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What Is Pest Control?
October 3, 2021
Pests are a huge problem in nearly every part of the world. The method used to control pests depends on…
Table of Contents
Pests are a huge problem in nearly every part of the world. The method used to control pests depends on the extent of damage they cause and the costs involved. Pest control is a complex ecological process that involves both physical and chemical mechanisms. It involves prevention of entry, settling, and infestation of pests in a particular area. Effective methods of control provide a system that can monitor, detect, and eradicate pests.
Need For Pest Control
The need for pest control is evident from the damage done by pests in the past few years. Rodents and insects are carriers of various disease-causing pathogens. Many carry viruses and bacteria that can cause severe illnesses that would be very expensive to treat. They can infest your kitchen, bathroom or bedroom and even bite you or your pets.
Pest control is essential for the well-being of ecology and human health. They can cause devastating damage to properties and agricultural areas. There are different control methods available on the market depending on the type of pest wrecking havoc in your property or farm.
Pests like mice, cockroaches, and lizards make themselves comfortable in your home and multiply really fast before you know they are there. It only takes a few of them to start a colony. They multiply themselves within a few days and contaminate your belongings. It is, therefore, necessary to eradicate any pest in your home.
The primary purpose of using pest control methods in your home, office, garden or yard is to keep its occupants safe and healthy. They can contaminate your food and various daily-use items. Some pests can worsen existing medical conditions like asthma.
Different Types Of Pests
Pests belong to various subcategories of the animal kingdom. Some prominent examples of pests include spiders, rodents, and wasps. Each one of these categories requires a specific control approach.
Spiders
Certain spiders and bugs carry pathogens such as salmonella and E.coli, that can cause serious intestinal and urinary tract infection. The discarded body parts of these insects can also cause problems for people with lung problems. If you find one or two crawling or flying around in the house, it is not a big problem. It possible that you brought them home with you, unknowingly.
However, if you see a large number of them roaming around your kitchen, bathroom or other areas of the house, and you fail to get rid of them as soon as possible, they might get out of hand. This is often the first sign that an infestation is about to happen in your home. In this case, you need to call in an exterminator to help you get rid of all the pest in your house.
Rodents
Rodents can cause severe damages to property. They are also known spread various viral and bacterial diseases. When the infestation is serious, they can leave traces of faeces in your food and other items.
If you eat food contaminated with droppings, you might get really sick. Rodent control is essential for safety.
Rodents like rats are carriers of the Hantavirus and bubonic plague. They also carry various other dangerous pathogens like salmonella. Rats can also cut electrical wires, and in some cases cause damage crops.
Rodents move a lot, and in the process, they gather fleas and other microscopic disease-causing agents. These animals should be kept as far away from your home as possible to ensure good health. You can contact an exterminator to help you control rats.
Wasps
Wasps do not spread diseases, but they sting. The sting can be fatal to a person with a weak immunity. The viciousness and aggression of wasps is the reason they are categorized as insect pests. As such, they need to be controlled because an infestation would make your home inhabitable.
Wasps do not cause harm until you provoke them. When provoked, wasps sting multiple times. They are especially dangerous to people who are allergic to their sting. If a wasp or bee stings an allergic person, they can die within a few minutes. Therefore, it is essential to keep them away from your home. Make sure that you remove wasp nests or colonies as soon as you find them.
Methods Of Pest Control
The following are the most popular methods of pest control:
- Biological pest control
- Mechanical pest control
- Physical pest control
- Trap cropping
- Poisoned bait
- Field burning
- Use of pesticides
Ancient Methods Of Pest Control
Ancient Egyptians used pest-destroying animals to protect themselves from the ill effects of pests. For example, they used cats to control mice. This method is still used today to keep rats away from fields and houses. It is an excellent alternative to some expensive pest control methods.
Modern Methods Of Pest Control
Modern pest control techniques include the following:
Biological Pest Control
Biological methods of pest control are popular among exterminators because they are natural and quite effective. They can reduce the number of pests without causing side effects to the environment.
Biological control includes addition of certain pest-killing bacteria into water. This water can kill insects, but it is still safe for humans to drink. The primary purpose of using biological methods is to kill harmful species without impacting human health.
Mechanical Pest Control
Mechanical pest control methods include devices, machinery, and equipment to eliminate troublesome or harmful pests. The most common technique under this category, and one used a lot by farmers is creating a barrier between plants and the problems. This barrier acts as a protective layer that keeps pests out. This method is used in commercial pest control.
Mechanical pest control is quite similar to physical pest control. In this method, the pest managers attack pests prevent them from multiplying and spreading further. Thus, they help avoid further destruction of plants.
If you want to protect your property from unwanted invaders, your primary goal should be to remove that would encourage them to spread. Such things include heaps of garbage, standing water and other useless items.
Field Burning
Field burning is a traditional method of controlling the spread of pests. In this method, a field is burnt completely after harvest. This removes any remains or dead bodies of pests present at that place. This method also eliminates all pest eggs from the field, so there is no chance of harmful pests regrouping, multiplying and causing destruction. This type of pest control management is very efficient as it eliminates pests completely.
Trap Cropping
Trap cropping is a creative method of controlling pests. In this method, a plant is grown in the field and its job is to attract harmful pests towards itself distracting them from other valuable plants. Once the pests gather around the plant, it becomes easier for pest managers to control or kill them.
Pesticides
Integrated pest management is an effective and environmentally sensitive method of pest management. It involves a combination of logical and common-sense practices. This method uses data about the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment to control their spread.
It involves controlled use of pesticides, which is why it is considered one of the best examples of integrated pest management and control. Pesticides work best for controlling commercial pests at places where all other methods fail. The use of pesticides is common, and anyone can adopt it.
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Rat Vs Mouse Comparisons And How To Manage Them
October 3, 2021
The sight of a rat or mouse in your home or office can be upsetting, to say the least. Bites,…
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The sight of a rat or mouse in your home or office can be upsetting, to say the least. Bites, disease, chewed-up properties are just a few of your concerns. What are the various rat vs. mouse comparisons? How do you tell them apart and manage them? This article will answer these questions and consider their standard features, eating habits, signs, prevention, and management.
Species Of Rodents
Generally, for your home, you may consider two types of rodents — the rat and mouse. More specifically, three species of rodents quickly adapt to the human environment. First, the Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) is also named Common or Norway rat. The Norway rat usually prefers living in homes and businesses. They are bigger in size than black rats.
Second, the Black Rat (Rattus rattus) is further known as the Ship or Roof rat. No surprise, ships may include the black rat as a pest-controlled item in their reports, as it is a common pest. Finally, the House Mouse (Mus domesticus) is common in many homes.
Common Features Of Rodents
Whatever the species you are considering for rodent control, they all have standard features like short legs and long tails. Furthermore, they have a pair of incisor teeth in their upper jaw. Nonetheless, a closer look will tell the difference between mice and rats using identifiable features for each species.
What Is The Difference Between A Rat And A Mouse?
You may be forgiven for mixing up the two. Aside from behaviour differences, rats and mice do look similar. However, people use their sizes to differentiate them. Rats tend to be bigger and heavier. This includes their tail length.
On the other hand, mice tend to have slender bodies. Furthermore, mouse tails are hairy, long, and thin, while rats have shorter, thicker, and hairless tails. Moreover, you can use the more significant amount of droppings present during the day to differentiate the mice from rats.
Rat Vs. Mouse – Differences In Looks
Indeed, with a body size of 3-10 cm long, house mice are smaller than the rat. After all, the body length of a rat is 16-40 cm. Furthermore, a mature mouse has more prominent ears and a longer tail in proportion to its body length. You can use the length of an adult mouse tail to differentiate it from a young rat tail.
In addition, rat heads and feet are proportionately more prominent than its body in comparison to the mouse. Distinctively, mice generally have a light grey or brown colour with a lighter shade in their bellies.
Features of Brown Rats
The brown rat has a thicker body, blunt nose, and small hairy ears. In addition, it has a tail that is shorter than the length of its head and body combined. Typically, it has a paler colour underneath its tail.
Features of Black Rats
However, the black rat is characterised by its slender body, pointed nose, and large thin ears. In the same vein, its tail is longer than its head and body.
Features of Mice
Typically, mice have a pointed, triangular snout. Likewise, they have larger ears and smaller heads. In addition, they can be black, grey, or light brown. As mentioned earlier, mice have long, thin, and hairy tails.
Where Do Rats And Mice Live?
Habitats of Brown Rats
You can usually find brown rats in buildings and outdoors. They are active on the ground and in burrows. Furthermore, brown rats can cause severe damage to sewer systems. Characteristically, you can identify its travel routes using the continuous smudges caused by its oily fur.
Where Do Black Rats Live?
In contrast, black rats can be found in buildings close to ports and ships in temperate countries. Little wonder they are called ‘ship rats’. Thus, these agile climbers build their nests high up under roofs. As such, you may find them in the upper levels of a home or office building.
Where Do Mice Live?
Alternatively, mice typically live on the ground. They also nest in burrows. Keep in mind that it is also agile and can climb. However, the mouse has a smaller footprint than a rat.
