How To Spot Mice Or Rats In Your Home

Common Signs of a Rodent Infestation

Many people associate the cold weather with high heating bills, power outages and other related problems, but rodent infestations should also be added to this list of winter woes. In fact, a survey  by the National Pest Management Association found that 45 percent of rodent issues occur in the fall and winter. Since now is the time of year that mice and rats tend to move indoors in search of food, water and shelter, it’s important to be aware of the signs of a rodent infestation. The National Pest Management Association put together the following list to help determine if your home is indeed infested with rodents.Common Signs of a Rodent Infestation.

What to Look For

Droppings: Finding mice or rat droppings around the home is one of the most common signs of a rodent infestation. Measuring approximately 1/8-1/4” (3-6 mm) long, these pellets are often left behind in places where food is stored, such as kitchen cabinets or pantries. Homeowners may also find mouse droppings under sinks, inside chewed cardboard boxes, along baseboards and on top of wall beams. Mouse feces can carry harmful bacteria, transmit serious diseases such as salmonella and Hantavirus, and trigger allergies. Mice are capable of producing more than 50 droppings a day, so prompt removal using protective gloves is key to keeping the family safe from the potential health threats posed by these critters.

Gnaw marks: Rodents can cause serious property damage by chewing through almost any type of material – including plastic and lead pipes – to obtain food or water. House mice and Norway rats are also known to gnaw on wires behind walls, which can increase the risk for a fire in the home. It’s necessary to keep a watchful eye for gnaw marks around the house, as this is a clear sign of a rodent infestation.

Nests: Rodents prefer to nest in dark, secluded areas where there is little chance of disturbance. House mice, specifically, like to build their nests out of shredded paper products, cotton, packing materials, wall insulation and fabrics. If you see these materials scattered around the home, it might be time to call in a licensed pest professional to perform an inspection.

Tracks or rub marks: Rats tend to leave dark grease or dirt marks along walls and floorboards as they follow a trail throughout the home between their nest and food. Keep an eye out for these rub marks, which are actually caused by the rat’s oily fur.

Strange noises: Hearing strange noises in the walls, especially at night, can be a bit concerning. Chances are these sounds can be attributed to a family of rodents scurrying about the house, between the walls and up in attics. Rodents are especially fond of attics because they provide dark, secluded spots to build nests. Unfortunately, attics are among the rooms in a home that are easily overlooked during the pest-proofing process. Make sure to keep this area well ventilated and dry, and opt to store any family heirlooms in sealed plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes.  

An actual rodent: Mice can breed rapidly, so if you spot one mouse in the house, it’s likely there are others playing hide and seek. In fact, a female house mouse can give birth to a half dozen babies every three weeks, up to 35 young per year. That’s a lot of mice! 

If you recognize any of these signs of a rodent infestation, don’t mess around! Rodents are not only a nuisance; they can multiply fast and are known to spread more than 35 diseases. They are also capable of chewing through drywall and even electrical wiring in the home, which increases the risk for a potential fire. The best thing to do in the event of an infestation is to contact a licensed pest control professional to inspect the home and recommend a proper course of treatment.

Call Us today to take care of your mice problem at 718-241-4940.

Article Source :  

http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-articles/how-to-spot-mice-or-rats-in-the-home/

BED BUG FACTS

BED BUG EXTERMINATOR BROOKLYN, NYC, QUEENS 

WHAT ARE BED BUGS ?

BedBugs  known as scientifically Cimex lectularius (cimicidae) are small wingless insects that feed by (hematophogy) exclusively on the blood of warm blooded animals. As we are warm blooded animals we are idea hosts for them. 

There are 92 number of known species in the world. 

The size of a BEDBUG  EGG IS 1 millimeter about the same size as a grain of salt. 

bed bug eggs 

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Heard of rats sniffing landmines?

Similar in appearance to the Norway rat is the Gambian pouched rat that can grow up to 15 lb. That's about the size of an average house cat! In Africa, it is used to detect landmines due to its intelligent and flexible nature. It moves over the landmines without detonating them.

Wild rats are of two types: the roof rat or black rat (Rattus rattus) and the brown or Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), of the Rattus genus. They belong to the order Rodentia and are members of the Muridae family. These species are also known as the 'Old World rats'. They are believed to have originated in Asia and reached other parts of the world, mostly on board ships.

One would mostly associate with Norway rats, they being the most common among others and likely to have originated in China. Norway rats populate cities like New York and London, and have spread through every nook and corner of the world with the rare exceptions of Arctic and Antarctic areas, Alberta in Canada, and a few places in New Zealand. The white albino rats, used for animal testing in labs and also kept as pets, are the domesticated version.

In India, these mammals are considered to be the vehicle of Lord Ganesha. As one travels to the northwestern Indian city of Deshnoke, one will find more than 20,000 rats at the Karni Mata Temple. They are destined to be reincarnated as Sadhus (Holy Hindu men). At this temple, it is believed that eating food that has been touched by rats is a blessing.

Identifiable Features

• Both the species of wild rats are not more than 15 to 16 inches in length.
• Norway rats are brown or gray in color, whereas roof rats are black in color.
• They have pointed noses and hairless feet.
• The tail is tapering, narrow, and scaly. The tail of the Norway rats is shorter than their body length, while that of roof rats is longer.
• Rats are generally not very big in size. On an average, males weigh between 500 to 550 gm, and females weigh between 300 to 335 gm, which is less than 1 pound.
• They appear large because when they are cornered, they fluff up their fur and chatter their teeth out of fear and intimidation, to scare away the predator. They are excellent swimmers, climbers (both vertically and horizontally), and jumpers.
• Even if they happen to fall from a height of 50 feet, they remain unhurt.

