a rodent control and prevention plan for your home to avoid further infestations.
Oct 19, 2023 | Wildlife
Bats are often misunderstood and feared by many, but they play an essential role in maintaining the balance of Georgia’s ecosystem. Georgia is home to 16 different types of bats, each contributing to the environment in unique and beneficial ways. Let’s go over some common Georgia bats and why they are so beneficial to humans.
Common Bats in Georgia
- Eastern Red Bat: These small, tree roosting bats are often seen in heavily wooded areas. They have rusty-red fur which makes them more recognizable when seen.
- Big Brown Bat: These bats are on the larger size and are known for their robust appearance. They often roost in buildings and feed on insects.
- Little Brown Bat: These bats are common in Georgia and play a vital role in controlling insect populations.
Benefits of Bats in Georgia
- Some species can consume their body weight in insects each night. This helps keep populations of pests low, including mosquitoes.
- Bats are also very beneficial in pollinating certain flowers, including some fruit-bearing species.
- They also help aid in forest regeneration by dispersing seeds. The fruits they feed on contain seeds and then they transport the seeds to various locations.
Conservation Efforts of Bats
While bats offer numerous benefits, they face several threats. This includes habitat loss, disease, and disturbance in roosting sites. Georgia has conservation initiatives aimed at protecting these creatures by protecting their roosting sites, educating the public, and monitoring bat populations for diseases, like white-nose syndrome.
Removing bats is a delicate matter in the state of Georgia and should only be handled by licensed wildlife control professionals. If you suspect you have bats in your home, be sure to give your local wildlife control company a call today!
Jul 28, 2020 | DIY Wildlife Prevention, Wildlife
It’s minutes before you have to run out the door and make your commute to work. You make your coffee and look out the window, only to see last night’s dinner scattered throughout your yard! Unfortunately, your garbage has been rummaged through all night by a couple of wildlife pests. Two popular animals that are known to forage through trashcans and dumpsters for food are raccoons and opossums.
Raccoons, known for their distinctive black mask coloring on their faces, can range from just under 2 feet long to over 3 feet long. These animals are considered nocturnal and are rarely seen by humans. Be aware, though, spotting a raccoon during the day can be a possible sign they have rabies or other abnormal conditions.
Raccoons are scavengers, looking for food wherever they can find it, often foraging in trashcans and dumpsters. These skillful creatures can easily use their paws to open doors and lids to look for food. While they are omnivores, they prefer fruits and nuts over meat. Because they are creatures of habit, once these animals find a food source at your home, they will keep coming back until the food source is gone.
Another animal you’ll catch roaming around your trashcans is the opossum. Grey in color, opossums can range from 14” long to over 3 feet long, with their tails making up 50 percent of their total body length! These animals also tend to live near wet areas such as swamps and marshes.
While opossums are omnivores, they prefer insects and carrion over fruits and vegetables. As highly skilled climbers, you’ll find these creatures in trees, staying up there for as long as they can. They are also slow movers so don’t expect them to make a quick getaway! Opossums are generally not aggressive, though they will play dead if they are threatened.
Here are some tips to help prevent wildlife from rummaging through your garbage.
- Seal any garbage cans and compost bins at night.
- Use locking lids on trashcans if possible or place a weight on top to keep the lids closed.
- Keep the outside of your home well-lit at night as opossums and raccoons will shy away from the lights.
- Spray a mixture of half ammonia and half water on your trashcans or soak rags in the mixture and scatter them around your property; this smell will repel these pests.
- If wildlife constantly returns, consider contacted a licensed pest control company who can provide you with a thorough evaluation and wildlife control plan.
Jun 10, 2020 | Wildlife
While It’s true there are plenty of snakes that play a vital role in our ecosystem that we should protect and preserve, there are also venomous species in areas that can pose a serious threat to human life. It’s important to be cautious of these species as they start coming out of hibernation for the summer. Here are a few venomous snakes that are common in our area and how to identify them.
Water Moccasins
Water moccasins have a triangular head. They are considered to be heavy-bodied and vary in coloration. These snakes can be active both during the day and night but tend to feed in the dark. They are found throughout the entire southeast U.S., typically near cypress swamps, river floodplains, and heavily vegetated wetlands.
Copperheads:
Light brown to tan in color, copperheads can be easily recognized by the hourglass-shaped crossbands along their bodies. These snakes can be found throughout the eastern and central U.S., living in a variety of habitats. Copperheads are comfortable in dry, rocky areas, forested areas, or even wetlands. It is even possible to catch copperheads in suburban neighborhoods with patches of forest.
Timber Rattlesnake
Timber rattlesnakes are considered unique as they are active both day and night. They typically like to hibernate during cold weather but become active in late spring and remain so until late fall. These snakes are big, heavy-bodied, and can grow up to 6 feet in length. They are found in the eastern U.S. where you can spot them residing in forests, mountainous areas, rural habitats in farming areas and even near swamps and river floodplains.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Eastern diamondbacks are dark brown in color and have a row of diamond shapes patterned on their bodies that are outlined by a yellowish border. Diamondbacks measure 3 to 5 feet but can reach up to 7 feet in length. These venomous snakes are active during the day but are most commonly seen in the mornings and evenings in the summer months. They often inhabit dry sandy areas, pinewoods, coastal dune habitats, and flatwoods. They typically avoid areas that are wet but will live along edges of swamps.
With this information in mind, it’s important to be aware and be cautious of these venomous snakes while outdoors enjoying your summer! Remember, however, to please be conscious that in certain states it is illegal to kill venomous snakes. If you realize you have a snake in or around your house, it’s best to contact a local wildlife control company who can safely remove the offending pest.