Rat And Mice Eating Habits
Both rodents are omnivorous. A rat will eat anything. However, the various species have their preferences. For example, black rats like fruit and foods containing a high moisture content. On the other hand, the brown rat and house mouse prefer cereals.
Eating Habits of Brown Rats
They like cereals and drink up to 60ml water a day. Interestingly, brown rats cut their grain when eating. This gives the grain a chopped appearance. They are likely to seek their food in the same areas.
Eating Habits of Black Rats
Similarly speaking, black rats are less likely to eat from the same area two nights in a row. This makes controlling them more difficult. They drink up to 30ml of water a day.
Eating Habits of Mice
Though mice eat grains, fruits, and seeds, they prefer cereals. The mice will often piece out the grain. It removes the outer husk to eat the white endosperm inside. Moreover, it is likely to seek its food source in the same places. Do they drink water? No, they do not need to but, if water is available, they can drink up to 3ml.
Droppings Of Rats Vs. Mice
Though you may often confuse their droppings, the droppings of the three rodents differ. These differences between rats and mice poop are in size and shape.
Brown Rat Droppings
If the droppings have a tapered spindle shape that resembles a large grain of rice, it is usually that of a brown rat. In addition, the droppings are wide and of a dark brown colour.
Black Rat Droppings
The black rat’s droppings are smaller than those of the brown rat. Furthermore, they are long and thin. You can check for its banana-like shape and pointed ends.
Mouse Droppings
However, mouse droppings have a granular shape and a black colour. With approximate lengths of 3-8 mm, they are often found near nesting areas. Furthermore, they are scattered randomly, especially during an infestation.
Breeding Of Rats Vs Mice
Rodents all have a similar lifespan of up to thirty months. However, mice get sexually mature earlier than rats. Similarly, they produce larger litters more frequently. However, all three rodents have newborns that are blind, hairless, and dependent on their mothers when they are born.
House Mouse
The house mouse can produce around 7-8 litters per year. Each litter size is between 4-16 newborns and the maturity period is 8-12 weeks.
Brown Rat
Likewise, the brown rat produces 3-6 litters in a year. The litter size is 7-8 babies and the time to maturity is around 10-12 weeks.
Black Rat
However, the black rat can produce up to 3-6 litters per year. The time to maturity is 7-8 weeks.
How To Tell If You Have A Rat Or Mouse In Your Home
The following are a few tell-tale signs.
Signs of a Brown Rat’s Presence
You can use the following signs mentioned below to identify the presence of the Norway rat in your home.
- A strong, musty odour or urine smell
- Dark 3/4″ droppings that have blunt ends
- You may see gnawing marks on wall corners, wall studs, and floor joists
Signs of a Black Rat’s Presence
The black rat also has a strong, musty odour as well as a urine stink. However, the droppings are dark, measuring 1/2″ with pointed ends.
You are likely to find gnawed wires in ceilings, walls, or upper floors. Similarly, bite marks will be present on wall corners, wall studs, floor joists, and wood structures.
Signs of House Mouse Presence
For the house mouse, watch out for the usual urine odour and strong, musty smell. Secondly, there are likely to be gnawing marks on plastic, wood, wires, cardboard, and food containers.
Similarly, expect to find your books or paper towels shredded and used for their nests. Moreover, their dark droppings measure 1/4″ and have pointed ends.
Effects Of Rats And Mice In The Home
Any rat vs. mouse comparison you do, you will have to factor in their adverse health effects. This emphasises the importance of preventing their access to your home.
For instance, they transfer several diseases to humans. These diseases include Plague, Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and Tularemia. Again, both rats and mice may trigger allergies and asthma in certain people.
How Rats Vs. Mice Spread Diseases
Rats and mice spread diseases in the following ways.
- They contaminate your food and drinks
- Like bugs bite, a bite by a rat or mouse can cause disease
- Through contact with their urine or faeces
- By breathing airborne droppings
- Moreover, do you remember those vector organisms you were taught in school? Yes, rodents like mice and rats carry vectors such as the bed bug, ticks, and fleas that spread diseases.
A Complex Infestation Problem
When you consider the breeding rates of a mouse vs. rat, you would realise how easily an infestation can grow. For example, statistics show that a pair of breeding rats can produce up to 15,000 pups within one year!
Imagine how complicated it would be to control such a population of rats or mice.
Financial Costs
You may not have just your cash literally eaten; rats and mice can incur other costs. You may have to repair walls and attic insulation that they chew through. Besides, chewed electrical wiring poses a fire risk.
Tips On How To Remove Rats And Mice
The following are some steps to take to get rid of mice or rats in your home.
Check for Signs of Mice or Rats
These signs can be found as gaps or holes in your home. Go ahead and examine the fireplace, around doors and windows, pipes, and vents. Also, check under cabinets and appliances, attics, basements, and crawlspaces. Remember to check your roof, gables, eaves, and floor drains.
Fill in Entry Holes
Next, use caulk and steel wool to fill in small holes. Alternatively, use metal, cement, metal sheeting, or lath screen to fill in larger gaps.
Carefully Set Up Traps Around the House
Depending on your control plan, your traps must be specific to the mouse or rat. Such traps can be placed in the right areas inside the home and outbuildings.
Practice Preventive Measures for Health Safety
Store your food in plastic or metal containers. Wash your dishes after use. Similarly, clean up spills immediately. Furthermore, ensure you make use of metal or plastic trash cans with tight lids. You should empty your trash frequently and regularly.
Make Use of Botanical Repellants
There are botanical repellants that are offensive to rodents. Some of them are made of herbal ingredients such as lavender oil and other plant extracts. Ultimately, they give off an awful smell that puts off mice and rats but not humans.
Contact a Professional Pest Control Company
Such pest control companies can solve a wide variety of rodent problems. Begin by checking their pest library. Their repertoire of expertise can include termite protection, termite control, ant control, bird control, rodent control, moth control, and tick control. It could also include mosquito control, cockroach control, spider control, fly control, and bed bug control.
Furthermore, you may find they can help with termite treatments, flea treatments, and bedbug treatments, to name only a few. Moreover, they can help you manage carpenter ants and help with wasp removal, bed bug removal, or even possum removal.
Usually, they will first evaluate your home. After that, they will suggest appropriate up-to-date treatment options for your pest management problems. In addition, they can implement prevention plans.
When To Invite A Pest Control Company?
The sight of rodents in your home should not terrify you, at least, not too much. First, understand various rat vs. mouse comparisons, for instance, how to tell them apart and manage them. After all, knowledge is power, or at least, the beginning of it. Clearly, the best option, especially if it is an infestation, is to invite a professional pest control company.
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How To Get Rid Of Ants
October 3, 2021
Ants are a natural nuisance; they are always there but more active during spring and summer. There are different species…
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Ants are a natural nuisance; they are always there but more active during spring and summer. There are different species of ants in Australia including the garden ants, green ants, bull ants, coastal brown ants, and fire ants.
Perhaps you have been wondering what caused an ant invasion in your house; this post will answer that question and provide some practical methods to get rid of ants from your home.
What Are The Causes Of Ant Invasions?
Food
Ants are always on the lookout for food to scavenge, and once they find some, they signal the rest of the colony. So, if you see one ant, that may not be the first or last!
Moisture
Ants can survive on little to no water, and they get most of their requirements from the food they eat. However, some ant species love moist wood, which makes them live near cabinets or sinks if there is a leak in your plumbing system.
Conducive Environment
Ants are typically found outside of your home since they need the environment to regulate their body temperature. They can, however, colonise in areas with cracks or crevices. If you have any windows that might let this occur, no doubt ants will enter you home.
How To Get Rid Of Indoor Ants
Know their Source
To evict ants from your kitchen, start by looking for their source. If it is sticky honey or stray spoons in dirty dishes left on their own, then you know where to begin cleaning up.
The next step will be figuring out how best to get rid of them once you’ve found what makes these poor tenants feel welcome. Once you remove their source, they’ll likely move elsewhere themselves.
Stop their Trail
Ants rely on pheromones to communicate and following one another. To stop the tiny trails from being seen, you need to spray them with something that will break up their scent signal before they leave it behind – like vinegar mixed in the water!
Simply take some crushed white wine bottle (or any clear household cleaner), add 1 part liquid per 3 parts drinking vinegar at room temperature, until the color lightens slightly; then simply mist this mixture anywhere ants are spotted so they cannot use each other’s trail anymore.
Set Up Ant Repellent
To exterminate ants naturally, mix peppermint or lavender oil (two scents they hate) with water and spray the mixture on entry points like window sills. If you decide to take the chemical route, look for a product that contains boric acid; however, some can be harmful if misapplied, so read the instructions carefully!
How To Get Rid Of Outdoor Ants
Search Around your House
Carpenter ants like to nest in wood, so if you find ant beds around your yard or near any outdoor structures such as foundation piles for homes, they may have been there for a while. They also prefer wet and damaged pieces of lumber; check tree stumps and other places where this kind of condition might exist!
