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Rodent Prevention Tips for Fall and Winter

Rodent Prevention Tips for Fall and Winter

As temperatures drop, rodents like rats and mice seek warmth and food, often making their way into homes and buildings. Here’s how property owners can prevent infestations by identifying and sealing entry points, understanding the health risks rodents pose, and spotting signs of an infestation.

Seal Entry Points

Rodents are masters at squeezing through even the smallest gaps, so it’s essential to inspect and secure common entry points:

  • Cracks in the Foundation: Check for cracks in your home’s foundation, as even a small gap can be an entryway. Use silicone caulk or cement to fill these cracks and prevent entry.

  • Gaps in Doors and Windows: Make sure doors and windows close tightly. Install weather stripping around doors and caulk around window frames to seal gaps.

  • Utility Openings: Rodents can squeeze through gaps around pipes, vents, and cables entering your home. Use steel wool or caulk to block these openings.

  • Roof and Attic Access Points: Check your roof for gaps where rodents can enter, like around chimneys or loose shingles. Seal these areas and ensure attic vents are properly screened.

  • Garage Doors: Rodents often enter through garages, so ensure the bottom seal on garage doors is in good condition, with no gaps.

Health Risks Rodents Bring

Rodents are not only a nuisance but also pose serious health risks:

  • Disease Transmission: Rats and mice can carry diseases such as hantavirus, salmonella, and leptospirosis, which can spread to humans through urine, droppings, or direct contact.

  • Allergens and Asthma: Rodent droppings and dander can exacerbate asthma and trigger allergic reactions, especially in sensitive individuals.

  • Food Contamination: Rodents contaminate food sources with their droppings, hair, and urine, making food unsafe for consumption.

  • Parasites: Rodents often carry fleas, ticks, and mites, which can infest your home and spread additional diseases.

Spotting Signs of a Rodent Infestation

Early detection is key to preventing a full-blown infestation. Here are the most common signs:

  • Droppings: Rodent droppings are small, dark, and pellet-shaped. They are often found near food sources, in cupboards, or along baseboards.

  • Gnaw Marks: Rodents constantly chew to keep their teeth sharp. Look for gnaw marks on food packaging, furniture, and wiring.

  • Scratching Noises: At night, you may hear scratching or scurrying sounds, especially in walls, attics, or under floors.

  • Grease Marks: Rodents leave greasy marks as they travel along walls and baseboards due to the oils in their fur.

  • Nests: Rodents build nests using shredded paper, insulation, and fabric. These are usually hidden in attics, basements, or behind appliances.

  • Strange Pet Behavior: If you have pets, they may become agitated or curious around areas where rodents are active, such as under furniture or near walls.

Rodent Prevention is Key

By sealing entry points and staying vigilant for signs of infestation, homeowners can avoid the dangers rodents bring. For serious or recurring issues, professional pest control services are recommended to keep your property safe and rodent-free throughout the fall and winter months.

Need help rodent-proofing your home? Contact Mosquito Elite Pest Control today for a thorough inspection and customized rodent prevention plan.

📞 757-689-0640 💻 (http://www.mosquitoelitepestcontrol.com/)

Carpenter Ants vs. Termites

Carpenter Ants vs. Termites

If you’ve ever noticed wood damage in your home, you might be worried about either carpenter ants or termites. Both pests are destructive, but they have distinct behaviors, habits, and physical characteristics. Let’s dive into the differences between carpenter ants and termites so you can better understand these pesky invaders.

Physical Appearance: Spot the Difference

 

One of the easiest ways to tell carpenter ants from termites is by looking at their physical characteristics.

Carpenter Ants:

  • Body Shape: Carpenter ants have three distinct body segments with a narrow, pinched waist. Their body appears almost divided into separate sections.

  • Color: Typically black or dark brown, though some carpenter ants can be reddish.

  • Antennae: Carpenter ants have bent or elbowed antennae.

