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House mice can become a significant problem for businesses when the weather gets cold. Many business owners wonder where mice are coming in, and because mice are tiny, there are about a million cracks and crevices that they can squeeze through.
Knowing how to keep mice out of your house or business can be a game changer, especially when it impacts your business. Mice don’t discriminate between homes and businesses; if they can find a warm shelter with available food, they will!
Field mice are not uncommon in the winter and you’re not alone in wondering how to get rid of house mice. Let’s look at how they sneak in and the best way to get rid of mice in old houses or businesses.
As one of the most common pests in the United States, mice can enter any small hole in your home or business. Once they’re inside, your most reliable method to get rid of them is commercial mouse control.
If your business has a mouse problem, you risk health violations, upset customers and damage to your property. There are a few steps you can take to encourage them to move on. Whether it’s a warehouse mouse or a mouse in restaurant, your first step is to figure out how mice are getting in.
Closely examine your windows and doors and identify any gaps. Keep in mind that mice can fit through a dime-sized hole. Seal up these mouse entry points with steel wool or caulk. Mouse traps can also be a valuable tool to get rid of mice in the house or business. Bait your traps, humane, if you prefer, with peanut butter or cheese, and place them along the walls or in corners where you’ve noticed mice.
Serious mouse problems, such as noticing baby mice in your house or business, might mean it’s time for the commercial mice control experts at Buckaroo.
Never underestimate how well a mouse can climb. If you’ve experienced mice in the walls of your house or business, you’ve already got a pretty good idea of their ability to climb porous surfaces.
Mice can climb up exterior walls of your business or easily scale trees to reach your rooftop. Because they’re so good at reaching new heights, it’s crucial to remember that they can sneak in through any small openings in your ceilings, around utility connections and through vents.
Once inside a safe shelter that offers food, water and warmth, mice will build nests and breed. Mice will enter your business in search of these things, regardless of the type of mouse. There isn’t much difference between field mice vs. house mice.
Whatever type of rodents take up residence in your business, we assume you want them gone! If you’re asking yourself, why do I have mice in my house, the simple answer is because there’s food, shelter, water, and a way inside. That’s all it takes!
If you’re wondering how to get rid of mice in a restaurant, or any business, it starts with sealing the cracks in your foundation, walls, doors, windows, and ceilings. Once inside, mice can be difficult to trap and remove. For businesses this can pose a frustrating challenge. If you find that you can’t get rid of them, it’s essential to get in touch with a professional exterminator before mice can cause damage to belongings and begin to spread disease.
Asking if mice in my house make me sick is a great question, and though mouse-borne illnesses aren’t as common as they once were, having them in a food-related business can be catastrophic. Don’t risk your health or your reputation over a rodent infestation.
Don’t let your mouse problem grow out of control. Call in the professionals and rid your business of these pests quickly and efficiently. Buckaroo Pest Control is a family-owned pest control dedicated to protecting your business from the damage of a mice infestation. We serve businesses of all types in the North Dallas, Plano, McKinney area and we’d love to help you too!
Mice are a danger to human health and can destroy the things you’ve worked hard for, including the reputation of your business. If you’re ready to chase these pesky critters away, contact the team at Buckaroo Pest Protection today!
If you’ve ever heard a little scratch, scratch, scratch in your walls while home alone, you may have wondered (and worried) what’s on the other side. What sounds like a scene straight from a horror movie, can be a nightmare of a different kind for homeowners. Since rodents are nocturnal, you might miss hearing their scratching and scampering all together while you’re fast asleep.
To put your fears to rest, let’s look at common signs of rodent infestation so you can determine if you have rats or mice in your home and can act accordingly. We don’t want mice or rats in walls keeping our clients up all night wondering what’s making that noise.
When temperatures start to drop and food sources become scarce, mice and rats are most likely to seek shelter in your home or business. To be prepared, it’s important to know the signs of a rodent problem and the risks involved.
Rats and mice can wreak havoc on your home or business, causing hundreds of dollars in property damage if left untreated. Not only that, rodents are notorious disease vectors that can taint food and spread illness. It’s important to accurately identify the signs of a rodent infestation and quickly treat the problem with proper pest control measures before you get in over your head. Here are a couple reasons a rodent problem is nothing to ignore:
Rats and mice have a particular odor to them. Trust us, once you identify it, you’ll never be able to forget. Rodent odors are musty, like a damp and dirty rag that fell behind the washing machine and went undetected for way too long.