Use Hot Water
Ants are pesky pests and can be difficult to get rid of. Once you’ve found their hive, pour boiling water into the hill.
Keep your Surroundings Clean
A well-maintained property is the best way to keep ants away. Keep an eye out for potential entry points such as branches and bushes touching your house, which these pests can use to sneak into your home.
How To Keep Ants Away From Your House
Clean your Home Always
Your kitchen is typically an ant’s favourite room in the house, so pay special attention to it. Keep your countertops clean and free from crumbs because they are often targeted by these little insects as well.
Regularly wipe down any surfaces that might serve as prey for ants, especially during warmer months when bug populations may increase due to more food sources around like fruit bowl edges or pantries which have not been properly cleaned.
Regularly Check your AC, Pipes, and Sinks
You should check your pipes and sinks regularly to make sure there are no leaks. You can also check air conditioning units and anything else that may create moisture in the home or office space you work in, which will attract ants.
Close the Windows and Doors
Seal up your windows and doors this spring to keep out more than just ants. Remember that it’s tough during warm weather, especially with kids running around all day long! Try keeping them closed as much as possible while still letting your kids enjoy their playtime outside.
What Are The Fastest Ways To Get Rid Of Ants?
Controlling ants is a challenge, but it can be overcome with some thoughtful preparation. One of the most critical steps in controlling these pests from raiding your home and kitchen items is proper food storage procedures such as taping closed boxes or bags containing perishable goods like cookies before putting them away for long periods.
The best way to keep ants from raiding your pantry is by purchasing airtight containers. Lids should lock tightly, preventing scavengers from gaining access and providing a haven for bugs scavenging on the outside like they always do! After every use, wash off all residue with hot water or bleach (start light). This will ensure that there’s nothing left behind that the ants could be used as food sources.
Do Over-The-Counter Ant Repellents Work?
Ant control products like those found at your local hardware store come in many forms. However, it’s important to remember these substances may be harmful if the product label directions are not followed and will only solve a small portion of your ant invasion.
Sprays only work on the ants you can see; they function only as a deterrent because they pose no residual effects capable of providing a lasting solution to your ant problem. If the ants can enter your building, the spray will not hinder what they can do. Again, remember that the spray doesn’t affect the colonies outside of your house. Therefore, so long as the colonies are still intact, the supply of ants is unlimited.
If you find a colony of ants in your home, it’s essential to take steps before they multiply. Most ant treatments only work if applied directly on the colonies, so there is no easy way for the average homeowner to get rid of them without professional help from an expert pest control company. Pest Aid can help you eliminate the ant colonies in your house and give you a permanent solution to your ant invasion problem.
Why Do Some Ant Colonies Survive After Treatment?
Ant colonies can survive if the pest treatment was not properly administered. Again, the colonies may survive just because the queen survives. You have to know that ant problems do not start in your home; instead, they start in the nest, and you only notice them when they invade your home.
Some people believe that the more ants they see, the more the chances of breeding, but that is not true. The only ant that breeds is the queen mother. As long as she wasn’t killed during the ant treatment process, she can produce more than enough ants to invade your home because the more she makes them, the more they look for food, and your kitchen and other parts of your house will be their closest choice.
To make the matter worse, the queen never leaves the ant nest after establishing her colony, so there is no chance that she will be killed with other ants in the kitchen or other places in your house.
She brings worker ants from the colony to feed her young, which she populates constantly. The workers you see in your house are nothing more than those created by this clever ant queen; other types exist too, like soldiers and drones for protecting their territory or mate-seeking missions outside of it, even if they’re not at home! It’s impossible to get rid of an entire ant nest without killing the ant that is the source of other ants, and that is the queen herself.
This is why you need the services of a reputable ant control company, who have the experience not just to get rid of your house of ants. Still, they also go the extra mile of detecting the colonies of these ants near you, destroying the them, and making sure the queen mother is not there to revive the ant population.
You May Need Help To Get Rid Of Ants
Getting rid of ants by oneself can be a huge challenge. If you have tried all you can to get rid of them and they are still appearing, it is better to consult an expert. There are many companies around who specialise in getting rid of ants.
You may have to consult them to help you in eliminating ants completely from your house. They will carry out a proper inspection to identify the source of the ants which is the colonies, destroy these colonies and eliminate the queen mother, thereby ensuring that no new ants are introduced into your home.
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Repelling Mice With Smells They Hate
October 3, 2021
We all agree that the most straightforward way of controlling rodent population in our homes is using poison baits like…
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We all agree that the most straightforward way of controlling rodent population in our homes is using poison baits like the highly toxic synthetic pesticides and rodenticides. This method of controlling rodents is however considered to have a number of disadvantages:
- It is only a temporary control measure as rodents re-infest the home after sometime. Killing rodents with poison may lead to a scenario where a small population is left with huge food resources. Plenty of food provides ground for reproduction and in turn their numbers increase to unmanageable levels.
- The pesticide formulation may stop working against the rodents due to resistance. It is common knowledge that pests develop resistance to pesticides and rodents are no exception.
- Rodents may easily learn to avoid the bait in preference for familiar food alternatives.
- Using poison baits has the risk of inadvertently poisoning non-target animals including our pets and household members.
It is therefore important to device alternatives that pose no health risk to us but capable of deterring rodents from our homes. But why should you be so much concerned by the presence of these animals in your homes? Wouldn’t it be easier to just coexist peacefully with them?
Rodents such as rats and mice are considered pests because their presence in our living places have significant economic and health consequences. We therefore cannot ignore their presence in and around our homes.
- They cause structural damage to our homes by gnawing on wood
- Rats and mice create fire hazards by gnawing on electrical installations
- They are vectors of viruses, bacteria and ectoparasites hence a public health hazard
- Rodents feed on and destroy stored crops impacting our food security
- They contaminate our food through their urine and droppings hence impact our food safety
The use of natural solutions like non-chemical repellents has the potential of keeping mice and rats away from our homes. They have been touted as effective alternatives to lethal chemical pesticides. These repellents have unpleasant taste and smell that the mice and rats hate. The strong scent from these repellents cause irritation in mice. The irritation may cause these animals to feel sick and develop learned smell aversions. They would associate the unpleasant smell with subsequent illness or irritation and avoid areas with such smells.
Fragrances That Mice And Rats Hate
Essential Oils
The use of natural solutions to get rid of mice and rats is desirable where the use of chemical pesticides poses danger to non-target animals or to ourselves. Available commercial rodent repellents are either made using chemicals or natural extracts with a blend of essential oils and other additives.
Essential oils have become a popular natural repellent used to get rid of mice from homes. Mice and rats hate the smell of these products although not everyone agrees that essential oils are effective rodent repellents.
Peppermint Oil
This is a natural extract from peppermint leaves with a scent that is pleasant to human beings but irritating to mice. Besides its use as a flavouring agent in foods and beverages as well as a fragrance in cosmetics, it also used to repel mice from homes.
To use this product as a mice deterrent you need:
- 2 tea spoons of peppermint oil
- A cup of water
- 3 drops of dish soap
- One spray bottle
Steps to prepare this repellent at home:
- Mix the peppermint oil, water and dish soap together in the spray bottle
- Soak cotton balls in a few drops of the prepared peppermint oil solution
- Place the soaked cotton balls where there is evidence of mice activities
- Monitor the cotton balls and replace them when the scent fades
Tea Tree Oil
The strong scent of tea tree oil is an effective rodent repellent that keeps them away from your home.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is one of the most effective essential oils you can use to get rid of mice from your house.
Lemon Oil
Lemon oil has a citrus fragrance which will repulse rodents from your home.
Cayenne Pepper/Chili Oil/Powder
These are hot chilis mostly used by humans to flavour food. We can harness their strong smell to keep mice away from our homes. Identify areas that are frequented by mice and sprinkle a generous amount of cayenne pepper, chili oil or powder.
Cloves and Clove Essential Oil
Cloves are dried aromatic flower buds of the clove tree. The spicy flavour of whole cloves and clove oil makes them a natural mice repellent.
Wrap cloves in a cloth or soak cotton balls in clove essential oil and place them around the home in places where mice use to gain entry.
Cedarwood Oil
Cedarwood oil contains phenols with strong scents that repel mice and other pest bugs.
Alternative Repellents
Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are good for depositing strong smells that can deter mice from your home. Identify areas in the house where mice are common and place dryer sheets in those places. You can also look out for mice entry holes and stuff them with dryer sheets. Never forget to replace or remove them when the scent fades.
Irish Spring Soap
This is an American brand of deodorant soap whose smell can be harnessed to keep the mice away. Grate 2 – 3 bars of Irish spring soap to have a reasonable pile of shavings. Identify the places frequented by mice and sprinkle the shavings around those areas.
Rotten Onions
You can harness the power of the pungent smell of rotting onions to deter mice from your home.
Baking Powder
Sprinkling a good amount of baking powder in areas frequented by mice should help to get rid of them after a couple of days.
