The Pest Blog

In the southeast, the state that gets the most snake bites each year is, unfortunately, North Carolina. The most common is from the copperhead snake. Often penetrating deep into the muscle and bone tissue, its venom usually causes nausea, swelling and severe pain.

  How to Identify Them

  Copperhead snakes are typically dark brown and light pink, with a copper head and a sulfur yellow tail. Though they are less active in the summer, smaller ones can still be resting in and around homes during the day. Some of the places they like to hide are in and around:

  Porches

Gardens

Cars

  Because they can be hard to spot, their slight rustling sounds can invite pets and children to look around for them, putting them at risk for getting bit.

  Tips

  If you have any vegetative mulch in your yard, you may want to consider replacing it with gravel mulch. You also want to use caution when lifting logs and boards where they could be hiding. In fact, it’s good to wear thick pants and gloves when working in your yard.

  There are a number of snake repellents available that will keep some of them out. Unfortunately, they don’t work well with copperhead snakes, if at all.

When people live in an area outside of an urban center, there is bound to be interaction with wildlife. Raccoons are very common in California, and can cause damage to your property and carry diseases. Here are five signs you may have a raccoon infestation:

 1.  Scurrying Sounds in the Attic

 Raccoons love to nest in attics. You will often hear their rummaging around at night.

 2. Tracks in Your Yard

 Raccoons leave tracks that look like their small hands in soft areas of the yard.

 3. Trouble with Your Trash

 These creatures are nocturnal and often make loud noises at nighttime searching for food in your garbage cans.

 4. Droppings around Frequented Areas

 Varying in size, raccoon excrement or “scat” can be found in gathering areas. These need to be cleaned up by professionals because they carry roundworms.

 5. Rub Marks on Posts or Other Hard Surfaces

 Wildlife likes to makes their presence known. Often for raccoons it can be on climbable posts or other parts of your home.

 6. Bad Odors Coming from Attics or Chimneys

 If you start to smell something bad coming from your attic or chimney, it could be raccoons. They often have “scat stations” not far from nests.

Your home should be a place of safety and comfort. When it gets invaded by insects or rodents, it can be very disruptive to the household and even be a health hazard to you and your family members. Finding the right pest control service is important to give you the confidence you need to have a safe and comfortable home. Here are three tips to help you choose wisely:

  1. Experience Matters

  As with many industries, experience truly matters in the pest control business because of the number of types of pests in California, and the wide array of structures. It takes a seasoned business to get the job done right.

  2. Great Ratings

  Choosing a company with an A+ Better Business Bureau rating can give you the confidence you need that you will get consistent superior services, year in and year out.

  3. Comprehensive Services

  From raccoons and small rodents to ants, poisonous spiders and more, your home faces a lot of potential problems. Choosing a company that provides comprehensive services is best to make sure all your pest control needs are getting taken care of well.

Opossums might look cute but the damage that they can cause to your property is anything but cute. A lot of the time when someone suspects they have an opossum, they don’t know what it’s capable of. They might decide to ignore it. This is a bad idea. Here are three ways that an opossum can damage your property.

  Tearing and Shredding

  Opossums can be destructive when given the chance. A few examples of problems most people face when it comes to opossums are torn air ducts, chewed drywall and gnawed electrical wiring.

  Waste

  Opossums also leave quite a bit of waste behind them. This is one of the unsanitary byproducts of having them around your yard or in your home. This can cause a lot of damage, if it occurs in attics or inside walls.

  Nesting

When an opossum is nesting, it will gather different materials to create the nest. When this happens, they will take whatever they want from your property. If they don’t have access to plant life or a shelter then they can utilize their claws to shred what they need.

Sharing the neighborhood with wildlife can be tough. If you have a wild trespasser that is stirring up conflict, then it may be time to look into an animal removal company. For most people, they aren’t sure what to look for when it comes time to get rid of their unwanted guests. Here are three things to look for when choosing a professional company to help you out.

  Estimates and Inspections

  As with most services, you don’t want to be surprised with the bill in the end. When it comes to animal removal, you want someone who is willing to do an inspection and give you an estimate upfront about the cost. Even if you think that you know the extent of your problem, professionals may be able to spot additional issues.

  Humane Handling

  For many people, while they want the animal removed from their property, they aren’t looking for any harm to come to it either. A professional service will be able to safely handle the critter and release it somewhere appropriate.

  Check Reviews

  Reputable companies are always the best ones to choose. If a number of people are singing their praises, then it is likely a good choice. Stick with companies that have a good reputation and have a lot of business.

Raccoons are notorious for invading people’s properties. Unfortunately, these animals can cause a lot of damage and disruption. If you suspect that you might have a raccoon problem, how can you know for sure? Here are four signs that you have raccoons taking up residence.

  Tracks

  By far this is one of the easiest ways to tell that you have a raccoon in your yard. Their footprints are unmistakable. In fact, they look a lot like little human footprints. If you’ve spotted these, then odds are you have a raccoon.

  Scratches

  Raccoons will often scratch up the base of trees. For most homeowners, the scratching is one of the first ways that they can tell that there’s a problem.