A rat or mouse urine trail marks the routes that these invaders use to navigate your home or business. Since they don’t have particularly good vision, these trails help guide them from their nests to food sources. Rodent pests can also build up oils in their fur to rub along the walls to mark their way. These oils are another method they use to communicate to other rats and mice. If you notice the unmistakable odor of rodents, beware that an infestation could be looming if it isn’t present already.
Since rodents have teeth that continually grow throughout their lives, the only way to keep them at a manageable length is to always be chewing. This means that rats and mice end up gnawing on everything from electrical wires, boxes and mattresses to clothing and wood. They especially prefer chewing on soft materials that they can use to create nests.
Mice can fit into the smallest places. This is because their soft tissue allows them to compress their bodies to wiggle into openings the size of a dime. While larger, rats can also flatten themselves to fit under doors or through openings the size of a quarter.
Mice and rats are unfortunately some of the most adaptable Texas pests we handle at Buckaroo Pest Protection. Even the most secure homes or commercial buildings can have a rat problem or mouse infestation when a small opportunity presents itself.
Where one mouse or rat finds a way in, others will surely follow. This is due to the pheromone trail (aka urine trail) they leave when they find safety and food. It may seem like common sense, but since rodents start from the outside and infiltrate inward, the signs will start showing up first along exterior walls, before moving deeper into the inner walls of your home.
Oftentimes, rats and mice will get into a neglected attic first before making their way into the living space of the house. This is especially common if you have cats or dogs in your home that might deter them from entering your predatory living space.
If mice or rats have made into your attic or other part of your home, you may see:
If you start to notice any of these signs, it’s likely that rats or mice have made it into your home. You’ll be able to tell any potential droppings belong to rodents because of their distinctive appearance. Mouse droppings look like small, granular pellets and are about the size of a grain of rice. If you have rats, the pellets will look similar but be slightly larger in size.
It may be alarming if you realize that you have rodent problems. Forget wasting time with pesky glue traps or snap traps—the first thing to do is to remove any and all available food sources. Safely secure any food that may be left out on the counter into airtight containers. The same thing goes for bags of pet food, or even uncovered pet dishes if your pet is free-feeding. Sadly, rats and mice love feasting on dog and cat food. By eliminating food sources, you’re drastically reducing the desire for rodents to take up residence in your home long term.
Be sure to read our article about Preventing Winter Pests, because your best bet at getting rid of a rodent infestation is preventing any from coming in in the first place. Remember, your pest pals at Buckaroo Pest Protection are always ready and rarin’ to give you a helping hand in corralling your critters. We protect your loved ones from pests and pesticide exposure by using botanicals and barricades that are safe for family and pets! Call Buckaroo Pest Protection for more information or to schedule a free pest inspection today.
Eeek! A spider!
While most spiders don’t deserve our fear, there are a handful that do. In Texas, these are the brown recluse spider and the black widow.
Though neither spider is aggressive, they both will bite if disturbed and their victim may suffer severe symptoms including vomiting, cramping, fever, or even convulsions.
To avoid this, learn how to identify these two treacherous Texas spiders and how to keep them away from your home or business.
Female black widow spiders are jet black with large abdomens and grow to about 1 inch long. She has a characteristic reddish or yellowish hourglass-shaped marking on her underside.
Male black widow spiders are brown and much smaller at only about ¼ inch. They have venom but don’t bite humans, perhaps because their mouthparts are too small.
Brown recluses are golden brown and have a dark brown or black fiddle-shaped pattern on their heads. Their bodies are only about ¼ inch long with about a 1-inch leg span.
Black widow spiders in Texas prefer to stay outdoors. You might find them in woodpiles or under your porch. If they come indoors, you’re likely to see them in your basement, attic, garage, or anywhere other quiet location where people don’t spend a lot of time.
Brown recluses like to retreat in dark little hidey holes. So, watch out for them in your shoes or tucked into your clothes in the closet.
The black widow spider’s venom is reported to be about 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake. Thankfully, they only inject such a small amount. While that small dose may cause extremely unpleasant symptoms, it rarely results in death.
Symptoms can include:
The venom of a brown recluse is quite potent and can necrotize (destroy) the tissue around the site of the bite. Infection at the site can lead to death in very few cases.
Symptoms include:
Though a bite from these spiders only rarely leads to death, the symptoms can be quite unpleasant. There is an antivenom available for black widow bites but is only used in extreme cases because of the risk of an anaphylactic reaction. There is no good antivenom for brown recluse bites.