  • Wings: Reproductive carpenter ants have two pairs of wings, with the front wings longer than the hind wings. The wings are not equal in length.

Termites:

  • Body Shape: Termites have a straight, tube-like body without a distinct waist.

  • Color: Worker termites are usually pale or creamy white, while reproductive termites (swarmers) are darker, often brown or black.

  • Antennae: Termites have straight, beaded antennae.

  • Wings: Swarming termites also have two pairs of wings, but all four wings are the same length.

Behavior and Habitat

Understanding the behavioral differences between carpenter ants and termites can help determine which pest is causing trouble in your home.

Carpenter Ants:

  • Feeding Habits: Carpenter ants do not eat wood. Instead, they chew through wood to create tunnels and nesting areas. They often prefer moist or decaying wood to make their nests.

  • Signs of Damage: The wood damage caused by carpenter ants is clean and smooth, as if sanded down. They create galleries in wood, pushing out debris like wood shavings, called “frass.”

  • Nesting: Carpenter ants prefer moist environments, so you might find them in wood that has been exposed to moisture, such as around leaky pipes or near windows.

Termites:

  • Feeding Habits: Termites consume wood and other materials containing cellulose. They digest wood, using it as their main food source.

  • Signs of Damage: Termite damage often appears rough and ragged because they eat wood from the inside out, leaving a hollowed-out structure. Mud tubes on walls or foundations are also a sign of termite activity.

  • Nesting: Termites build nests either underground or inside wood. Subterranean termites create mud tubes to connect their nests to a food source, while drywood termites establish colonies directly within the wood they infest.

Damage Potential

Both carpenter ants and termites can cause significant structural damage, but the extent and type of damage differ.

  • Carpenter Ant Damage: Carpenter ants can weaken the structure of wood by hollowing it out for nesting. Their preference for moist, decaying wood means they often target areas of the home that are already compromised, such as water-damaged beams.

  • Termite Damage: Termites are more dangerous in terms of long-term structural integrity. Because they consume wood as food, they can cause extensive damage to any part of a wooden structure, often without immediate visible signs. By the time damage is noticeable, it may already be severe.

How to Tell If You Have an Infestation

Carpenter Ant Infestation Signs:

Presence of frass (wood shavings) near wooden structures.

  • Rustling sounds in walls, especially at night.

  • Large black ants appearing inside your home, particularly during spring.

Termite Infestation Signs:

  • Mud tubes on the foundation or walls.

  • Hollow-sounding wood when tapped.

  • Winged termites (swarmers) around windows or doors, particularly in spring.

  • Discarded wings near windowsills or other entry points.

Prevention Tips

To prevent both carpenter ants and termites, keep an eye on areas of your home that might attract them:

  • Reduce Moisture: Both pests are attracted to moisture, so fix any leaks in pipes, roofs, or other areas. Ensure gutters are functioning properly, and divert water away from your home.

  • Store Firewood Away: Keep firewood and other wood debris away from your house, as it can attract both carpenter ants and termites.

  • Seal Entry Points: Seal cracks and crevices around your home’s foundation, windows, and doors to prevent pests from entering.

  • Keep Wood Off the Ground: Ensure that wooden parts of your home are not in direct contact with soil, which can make it easier for termites to enter.

Treatment Options

Carpenter Ant Treatment:

  • Locate the Nest: Finding and treating the nest is key. Baits, sprays, or dust insecticides can be used to eliminate the colony.

  • Use Bait: Carpenter ants forage for food and can be lured using bait. Once they carry the poisoned bait back to the nest, the colony can be destroyed.

Termite Treatment:

  • Barrier Treatments: Termiticides can be applied around the perimeter of the home to create a protective barrier.

  • Bait Stations: Termite bait stations can be used to attract termites and poison the colony.

  • Professional Help: Given the extensive nature of termite colonies, professional pest control is often the most effective solution.

