With the onset of our region’s rainy weather, we at Critter Control have noticed that, especially at this time of year, critters are starting to look for warm places to stay as it gets colder.
This is a great time to conduct a comprehensive preventive inspection of the home. This includes looking for weakened foundation, soffit, and louver screens, compromised fan vent covers, or fresh evidence such as droppings, rub marks, or chewing marks in attics or crawlspaces.
Wildlife in the Crawlspace or Attic
If you are not hearing the rattling of chains but instead gnawing, scratching, or scurrying in the middle of the night, you most likely are dealing with a nocturnal animal. In most cases this means there are rats or mice in your attic or crawlspace. It is best to seal these areas before they become a severe issue.
Rats and mice multiply quickly; approximately 19-23 days after conception, their babies are born, and the cycle repeats itself. When rodents are in close proximity to food, shelter, and water, they can breed all year long.
It is best to have the situation taken care of quickly and properly to prevent hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars worth of damage occurs.
Roof rats are similar to mice; their droppings are about the size of rice, and mice droppings are pencil lead-sized. A combination of trapping, baiting, and exclusion work to seal off as many access points as possible is the best method to rid your home of these critters.
In addition to trapping and exclusion work, we typically recommend at least 3 months of rodenticide bait stations to protect the structure and ensure the rodent population is declining.
Winter Squirrels in the Attic
Another popular animal to find in your attic during this season is squirrels. The eastern gray squirrel has two breeding seasons in a year. One during the springtime, and the other in autumn.
During this time, they look for cozy, sheltered areas where they can raise their young. Squirrels have been known to damage electrical wiring, gnaw holes in siding, beams, and roofing, as well as bring in nesting materials, which can make a mess of your attic.
For these situations, we offer nest removals, live trapping, and clean-up services afterward. Exclusion and repair services will also be recommended to prevent the problem from recurring.
Many times, if your attic has been sealed off, you have little to worry about. However, they can be very persistent and gain access by chewing a new way in, starting with small holes and making them bigger until they fit through. A full home inspection is necessary to confirm there are no potential entry points at that time.
Northern Flickers & Other Woodpeckers
Sometimes the noises you are hearing sound like a jackhammer on the side of your home. This often indicates the presence of a woodpecker. Typically, the drumming you hear is a territorial display from male woodpeckers to announce their presence in the area, almost like the woodpeckers are trying to get their last word in before migrating to southern regions for winter.
More times than not a woodpecker issue on a house or other building is not a sign that you may have an insect problem. Usually, the woodpecker has decided that your property is now its territory and is making it known. Woodpeckers are a protected species, so once a home is affected, it can be tricky to deter them from the area. Here at Critter Control, we recommend repellents, deterrents, and exclusion methods to keep woodpeckers away.
Raccoons and Opossums in the Winter
If you are seeing divets, small holes, or dig marks in the ground, or sod being rolled back, you are most likely dealing with a raccoon or opossum problem. As food sources that were once readily available begin to dwindle with the cold weather coming in, urban wildlife has to search harder for food and will often become bolder. They are attracted to grubs and other creepy-crawlies beneath the grass.
Once a critter decides your yard is a good place to find food, it can be difficult to get them out. Live trapping is the most effective way to get the critters gone but repellents or hotwire fences are often utilized to minimize damage caused by them as well.
These critters don’t just stay outside, however. They are very good at gaining entry into a crawlspace or attic space as well. In these cases, it is best to trap and remove the animal, then repair the affected areas as soon as possible to prevent further incidents and damage. Exclusion and prevention work is often also recommended to help you stay critter-free. We also offer cleaning and restoration services for situations where the critters have made a mess while enjoying their stay!
Wildlife Control in the Fall & Winter in the Pacific Northwest
Critter Control has your solutions for your fall/winter wildlife problems in Seattle, Olympia, Spokane, Northwest Washington, and Portland, Oregon. We offer solutions that work, including:
- Repairs
- Exclusion
- Bait Stations
- Attic Restoration
- Crawlspace Restoration
- Repellents
- Wildlife Trapping/Removal