How to Identify Signs of Pest in Your Home

If you feel as though there are some strange noises coming from your loft, then it’s time to try and decipher what could be making themselves at home up there. Hearing noises in your loft can be unsettling to say the least, and the mere idea of having a pest problem can be enough to make anyone want to move and never look back. That being said, it’s important to stay calm and collected because when you have identified what could be in your loft, you’ll soon find that it’s much easier and faster for you to get to the root of the issue.

What Type of Pest am I Hearing?

The first step would be for you to try and listen out for any noises, as this will give you a good idea as to what animals could be nesting in your attic.

Squirrels

Squirrels tend to be heard early in the morning, and then again later in the evenings. They are very noisy as they tend to run frantically and scratch as well. Squirrels also love to chew on anything, which most of the time, will include the woodwork in your attic.   This can be incredibly damaging if they happen to catch a wire. If you want to help yourself here then it is wise for you to try and keep the squirrel contained in your attic. If they are let loose then this could cause them to ruin your home. Remember that they are just as scared of you as you are of them, and one attempt to escape could cause problems if they happen to be exposed to more than your attic. If they have mites or even fleas.

What do Squirrel Droppings Look Like?

Squirrel droppings look like rat feces. The squirrel poop is dark brown and very smooth. Squirrels are known for leaving barrel-shaped squirrel feces, whereas rats leave pellets that are small, in the shape of an oblong with tapered ends.

How do you Get Rid of Squirrels?

Never, ever use poison in an attempt to get rid of squirrels and their nests. This is inhumane. When handling squirrels, it’s wise to try and use exclusion doors and cages. A professional will be able to help you with this by providing you with the help you need to safely remove the animals and stop them from returning. It may be that trees need to be cut down nearby, so that the squirrels can no longer gain access to your property.

Mice

If you have mice in your attic then there’s a high chance that you are going to hear some nibbling or some scratching. This can be enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine, especially if they are keeping you awake at night. If you want to stop yourself from having too much of an issue then it would be helpful for you to find the entrances that they are using to gain entrance to your home. You’ll need to be very thorough with this because mice are able to use very small gaps when finding their way into your property.  This includes vents or even pipes. They can also create their own routes through the insulation for your home, meaning that you’ll hear them in the walls.

Tackling the problem soon is essential, because if you don’t then you may find that you have even more rodents to deal with.

What do Mice Droppings Look Like?

Mice droppings are most-often black and they look like a grain of rice in terms of size and shape. Fresh droppings are moist and soft. The average mouse can leave up to 80 droppings every day.

How do you Get Rid of Mice?

Talk to a professional who can make sure that you eliminate the nest, as well as just the rodents. This will discourage them from coming back.

Rats

If you suspect that you have rats, then you’ll be able to hear them scurrying across the floor throughout the day or at night. The gnawing sound they make is much louder than that of a mouse. Rats will find their way into a lot of spaces and they can take shelter in walls and even in the loft insulation.  You’ll probably hear scratching in the isolated area. With both mice and rats, if you tap the area where you can hear them coming from, they’ll probably go silent and then move to another part of the attic.

What do Rat Droppings Look Like?

Rat droppings tend to be between 1-2cm in size and they can be compared to jelly beans, but dark brown in color. Mouse droppings are much smaller.

How do you Get Rid of Rats?

Normal mouse traps tend to be much too small for rats, so calling out an exterminator is key. If you don’t then you may risk damaging your property more than needed.

Bats

Bats are very nocturnal creatures and it’s unlikely that you will hear them.  They’ll fly into the high rafters, so you’ll probably see them rather than hear them. The only time you may hear them is if they get stuck in the wall, or if they hit the wall when trying to get out. This could present itself as a scratching sound, or a thudding noise.

What do Bat Droppings Look like?

Bat droppings are generally oval-shaped with very rounded ends. They can be compared to the shape of a rugby ball. Bat droppings are often glittery, or shiny.

How do you Get Rid of Bats?

Bats are protected animals in most cases because they do a lot for the environment. They will not harm your property and some consider it a privilege to share their home with a bat. Moving a bat when they are either resting or breeding can be a criminal offense, depending on the state you live in. A professional will have a license, which means that they can move the bats safely. It’s also illegal to block the entry point for the bat as well, so keep that in mind.

Bees and Wasps

Humming sounds may be heard if there is a big nest of bees or wasps in your attic. Their nests can easily grow to be the size of a football, so it’s important that you don’t get too close or threaten the nest because if you do then you will get stung multiple times. This can be a major problem if you have allergies.

What do Bee and Wasp Droppings Look Like?

Bee and wasp droppings are yellow in color, and look a lot like squeezed droplets of mustard.

How do you Get Rid of Bees or Wasps?

It’s best to try and hire an expert as they can remove the wasp or bee nest from those hard-to-reach places without causing any harm to you or your family. They can also contain the colony so you won’t have to worry about them flying around your home.

Birds

If you have birds in your loft then you’ll probably hear flapping or tweeting. Birds are not a big threat, but they can ruin your roof tiles, so you have to release them outside. Birds will call out repeatedly if they are stuck.

What do Bird Droppings Look Like?

Bird droppings tend to be white with patches of brown.  They are very distinctive.

How do you Get Rid of Birds?

Trapping a bird is very important so you can release them. This can easily be done. Set up a cage, put some bird feed into the cage and then wait for them to fly inside. You can then release the bird outside, and cover up any entrances to your home, but only when you are certain that there are no other birds are in the room. Contact a professional if you aren’t sure.

Silverfish

If you have silverfish in your loft then there’s a chance that you won’t hear them but you will see them scurrying around. They love starchy foods, which include any old books you have up there. Keep an eye out for feeding marks, although they are irregular, you might see notches, or surface etchings.

What do Silverfish Droppings Look Like?

Silverfish droppings look like yellow stains or black pepper-style pellets. Seeing silverfish skins, or shells may also be a sign of an infestation.

How do you Get Rid of Silverfish?

Check for leaks and then remove clothes, books or cardboard. Place them into plastic sealed containers, and use a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture. If this does not remove the problem, then you need to hire a pest control service as soon as possible.

So, there are many pests that you may find make themselves at home in your attic. If you want to get to the root of the problem, then you need to try and identify the pest so that you can then take the right steps to eliminating them completely. If you do this then there is no reason at all why you shouldn’t be able to get to the root of the issue with very little stress. Contact our pest control service at 214-531-3160 to find out more.