Thus, the best way to protect yourself from spider bites is to put away the welcome mat and keep the spiders away in the first place. Here are a few best practices:
If you’re still as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs about spiders around your property, call in the pros to keep them away. Expert pest professionals from Buckaroo can apply special pesticides that will help control the spider population in and around your home.
Though spiders are largely undeserving of our fear and hatred, few of us are going to invite them in for a cold glass of sweet tea. In fact, we would prefer to keep them away from our homes and businesses as much as possible.
That’s where we come in. Here at Buckaroo Pest Protection, we are committed to using safe, effective methods to control spider populations and keep them away from your space.
If you’re concerned about poisonous spiders in your home or business, give us a call today!
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite!”
Someone has probably said this to you as you’re heading off to bed. But have you ever stopped to think about how you’re not going to let them bite? Do you even know what bed bugs look like?
Hmmm, never thought about that, did you? In reality, your home or business could be crawling with bed bugs and you might not even know! They’re so tiny you wouldn’t even notice them unless you were looking for them.
On that lovely thought, let’s find out how to tell if you have bed bugs and how to keep them away from your stuff!
Bed bugs are tiny critters about 0.2 inches long once they reach adulthood. Adult bed bugs have brown, flat, oval-shaped bodies if they haven’t fed recently. Once they’ve fed, their bodies balloon out and turn more reddish brown. They have tiny wings, but don’t fly.
Baby bed bugs are much smaller and yellowish-white or almost translucent in color. If they haven’t been fed recently, they are nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. The pearl-white bed bug eggs are even tinier — about the size of a speck of dust.
Bed bugs don’t get cozy and make nests like bees or ants, but they do like to live in groups. Their homes are more like hiding places. They can lay in wait in the right conditions for their next meal to come for between 20 and 400 days!
Their flat little bodies make it easy for them to slide into nearly any space. They often enter homes or businesses because people bring them in luggage, used furniture, or even clothing.
Their preferred hiding spots are in the bedroom. Anywhere in the mattress, box spring, bed frame, or headboard will do. After all, their hosts come and conveniently lie still for several hours each night — plenty of time for them to get their fill of your blood!
Clean spaces do not equal bed bug free. We naturally assume that a dirty space would be more likely to have bed bugs. However, this isn’t always true.
Bed bugs aren’t like cockroaches, digging around in garbage or other unclean places looking for morsels to feed on. They only need blood to survive, which means they can live in any place where a blood meal is available.
Owners of hotels, retail stores, transportation services, or any business where people frequently bring luggage, clothing, etc must always be vigilant about bed bugs. Any one of their guests or customers could unknowingly bring bed bugs into their space. To prevent bed bugs, teach your staff how to perform regular bed bug checks. At home check your bed and surrounding area during and after travel.
With the rate that bed bugs multiply and their resilience, there can quickly be more of them than you can shake a stick at in what appears to be an immaculate space.
Thus, you always need to be on the lookout for bed bugs. Luckily, they are relatively simple to spot if you are paying attention.
Inspect mattresses and bed frames frequently. Bed bugs are more active at night, but you still might see them skittering around if you disturb them by poking at the mattress.
Bed bugs molt their exoskeletons several times throughout their life. Even if you don’t see live bed bugs, you can spot these translucent or light-colored exoskeletons they leave lying around.
Another visible sign is the delightful sight of their fecal stains. These are tiny brown or red mounds, usually most easily visible on white or light-colored bed sheets.
Bed bugs generally bite at night while the host is sleeping. If guests are waking up with new “mosquito” bites, it’s time to take a closer look at the mattress and room where they were staying.
There are also active monitoring systems you can install. These use carbon dioxide to attract bed bugs to the device — making it easy to identify the problem. Some monitors even include insecticides or traps that will help get rid of bed bugs.
Bed bugs are quite resilient but can’t survive at extreme temperatures. Wash all bedding and clothing in the hottest water possible and put anything that can handle it in the dryer on the hottest setting for an hour.
Clean the space thoroughly by vacuuming the floors, mattress, everything. Use a steam cleaner that reaches over 115 degrees Fahrenheit for best results.
Cold also works to kill bed bugs. Seal items in plastic bags and put them in the freeze at 0 degrees Fahrenheit for at least four days.
Bed bugs are difficult to get rid of and starving them out is nearly impossible because they can live so long without feeding. If you’re dealing with a bed bug infestation, call in the professionals at Buckaroo Pest Protection to help.
We will corral up all those nasty critters and give them the boot! Plus, regularly treating a space for bed bugs will help prevent a new infestation from getting started.
