Some Things You Can Count On This Fall

October 23, 2015

In: Residential Pest Control  |  Wildlife

When you think of fall in New England, what comes to mind - brilliantly colored autumn leaves, hay bales and scarecrows, crisp fresh fall air?; How about the crunch beneath your feet as you walk through the woods, leaves drifting through sunbeams and landing with soft sounds all around you? Maybe you think about Halloween; the excitement in the eyes of young ones when they tell you they are going to dress up like Spiderman, Cinderella, or some other favorite character. Yes, all these things can come to mind when you think of New England in the fall; but one other thing that is not quite so pleasant is the cold, and what must be done about it. For humans, we bring out warmer clothing: sweatshirts, long pants, jackets, hats, gloves, and other apparel. However, have you ever thought about the creatures that can't do this? Wild animals that live in the great outdoors don't have the option of layering on more clothing when temperatures drop. To stay warm in fall, they begin to look for a place to hide from the cold and the wind. Sometimes, that place is inside a home.

Some critters that may try to make your home their home this fall:

In fall, to get out of the cold, there are several animals that may try to find a way into your house for shelter. These include raccoons, squirrels, skunks, bats, chipmunks, groundhogs, and opossums. These wild critters will explore around your home for entry points in the foundation or climb to the roofline looking for a way into your attic. Although these animals are cute, it is not a good idea for them to be living in your house.

Some good ideas for keeping wildlife out:

Here are some things you can do to prep your home so wild animals can't get in.

• Remove clutter from your yard. Toys, leaf piles, wood piles, and other clutter will attract wildlife to your yard.

• Make sure all trash is in tightly sealed containers.

• Thoroughly check your attic for signs of animals such as droppings, signs of chewing, and nesting material.

• Inspect your home, inside and out, from top to bottom, for any gaps or cracks where an animal could squeeze through.

• Seal up possible entry points using things like a caulking gun, mesh wire, or expanding foam. (Before sealing any entry points, make sure there are no animals already inside by closing the hole loosely with a light material. Check the point for several days. If the material hasn't moved, you can be relatively sure there are no animals going in and out and it will be safe to seal the hole securely.)

The best way to keep wildlife out:

If you want to be certain that animals can't enter your home this fall--or if you need to get rid of critters that have already taken up residence in your house--it is best to call in the professionals. Here at American Pest Solutions we offer comprehensive wildlife control services. Using the most humane standards, our professional technicians will remove all animals and then make sure they cannot return by repairing established entry points and finding and sealing off other potential entry points. Enjoy the beauty of fall in New England this year without the worry of unwanted animals living inside your home.