Moth Balls
Moth balls produce naphthalene vapour which has a strong smell and is irritating to mice and rats and can therefore be used to repel these rodents. However, naphthalene is only effective at a higher concentration, which can turn out to be toxic to our pets and household members.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Water
Apple cider vinegar is acidic and has a smell that naturally repels pests such as rodents. You can make a rodent repellent spray by mixing apple cider vinegar with water.
Generally, in any essential oil of your choice, soak cotton balls and stuff them in cracks, crevices and holes associated with rodents. Monitor the cotton balls regularly and replace them when they dry out.
Other Mice And Rat Control Options
Other than using poisons such as rodenticides and repellents to get rid of mice and rats from your home, you can also use the following options to control rodents around your home:
Traps
Mouse traps include snap traps and live traps. You can use these traps to control mice and rats in your home.
Ultrasonic Mice Repellent Devices
These gadgets produce sounds at frequencies that irritate mice. They are designed for indoor use and are safe to the environment and humans.
Steel Wool
Rodents cannot gnaw or chew steel wool. It is therefore ideal for sealing rodent holes or crevices to keep them away from your home.
Kitty Litter
Making your home look unsafe for the rodents is a good way to get rid of them. You can achieve this by creating fear using dirty kitty litter that has absorbed cat odour.
Pros And Cons Of Using Scented Repellents To Get Rid Of Mice From Our Homes
Although many experts and home owners agree that essential oils and other scented repellents can be used to get rid of mice and rats some people still do not agree it is an effective method. Regardless, using essential oils and scented repellents has some advantages and disadvantages that you should know.
Advantages
- When used in the house to repel rodents, essential oils and other scented repellents also control other pests like aphids, bed bugs, ants, roaches, flies, fleas, spiders, stink bugs, wasps and even lice.
- They are safe for the environment and people
- It is very easy to use these products and they are also easy to find
Disadvantages
- They are costly than some alternative methods of mice control like traps
- These products have strong scents that may not be pleasant to you and your pets and can irritate the skin
- For these methods to be effective they need to be applied repeatedly
Best Preventative Measures That Will Keep Your Home Mouse-Free All Year Round
It is said that prevention is the best cure. Therefore, to keep rodents permanently away from your home, here are some of the best preventive measures you can implement:
- Deny rodents access to food and water sources. When your home does not provide food to rodents, they are unlikely to live there and will find somewhere else that has food resources for them.
- Your attention should not shift away from places like your roof and basement where rodents are likely to find safe for nesting. Carry out regular home inspection and maintenance. Repair damaged roofs, breaking mortar and seal cracks and crevices that can provide entry points for rodents into your home.
- Keep the lawn around your home short and tree branches trimmed. Long grass provides safe nesting grounds for rodents while hanging branches can be used to climb to the roof of your house.
- Hire professional pest control companies to pest-proof your house. These companies provide intelligent solutions that permanently deter rodents from infesting your home.
Professional Rodent Control Services In Adelaide
Eliminating rats and mice from your house may require you to consider asking for professional help. Pest Aid offers professional pest management and extermination of nuisance animals from your living space. It is a South Australian family owned and operated pest control company with many years of experience in inspection and treatment of the following pest infestations:
- Rodents
- Termites
- Possums
- Spiders
- Cockroaches
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Ants
- Wasps
- Bees
- Birds
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How To Get Rid Of Huntsman Spiders
October 3, 2021
Experts in the field may assure you that huntsman spiders pose little danger to humans. However, they do not appear…
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Experts in the field may assure you that huntsman spiders pose little danger to humans. However, they do not appear endearing to quite a number of people. Indeed, you may not want them in your home, house, and car. Below are a few useful guidelines on how to get rid of huntsman spiders. But before that, the article describes the size, diet, eating habits, and why huntsman spiders get into your home.
Size And Locations Of Huntsman Spiders
A giant huntsman spider can have a leg span measuring up to 15 centimetres. This is impressive, right? This makes it one of the most enormous spiders you can find in Western Australia. In addition, there are quite a number of species native to Asia, Africa, and South America.
The Diet Of Huntsman Spiders
Huntsman spiders prey on flying insects, crawling insects, and other invertebrates. This includes geckos and small lizards.
The Mating Habits Of Huntsman Spiders
Again, huntsman spiders differ from some other species in their mating habits. The males are usually not attacked by the females after mating. After impregnation, the female lays around 200 eggs in a silken sac it builds. You can find such sacs under rocks or barks of trees but beware; she usually stands guard for a few weeks.
Thereafter, when it is time, the female will open the egg sac. Thus, the little spiderlings are let out. Though they have a pale colour, they soon change to a distinct grey or brown colour in subsequent weeks.
Do Huntsman Spiders Build Nests?
Interestingly, you will not find huntsman spiders building webs or nests. Rather, it wanders about looking for food or mates. Not having a retreat base or a nest is one area where the huntsman spider differs from house spiders. Interestingly, these two other species of spiders, including the redback spider and the white-tailed spider, also display these traits.
Are Huntsman Spiders Harmful To Humans?
Your chances of being attacked by the huntsman are improbable. Though their bite may be painful, they are otherwise not harmful to humans. Another good thing is that they help remove other pests.
However, it is advisable to place them back outside. Huntsman spiders do attack when they are agitated. You may experience some swelling and need some medical aid. For example, their bite may cause vomiting, headaches, and heart palpitations.
More so, there are people who are afraid of spiders. Indeed, such people would prefer getting pest control to rid their homes or offices of huntsman spiders.
Why Do Huntsman Spiders Get Into Your Home?
Huntsman spiders may chase prey or mates through small openings inside your home, cars, or building. Their almond-like bodies allow them to squeeze around small spaces, and pantry moths buzzing around lights may attract them. Likewise, the warm summer months may make them want to avoid the summer heat.
How To Get Rid Of A Huntsman Spider
Have you tried using a broom on a spider? They are pretty fast, aren’t they? In fact, they may even climb right up the broom onto your arms. Indeed, some people would not want that. So, before you start thinking of inviting pest experts, how do you get rid of huntsman spiders?
Use a container and a piece of cardboard
One effective way is to make use of a container and a piece of cardboard. This is quite useful when the spider is on a flat surface such as a wall. Place the jar or container over the spider. Then, slip the piece of cardboard or paper between the container and the wall. Now, you can move outside, place the container down, and let the spider leave.
Use natural oils such as peppermint or citrus spray
Spiders dislike the scent of peppermint, eucalyptus oil, tea-tree, or citrus. Thus, regularly spraying them down likely entrances deters them from coming in. Simply fill a standard spray bottle with water. Then mix it with 15 to 20 drops of the essential oil. Finally, you can spray it down on cracks and corners.
Place nuts in corners
Moreover, go a step further and place a few nuts in selected corners of your home. This includes walnuts and chestnuts.
Clean up your home
Regular clean-up helps in getting rid of huntsman spiders. This includes cleaning and removing cobwebs from your closets, attic, garage, and dark spaces.
Avoid clutter
Clearly, the fewer hiding spots there are, the fewer spiders you will find. Clear out objects such as gloves, cardboard boxes, and general clutter. You may just be surprised to find clothes moths among old clothes. Surely, this can attract huntsman spiders.
Seal off cracks and openings
You can seal off entryways for huntsman spiders. For example, tiny crevices, vents, door and window openings, and loose screens need to be closed off. Sometimes, a foam sealant or caulk can come in useful here.
Reduce excessive moisture
Where there is excess moisture, insects become common. In turn, they attract spiders. Thus, you may add a dehumidifier in places like your basement.
Get rid of other insects
Indeed, spiders will be there when insects like ants, cockroaches, and ticks exist in the home.
Weed out your perimeter
You make it harder for spiders to make it to your home when you do not have vegetation around. This includes shrubs, woodpiles, composts, and even rocks. Furthermore, you may remove plants from the perimeter of your home.
Turn off outdoor lights
Remember that spiders are attracted to insects. In turn, insects are attracted to light. Therefore, you may avoid spiders by turning off bright outdoor lights.
Use a vacuum cleaner
Get those vacuum cleaners working around corners. A plus is you not only suck up the spiders, but you also remove their webs and egg sacs.
Set up a sticky trap
Go hunting with a sticky trap. This means that you set up a non-toxic trap. Usually, the glue traps the spider. Congratulations, you have caught a spider, though not in a web. Now, you can dispose of it. This is like a catch and release process.
Invite a pest inspection and control service
Another quick and effective solution is to invite a professional exterminator or a pest manager. They can advise you on preventive measures. Moreover, they are equipped with the knowledge and experience to handle a spider infestation. You can, therefore, look up to them for residential or commercial spider control.
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Solutions For Rats In The Roof
October 3, 2021
Rats have been a problem since the start of civilization. They cause a lot of damage to property. They can…
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Rats have been a problem since the start of civilization. They cause a lot of damage to property. They can cause severe damage to your electrical wires, essential papers, furniture and food.
One of the most common complaints from home owners relates to rat infestations in the roof. They can cause devastating damage to people’s houses, offices and other properties. They even infest the roof of garages or sheds. Here’s what you need to know about methods of controlling rats in roof.
