The Season of the Rodent

Rats and mice are very active this time of year.

Autumn can be one of the nicest times of the year. The leaves change color. The temperature is perfect. Even the sky just looks bluer. Everyone knows Winter is Coming, but at least fall makes for a nice consolation. At least, it should. Unfortunately, “everyone” knows Winter is Coming. Everyone includes rodents.

When the temperature drops, rodents start trying to get into your place like their lives depend on it. Nothing ruins the last nice weeks we have left like a rat infestation. You should be enjoying the all-too-fleeting pleasures of autumn while you can–not stressing out about the rats in your basement. Here are four good ways you can ensure unwelcome guests stay out of your home this fall.

Seal Doors and Windows

seal doors and windows this fall to keep rodents outMost of the heat that escapes from homes leaks out of gaps around door and window frames. Rodents can feel this warm air escaping from outside, and they can follow it back to its source. Mice and rats are notorious for their ability to squeeze through tiny gaps. Even a tiny crack in a window frame’s weather-sealing is more than enough space for a motivated rodent.  

Double-check every window in your home. Make sure the window pane sits properly and the weather-proofing hasn’t worn down or peeled away. Look for cracks or other damage in the frame itself, as well. Check for condensation on the window sill and run your hand along the frame to feel for cool air. If you find either, it means there’s probably a draft around the window. Find and seal up this draft, and you’ll go a long way toward keeping rodents out of your home. Once you’re finished with the windows, follow these same steps at each outside door.

Put Screens over Vents

put screens over your vents this fall to keep rodents outYour home transfers outdoor air in and out from more places than you’d think. Pretty much every water-using appliance needs to have a ventilation system to function properly and prevent excess humidity. Vents work by transferring hot air out of your home. Unfortunately, rodents can feel this hot air from outside just like they can feel drafts. If your vent systems aren’t appropriately covered, then rats can use them to crawl into your home.

Remember: you need to leave enough space in your vent system to let air pass through. If you don’t, you’re defeating the purpose of having ventilation in the first place. Putting screens over your vent’s outlets will allow air to flow normally while keeping rodents out. Remember, however: rats and mice are notorious gnawers. Check on your screens annually to make sure the annoying munchers haven’t chewed their way through. If any of your screens have been noticeably damaged, you should replace them as soon as possible.

Check Outside

clean up your yard this fall to keep rodents outWhile you’re out checking your vent covers, take a look around the foundation of your home. Look for cracks where you can see light from inside, or where you can feel heat escaping. Pay special attention to areas of the home where utilities like water and gas enter the building. These access points tend to have gaps juuust wide enough for rodents to enter.   

After you’ve “secured the perimeter,” you could take this opportunity to de-clutter your lawn. Fall tends to drop all kinds of debris into your yard. Rodents use fallen leaves, overgrown bushes, weeds, and other clutter as a means to get close. Keep clutter like leaf piles or firewood at least five inches away from your home. Keep trimming your bushes and lawn until they stop growing for the season. Make sure tree branches don’t brush up against your home. This all might sound extreme, but rodents really will use anything they can.

Clear the Clutter

clean up your basement this fall to keep rodents outYou didn’t think you’d get away with only cleaning the outdoors, did you? Sorry, but once you’re finished de-cluttering your yard, it’s time to move inside. Messy basements and attics attract rodents looking for warm, dark, and hidden places. The more space they have to move around in secret, the more attractive your home will look to them. One of the best ways to make sure rats leave you alone is just to demonstrate that you know they’re there.

First, pick up boxes and bags lying on the floor in your basement. Sort through them, organize them, and keep them on shelves or in cupboards. Keep your floor as clutter-free as possible to make rodents feel uncomfortable crossing it. Vacuum and dust every room in your home at least once every two to three weeks. You should vacuum any rooms where you eat or prepare food even more frequently. If you can deprive rodents access to the resources they came looking for, they’ll start looking elsewhere for them.

 

The stakes never get higher than they are right now. Rodents that get into your home during warmer months come and go as they please. If rodents get into your home in fall, however, they’re staying for the duration. Winter is hard enough without sharing your space with furry roommates.

Even if you do end up with rats this winter, though, you don’t have to despair. Griffin Pest Solutions isn’t flying south; we’ll be here all year to help you with any pest problems you have. We’ll keep pests out so you can get back to enjoying one of the most beautiful times of the year.