Contact us today to learn more about protecting your business from unwelcome guests!
Rodent infestations are common in North Texas. Big, aggressive Norway rats and lonely roof rats like to live near humans. These critters scurry inside to escape the cold or steal your food when outdoor sources grow scarce. Unfortunately, these destructive and disease carrying vermin are not respectful.
If you’re concerned that you might have an infestation, read on to learn about the signs of rats in and around your home or business so you’ll know what to watch for and when to call a pest professional.
Rats tend to be most active at night, which gives you a wonderful opportunity to listen for the sounds of their activity. After everyone has hit the hay for the night, take a few moments to listen to your house. The kitchen is a good place to start since the critters will be looking for a snack.
When all is quiet do you hear tiny scratching or scurrying sounds? You might even hear a faint squeaking as the critters gossip about their days.
Are you wondering how those little dried-up raisins got in your garage? Or maybe you’re noticing them in the bottom of your pantry or in drawers in your kitchen.
Who is being so darn clumsy with their raisins?
We hate to break it to you, but they probably aren’t raisins and you’re probably dealing with a serious rat infestation.
Fresh rat droppings look dark and moist, just like a juicy raisin. However, they will shrivel as they age and turn gray. Keep a sharp eye out for rat droppings. Accidental ingestion can make you seriously ill and some rats carry diseases that are deadly to humans.
Rats are large enough that they often must make their own entrances to get into your home or business. Keep an eye out for holes in the walls and ceilings. Since rats are notorious climbers, you might want to inspect your soffits. This area under the eaves is a perfect place for rats to enter your building.
Rats teeth never stop growing. To keep them from getting too long, rats must constantly chew on anything including plastic, fabric, paintings, cardboard, even electrical wires.
If you find holes, examine them closely for gnaw marks. This sign is good not only for alerting you to your rat problem but also for telling a rat control professional what kind of rodent is infesting your home. This will help them know what methods are best to send your unwelcome guests packing.
Have you found bits of shredded paper, plant matter, fabric, and other materials stuffed into nooks and crannies around your home? Before you start yelling at your kids for making a mess, take a closer look. You may have found a rat nest.
Inspect the area for droppings, signs of gnawing, or little rodent tracks. You might get lucky and find an old nest from a previous infestation. But if you see fresh droppings or other signs of recent activity you can bet the farm you’ve got an active rat infestation.
Hordes of little creatures living within your walls or ceiling leave little presents everywhere (a single rat can produce 40 droppings in a single night!). Plus, rat urine has a such a sharp smell that you don’t need a puddle to know that rat pee is nearby.
Furthermore, rats are always digging through the garbage and it’s not like they enjoy a daily bath. They’re stinky little critters!
All this filth produces an unpleasant smell. At the beginning of an infestation, it might be too faint to notice. But once you have more rats than you can shake a stick at milling around in your building, the smell will become very noticeable!
Like most of us, rats are creatures of habit. Once they find a good path to a watering hole or food source, they’ll follow it over and over as they trek back and forth. The fact that they have poor eyesight also contributes to this.
This repetition will eventually lead to little rodent paths. Watch for dark, greasy smudges on walls, floorboards, between stair banisters, and anywhere else that rats might pass through.
If you suspect that you’ve found a rat trail, try leaving a tiny bit of flour or baby powder at the site. The next time the rats come through, they’ll leave track marks confirming their miserable existence.
Is your neighbor already dealing with a rodent problem? This doesn’t automatically mean that you have a rodent problem as well, but it does mean you should keep a sharp eye out. As the rat population grows (or gets spooked out of your neighbors’ house) pioneer rats might come to your house looking for a suitable place to settle down.
Have you seen the signs of rats in your home or business? Don’t let them spread deadly diseases or cause damage. It’s dangerous to ignore the warning signs of a rat infestation.
If you notice any of these signs of rodents, don’t hesitate to call the pest professionals here at Buckaroo Pest Protection. Trust us when we say, this isn’t our first rodeo. We’ll send out experts in rodent and rat removal to diagnose and handle your infestation.
Not quite sure about an infestation? Don’t worry, you can get a free whole-home inspection and $100 off rodent removal services. Contact us today to learn more!
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Though commonly found hovering over trash cans or around the canopies of your homes, wasps also target spiders, grasshoppers, caterpillars and more when searching for food. Some wasp species utilize their powerful stings to paralyze their prey before feeding on them, whereas other species prefer to feed on the dead flesh of other insects. Like grasshoppers and daddy long legs, wasps may be annoying, but they serve a definite purpose.