Importance Of Rat Control
Pest control is essential because pests like rats are harmful to property and documents. They are equally dangerous to human health. Some of the roof rats leave their faeces in food. If a human being eats this contaminated food, they may get severe intestinal problems.
Rats travel a considerable distance, so they gather germs from different places. They are carriers of various viruses, including the Hantavirus and certain medically notorious bacteria like Salmonella. To protect yourself and your family from these pests, you should start rat control immediately.
Problems Due To Rats
Rats and mice can cause considerable damage to your building, food, clothing, wires, electrical gadgets and documents when they gnaw, urinate, defecate, and infest certain areas of the home. The gnawing can lead to problems like electrical breakdown or even fire.
Rats bite people, especially young children, causing diseases. Estimates show that they bite more than 4000 people a year. Sometimes their bite can be fatal. Their urine, droppings, saliva, and even dead skin cells are problematic for people with lung disease. The hair and dead skin cells of rats can trigger asthma attacks and worsen the situation. Therefore, it is essential to get rid of roof rats as soon as possible.
Roof Rats And Their Infestation
Roof rats are quite clever. They can easily climb up walls. Most prefer enclosed and elevated spaces in walls, false ceilings, and the attics. One thing most people don’t know is that rats are social animals. They live in packs, which means that if you see one of them on your roof or home, chances are there are many others. So, it is best to start preventive or control measures.
Rats reproduce quite fast. If you fail to find them in time, they can multiply, and rodent infestation will increase to an unimaginable size.
Rats and mice are more active at night. If you get to see one during the daytime, it means that you have some severe infestation in your house, and this is the surest sign of an infestation. Mice reproduce about 10 to 20 times faster than rats, particularly indoors.
Methods Of Controlling Rats
Ancient Methods of Rodent Control
Ancient Egyptians used pest-destroying animals to protect themselves from the ill effects of rats. Cats were used for this purpose. Cats can keep the rodents out a radius of 50 yards. Today, people still rely on cats to control mice and rats. It is an excellent alternative, much cheaper than most other rodent control methods. But this method might not work where you have severe rat infestation.
Modern Methods of Rodent Control
There are various modern methods you can use to keep rats and mice away from your home. They include biological, mechanical, physical, and IPM strategies. The most common rodent control method is poisoned bait.
Poisoned Bait
Exterminators introduce unique bait stations to get rid of insects and rodents, including roof rats and Norway rats. The bait stations use poisoned bait to kill and control the rat infestation. This method is very effective, but it has some dangerous side effects as well.
Exterminators kill the rats by giving them poisoned food. Poisoned meat is the most common item used. This method guarantees that you will get rid of the unwanted rats and mice. The problem with this method is that a larger animal, most likely your pet, might eat the poisoned meat, and die.
There are many examples of people who died by eating animals that previously had poisoned meat. Some of them were even killed by coming in contact with the poisoned meat. This is the main reason why pest managers mostly avoid this method despite its efficiency.
IPM Strategies
IPM stands for integrated pest management, and it involves use of information relating to the life cycle and spread of harmful pests. The IPM strategies are practical and environment friendly. It is almost impossible to get rid of rats without applying some IPM strategies.
Keeping Rats And Mice Out
The first step is to try your best to keep the rats and mice away from your house and roof. Rats and mice can enter the building through tiny holes in walls, cracks in pipes, sewer outlets and under the door.
You should use some blocking materials to keep them away from your home. Use metal flashing, copper, wool or clothe to block any holes or drains that can be an entry point for the rats. You can use door sweeps under the main doors. Make sure that there are no cracks and openings in your walls.
Manage your Garbage Properly
Garbage is the most favourite place for the rats to reside. Remove and discard any food waste in your house. Discard food items in tightly covered bags or cans. Find and remove all indoor garbage and clean your space properly. Outdoor garbage should also not be placed near your house. Place it on hard concrete surfaces that are far away from your property.
Monitor
Monitoring your home for signs of rodents is an essential step in rodent control. Ensure that you check for rodent droppings, burrows in the ground, nests around cluttered areas, and signs of gnawing on fruits, vegetables, or other food items. Ensure there is no rotten food in the pantry.
Identify the Type of Rat
There are different types of rats which are classified as pests. They include Norway rats that are best at burrowing, roof rats that are best at climbing up walls and false ceilings and lastly, house mice. You can differentiate them based on their footprints and physical appearance.
Use Different Traps
Once you are sure about the type of rats in your home, the next step is to use different traps to get rid of rats. You can use electrocution traps with bait stations. Make sure that you keep your children away from these traps and wear gloves while dealing with them.
Pest Control Professionals Can Help
If you are uncertain if there are still more rats and mice in your roof, you should call a professional pest control expert. This step will ensure that you never have to face rodent control problems ever again in your home.
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Bull Ants Bites And How To Prevent Them
October 3, 2021
Ants are some of the most common insects you can find around. It is estimated that they can make up…
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Ants are some of the most common insects you can find around. It is estimated that they can make up about half of the insects’ population in a particular location. You will find ants at home, in your garden, yard, or even pool. Ants like living in warm areas, which is why you tend to find them at your house. Moreover, they infest homes looking for something to feed on.
Ants also live in structured nest communities that you can find in trees, in-ground level mounds, and underground. There are many species of ants around the world. One of the species is the bull ant. This article will delve into bull ant bites and stings, but before getting deep into that, let’s look at some critical aspects of this species.
How Can You Identify Bull Ants?
You can quickly identify bull ants by their large bodies. They are large and can grow to about 40 millimetres. They are characterised by big eyes, long slender mandibles, and venomous bites or stings. Unlike most other ant species, bull ants have superior vision and can track their enemies or even other intruders from a distance of at least one metre.
Most species of bull ants have orange or bright red colours on their abdomens and heads. They have different life cycles and behaviour. Some of the small species are referred to as jack jumper ants. Their name is based on their aggressive jumping behaviour towards intruders.
Where Can You Find Bull Ants?
Bull ants mainly inhabit woodlands, urban areas, and heathlands. They are the biggest ants in Australia, with only a few species that rival them in size in other parts of the globe. They have a fertile queen whose sole responsibility is to lay eggs. The infertile workers perform all the work needed to help keep the colony alive. Fertile bull ants usually have wings and get out of the nesting place to start new colonies.
Diet And Feeding
Bull ants usually collect nectar and other plant liquids as part of their diet. They also prey on other animals that they carry to their nesting places. They like eating protein-based foods that primarily include other insects. In addition, they like fruits and seeds.
Adaptation And Behaviour Of Bull Ants
Bull ants usually live underground and have small hidden entrances. Their nests extend a few metres underground. They usually attack all intruders regardless of their size because they do not like finding strangers near their nests. Their well-developed vision means they can follow strangers and even chase them several metres from their nesting place. In most cases, the sight of these giant aggressive ants coming out of the nest can cause a hasty retreat to any intruder.
Bull ants have painful bites. To sting, a bull ant grips its enemy with its strong mandibles, curls its abdomen to reveal its sting, and injects its venom. Their colonies tend to be small, but the queen usually invades other colonies, taking them captive and killing their queen.
Bull ants are active during the day and night. The workers usually forage for long distances alone instead of moving in trails, like other ants. They gather insects by overpowering and stinging them.
Danger Posed By Bull Ants Stings To People
Bull ants are aggressive and tend to give a painful bite. When bitten by a bull ant, you can apply an ice pack or any other approved spray to relieve the pain caused by the bite. In case you develop an allergic reaction from its bite, you should seek immediate medical attention.
The Developmental Stages Of Bull Ants
The queen of a particular bull ant colony starts to mate and digs a hole in the nesting place to lay eggs. The eggs go through the various phases from an egg to larvae, then pupae, and finally adult. From the egg to the adult stage, it usually takes three to four months. Bull ant babies are referred to as larvae. They are small white grubs that are hidden deep in the nest. They are cared for by the workers as they grow.
For food, paralysed and dead insects are brought to the larvae to eat until they grow up to the pupa stage. Bull ants usually pupate in a brown-like cocoon or case. When they emerge, they are fully grown but lighter in colour than the already mature bull ants.
Now that you know some of the essential facts about bull ants, it is time to focus on their bites and stings.
The Sting And Bite Of A Bull Ant
The queens and workers of a bull ant colony usually deliver painful bites. The pain can last for about five minutes. The bite from the ants is not like those of most other types of ants in terms of severity and venom delivered. Bull ants can bite you several times because, unlike bees, the sting is not left on your body. This also means that the ants do not injure themselves after they bite you.
The sting of a bull ant is usually located in its abdomen and is attached to one venom gland connected to the venom sac. The sac contains the venom delivered to its victims. Workers of larger species of bull ants have very potent and long stingers.
When Do Bull Ants Bite Or Sting?
Generally, bull ants tend to display highly defensive characters near their nesting places. However, they are also more timid while looking for food or feeding. They tend to be aggressive when intruders approach their nest. The workers usually go back to the nest instead of attacking the intruder. If the nest gets disturbed, an army of workers gets out of the nest to attack the intruder.