Preparing for Fall Pests

Preparing for fall pests

Earlier this month, we listed four of the most common pest infestations that happen in late summer. Each of these pests had something in common: they were all trying to get out of the cold. Unfortunately, these pests don’t stop trying to sneak their way to warmth just because it’s fall. In fact, they only try harder.

Fall is the perfect time for preventative pest maintenance because it’s warm enough that you can still go outside and get work done without freezing. The earlier you pest-proof your home, the fewer pests will be able to use your home as their own personal winter vacation pad. Here are four simple things you could do this fall to minimize your risk of a winter-long pest infestation. Winter is rough enough on its own!

Yard Work

doing yard work this fall will help prevent pest infestation

If your yard gets bogged down in long, dying grass, fallen leaves, or untrimmed bushes and shrubs, opportunistic pests WILL find it. It would be bad enough if hordes of pests just hung around eating your yard and making themselves a nuisance, but they won’t just stay there. When it starts getting colder, they’ll be all-too-happy to move right in.

Rake up fallen leaves to avoid having soggy piles build up in your yard. Mow your lawn short until it stops growing, and don’t forget to trim your bushes. Pests often use decorative yard plants as ladders, so it’s a good idea to keep a border of at least 3 feet between the edges of your home and plant life. As winds pick up and temperatures drop, pick up fallen debris from nearby trees and shrubs. Finally, make sure your yard isn’t absorbing too much moisture. There should never been puddles of stagnant water on your property.

Border Maintenance

reinforcing borders and other entrances to your home will help prevent pest infestation this fall

While you’re outside, take the time to walk the perimeter of your home. Look for any small cracks or gaps pests could use to get inside. These cracks won’t always look the way you’d expect. One common way pests get into homes is by crawling up utility lines like pipes and electrical wires. They follow the line and squeeze through small gaps where the utilities enter the home. Pests like spiders and cockroaches can even crawl through plumbing vents and chimneys on the roof.

First, caulk over the gaps around utility lines. Then, check each window and door frame and sill. Replace old weatherstripping, make sure doors and windows are seated correctly, and check for drafts. Window frames tend to be particularly vulnerable, so check them thoroughly and repair them as necessary. Don’t forget about windows in the basement or attic, either. Make sure you’ve got all the entrances covered–big and small, high and low–and you’ll go a long way toward a pest-free* winter.

Decluttering

cleaning up your basement can help prevent pest infestations this fall

Clutter doesn’t just help pests while they’re outside. The messier your home is, the more places pests have to hide and nest. Cluttered, junk-filled basements provide all kinds of the dark, confined, humid places that pests love, and they’re really good at seeking them out. It’s easy to let things pile up in your basement, attic, or storage place, especially in the winter. Remember, however: the longer you go without cleaning, the more comfortable pests will feel living in your home.

Everyone knows about “spring cleaning”, but no one ever talks about “fall clean up”. You should change that. Go through your basement, attic, closets, and other storage places this fall. Clean out anything you don’t need. Organize everything you’re keeping and make sure it’s in a safe, secure place. Pests are shy by necessity, so the harder it is to find shelter in your home, the less they’ll want to stay. We guess you could say you’re making your home “scary” clean!

Good Habits

Developing good anti-pest habits will help prevent infestation this fall

Probably the most important thing you can do to keep pests away is to develop some good anti-pest habits. It’s not enough to spend a couple days in fall over-preparing for pests like a student cramming the night before a test. You’ll experience much more success (and fewer pests!) if you keep up with your anti-pest regimen all fall and winter long.

First, don’t let clothes, food, boxes, or other junk pile up in your basement, mud room, or garage. Take the garbage out to the dumpster as soon as it’s full, and keep it in plastic bags. Dispose of anything pungent or compostable in the dumpster right away, instead of letting it sit in the dumpster. Get routine maintenance problems like plumbing leaks dealt with as quickly as possible. Pick up yard clutter in the snow every now and then, even if it’s cold out. Store firewood away from the house, never up against it.

 

Fall is pest season crunch time. Our rodential rivals and insectoid irritants will be doing absolutely everything they can to stay warm over the winter, so we’ve got to do everything we can to keep them out.

