Staying on top of pest control should be a regular part of your home maintenance plan. Here are some signs to look for to tell if your home has been invaded by an unwanted visitor.

 

1)Check wood work inside and out for holes and burrows. Carpenter bees will leave nickle sized holes in fascia boards, sill plates or any exposed wood. Powder post beetles will leave small holes the size of a pin head on window sills, in hard wood floors and even in furniture.

2)Check your lawn and garden for soft spots in the ground. this could indicate a burrow below. Look for large and small entry holes to a burrow made by  bees, ground wasps, moles or ground hogs. Sudden dead grass and plants could indicate that something has eaten or burrowed through the root system.

3) Look for damage to screens, woodwork and fences. Many animals as well as insects will exploit existing damaged areas to gain entry into your yard, home or attic when looking for food water or shelter.

4) Check for droppings, eggs and insect parts. Animals like raccoons and squirrels will leave droppings that are obvious but some droppings such as those from mice, roaches, bed bugs and fleas will be harder to spot because of their size. Most excrement is brown or black and depending on its age can be soft hard or dusty. If you see suspicious dirt in your home check and recheck the area where it was first seen. If you have a critter leaving behind it’s feces it will reappear once you have cleaned it up.

5) Check for nesting material or webbing. Many insects and animals will shred common items in order to build their nests. If you find piles of shredded cloth or paper or mysterious damage done to an object in your home these may be signs of a nesting animal or insect.

6) Look for dirt on walls and furniture. Rodents, roaches and bed bugs will all leave streaks behind. Look for oily deposits from rodent fur or streaks on the walls or furniture that could indicate roaches or bed bugs.
Look for scratches or chew marks. Rodents and larger mammals will claw and scratch their way around your home. New and rough edged holes in drywall as well as scratches on wood work and in cabinets could indicate the presents of an unwanted animal in your home.

7) Be aware that if you find piles of winged insects this could mean a termite or ant infestation. Both insects will send out swarming reproductive members when the colony has grown large enough to divide.

8) Check in basements and crawlspaces for tubes of grainy mud heading up the walls. Termites avoid exposure to light by building mud tunnels to travel in.

For certain peace of mind call Cato 856 652 0080 for a thorough annual wild life/ general pest control or termite inspection.