Jumper ants can jump many inches when they get agitated after their nest is disturbed. They usually propel their jumps by instant extension of their hind and middle legs.
How Does The Sting And Bite Of A Bull Ant Affect Humans And Pets?
The sting of a bull ant can cause several health issues to you, including death due to the venom. The most common problem resulting from the ant sting and the bite is allergic reactions. The intensity or type of allergic reactions depends on your body’s sensitivity to the bull ant stings and bites.
Each species of bull ants has distinct venom components. You are advised to stay away from bull ants if you have an existing allergic condition to their sting. The toxicity of their venom has evolved due to intense predation by birds and animals during the day. It is not only humans who are affected by their bites and stings. Dogs and other pets also develop allergic reactions from these bites.
How To Prevent Stings From Bull Ants
It may be hard to avoid encountering bull ants, making it easy for you to get stung or bitten. A high risk of getting bitten is when you are gardening and you are unaware of the presence of bull ants in your garden. However, you can prevent their bites and stings by:
- Wearing protective clothing such as closed shoes or boots whenever you go to a place they frequent as they forage. You should note that bull ants can bite and sting through the fabric of your clothes. Therefore, remove any nests around your home or garden since bull ants bite when you get closer to their nesting place.
- Being vigilant on the ground. Moreover, avoid squatting, sitting down, or standing near their nests or places you are unsure if the bull ants may be present.
How To Identify The Bite Or Sting Of A Bull Ant
It is easy to recognise a bite or sting from bull ants. Unlike other ants, the bite is painful, which means that you can recognise it immediately. It is also worth noting that bull ants are large, so you can easily see them. A bite from a single ant can cause you immense pain. Bull ants also inflict several bites or stings without running away as they do this trying to defend their nests.
What To Do After A Bull Ant Bites You
The severity of a bull ant’s bite determines the action to take. If you experience severe allergic reactions, you should seek medical treatment immediately. Some of the signs you may experience that require immediate medical attention include:
- Increased heart rate
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness
- A sharp drop in blood pressure
If the effects are not severe, you can treat them using the following steps:
- Wash the affected part with water and soap.
- Apply something cold on the stung part and take an analgesic if needed to relieve swelling and pain.
- If you get severe or persistent itching and swelling, you can take an antihistamine for one to three days. Antihistamines are readily available in pharmacies without prescriptions. Your pharmacist can recommend the most suitable for you.
- If the bite fails to clear within three days or looks as if it is infected, you should seek medical attention. This is necessary because bull ants’ bites and stings are venomous and can lead to more complications.
How To Eliminate Bull Ants From Your Home
The best way to ensure that you do not get bitten or stung by a bull ant is to eliminate the insects from your home. Here are some of the steps to follow to get rid of the bull ants:
- Locate their Nest
Bull nests are located underground. However, you can also get them under rocks and rotten wood. Their nests are usually simple at first but become prominent as they increase in population. So, at first, it can be hard to notice them. However, you can quickly notice large mounds of dirt with a small opening on its top after the colony expands.
- Check For their Nests From a Distance
If bull ants feel threatened, they attack and bite or sting. To avoid being bitten or stung, it is always wise to check for their nests from a distance. Be sure to choose the best extermination method.
- Pick the Most Appropriate Bull Ant Elimination Method
You can use sprays and baits as a DIY control. This is an effective method because the ants eat the baits and take them to their queen. This method also ensures that you do not get too close to the bull nest, enabling you to avoid bites and stings.
Pest Control For Bull Ant Prevention
You should try as much as possible to avoid being stung or bitten by a bull ant. You do not want to go through pain or experience an allergic reaction after being bitten. Make sure your home or garden is free of these ants by ensuring that they do not build nests around your home. For long-term solutions to bull ants, hire a trustworthy ant control company to keep your home free of these insects.
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The Danger Of Possum Poop
October 3, 2021
Possums are a group of 70 tree-dwelling marsupial species you can find in some countries. The average person can use the…
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Possums are a group of 70 tree-dwelling marsupial species you can find in some countries. The average person can use the terms “opossum” and “possum” interchangeably. The term “opossum” derives its name from its counterpart in the Powhatan language spoken by the Virginia Algonquian tribe. It means “beast” or “white dog” in Powhatan.
However, an opossum is a white, grey marsupial mainly found in North America. A possum is, by contrast, the name employed in describing the marsupial that appears similar to an opossum. For instance, one of these marsupials is the Brushtailed possum found in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. Possums are commonly found in and around human settlements living among invasive pests.
It may not seem crucial to remove possums. This may be because they appear to be seemingly sweet and furry cat-like animals. However, it may become a problem as soon as they settle down in your attic or basement. These furry animals are known to excrete a great deal of waste. If left unattended, your doorstep or basement can be converted into the toilet in a matter of days.
To make things worse, their mouth stinks and can also contain many pathogens that can cause disease. Possums may enter your garden or house and leave their excrement – which is similar to that of cats or small dogs. Humans are at risk while cleaning possum poop; therefore, it is essential to segregate animal excrement. In no case should the opossum feces be touched. This is to prevent contact that may cause several infections once infected.
Where Do Possums Breed?
The possum doesn’t easily choose its nesting ground like other invasive pests. Possums prefer to nest and breed in attics because it’s the most secure place, and it is also dark. Before making it their nesting ground, they will become a familiar presence in your garden, backyard, shed, or basement. Their invasion usually begins at night, being nocturnal animals.
During the day, possums don’t come out, so you can’t be sure if they are in your home or not. However, to confirm if you have a possum invasion, you can rely on other clues. You can look, for example, for paw marks, sounds in your attic, and much more. However, the best way to identify them is by their poop. When it comes to possum invasions, they drop a lot of poop.
Possum Droppings
If you find possum droppings in your house instead of outside, then immediate action should be taken because possums have probably taken up residence in your home. When you have pets like a dog or a cat, or if you think that the droppings might come from a wild animal, take the time to make sure the droppings are cleaned up and out of reach.
If you know that possums are in your home, you should take precautionary measures, starting with removing the droppings. You should then take steps to avoid more possums and be sure to clean out any areas that the possums may have affected thoroughly. Aside from the possibility of carrying diseases, there is generally a rotten smell associated with their droppings.
Therefore, you will want to clean up the problem as fast as possible. When droppings are outside the house, try to find areas in the shed or the garage or beneath the house’s deck where the possums can nest. If a possum has settled in a town, it’s probably looking for a refuge. In this regard, it is best to look for places that protect them from the elements.
Identification Of Possum Droppings
Possum poop looks extremely similar to dog poop and is almost the same. Because of these factors, detecting possum feces is a difficult job, particularly if you have pet dogs in your home. Possums are also opportunistic hunters or scavengers. They consume almost everything they can get their hands on since they are omnivorous creatures.
This implies that, unlike raccoons, we cannot use a stick to examine feces to identify the species based on what they have eaten. The first indication of possum feces would be an awful rotting odour. Possums usually defecate and urinate at the same time. The ammonia in the pee would make the feces moist and emit an unpleasant smell.
Secondly, possum droppings are often big and cylindrical, with smooth sides and a brown or blackish hue. Possum droppings are often seen in heaps, with droppings piled on one another and combined with urine. If you look closely at possum feces, you will see that it is not continuous but is broken in the centre.
Health Risks Associated With Possum Poop Exposure
Possums may transmit illnesses to people. Most of these illnesses, if not treated promptly, may become life-threatening. It is crucial to remember that people only acquire these illnesses from possums via direct contact or through possum feces. Possums are docile creatures; thus, the likelihood of them attacking people is low.
This means that the only method to encounter possum infections directly is contacting, eating or drinking anything contaminated by possum feces. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection in humans caused by the Leptospira bacterium. Possum feces and urine have a high concentration of these bacteria. Leptospirosis is a zoonotic illness that infects people when they come into contact with possum excrement or urine via a cut or open wound.
Leptospirosis is an uncommon illness that may cause kidney damage, meningitis, liver failure, and respiratory problems if left untreated. The Buruli ulcer is another significant illness caused mainly by bacteria in possum feces. The bacteria Mycobacterium ulcerans, which is abundant in possum feces, causes the Buruli ulcer. The Buruli ulcer, like Leptospirosis, is acquired via direct contact with possum feces.
Mycobacterium ulcerans is a skin-eating bacterium that causes painless lumps on the arms and legs in the initial stages. These lumps will eventually become big sores. The Buruli ulcer, if not discovered and treated early enough, may result in lifelong deformity. Many of these illnesses are linked to possum feces. Animals, like people, are susceptible to these illnesses. If you have pets at home, you must exercise caution while letting them out, especially if you live in possum-infested regions.
How Do You Get Possum Poop Out Of Your Yard Or Attic?
There are many possible health risks connected to exposure to droppings. As such, you want to dispose of your waste as soon as possible. If you see possum feces or the poop of any other invasive pet, it is best to remove it as fast as possible, especially if you’ve got children or other pets.