  Trash Cans

  Raccoons are famous for being able to get into almost any kind of garbage can. If you find that your trash has been ripped open and spread about, it’s very likely that they are the culprit.

  Sounds

  One of the ways that some people are prompted to find out if they have a raccoon problem is because of the noises that they hear. Raccoons make a lot of different noises. Though, growling is the most common noise you might hear. You can also hear them shuffling around when they’re active.

No one would dispute that unwanted animals in your home can be a disruption at home. They can be destructive, dangerous and otherwise annoying to have around. While you most likely want to rid yourself of that problem quickly, it’s important to think about how you’ll take care of it. Here are three reasons why it would benefit you to only consider humane removal of animals.

  No Chemicals or Toxins

  When a company chooses to use less humane ways to get rid of pests, they often use poisons or chemicals that aren’t only harmful to animals. They can be harmful to you and your pets. With humane removal, you save yourself the worry of poisons on your property.

  Less Expensive

  Not only are chemicals harmful to you and the environment but they are also expensive. When a business incorporates these into their service it can cost you a lot more than a humane removal would have.

  Long Term Solution

  While chemicals may solve your problem right now, they aren’t necessarily a permanent solution. Oftentimes another animal will try to move in and the process has to start all over again. However, if you choose to have the animal brought off your property humanely, you can uses repellants or fences to discourage others. There’s no reason to take drastic measures.

Honey bees are extremely important to the planet. More than one third of all food that reaches the table, for instance, is due to the expert pollination of the honey bee. As such, people are now beginning to recognize that options need to be provided other than killing the bees that get into structures and trees in and around the home.

  The Demise of Honey Bees

  Though bee colony losses are not all that uncommon, the current losses are different from previous scenarios. For instance, adult bees are no longer returning to the hive, which is highly uncharacteristic. They’ve also been dying at an extremely rapid rate and in huge numbers. However, the reason why is not known exactly. It’s believed that some of the biggest, contributing factors have to do with:

  Viruses

Mites

Careless pest control companies

Overzealous governmental policies that have caused the needless death of honey bees

GMOs

Insecticides

Overwork

  It Takes a Village

  One honey bee hive often contains more than 75,000 bees. Most hives are located in the hollows of trees. To prevent more bees from dying, it has become extremely important to rescue and preserve these hives while also ridding the location of the swarm.

There are a lot of reasons why wildlife might invade your home. Animals often seek out shelter under porches, decks and in chimneys and attics. While everyone can appreciate wild animals when they’re in their own environment, people desperately seek out ways to be rid of them when they’re in their home.

  Animal squatters can wreak havoc in your home. The last thing you want as a homeowner is to have an animal chewing on your wood and wires. This can create fire hazards and leave your house damaged. In addition, they leave feces and urine wherever they go. This isn’t only the cause of odors but can raise health risks. By no means should you have to live with wildlife. Unfortunately, there are still risks when it comes to animal removal. It’s important to consult professionals before undertaking the role yourself.

  Bats, particularly, can be a difficult animal to remove. Oftentimes, if a bat got in, you’ll find them roosting in your attic. It’s also really easy to end up trapping a bat in your home without realizing it. While the first step to keeping animals out, would be to proof your home, if you already have a bat in your house, you need to have it quickly removed. Bats are a carrier of rabies and you should always take proper precautions. In calling a professional, they will identify how the bats got into your home. Once identified, they will proof your house and begin removal. Professional services will also safely clean up the animal feces when it’s over. This keeps you and your family safe throughout the removal.

  Live traps are also a common way to safely remove animals from your property. A life trap is completely harmless to the animal and allows for them to be relocated. Despite the minimal contact with the animal in this route, it is still safest to consult a professional. They can supply the traps and will know where to safely release the critter.

  On the unfortunate event that you find a dead animal, you need to be careful also. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the animal. A lot of times, you will smell it before you find it. In this case, you need to carefully try to locate the body. Never handle a dead animal with bare hands! You’ll want to be able to remove the body and bag it to be removed. The area then needs to be cleaned and disinfected. Professionals will be able to this safely and with minimal mess.

Snakes are cold blooded creatures, which means they cannot regulate their body temperature. With this information, people don’t expect to find snakes in certain colder locations. Snakes can live in a wide variety of environments such as in trees, underground, in water and on land. It can be extremely shocking and disheartening to find snakes near your home or even in your home. What can you do to keep snakes away from your home?

Wherever snakes live, they need a few things. They need food, warm temperatures, water and shelter. You can keep snakes away by removing a few of these features. Because snakes can make a shelter in so many different environments, you should try to eliminate wood piles and rock piles near your home. You should also make sure to repair any broken windows or doors that don’t close all of the way, or snakes may come right into your home.

You can eliminate food by mowing your lawn regularly. You also have to make sure to keep your flowerbeds and gardens kept well. The reason maintaining your yard and garden can help reduce the snake population is because some snakes eat primarily insects, and more insects can be found in these unkempt environments. Eliminating the food source can mean keeping rats and other rodents out of your yard too. Some snakes eat rodents and bird eggs.