Did you know that worker wasps die off every fall and that only a few queens are left to rebuild their nests the following spring?
Wasps typically spend their short life cycle nesting and feeding on pests that tend to find their way inside minus the invitation. In addition to other insects, these outdoor omnivores like to nest close to homes and feed on fruit, other sugary food items and surprisingly, tuna.
Here in the good ol’ barbeque rich state of Texas, reside a handful of wasp species that all serve their own purpose and march to the beat of their own drums. Let’s look at the types of wasps in Texas and what you need to know about each.
Mud daubers are one of the only non-aggressive species of wasps that not only avoid humans but also won’t actively defend their nests. This species of wasp tends to be docile around most humans and will only sting if they feel threatened.
Many wasps and even bees look similar, but mud daubers are easily distinguishable by their slender body proportions. These wasps are usually black in color but may have pale markings along their bodies.
Unlike a normal wasp nest, mud daubers build their nests with mud via one-inch-long tube-like structures. These nests are typically built close together and can be easily found in sheltered locations such as garages, sheds, and/or attics. If a mud nest has a rounded hole in it, this may signify that this nest is old and inactive.
This species of wasp is very social and tends to build nests out of paper like material. These wasps are slender, black in color with yellow markings and have trademark black wings.
It’s common to see this species milling around your home and they can be easily identified by the type of nest they build. Paper wasps build their nests with wood fibers that they chew down to a paper like material and shape into hexagonal craters throughout their nests. Unlike their docile cousins, the mud daubers, paper wasps are more aggressive but only attack when their nests are disturbed, or if they feel threatened.
Like many wasps, paper wasps provide a natural form of pest control by eating the other insects in the neighborhood. They are commonly attracted to things that resemble flowers such as perfumes or bright colors. With this species of wasp, the easiest way to prevent them from nesting around your home is to identify nests before they grow large. If you see a nest or many wasps flitting around your home, give us a call so we can inspect your home for hidden nests.
Another common species of Texas wasp that you may run across is the Mexican Honey Wasp. Surprisingly, this is one of the few species of wasps that can produce honey and pollinate some fruits such as avocado. Mexican honey wasps are non-aggressive and tend to leave humans be unless their nests are disturbed. Like paper wasps, these insects tend to build papery nests but instead of sticking close to your home, they tend to nest in shrubbery and trees. These nests typically resemble a paper balloon and are large enough to easily hold thousands of wasps.
Fun fact, though these wasps produce honey that’s like a honeybee’s, wasp honey may contain nectar from toxic plants that can prove fatal if ingested. So no, Texas, you probably won’t see this delicacy at your local grocery store. In short, these are not the friends you want around your home. If you start seeing an influx of striped yellow and black wasps, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a call.
The Asian Giant Hornet, aka the ‘Murder Hornet’ has been broadcast across news stations around the nation, sealing fear into our heart and indirectly encouraging social distancing efforts. These wasps are the largest species of wasp on record and are not commonly found in the U.S.
These approximately three-inch long horrors are very anti-human, tend to attack without much provocation and are a menace to bee colonies worldwide. These wasps nest in the ground and have an aggressive nature like that of rabid wolves.
The Asian giant hornet has a large stinger that delivers potent venom to its victims. This toxin can potentially dissolve flesh and may prove fatal if it delivers multiple stings. It doesn’t stop there. Twenty to thirty of these wasps are capable of killing off over five thousand bees. Luckily, these terrors have yet to grace the south with their presence but since they’ve been in the news, we wanted to give you some peace of mind that these guys are ones you probably won’t have to worry about here in Texas.
As your family friendly local pest control company in the Plano area, the safety of your homes and families are our top priority. If you’re worried you have a wasp infestation, call us today. Though wasps can be a natural form of pest control, due to their aggressive behavior it’s important to take proper preventative measures. As the first key to proper and effective pest control is pest prevention, we understand how important it is to ensure that nests are removed safely and permanently.
If you’ve spotted a large wasp in or around your home, don’t get stung, give us a call. This warrior species is wiping out bee colonies at such an alarming rate that local agricultural departments are taking extensive measures to eradicate these nests the moment they’re found. Here at Buckaroo Pest Protection, we want to ensure the safety of your family around such an aggressive species. Click here to sign up for a free whole home inspection or give us a call at (469) 598-0560 for more information. Check out our latest promos!
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You can lasso up some information about different types of pests we protect against, the services we provide, or just schedule a service today.