Now that you know how dangerous possum poop can be, let’s look at safely removing it from your yard or attic. The method of cleaning is determined by where the droppings are located and the quantity of droppings present. Let us first look at how to remove droppings from their nesting places in your attic, cellar, or any other location where there is a mound of droppings.
Steps:
- Put on disposable gloves, rubber boots covered in a disposable cover, and a surgical mask to avoid inhaling the suspended particles from the dried-up feces. Take into account that you may require a protective suit for your entire body.
- If the poop pile has dried up, spray it with water to keep the dried-up particles from flying off or remaining suspended in the air.
- Using a shovel, transfer the feces into a pail in a safe manner. Next, collect and remove droppings in plastic bags. It is not recommended to dig a hole and dispose of feces in it. The safest method is to light the feces on fire with gasoline. Setting it ablaze guarantees that no soil or water sources are polluted.
- Using boiling water and a disinfectant solution, clean and disinfect the area exposed to a possible droppings site and strongly disinfect it once the droppings have been removed. You may have to replace it entirely if you have carpet, insulation, furniture, or anything else that cannot be adequately cleaned.
- As an additional measure, use a fogger in the area in question, as it is possible to achieve and disinfect any corner and hidden space surface, even if it is not feasible for you to achieve it yourself.
- Properly clean the shovel and rubber boots, as well as dispose of the gloves. If you come across possum excrement in your garden or backyard, put on gloves, a mask, and light it on fire with gasoline. After extinguishing the fire, spray some disinfectant in the affected area. Similarly, if there is poop in your swimming pool, drain the water entirely and disinfect the pool.
Hazardous pathogens like Leptospirosis or Salmonella may also be present in possum droppings. Explicitly speaking, they usually have a very contagious illness called EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis), which may rapidly kill horses by assaulting their nervous systems.
Effective Pest Control For Your Garden
Opossums are a common garden pest, particularly when they munch on or trample plants. And they may steal pet food or dig through the trash. Opossum removal is difficult, but with persistence, the backyard possum may be persuaded to relocate. The most straightforward approach to deal with opossums is to learn their routines.
Most often seen in forested regions or open fields near streams, they can live in abandoned burrows, tree crevices, brush piles, and places under stairs or decks. These animals are nocturnal, meaning that they are active at night and sleep during the day. These intruders assaulting your yard may be tough to “see.” They typically leave droppings, trails, upturned pet food bowls or trash cans, and plant damage as evidence of their presence.
Fruits, nuts, insects, eggs, and tiny animals like frogs and mice are all eaten by backyard possums. Possum control involves using repellents and traps. Another is fencing to obscure entry into your property. There are several products present on the market to deter wild animals. These, however, provide little alleviation.
Other possum management techniques include using motion-activated sprinkler systems to scare them away. Possum control often involves trapping opossums.
Catching Possums Through Traps In Your Garden
How to catch an opossum isn’t as challenging as what to do with it. In most cases, a certified wildlife specialist must relocate the animal. Killing these creatures should be the last option, and most states prohibit it. Nonetheless, catching them in a box or cage is simple.
Traps should be 10x12x32 inches (25x31x81 cm). Arrange the fruit traps along paths and established travel routes. Possums may be controlled by using woven wire or an electric fence.
Garden Fencing As Effective Border Measures For Possums
Garden fencing should be at least 4 feet (1 m) high, with the top foot (31 cm) pointing away from the garden to deter climbers. Adding 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) of electric fence on top may also assist.
The most effective defence is to make the place unattractive to possums. You can do this by simply:
- Pruning overgrown trees and bushes
- Removing brush heaps and related debris
- Cleaning up any fallen tree fruit
- No pet food left out overnight
- Tight-fitting garbage can lids
- Close or block any openings beneath or near the house, such as porches, decks, and sheds
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What Do Rats Look Like?
October 3, 2021
Norway Rats And Their Appearance The common rat, also known as the brown rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Swarf rat,…
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Norway Rats And Their Appearance
The common rat, also known as the brown rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Swarf rat, Norwegian rat, or Norway rat, is a widespread species. It is one of the largest muroids and weighs between 140 grams and 500 grams. However, enormous brown rats can weigh between 900 grams to 1000 grams. Mostly these kinds are domestic specimens.
Norway rats have brown fur with black hairs scattered all over their coat. Underneath these hairs are lighter colours, with some rats having grey or white colours and others featuring even a yellow tone. They are very long, about 7 to 9.5 inches, and heavy-bodied with a blunt muzzle.
However, their tails are shorter than the total length of their heads, plus their body. Norway rats have small eyes and ears. When bred selectively, the brown rat has produced both fancy and laboratory domesticated rats.
Where Do Norway Rats Stay?
Norway rats prefer living in the company of humans. They thrive and multiply in big cities, burrow beneath constructions and buildings, hide in piles of wood, basements, attics, or sewers.
Signs Of Norway Rats Infestation
Norway rats are generally nocturnal, and you could barely see them during the day. The following could indicate signs of infestation:
- Burrows around your building.
- Grease stains and dark rub marks are probably from contact with grease or oils in pathways, buildings, or garages.
- Dug holes in areas like lawns.
- Droppings with blunt ends are usually capsule-shaped along their paths.
- Gnaws on furniture, wood, or chewed wires.
Damage By Norway Rats
Norway rats could cause great havoc in your homestead. Some of their effects, apart from causing diseases include:
- Gnawing through your furniture all over the house.
- Damaging your clothes.
- Not forgetting the unpleasant smell from their droppings.
Their droppings could also cause a lot of dirt besides being harmful to your health. Similarly, Norway rats reproduce so fast and could quickly increase their population under favourable conditions. This poses threats of infestation, and rat control should always be your concern.
How To Prevent Norway Rats
- Norway rats like hiding in piles of woods or piles of debris during the day. You should therefore keep these away from your house as far as possible.
- Properly seal any containers with food products.
- Seal or block any holes or burrows around your house. Their new spots are usually rough, while old ones become smoother due to frequent contact.
- Ensure proper containment of garbage and litter; always keep them in closed containers or far away from your house.
- Fix any leaks in your house and keep moisturised places such as pipes away.
What Do Roof Rats Look Like?
Roof rats are primarily known as fruit rats or house rats. Generally, these rats are usually light brown mixed with black. They have lighter colours, typically grey or black, underneath their coats. Black rats have smooth fur and a pointed muzzle. Their eyes are enormous, and they have large ears that cover over the eyes when pulled.
Their heads plus body could total up to 6 to 8 inches long while their tails are scaly and could be 7 to 10 inches long. Black rats are theoretically dangerous. Most of them weigh between 150 grams to 250 grams but could grow to 340 grams. Roof rats are slightly smaller than Norway rats.
Where Do Roof Rats Stay?
They mostly prefer living in bushes, trees, or areas with massive vegetation while outside. If they invade your house, you could find them on top of cupboards or cabinets, on the ceiling, in attics, and any high place.
Signs Of Roof Rats Infestation
- Destroyed coverings on electrical equipment and or plastics.
- Gnaw marks on household items, wood materials like furniture, and around the eaves of the roof.
- Damaged fruits.
- Unpleasant rat noises from the ceiling and or attic, mainly during the night.
- Their droppings (usually with pointed ends) along the baseboards.
- The remains of their nests in cabinets, ceiling, attics, etc.
Prevention Of Roof Rats
- Seal all holes and vents around your house with diamond mesh.
- Trim any branches of trees that hang over your home.
- Ensure that any access points on the roofs or roof lines are tightly closed.
- Caulk all the cracks and crevices on your walls.
- Store all the food products, including pet foods, in sealed containers.
- Ensure proper handling of leftovers and kitchen refuse.
- Keep the garbage in closed containers and exercise good sanitation.
- Clean your compound and dispose of fallen fruits or unused fruits.
Differences Between Norway Rats And Roof Rats
- Whereas Norway rats are heavily built, roof rats are thinner.
- Norway rats have round noses, while roof rats have pointed noses.
- The roof rat has a longer tail than their body, while a Norway rat has a shorter tail than their body.
- The roof rat has darker fur than the Norway rat, which is generally brown.
- Roof rats mostly live four feet above the ground and other higher levels, whereas Norway rats are not good at climbing and primarily reside in basements and low-level regions.
- Whereas roof rats prefer warm areas with more humidity, Norway rats prefer the exact opposite conditions.
Call A Rat Control Specialist
The chances of experiencing a rat problem could be high for anyone. Rats only look for favourable conditions such as shelter, food, and water. They have high rates of reproduction; thus, a large infestation could be a significant challenge. Rats cause a lot of mess in houses. They will gnaw through your walls, furniture, pipes, electrical wires, and so on. They will destroy your fruits, your food and even contaminate them.
Similarly, rats could cause diseases through their droppings and urine, posing a great danger to you, your family, and pets. You could always control and get rid of rat infestations by yourself, especially if it is small. However, if the infestation is a large one, it might be beyond you, and as such, you are better off if you seek professional help.
Always be on the lookout!
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How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
October 3, 2021
What Are Bed Bugs? Have you heard of bed bugs? What are they? What do they look like? Bed bugs are…
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What Are Bed Bugs?