Following steps like these during your “fall cleanup” (yes, we’re making it a thing) will go a long way toward keeping even the most desperate and creative of pests out of your home. And remember, in the unfortunate event you do end up with an infestation, don’t panic! Just give Griffin a call. We’ll seal things up and get pests out.

Late Summer Pest Infestations

The Pests of Late Summer

When you think about late summer bugs, chances are you picture them outside. When it’s hot and humid out, like it tends to be during Midwest summers, pests like rodents, centipedes, and spiders don’t have much reason to get into your home.

As soon as summer starts to end, however, pests start looking for a place to wait out the winter– a place like your home! Late summer tends to be the worst time of year for pest infestations for that exact reason. Here are a few of the sneaky snowbirds you can expect in the next couple weeks, and what you can do about them.

 

Rodents

rats are active in late summer and early fall

Michigan’s rodents start preparing for winter early. They get aggressive in the pursuit of food, they start stockpiling resources, they dig burrows for themselves, and–of course–they sneak into homes. The earlier a rodent can find a warm, dry, dark place to nest over the winter, the better. As soon as the sun starts setting earlier, expect rodents to be hard at work preparing for cold.

Rodents will infiltrate a home by any means necessary, and they have plenty of means. First, they’ll look for cracks, gaps, and holes like openings in window sills, door frames, floorboards, or utility lines. Next, they’ll try burrowing to get at the foundations or insulation in the basement. More than anything, rodents target places where they can get food. Regular vacuuming and cleaning up after meals becomes even more important in the fall. You don’t want to advertise that your home is open for rodent business!

 

Spiders

the brown recluse spider may be active in late summer and early fall

Spiders begin mating around early September every year, which is one of the few things that will prompt them to leave their webs and get moving. Spiderlings in egg sacs stay warm during the winter. Adult spiders need to survive long enough to lay eggs, which means they need to find shelter. Between the need for shelter, the need to find mates, and the fact that a lot of their prey is fleeing indoors, homes start to look really appealing to spiders this time of year.

Spiders get into homes the same way other pests tend to: by finding their way through the cracks. Spiders are excellent climbers, so don’t think any crack or gap is too high or inaccessible for them. The best way to prevent spiders is to prevent other pest infestations. If spiders can’t hunt prey, they won’t want to hang around. Clearing away clutter will also help keep spiders from taking up residence.

 

Cockroaches

cockroaches tend to be active in the late summer and early fall

Cockroaches don’t hibernate, nor can they survive freezing temperatures for long. Both the common species of cockroach (American and German) highly prefer warm temperatures. American roaches seem to feel that 70 degrees is juuust right. Unfortunately, it gets worse. Like spiders, cockroaches tend to mate while sheltering indoors. They’re even known to settle in with their families after the egg sacs hatch. Any roaches that get into your home in late summer could be the first members of a multi-generational infestation.

Cockroaches want to live in confined, warm, dark, and humid places where they feel comfortable and safe. That means your basement, attic, and crawlspaces are prime real estate–especially if they’re messy or cluttered. It’s a good idea to organize and tidy up your basements and attics every late summer. Clear out anything you don’t need, organize boxes, and repair sources of undue moisture like humidity and plumbing leaks.

 

Stink Bugs

brown marmorated stink bugs tend to be especially active in late summer and early fall

Just because they’re a relatively new nuisance to Michigan doesn’t mean the Brown Marmorated stink bug hasn’t acclimated to their new home just fine. Unlike many pests that inflict themselves on Michigan households during late summer, stink bugs actually hibernate during the winter. They’re not mating and laying eggs in your home; they’re just sleeping. Even hibernating stink bugs can’t survive the cold, however, so before they hibernate they have to seek out shelter. They’ll even let themselves out in the spring!

Stink bugs frequently get into houses by squeezing under worn-out weather stripping, damaged screens, or gaps in window and door frames. Like spiders, stink bugs are very good climbers, so they’ve been known to use chimneys and air vents as access points, as well. Replacing chimney and vent screens will go a long way toward securing your home, especially if you replace worn weather stripping and window frames at the same time.

 

You’ve still got a little warm summer weather left, so now’s the perfect time to get proactive! Some simple preventative maintenance now could save you a big headache come winter.

