2016 was a year with increased rodent activity in all departments. At Colonial Pest Control, we have been dealing with major rodent issues in both residential and commercial settings.  Now that we are in the middle of winter, 2017 is shaping up as another busy year for Colonial Pest Control.  Warmer temperatures and a bumper crop of acorns have contributed to an increase in rodent and wildlife populations.  Mice, rats, flying squirrels, red squirrels, grey squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, and voles all feed on acorns, seeds, bird food etc. and have had a great food supply this year.  When rodents have ample food resources, they can produce high numbers of offspring.  In times of limited food, fewer young are produced.  This year acorns and other seeds are in abundance and as a result, rodent populations have grown, resulting in more pressure for harborage sites (your house, shed, or car?).  Mice and rats usually enter through openings in the foundation, under poorly constructed cellar doors, and up openings in the corners.  Mice, rats, and squirrels can also gain entry to structures along rooflines, at dormer junctions, open ridge vents, and open chimney flashing, to name a few common entry points. Grey, red, and flying squirrels can and will chew through siding to enter the attic or other voids, usually to have babies inside the structure.  Sometimes large numbers or rodents infest a structure.

Rodents not only cause noises in walls and ceilings, they chew wires, deposit feces, urinate wherever they go, and carry fleas and ticks as well!  Not who you want living with you! Signs of rodent infestation vary widely.   We can start with feces: mice, rats, voles, and shrews all are heavy poopers, squirrels have much more control.  Size, shape, and location of feces, urine, and stains are often clues that help Pest Control Professionals identify the exact pest species involved.  Proper identification of the pest species is critical in control.  Different control methods are used for mice and rats, as opposed to squirrel species or bats.  The first step in any pest control problem is proper identification of the pest.  Once we determine what is going on, then we can take appropriate and legal actions to solve the problem.  In all cases, we consider the safety of children and pets, follow Federal and State regulations, and use only industry standard methods.

Colonial Pest Control has a full staff of highly trained Pest Control and Wildlife technicians, ready to evaluate and solve any pest problem you present us with!  Please call for a Free Estimate at your convenience, 1-800-525-8084

Photo Credit : By George Shuklin (talk) – Own work, CC BY-SA 1.0, Link