Have you heard of bed bugs? What are they? What do they look like? Bed bugs are small insects that depend on both humans and animals for blood. They are oval and primarily brownish. Adult bed bugs may seem to have flat bodies, but after feeding, their bodies swell and become red in colour due to the blood.
These pests do not have wings. However, their movements are very fast, making it a great challenge to deal with them. Similarly, the female bed bugs lay many eggs under favourable conditions, producing almost three generations annually. This faster rate of multiplication may encourage bed bug control.
Where Do They Stay?
These insects may easily enter your home or house without your knowledge. Since their bodies are flat, they are capable of getting through the tiniest of spaces into your house. They most likely occupy mattresses, cushions, couches, bed frames, clothes, box springs, and cupboards.
Explicitly speaking, bed bugs will inhabit anywhere that would give them easy access to you or your family members at night. Yes, at night! They are rarely seen during the day. Remember, they quickly multiply, and with time, they may be everywhere, in your ceiling, on the walls, on the floors, in your kitchen, and even in neighbouring houses.
Are they harmful? Yes. These insects bite humans since they solely feed on blood. They have elongated beaks, which enable them to suck your blood. Research shows they feed 3-7 days a week and for approximately ten to fifteen minutes before hiding again. Bed bug bites may seem painless initially; however, they become very painful and itchy with time.
Features Of A Bed Bug Bite
Their bites are curved and about 2 to 4 millimeters. These bites have tiny blisters on top of them and are often found on open skin.
Bed Bug Bite Treatment
Bed bug bites can appear as mosquito or flea bites, but they are treatable. You should always consult with your physician if you are unsure whether it is a bed bug bite. The major remedies are oral antihistamine or topical steroids. You could get other treatments from your physician.
Signs Of Bed Bugs
The primary sign of a bed bug’s bite, which shows their presence, is the itchiness of the skin. Therefore, if you wake up in the morning with itchy open skin, it could probably be a bed bug bite. Other signs of bed bug infestation include:
- Spots of bed bug excretion on your clothes, on the walls, or your bed.
- Stains of blood on clothes or bedsheets and bed covers.
- Their eggshells are in their hiding spots.
- An unpleasant smell from their glands.
Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs
Yes, it is possible to get rid of bed bugs. Is it easy to get rid of bed bugs? No, it is not very easy to get rid of these insects. Even with professional help, eliminating all bed bugs may not be possible in one visit or treatment. So what makes it so challenging to get rid of bed bugs?
- High Rates of Multiplication
Female bed bugs lay hundreds of eggs, and almost all of them hatch. This makes it possible for them to birth nearly three generations yearly. Similarly, the nymphs take a short period to mature. They shed their skins five times before developing into adult bed bugs. After maturity, they are ripe for reproduction.
A high population is a significant challenge in pest control, and bed bugs are no exception. Once they find a good place to hide in your house, with favourable conditions and blood availability, they will multiply so fast, almost doubling their population in a fortnight, making it very difficult to kill them, primarily if you rely on “Do It Yourself” means.
- Secretive Lifestyle
Their behaviour is another factor that deters the ability to get rid of them. These insects hide in small groups in cracks or dark places during the day and attack severely at night. They do not have a constant area of hiding like most insects such as ants or termites. On the other hand, bed bugs like moving from place to place while keeping close to their hosts for easy accessibility.
Similarly, they have flat bodies that enable them to enter tiny places like crevices and cracks. It is not very easy to notice them from such places. This kind of lifestyle makes it challenging to get rid of bed bugs.
- Resistance to Most Pesticides
Most pesticides used in pest control are harmless to humans and other animals. However, these pesticides act so fast and can eradicate most insects by using small quantities. However, entomologists have revealed that most bed bugs have developed resistant features that make them immune to most pesticides. Such resistance to pyrethroid makes it very difficult to get rid of bed bugs altogether.
Bed bugs can cause a lot of havoc in your home, especially at night. They can also embarrass you with your visitors when they find good hiding places in your coaches. While it is possible to get rid of them, it requires a lot of patience. Similarly, you may find it necessary to combine various methods and approaches to eradicate these insects.
Identifying the Areas of Infestation
Initially, the first step in getting rid of bed bugs is to identify all the infested areas in your home. It would be best to find the bed bugs before they multiply into a large population. However, it may not be easy to identify even the smallest bed bug population. Therefore, whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a professional, much work needs to be done to detect these small insects.
Remember, they have flat bodies that enable them to squeeze into cracks and crevices or other smaller spaces. Therefore, it would be best if you begin by inspecting such places. Further, you need to check for any signs of infestation mentioned above, including clothes, bed frames, cushions, box springs, etc. You could use a flashlight to find them in their dark hiding places.
Containing the Infestation
You need to first trap the bed bugs before containing them for extermination. You could use a vacuum or a net to trap them. However, the fastest and easiest way to trap bed bugs is by using a vacuum. You will have to position your vacuum over all the possible hiding places of bed bugs.
When satisfied that you have gone through all the possible hideouts and trapped the present bed bugs, you need to contain your items properly. You could pack your items in plastic bags and put them together with other items in areas with higher temperatures. Bed bugs cannot survive under high temperatures. Therefore, if there is any bed bug you did not manage to trap, the high temperatures would probably kill them.
Preparing for Extermination
Once you have contained the trapped bed bugs, you need to prepare your house for treatment. Therefore, you might consider cleaning all your items and the hiding places for bed bugs. If possible, remove all the other items such as old books, extra clothes, carpets, etc., out of the house.
However, you should avoid moving your items from infested areas into non-infested areas at all costs. Remember, even a single pregnant bed bug could be disastrous. Additionally, it would be best to close any open areas, move your furniture a few inches from the wall, sweep the walls and the ceiling and seal any open electrical equipment.
Extermination of the Bed Bugs
Here’s how to kill bed bugs dead:
Do It Yourself Method
Other people prefer getting rid of the bed bugs by themselves. Well, it is possible to exterminate them by yourself. You could use high temperatures above the room temperature, for instance, 50 degrees Celsius, or extremely low temperatures, like zero degrees Celsius, to kill bed bugs. Similarly, you could use a vacuum after scrubbing all their hideouts and dislodging bed bug eggs.
However, make sure you clean the vacuum outside the house after vacuuming all the possible hiding places. The easiest way to kill bed bugs by yourself is by using a powerful heat steamer. By passing your heat steamer over their hiding places, you could manage to kill most of them. However, always keep the heat steamer away from the wall outlets.
Heat Treatment
This treatment has proven to be the quickest and most effective way of killing bed bugs. Most professional bed bugs exterminators prefer this to other methods. The process involves subjecting the room to temperatures between 57.2 degrees Celsius to 62.7 degrees Celsius.
At slightly above 50 degrees Celsius, all the bed bugs would have died. The high temperatures attract the bed bugs from their hiding places. Professionals exercise great caution, ensuring that the temperatures are high enough to kill the bed bugs but not damage any of your items.
The process takes six or more hours of careful inspection, guidance, and cooperation from the homeowner. However, heat treatment does not have any residual effect. Therefore, it would be best to apply a residual pesticide alongside heat treatment to prevent further infestation should any bed bug survive the treatment.
Non-Chemical and Chemical Treatment
Even though it is a traditional method of killing bed bugs, chemical treatment may still be effective. Besides, it is more budget-effective than heat treatment. This method kills bed bugs quickly, especially those that come into direct contact with the insecticides. Similarly, those that get into contact indirectly with the insecticides will die as well.
Consequently, some insecticides do not kill all the bed bugs. Some bed bugs develop resistant features making them immune to these insecticides. Therefore, you should consider a pesticide application after insecticide treatment to exterminate the nymphs before they mature into adult bed bugs.
Here are some examples of possible insecticides to use:
- Pyrroles – Disrupt the cells of the bed bugs, thus killing them.
- Pyrethroids – The primary insecticide used in terminating bed bugs. However, most bed bugs have shown signs of resistance to it.
- Neonicotinoids – The perfect insecticide for bed bugs that are resistant to other pesticides. They destroy the nervous system of the bed bugs, thus killing them.
- Desiccants – These solutions destroy the outer coating of the bed bugs exposing them to heat. They thus dry up and die. Even though the effect of desiccants is gradual, the bed bugs cannot become resistant to them.
- Diatomaceous Earth – This is dust that sticks to the bed bugs and dries them up from the inside, hence killing them. However, it would be best to be more cautious when using this since some types of DE are toxic to humans and pets. One effective type for killing bed bugs is an animal food additive.
What about alcohol rubbing? This method is inefficient in killing bed bugs and could also be harmful to you or your family.
An Expert In Bed Bug Control Could Be The Answer
In conclusion, the presence of bed bugs in your house does not mean that you are dirty. It simply means that bed bugs are hitchhikers and can get into contact with you from anywhere. However, they are not very pleasant, and the sooner you get rid of them, the better. You could always kill them by yourself. However, if you do it improperly, you will cause more problems and suffer more expenses. Why not hire a pro to help you once and for all?