Want some help making sure you’re totally pest-proofed for fall? Give Griffin a call today! Together, we’ll make sure your home keeps you warm and leaves pests cold.

How Can I Tell If I Have a Pest Infestation?

Signs You Have a Pest Infestation

Every pest infestation leaves behind some sign of the pest’s presence. Look for grime or other buildups on walls, smeared droppings, or bite damage on fabric and paper. See if you can smell strange odors in your basement, attic, or crawlspace. Check pest-prone areas consistently to look for changes.

If you can learn to identify pest infestations quickly, you can take action to remove them sooner. The sooner you can remove pest infestations, the lower the chance that they’ll do permanent damage… or spread. If you’re worried you have a pest infestation, look for any of the following four signs. The sooner you find evidence like this, the sooner you can take the next steps:

Old wall with smudged buildup in the lower corner - Signs you have a pest infestation

Grimy Buildup

Whatever pest infestation you have, they’re making a mess somewhere. Bugs, rodents, spiders, and beetles all prefer dark, enclosed, humid places, so start your search in the basement or attic. Look high-and-low, in corners, under furniture, along the edges of the walls, and near window frames. You might find grease stains, crumbs or other food remains, dirt smudges or even discarded hair.

Rodents, in particular, tend to familiarize themselves with set routes and then stick to them, so look for trails of grease or grime where their bodies may have rubbed off against the walls. If your floors or sills are dusty, look for trails left behind by pests moving around. Early signs like these are often subtle, so look closely, be patient, and believe yourself. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Clump of rat hair - signs you have a pest infestation

Droppings

It turns outs pests don’t practice great hygiene. There’s a reason they’re called “pests”, after all, and it isn’t because they’re fun to have around. Pests leave behind their waste just like everything else. Look for small droppings around the same pest-attractive areas you search for less conclusive evidence.

The type of dropping you may find will help you determine the kind of infestation you have. Rodent droppings are spindly or conical and solid. They’ll be small and may not look or smell like much of anything. Insect droppings are even smaller, but may also include shed or discarded skin, wings, or body parts. It’s tough to be a bug. Obviously, spiders make webs to catch prey. They tend to know their stuff when it comes to pest-catching, so anywhere you find webs, look for ways other pests may be getting in nearby.

Woman wearing clothes pin on her nose so she won't have to smell - signs you have a pest infestation

Smells

Pests can produce a wide variety of smells, and pretty much all of them are unpleasant. All kinds of pests, including ants, beetles, rodents, or other bugs often carry off food to enjoy in a secluded place. The problem is, sometimes they don’t finish their meal and it begins to rot. If you smell rotting food and you can’t find it, it could be that a pest carried a piece of fruit into your walls.

Pests may also bite through food packaging in an attempt to get at its contents, breaking an airtight seal and exposing perishable foods. If you smell particularly foul odors, it’s possible that your pests are dying in their hiding places or walls and then rotting. Of course, their droppings often smell, too. If you’ve got a strange scent in your house that you can’t quite place, and it’s definitely not pleasant, an infestation could be the problem.

Torn fabric - signs you have a pest infestation

Fabric Damage

Unfortunately, moths aren’t the only pests who damage fabric and clothing. Different kinds of beetles, ants, rodents and bugs also feed on or at least chew through vulnerable fabric. Look for small holes or tears on clothing, drapes, carpeting, furniture, and any other fabric-based stuff you may have. It may not seem particularly appealing to us, but pests don’t mind the taste of underwear one bit.

When we say “fabric damage,” we don’t just mean bite marks, either. Like anything else they’re around, pests can make fabric dirty. Look for smudges of dirt, grease, grime, or droppings on your fabric. These dirty patches may be very small, but they could get big too. Look at freshly washed and dried clothing especially. See if your fresh laundry gets dirty or damaged before you even have a chance to wear it.

 

If you find any of these four signs during your inspection, give us a call. We’ll use the info you helpfully provide to figure exactly what kinds of pest infestation you’re dealing with, where they’re coming from, and how we can keep them out. We know we can take care of your problem quickly and effectively, because we’ve done it countless times before. Happy hunting!

The Signs of A Mouse in the House

rodents

With the fall season nearly upon us (fall officially arrives on September 22), rodents, particularly mice, become more active in seeking new sources of food, water and shelter in and around your home. Why is there a rodent “surge” this time of year?