You should also try to make sure that there are no pools of water. This can attract snakes and a host of other unwanted creatures as well. Of course, snakes will likely be able to find water. Making it more difficult may cause them to leave your home.

Unfortunately you can’t really control the temperature around your home. If you live in an area that gets cold during the winter, you can expect the snakes to hibernate at this time. Snakes prefer warmer temperatures, but they can live in almost any location.

If you are still struggling to make your home an uncomfortable habitat for snakes, there is one more step that you can take. You should call in some professionals. They will be able to assess your snake issue and give you tips for excluding snakes from your home and the area around your home.

When it is necessary to subject your home to termite treatment, you will need to put a few household issues in order before it is time to fumigate. Fumigation requires that a home be completely sealed to protect the community. Just as the process may be dangerous to anyone who resides in your home if proper precautions are not taken, it can represent a risk to neighbors and plant life. To ensure your family’s health, no one will be permitted to stay in the house for several days during and following the treatment. For this reason, it is necessary to ensure that all members of the household have a place to stay and provisions for several days away from home. Many people who contract to have their home fumigated against termites opt to take a short family vacation during the time that the work will be done. Another option is to stay in a hotel or with family or friends. Families with pets should make reservations for their care and comfort at a kennel or boarder.

Once you have provided for creature comforts of your family and pets, you will want to make sure that anything left in the house is secured per your exterminator’s instructions. Edibles that are open or box-sealed should be stored in plastic or metal containers with secure lids. Canned or jarred foods that have not been unsealed may remain on shelves. Any food that is not properly stored away for the process will be contaminated and should not be eaten later.

Because the entire house will be contained within a tarp to protect your yard and neighborhood from contamination, it is essential that any limbs, bushes or other objects that will hinder the placement of the seal be removed. Walking around the house with your representative will help you to know exactly what vegetation or other objects should be removed.

While it may seem time-consuming to pay such great attention to preparing for your service provider’s visit, it is imperative that clients understand the gravity of each of these issues. Anyone who is subjected to the chemicals necessary to eliminate termites could become very ill. Ingesting foods contaminated by such chemicals could have devastating effects, too. Furthermore, anything you can do to eliminate stress and time from the service providers equation will help to make the entire process as pain-free as possible.

If you have a skunk on your property, hiring professionals who are experienced in skunk removal is the easiest and safest route to go. The biggest challenge is choosing the best company for the job. The main things to look for are ethical business practices, humane animal treatment and long-term solutions.

First make sure you’re dealing with a licensed and insured business. Ask for a written assurance showing full compliance with local, state and federal laws and regulations. The company should also carry commercial liability insurance in addition to other mandatory licenses.

Find out if there are any open-ended clauses in the contract that will charge you for the removal other wildlife trapped on your property. You’re hiring for skunk removal, and that’s it. You don’t want to be charged for the removal of other animals. This is considered an unethical practice.

Obtain an on-site inspection and estimate. During the visit, the professional should show you every entry point in addition to the presence of any skunk offspring. Ideally, you’ll be given pictures of how the skunk is using a structure such as your attic. This helps you determine if repairs must be made to “skunk-proof” the structure. Based on the inspection, you need a specific plan of action detailing exactly how the skunk will be removed from your property. By the end of the visit, you should know what services will be rendered as well as the exact cost.

The way a company handles the skunks is another important factor. A professional service will offer a safe, humane removal process. The fact is there are removal methods that are less harmful than others. For instance, the use of cage traps or one-way doors are a better alternative that leg-hold traps.

Do not hire a company that releases skunks to a different location. The practice is illegal and endangers the skunk. The best approach involves removing the skunk from the den space then close off the hole, which prevents re-entry. An animal that’s alive and trapped is best released on the premises.

Finally, consider a company with a long-term solution. Skunk removal is not enough. No job is complete until all access points are identified and fixed with exclusion material to eliminate any future skunk “invasions.” Also, fixing possible entry points is a must. Avoid a company that doesn’t backup its work with a minimum one year guarantee.

Spiders represent a significant percentage of fears that people share. With many eyes and legs, they can give people the creeps faster than just about anything else. As scary as people find them, it’s important to learn about arachnids and how to recognize signs of their bites simply for the fact that they live in close proximity to people all over the world. 

What Does a Spider Bite Look and Feel Like?

Spider bites are usually easy to identify by their characteristic double-puncture. On average, a spider bite will cause redness and swelling, and may be itchy and painful but will not be life-threatening. 

Some of the more common dangerous spiders include:

• Black Widow • Brown Recluse

Both of these spiders prefer personal space and hide out in dark or cluttered areas with lots of corners good for crawling. Black widow bites can look similar to other spider bites but be more painful. Being mindful of the spread of the pain is one of the best ways to identify a black widow bite. People who have been bitten may have pain or cramping in the abdomen, or chest and back. Sweating or nausea/vomiting can also be a sign of a black widow bite. A brown recluse bite is most alarming if it is extremely painful or a sore begins to form at the site of the bite, which can cause the skin to die. 

Being mindful of these symptoms can help people identify when they have been bitten.