Conclusion

Carpenter ants and termites are both wood-damaging pests, but they are fundamentally different in their habits, physical characteristics, and the type of damage they cause. While carpenter ants tunnel through wood to create nests, termites eat wood for sustenance, making them a more serious threat to the structural integrity of homes.

By understanding their behaviors, signs of infestation, and prevention methods, you can take proactive steps to protect your home from these wood-destroying insects. If you suspect an infestation, it’s wise to consult a professional to assess the situation and recommend an appropriate treatment plan.

A Cockroach On A White Surface, Braving The Winter.

Why do I have cockroaches in the winter?

Why do I have cockroaches in the winter?

You would think we’d get a break from having to worry about cockroaches in the winter, right? As cold-blooded insects, shouldn’t they go dormant or die in the colder months? Unfortunately, cockroaches are a year-round pest because they find places to survive the cold. Like most pests in the winter, they look for food and water. Additionally, they look for warm, moist dark places to take shelter from the cold. Just like mice and squirrels, they need warmth to survive!

Unfortunately, your house has everything cockroaches need to survive the winter and cozy up until spring! Even businesses have cockroaches in the winter. They love commercial buildings, especially warehouses, garages, hotels, and restaurants.

A cockroach on a white surface, braving the winter.

Roaches come with more than just the “ick” factor!

Did you know that roaches can run up to 3 miles per hour? It’s bad enough to see roaches with their spindly antennae skittering across the kitchen counter or bathroom floor. It’s worse, however, to know they spread disease and bacteria. They can also carry mold and fungus from their dark, damp hiding places and spread them throughout your home. That’s why it is important for your health, hygiene, and sanitation to get rid of cockroaches and keep them from coming back.

The Types of Cockroaches in the Winter

The two most common types of cockroaches in Hampton Roads, Virginia are American Roaches and German Roaches. Although they are relatively similar, they have their unique characteristics. Knowing their differences can help you identify the type and the best way to get rid of cockroaches in the winter.

American Roaches

American Roaches, also called Water Bugs or Palmetto Bugs, can be up to 2 inches long and are the largest of the house-infesting insects. The males are slightly larger than the females, and they are the most difficult to get rid of due to their armor-like bodies and aggressive traits. They frequent drainpipes where they can hide out unnoticed. They eat sweets and starchy items like book bindings, glue, and wallpaper paste.

German Roaches

German Roaches are attracted to moisture, clutter, and dirty kitchens. They are attracted to rotting food or messes left behind for them to enjoy. German Roaches are smaller than American Roaches and lighter brown in color and live mostly indoors. They typically feast on leftovers and caracaras of other German roaches and mostly keep to the kitchen of a home.

Silhouette of a common seven-legged table, occupied by cockroaches in the winter.

Are Roaches Worse in the Winter?

It may seem like you see more cockroaches in the winter. Why? Because even the ones that can live outside in the warmer months need to get away from the cold.

They are also not scared of sounds or people until you’re practically on top of them with a shoe. Since they seek warmth, they tend to make themselves known by wandering into living spaces where temperatures are friendlier than the outside world. Unfortunately, they are social creatures, so when there’s one, there are a LOT more that you can’t see.

Cockroach Prevention

Ready to get rid of roaches? You can take steps to help prevent them from coming into your home or business altogether:

Don’t serve them a ready-made meal – Cockroaches will eat ANYTHING they can find. Maintain good storage practices with pantry items and bulk food items. They love dog food. Keep food sources in sealed containers.

Give them the cold shoulder – Reduce access to food and water by sealing cracks and crevices along doors, windows, and cabinets. Don’t forget your crawl space and pipes.

Dry conditions repel them – One of the best ways to keep your home from being attractive to roaches is to avoid excess moisture buildup in your crawl space, kitchen, and bathrooms. This is especially effective with German roaches. Neither American Roaches nor German Roaches can survive more than a week without water.