Michigan’s dry, hot summer depleted many naturally occurring food and water sources and this causes rodents to explore their surroundings more aggressively in search of these necessities. And like humans, rodents also look for relief from the elements (i.e. heat) and associate cooler locations with water sources.

The house mouse is a curious creature and will readily explore your home using wall voids, utility pipes and wires, and heating and cooling ductwork to move around in search of their next meal. As a result, wall and cabinet voids near kitchen appliances (i.e. refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, etc.) and pantries are common nesting sites for mice.

And mice are patient invaders that will wait for just the right opportunity – a door left propped open, being a stowaway in a box of off-season clothes brought in from a storage area, an open bag of pet food or a dime-sized opening in the foundation or door frame – to enter your home.

How do you know if you have a mouse problem? Some common signs of a possible rodent infestation include the following:

  • Rodent droppings (usually black in color and ¼ to ½ inch long) and urine (best detected using a black light)
  • Chewed electrical, computer or cable wiring (a major cause of electrical fires)
  • Unexplained chewing or gnaw marks on carpet, upholstery, drapes, furniture and baseboards
  • Chewed on food product packaging in your pantry

In addition to the kitchen, what areas of your home are most vulnerable to attracting an unwanted rodent infestation? Griffin Pest Solutions identified the following “rodent hot spots” in homes:

  • Attached garages and storage areas above these locations where storage boxes, pet food and other items are found
  • Bathroom cabinet voids
  • Utility rooms and areas beneath, and within base voids of furnaces, washers and clothes dryers
  • In wall, ceiling and floor voids
  • In the insulation of attics and in the contents of the attic (i.e. storage boxes)
  • In basements and crawlspaces near utility openings
  • Firewood stacked next to the house and near a door

If you have a problem with or have questions about stinging insects call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/

Rodents & Avian Flu

cheese thief

Rodents are known transmitters of a variety of harmful bacteria including salmonella and leptospirosis but new research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests avian flu can be introduced into poultry houses through rodents and wild birds.

The avian flu or bird flu is a virus that infects wild birds and domestic poultry including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. There are two strains of the virus – low pathogenic and highly pathogenic.

The low pathogenic occurs naturally in wild birds and can spread to domestic birds. In most cases avian flu causes no signs of infection or only minor symptoms in birds. The highly pathogenic avian flu spreads rapidly when introduced into poultry facilities and is often fatal in chickens and turkeys.

Common ways for the avian flu virus to spread include sharing of farm equipment between infected and non-infected facilities; lack of cleaning and disinfection of equipment, storage units and vehicles; and employees moving between infected and non-infected facilities.

How can poultry houses protect their flocks from the threat of rodents and other virus carrying mechanisms from infecting their facility:

  • Hire a professional pest management company to design and implement a rodent control program that includes not only control measures (trapping, baiting (where permitted) but preventative measures as well including exclusion and sanitation strategies.
  • A pest management professional can also design a bird management program that offers non-lethal mechanical, cultural and structural strategies for preventing disease-carrying birds from establishing nesting sites in and around your facility.
  • Keep an “all–in, all–out” philosophy of flock management. Process each lot of birds separately, and clean and disinfect poultry houses between flocks.
  • Protect poultry flocks from coming into contact with wild or migratory birds. Keep poultry away from any source of water that could have been contaminated by wild birds.
  • Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm. Provide clean clothing and disinfection facilities for employees.
  • Thoroughly clean and disinfect equipment and vehicles (including tires and undercarriage) entering and leaving the farm; Do not loan to, or borrow equipment or vehicles from, other farms.
  • Change footwear and clothing before working with your own flock after visiting another farm or live–bird market or avoid visiting another bird farm if possible.
  • Avian flu viruses are inactivated by heat and drying and also these viruses are very sensitive to most disinfectants and detergents. The area to be disinfected must be clear of organic material, which greatly increases the resistance of avian influenza virus’ resistance to disinfection.

Griffin Pest Solutions has been in business since 1929 providing world-class commercial pest management services to Michigan and Indiana. We are known as pioneers in the pest management industry, using technology to improve training and documentation, reduce costs, leave a smaller environmental-footprint, and to enhance the overall customer experience.

Please, email or call me today at 888-547-4334, or visit our website to learn more www.GriffinPest.com