PEST
GUIDE
Correctly identifying your particular pest is a critical first step in getting the best pest control for your property. Our pest glossary will show you images and facts about the pests we most commonly treat, like arthropod pests including ants, cockroaches, flies, wasps, fleas, stored product pests (moth and beetle larvae), fabric pests (moth larvae) and spiders, along with bed bugs, beetles, earwigs, pillbugs, ticks, aphids and whiteflies – and many more. You’ll also see wood-destroying pests like termites (dampwood, drywood and subterranean), carpenter ants and wood-boring beetles. And don't forget rodents like mice and rats.
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If you're still unsure about what you have, give us a call and we will confirm for you. The most effective pest control starts with knowing what we're up against.
RODENTS
Did you know that mice can squeeze through spaces as small as a dime?
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Despite their tiny bodies, mice eat between 15 and 20 times a day.
​A house mouse produces between 40 and 100 droppings per day.​
Mice are good jumpers, climbers and swimmers.
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Mice can live in a lab for up to two years, but usually only live for about 5 months in the wild, mostly because of predators, such as cats, snakes and foxes.
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Mice typically enter our homes between October and February, looking for food, water and shelter from the cold. While these rodents may look cute, mice spread more germs than most people realize. Mice can actually carry as many as 200 human pathogens!
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If you spot a mouse in the house, it is safe to assume there are more or there will be soon. Female mice can give birth when they are two months old and are able to have babies 6 to 10 times per year.
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The house mouse is the most common rodent pest in most parts of the world.
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A female house mouse can give birth to up to a dozen babies every three weeks. That’s 150 babies a year!
House mice primarily feed on plants, but they will also eat meat and dairy products. They will drink water but require very little of it. They will eat their own droppings to acquire nutrients produced by bacteria in their guts!
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House mice live in structures, but they can live outdoors. They breed throughout the year and often share nests with their "relatives".
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Even the smallest amount of mouse urine can trigger allergies, particularly in children because their immune systems are still developing. Mice spread disease through bite wounds and by contaminating food and water with their waste products. Mice can also spread disease thanks to parasites, such as ticks, fleas and mites. These parasites bite the infected mouse and then spread the disease by biting humans.
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Prevention:
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Mice eat 15-20 times a day, so keep your homes clean and do not leave food out.
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Be sure to empty kitchen and household garbage cans frequently.
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Make sure that your home and storage areas are clean and dry.
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Make sure that you clean your sheds, crawlspaces, and garbage cans often.
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Seal up any small holes and cracks they can come in through.
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Need to get rid of rodents? Call us at 1-800 BUGS to schedule a FREE inspection of your home or business.