What else can you do about Cockroaches in the Winter?

If your prevention measures have failed, it’s time for roach control. There are do-it-yourself products out there. However, most are only somewhat effective and don’t get rid of the majority of the colony. They also don’t follow the life cycle of the roaches and may only repel roaches instead of killing them. You should also be careful where you spray or use the insect bombs, so you don’t contaminate food surfaces.

Seek Professional Help from Mosquito Elite Pest Control to Get Rid of Roaches!

Don’t feel bad if you just can’t get rid of them. Afterall, they survived when dinosaurs didn’t! They’ve been around a long time. If you need to get rid of roaches or you can’t figure out how they are getting in, call Mosquito Elite Pest Control. We are expert cockroach exterminators and pest’s worst enemy! Our roach control treatments are effective to get rid of them and keep them gone. Call (757) 689-0640 to schedule a consultation.

 

Here’s a great article for kids about where bugs go in the winter.

Avoid Getting Bed Bugs With This Close-up Inset Of An Individual Bed Bug On The Seam Of A Mattress, Highlighting An Infestation.

Tips to Avoid Getting Bed Bugs

Tips to Avoid Getting Bed Bugs

Let’s talk about how to avoid getting Bed Bugs.

Do you love to travel? Most people do. It’s the excitement of seeing and experiencing new places. Travel can also connect you with family and friends and bring you together for holiday gatherings. For others, it may be required for work. No matter the reason, travel comes with both rewards and risks. Unfortunately, one of those risks is bed bugs.

Bed bugs can travel home with you on your luggage, laundry, pillows, or any other fabric surface. Because they love dark, tight spaces, they are very difficult to see or detect. Adult bed bugs reproduce every two weeks, which is a very fast lifecycle to keep up with when working to remove them. You may have bed bugs and don’t even know it until it becomes an infestation. Bed bug infestations can happen quickly, so you need to know how to avoid getting them.

Avoid getting bed bugs with this close-up inset of an individual bed bug on the seam of a mattress, highlighting an infestation.

How can you avoid getting bed bugs?

As wonderful as it is to travel, when you stay in a hotel or rental (or even a family member’s home) it is wise to take precautions. Our bed bug experts have put together this list of tips to use to avoid getting bed bugs. Nothing will ruin your travel more than realizing you unwittingly brought home bed bugs from your vacation!

Tips to protect yourself against getting bed bugs while traveling.

Luggage

    • Use hard luggage versus soft upholstered luggage. A hard-case suitcase is much less appealing to bed bugs than a soft-sided suitcase or canvas bag. They are also easier to clean.
    • Don’t bring your luggage inside until you’ve inspected the hotel room or rental.

Inspection

    • Always inspect the room/space before bringing in your belongings and unpacking. Look at the sheets, mattress, and box spring, especially in the corners and crevices. Check behind the headboard and picture frames, and don’t forget to look in the drawers and check the upholstery. If you see dark spots, blood spots, or actual bed bugs, leave the room immediately and report it to the management.

Unpacking

    • Keep your clothes in the suitcase or hang them in the closet. Avoid using the drawers or furniture, as those are more likely to hide bed bugs than the closet.
    • Put your suitcase on a hard surface. Do not put it on the floor, against the wall, on the bed, or on anything with fabric. If a hard surface is not available, you can use the tub or shower. Hotels clean the bathrooms more frequently and thoroughly than they clean the mattress, and the hard tub is less likely to attract bed bugs.
    • Store your luggage in a sealed plastic bag. This will keep your suitcase safe from any wandering pests, including spiders and roaches.

If you do have to move rooms

    • Do not stay in the rooms above, below, or next to the infected space. If you are able, you may want to get a refund and go elsewhere!

Avoid using shared laundry facilities

    • With other peoples’ sheets, clothing, and towels being washed, you should avoid using public facilities. If you can’t avoid it, make sure you first clean out the lint trap. If you see evidence of bugs, go elsewhere. If not, then make sure to dry everything for at least 30 minutes on high.
Abstract monochrome splatter shape on a black background, designed to avoid getting bed bugs.