Diet

• Rats are omnivorous animals. Their diet consists fruits, seeds, cereals, nuts, grains, insects, worms, frogs, birds and smaller animals that they catch, reptiles, dead animals, and sometimes even other rats.
• Apart from eating the food that they come across, they also kill small animals and insects.
• City-dwelling rats scavenge food from garbage bins, landfills, and from any other places where scraps are available.
• They also need water to drink.
• Rats are typically food hoarders. They store more food than they need to eat and usually keep it near their dwellings.
• They try out different kinds of foods using a method called 'sampling', wherein they try small quantities of the new food to see if it suits their stomach.
• Brown rats that live in cities love to eat macaroni and cheese, scrambled eggs, and corn that is cooked. These are their favorite foods.

Habitat

• Rats love to live near garbage cans, in the sewers, in grasses that are tall and dense, under piles of wood that is mostly undisturbed, abandoned furniture, and any holes that are present in buildings.
• If they enter a house, they usually inhabit the walls or ceilings, insides of cupboards, behind heavy furniture, in attics, and also in basements.

Breeding

• Rats can breed after 9 to 12 weeks from birth.
• The females have heat cycles every 4 to 5 days. The heat begins in the evening and lasts through the night.
• A female rat can produce up to 13 litters in a year. The gestation period lasts for 21 to 24 days.
• The number of baby rats in the litter can vary between 7 to 10.
• Females reach menopause at 18 months of age, after which their litter size gradually decreases. The reproduction cycle decreases when the weather is very hot or very cold.
• Rats usually live in groups, with a large, dominating male protecting a group of females and not allowing any other male to mate with them, guarding them aggressively if necessary.

Lifespan and Predators

• Rats generally live for three years, but in the wild, most do not make it past the first year. On an average, their life expectancy is less than a year.
• Wild rats have a mortality rate of 95%. The main reason for this is predators like owls, hawks, weasels, snakes, dogs, and cats. They also die due to rat traps, rat poison, and becoming roadkill.

Relationship with Humans

• Wild rats are able to burrow, climb, jump, and gnaw. This ability along with the highly sophisticated senses that they possess helps them gain access to a variety of places.
• Their gnawing ability can cause damage to buildings, wiring systems, and pipe work.
• They also carry diseases like Weil's disease, toxoplasmosis, rat bite fever, and Q fever. They do not carry plague in them, as this will cause their death as well. Plague is caused due to fleas. It is extremely rare to contract rabies from a rat bite.

You can find out if there is a rat infestation on your property by keeping a lookout for signs such as burrows or trails in the garden, gnawing marks on furniture, wires, doors, or pipes, droppings, marks on the walls where their fur dirt or body oils are rubbed off, or any squeaking noises.

Getting Rid of Them

• To get rid of them from your home, you will need to eliminate their food source. Store all your food away, where they cannot reach it. Pack it up nicely; do not leave it out in the open.
• Clean your house with bleach to kill all the bacteria.
• Seal off any opening from where they may be accessing your house.
• There are many options of trapping rats, but the humane traps are better because they will not kill them. Remember, the rats are in your house because they found a safe and secure environment to dwell in, and found food and water for their survival, which is the basic instinct of any living being. However, if you do prefer killing them, then you can use rat traps or rat poison.
Pest Control Brooklyn

While cleaning your home, once you find an infestation, always wear gloves, full-sleeved shirts and full pants, boots, and cover your nose and mouth.
Never forget to wash your hands after cleaning or touching anything at the infestation sight.
Also, be careful if you have any recent wounds. It is never wrong to take utmost precaution so as not to fall ill.
If you encounter a rat, never ever corner it. As is instinctual in all wild animals, it may scratch or bite if it feels threatened by you. It is as scared of you as you are of it, possibly more.

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Things You May Not Know About Rats

• Rats have belly buttons.
• They don't sweat.
• They can survive after being flushed down the toilet.
• They eat their own feces for nutrition.
• Their teeth grow at the rate of 5 to 6 inches a year.
• The oldest living rat to be recorded in the Guinness Book of Records was 7 years and 4 months old.

Source  Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/wild-rats.html

What you should know about this common household pest

House Mice

(Mus domesticus)

The house mouse is the most common rodent pest in most parts of the world. It can breed rapidly and adapt quickly to changing conditions.

House mice live in structures, but they can live outdoors.Habitat

Habits:

House mice can breed throughout the year and can share nests.

Control / Prevention

To keep mice and other rodents out, make sure all holes of larger diameter than a pencil are sealed. Mice can squeeze through spaces as small as a nickel. Seal any cracks and voids. Don't overlook proper drainage at the foundation and always install gutters or diverts which will channel water away from the building.

Threats:

Micro droplets of mouse urine can cause allergies in children. Mice can also bring fleas, mites, ticks and lice into your home.

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Winter Rodent Blues

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Fruit Flies

All about Fruit Flies 

Fruit Flies

(Drosophila species)

Fruit flies feed on decaying fruits and vegetables.

Fruit flies are small pests that are commonly found in homes, restaurants and other facilities where food is processed. They are found on moist, decaying matter that has been stationary for several days.

Habits:

Fruit flies feed on decaying matter, especially fruits and vegetables.

Region:

Control / Prevention

Fruit flies are best prevented through vigilant sanitation practices. Remove kitchen trash daily, and keep counter surfaces clean.

Threats:

Fruit flies are found in unsanitary conditions, so they are a potential heath concern, especially when present in health facilities.

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Bed Bugs Strike Back

Bed Bugs Strike Back !

The pest control industry sees rich spoils as New York City continues its battle against bedbugs. Video provided by AFP


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