What Are the Major Wildlife Removal Concerns in Effingham, Il.?
Effingham is a small city in south-central Illinois, a region known as the Crossroads of Opportunity because two major highways run through it: I-57 (which runs from Chicago to Missouri) and Route 45 (which runs from Michigan to Mobile, Ala.). Smaller, but equally important routes for shipping that cut through the city include routes 40, 32, and 33. Effingham is also a main railroad junction.
The effect of all these intersecting highways and railways is two-fold regarding the issue of wildlife in residential and commercial areas:
- Roads and railways result in habitat loss and fragmentation. These transportation routes and surrounding areas of exits and access roads transform natural wildlife habitats into pavement, leaving animals without the wooded areas they need to forage for food, create dens, and reproduce. Fragmentation traps some wildlife within the boundaries the roads create. Wildlife wants to avoid these areas with constant traffic disturbance. This results in wildlife turning to the homes and businesses within their fragmented region for their survival needs of food, water, and shelter.
- Because so much traffic runs through Effingham, it has a greater than usual ratio of residential population to restaurants and hotels compared to other cities of the same size. Effingham has 17 hotels and 65 restaurants, providing wonderful choices for hungry residents, travelers, and wildlife.
Lake Sara, a natural source of water and food for wildlife, has evolved into a residential area with houses located around the lake. The lake has also become a recreation spot for city residents for boating, swimming, camping, and fishing, further displacing wildlife.
Another reason why wildlife loves the Effingham region is that the city is surrounded by agriculture. As part of the country’s breadbasket, the region’s farmers are producing corn, soybeans, and a surprising variety of wines. All in all, the region has more than 10,000 farms. And, where there is food growing, there is wildlife looking to take advantage.
Rodents are plentiful in almost every city, large or small. Deer mice, white-footed mice, and eastern woodrats are native to Illinois. The house mouse and Norway rat were introduced from Europe but are the most common rodents infesting homes and commercial sites.
Eastern woodrats are an endangered species, so unless you know exactly what type of rodent is in your home or business, it is best to call a professional wildlife specialist to assess your situation as the handling, capture, relocation, or killing of any endangered species is illegal in Illinois.
Regardless of species, rodents are one of the most destructive wildlife when living in your home or business. Rodents’ teeth grow throughout their lives and they are notorious for chewing through electric wires, walls, and floors to create pathways to pantries and kitchen counters where they will contaminate food. Reproducing profusely, they bring disease and contamination, making it important to get rid of them quickly.
Thirteen bat species live in Illinois, and all of them are insectivores. Mostly misunderstood creatures, bats are very beneficial to humans’ quality of life and agriculture. One little brown bat can eat up to 18,00 mosquitoes each night. They also eat insects that ruin agricultural crops and help pollinate plants.
Bats are attracted to attics because they fit all the requirements of a proper roosting place: dark, secure, and quiet. These creatures use roosts to raise their young and hibernate through winter. While some bats migrate to warmer climates, many bats go into hibernation when the weather drives insects away.
Bats give birth in spring from April through June. Pups are dependent on their mother until autumn. Because all bats in Illinois are protected, autumn is the best time to call Critter Control so they can be humanely removed using a bat valve or a one-way door.
While bats do not cause the same level of damage as rodents or raccoons, they do produce a significant amount of guano (feces) that will accumulate over time. This is dangerous to human and pet health. A fungus grows in bat guano that, when inhaled, causes a lung disease called histoplasmosis.
Adorable when scampering outside, squirrels are really just larger rodents. In Illinois, tree squirrels, such as gray and fox squirrels, are the most prevalent. Southern flying squirrels can also be found in smaller quantities in the southern parts of the state.
Squirrels can easily jump from tree branches or electrical wires to your roof. They are agile and strong creatures that will chew and rip their way into your attic, creating a hole that will allow rain and snow to get inside. Squirrels will continue to gnaw once on wood, tear insulation to use for their nests, and chew on wires. These chewed wires create a fire hazard. In addition, their feces causes rot as well as health issues. Squirrels also carry ticks, mites, and fleas that can also infest your home.
Signs you might have a squirrel in your home include noises and scurrying at dusk and dawn (when squirrels are most active), chewing damage outside your home around the roofline, soffits, and shingles of the house, and a foul smell coming from your attic or chimney from the accumulation of urine and feces.
If you think you have a squirrel in your house, it’s important to remove it as quickly as possible because the damage it can create is costly and sometimes dangerous. Call Critter Control before a squirrel has a litter of pups in your attic or chimney.
Illinois has more than 440 species of birds, some of which can become a nuisance when roosting on your home, in your barn, or on your commercial property. These nuisance birds include pigeons, starlings, geese, and crows.
Birds will land and nest on eaves, in vents, or in soffits, creating a racket and a mess with their droppings. Their droppings and feathers can clog gutters, and their poop contains uric acid, which can damage your roof and erode paint and siding.
It is next to impossible to rid a property of flying birds, but it is possible to make their nesting and landing areas inhospitable by putting up bird slides, chimney caps, and bird spikes on eaves and gutters. Critter Control can assess your bird problem and present the most effective deterrent for your specific circumstance.
In an area like Effingham, where wildlife is plentiful, Critter Control’s professional services are the most effective and long-lasting solution to any wildlife nuisance problem. Wildlife is unpredictable. Animals can become aggressive when trying to capture them, especially when there are young ones they are trying to protect. When trying to eliminate an infestation on your own, you might be injured by a threatened animal or exposed to parasites and the diseases they carry. In addition, you never know if you’ve eliminated the entire population or if you’ve left some behind to begin to breed again.