How can you avoid bringing bed bugs home with you?

Bed bugs are sneaky hitchhikers and love to travel home with you. They can hop onto your suitcase, pillow, blankets, sleeping bag, or clothing and take the trip home. Even if you haven’t been on a wonderful trip, your kids can bring them home on their backpacks. Your vehicle’s upholstered seats can also be a potential breeding ground for bed bugs.

It pays to be careful and avoid getting bed bugs in your home! Once you return from a trip, take the following precautions to make sure you do everything you can to keep bed bugs out of your home.

Tips to avoid bringing bed bugs into your home.

  1. Inspect your luggage, clothing, and other objects before bringing them in the house. If you see any bed bug activity, dark spots, blood spots, or other warning signs, do not bring anything inside.
  2. Even if you do not see evidence of bed bugs, never put your suitcase or bags on the bed or upholstered furniture. If you do, you run the risk of them transferring from your luggage to a new breeding ground in your home.
  3. Bring clothing back in plastic bags either in your suitcase or separately. Plastic wrapping creates an additional barrier between your soft wearables and any lurking bed bugs.
  4. Wash and especially dry your clothes as soon as you get back home, even the ones you didn’t wear. Soft luggage or other items that cannot be washed and dried can be dry cleaned to remove any fear of bed bugs. At the very least, place them in the dryer or steam them so the heat can kill any residual traces of bed bugs or their eggs.
  5. Shake out clothing over the tub if you suspect there may be bugs in your clothes. Never shake clothing out over a carpet, rug, bedspread, or other soft material where a dislodged bed bug could hide and stick around!

We hope these tips will help you avoid getting bed bugs. Because adult bed bugs reproduce every 2 weeks, they can quickly become a serious problem that affects both your health and home. They lay eggs and leave blood stains, and more importantly, they bite and cause itching. This can affect both humans and pets.

At Mosquito Elite Pest Control, we are experts at detecting and getting rid of bed bugs!

If you suspect bed bug activity, reach out to our team right away for an inspection, bed bug treatment, and guaranteed results. Where there is one bed bug, there are more and even more eggs. Don’t hesitate! Call (757) 689-0640 if you need help with bed bugs. We are pest’s worst enemy, and we can get your home bed bug free.

For more information about our bed bug treatment and removal process or the other pest control services we offer, check out our website and make sure you take every precaution to avoid getting bed bugs!

 

https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/bed-bugs/bed-bugs/

A Curious Rat Peering Over The Edge Of A Wooden Surface, Soon To Be Targeted In An Effort To Get Rid Of Rodents.

How can Hampton Roads, Virginia Residents Get Rid of Rodents?

How can Hampton Roads, Virginia Residents Get Rid of Rodents?

It’s important to get rid of rodents and keep them from coming back. Rats and mice can carry diseases. They can also cause damage to your home or business by gnawing on wood, insulation, and electrical wires. Of course, they are also known to bite!

If you own property in the Hampton Roads area, there is a high likelihood that you have rodents. Because they prefer damp and dark spaces, it is easy for diseases to spread on the paws of these nocturnal creatures. These are certainly not creatures you want to welcome into your home! Unfortunately, rats and mice are attracted to dark places, so they can conduct their dirty work for quite a while before activity becomes detected. Therefore, it is important to take extra precautions to get rid of rodents and keep them from coming back. You need to keep them out of your crawl space, attic, shed, walls, and anywhere else they might take up residence.

A curious rat peering over the edge of a wooden surface, soon to be targeted in an effort to get rid of rodents.

Are mice and rats all that dangerous?

Aren’t they relatively harmless as long as they aren’t bothering anyone?

