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.
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.
Wildlife Inspection
During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in.
Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
Removal
We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents.
Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
Exclusion and Repair
Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes.
Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.
Loss of wooded habitat as well as the agriculture that surrounds Effingham are reasons behind the prevalence of raccoons in populated areas. According to the Illinois Department of Wildlife Resources, the raccoon population has increased dramatically since the 1930s with more raccoons today than there were when the first European settlers arrived.
These agile and mischievous animals have become adept at raiding trash and gardens and tearing through roofs to make dens in attics. Although some might find them adorable, they will create significant and costly damage if left unchecked. They are notorious for making a racket and will tear insulation and gnaw at wood and wires. Effingham’s cold winters make attics and chimneys a much more desirable location for a den than an outdoor one.
If you suspect you have a resident raccoon, Critter Control is here to help. You cannot legally trap raccoons without an animal removal permit from an Illinois Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist. In addition, raccoons carry parasites and diseases. They breed in winter and give birth in spring and can become quite aggressive if there are kits with them in your attic or chimney.
Inspection
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.
Raccoon Trapping
Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
Repairs
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
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.
Inspection
During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.
Rodent Trapping
A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days.
Repairs
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.
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.
Inspection
We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).
Bat Removal
The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
Repairs
After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.
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.
Inspection
Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.
Squirrel Trapping
Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
Repairs
We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
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.
Inspection
We thoroughly inspect the area for things that attract birds, like harborage and loafing areas, as well as food and water sources. Also, we look for where birds may be entering your home or business. We also inspect for damage caused by birds, whether it's by nesting, or by droppings.
Trapping & Removal
After identifying the bird species, we may start by physically removing the species in question. In rescue situations, such as chimneys or basements, birds can be released on-site if the entrance has been secured properly. Occasionally, live traps will be used, especially if flocks of birds are involved. For persistent birds and larger flocks, several advanced techniques may be applied simultaneously including netting, spikes, ledge products, scare tactics, misting and more. The most effective method of bird control is prevention and exclusion.
Repairs & Prevention
We can repair the damage that is allowing birds entry to your home, like broken siding, weakened gutters, rotted soffits and fascia. We can also install protective screens on chimneys and vents. We can also remove nesting materials and accumulated droppings, then clean surface stains. We can use netting over fruit and vegetable crops and water basins. Netting can also be used in car ports, building overhangs and food courts. We also install a large number of different types of roof ledge barriers too.
Illinois is home to 40 species of snakes, but only four are venomous. Some snakes are more populous than others. Snakes enter homes for one of two reasons:
- They’re looking to regulate their body temperature.
- They’re looking for food.
The only way snakes can regulate body temperature is through their environment. When cold, they might take in the sunshine on a warm rock. When it’s too hot, they look for a shady spot. Your home has a regulated temperature that snakes can take advantage of.
Snakes most often slither into a home when they’re hunting for food. Should a snake come into your home, it could be because it knows you have a rodent issue. Being bitten by a snake can be dangerous, so don’t try to remove it from your home yourself. You’re better off having a professional handle its removal. A Critter Control technician can locate a snake hiding in your home, figure out why it’s there, and remove it from the property humanely.
Inspection
Snakes are excellent at avoiding detection. We inspect your home for potential entry points and look for signs like snake skin and feces. Because a snake typically enters a home hunting for food, our wildlife inspector also looks for signs of a rodent infestation.
Removal & Control
Depending on the location, we can set a live trap or direct capture. Exclusion is the most effective way to keep snakes out of your home. If rodents are present, it is essential to exterminate the rodent infestation. Their presence will continue to attract snakes.
Repairs
In addition to dealing with any possible rodent problem drawing snakes to your property, a specialist will assist with sealing possible entry points and also encourage you to remove any debris where snakes can easily take up residence.
How Professional Wildlife Control Services Can Help You
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.
- Critter Control comes prepared with the right tools to get the job done effectively and permanently.
- Critter Control technicians will keep you and your family safe from the diseases and aggressive behavior of wildlife. They will also handle the animal humanely, enabling it to resume its life back in the wild.
- Critter Control has earned the trust of its customers for over 30 years with a satisfaction guarantee.
- Critter Control is fully licensed, with technicians and staff fully aware of all federal, state, and local regulations.
The Critter Control Difference
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Residential and Commerical
Invading nuisance wildlife can wreak havoc on property. If left unattended wildlife and pests can cause costly property damage. Whether a residential property, apartment buildings, retail stores, office buildings, industrial plants, medical facilities, or warehouses, our trained professionals can handle any wildlife removal problem.
Other Common Wildlife Issues