Unfortunately, mice and rats have very destructive natural behaviors and are looking for warmth, food, water, and shelter just like any other wild animal. They also like to be inside and away from possible predators. It doesn’t take much for a mouse or rat to find their way into a small crack or groove. Before you know it, they are setting up house and giving birth to a nest of babies.

Silhouette of a lion with a bushy mane designed to get rid of rodents.

As a Hampton Roads, Virginia home or business owner, what can you do to get rid of rodents and keep them out?

Here are a few tips to get rid of rodents.

Entry Points:

Rats and mice can fit through the tiniest of holes. That’s why it’s important to find and seal off anywhere they could be getting in. Re-caulk cracks and fissures and fix broken crawl space vents and missing bricks. Find and fix any holes along the eaves of your roof.

Landscaping:

Rodents like to hide in overgrown plants and shrubs, especially those close to a structure. Eliminate or cut back overgrown shrubs close to your house or business. This eliminates places for them to hide or camouflage their activity.

Food and Water:

Just like humans and other animals, rodents need food and water. Also, they love pet food! Eliminate the temptation for rats and mice by storing pet food in airtight containers. This will help keep it from being accessible. In addition, make sure there is no water in your crawl space. This can come from high humidity or a leaking plumbing pipe.

Noise and Predators:

Rats and mice startle easily. Noisy activities from your pets and daily activities will frighten them. We’re not suggesting you go out and get a dog. Although, they are cute! We are also not saying to stomp around the house all the time, but noise can keep them from setting up house. They will not feel safe and think there are predators around.

Do-It-Yourself to Get Rid of Rodents:

There are many varieties of traps and bait on the market. Just make sure to practice safety protocols and follow the directions to avoid poisoning your pets, children, or yourself. Additionally, DIY methods are not as effective as professional rodent control. They also do not address the need to close any entry points.

Get Rid of Rodents before They take over Your Home or Business

Your home or business is likely the most valuable and important asset you own. That’s why it’s important to keep your property safe from destructive pests and get rid of rodents. If your DIY isn’t working or you can’t find the entry points for mice and rats, it’s time to call a professional. Maybe, you’re not sure if you have rats or mice in your crawl space or attic. Regardless, don’t take the chance. You need a professional pest control company that is familiar with your neighborhood and local topography. At Mosquito Elite Pest Control, we have the experience and proven treatments to get rid of rodents and keep them out. We know the species that are common to Hampton Roads, Virginia.

We are Pests Worst Enemy!

The team at Mosquito Elite Pest Control are rodent exterminators. In addition to free rodent inspections, we offer discounts for active and retired military and first responders. Plus, our pest exclusion services are guaranteed for one year with an active service plan! Visit our website to learn more about our Rodent Control and Exclusion Services, or call us at (757) 689-0640 to schedule a consultation.

Heather E.

Mosquito Elite does amazing work. Super friendly, reasonably priced and shows up on time. I have used their services for 2 years now and use them on all of my clients inspections. I recently used their services for spraying for mosquitos in my back and front yard for a cookout. I live on the water and I was thoroughly impressed on no one got bit all night. Lasts 3-4 weeks which is even better. Worth every penny!! (5-Star Google Review)

Amber E.

My home was treated for rats and we haven’t had a problem since they came out to help. Great customer service and very prompt with when they come to your home. (5-Star Google Review)

Walker R.

Extremely knowledgeable of pest and termite treatments. On time, helpful, and good people. (5-Star Google Review)

Schronda D.


Elite Pest Control does an excellent job and they are very professional. You can trust them and they treat you like family. They take care of you as if they are taking care of their own homes. I will always use them and recommend them to anyone in need of excellent and professional service. Thank again. (5-Star Google Review)

Shelia G.


While we don’t have a need for the other services, their outdoor mosquito monthly treatments have enabled our family to once again enjoy the back and front yard. They are thorough, flexible, professional and effective. Definitely a thumbs up and recommended service! Bravo. (5-Star Google Review)

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