What You Need To Know About Pests In Richmond, VA
Many pests look similar, but no two pests are exactly alike. Each one has its own set of issues it causes on your property, and each one requires a different approach to eliminating it from your Richmond home or business.
Birds
You might not consider birds pests you have to worry about. You aren't alone in this thinking, as birds are not the most common pests homeowners have to deal with. However, they can require professional removal if they create nests in unfavorable locations, get into your attic, or live in numbers on your property.
Birds can cause several issues on residential properties. These issues include chewing wires, spreading diseases and parasites, causing cosmetic damages, and creating blockages. Birds can build nests in gutters, chimneys, vents, and other places that block water or airflow, which can be very dangerous. If you have high populations of birds close to your home, their waste can become a serious health hazard.
To take care of your bird problem, contact us at Mitchells Pest Control. Our pest control managers can help remove birds from inside your home or show you how to make your property less conducive to these pests. We also recommend using these prevention steps:
- An obvious step is to remove any bird or animal feeders you have in your yard, including birdbaths or other water sources.
- Remove berry bushes from your property or install a fine mesh netting around them to keep birds away.
- Use deterrents like reflective tape, owl decoys, or bird spikes.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches don't have a picky diet, which is part of the reason they are known to live in some of the dirtiest places like dumpsters, landfills, and sewers. While they commonly infest "dirty" homes, they can still get into "clean" homes, and even if it is only one or two individuals, they can quickly multiply into a bigger problem. Below are two common cockroach species:
- German cockroaches are the most common home and business-invading species.
- American cockroaches are the largest home-invading species in North America.
Having cockroaches in your home is dangerous to your health. Not only do these pests trigger asthma and allergies, but they also spread pathogens including cholera, E. coli, dysentery, and salmonellosis. If you have cockroaches in your home, they will contaminate food and surfaces, putting everyone at risk, so don't wait to get a handle on this problem.
You've probably heard that cockroaches can survive just about anything. While this isn't entirely true, they have strong immune systems and adapt to conventional pesticides. Because of this, it is nearly impossible to get rid of these pests on your own. Instead of wasting your time and money, let us help you! At Mitchells Pest Control, we have the complete guide to effective cockroach control needed to eliminate cockroaches from your Virginia home. Along with the services we offer, our pest control managers also recommend you use the following prevention tips to help keep cockroaches away:
- Repair leaking pipes and faucets, making sure to address any other moisture issues in your home.
- Keep eating areas clear of food debris, store food in airtight containers, and use garbage cans with tight-fitting lids.
- Install screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps on exterior doors and windows.
Rodents
Rodents are some of the most common home-invading pests in the United States. As a result of living so close to humans, rodents are dependent on people for food, water, and shelter from predators. This relationship might benefit rodents but is dangerous for people. Common rodents in the area include:
- Roof rats
- Norway rats
- House mice
- Field mice
Rodents can cause a host of problems, including property damage that is both cosmetic and structurally dangerous. They can also lead to fire and flood hazards if they chew through pipes and wires. Not only do they cause damage, but they also spread parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites, and diseases like hantavirus, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, and more. Having mice or rats in your home can lead to serious health problems as they will contaminate the food and surfaces they touch.
If you are worried about rodents in your Virginia home, you should contact us at Mitchells Pest Control for assistance. We offer solutions to help with any rodent problem you have, and you can rest assured that you are in good hands with our experienced pest control managers. We also recommend you implement the following to help prevent rodents:
- Inspect and seal any gaps in your foundation, exterior walls, and roofline. The rodents listed above only need a hole the size of a penny to squeeze through, so don't overlook any cracks even if they seem too small.
- Practice proper food storage and removal. You can do this by using airtight containers, sweeping and wiping down surfaces daily, and using garbage cans with tight-fitting lids.
- Address any moisture issues like leaking pipes and faucets.
Stinging Insects
Bees and wasps are important pollinators that we rely on for the food we eat. However, they can still become a problem for area homeowners. The presence of these stinging insects can make it difficult to enjoy time outside, and they can even make their way into a home, building nests in garages, sheds, attics, and other locations. Common stinging insects in our area include:
- Bees
- Wasps: Yellow Jackets, European Hornets
While many species are not aggressive, they can become so if threatened. This aggression will not only put you in danger but others in the area as well. Bee and wasp stings can be extremely dangerous to those that are allergic. Although honey bees can only sting once, other bees and wasps can sting multiple times.
Even if you think a nest is inactive, you shouldn't attempt to remove it yourself. Trying to knock down, spray, or cover a nest can lead to serious safety concerns that you shouldn't risk. Instead, you can trust our pest control managers to do the job safely and efficiently. Contact us at Mitchells Pest Control to learn more about the services we offer for stinging insects and more prevention tips like the following:
- Fill in ground holes to keep away solitary wasps and regularly check for nests to prevent them from growing large.
- Keep flowering plants and shrubs to a minimum.
- Keep tight-fitting lids on trash cans that will attract meat-eating wasps.
Termites
Termites are a common problem for many area homeowners. The most common home-invading species are subterranean termites. Subterranean termites need to have contact with moist soils to survive, so they live in the ground and use mud tubes to travel between their nest and a cellulose food source. Like other species, they can go a long time without being detected, leaving them to cause extensive damage.
The damage caused by termites can leave home structurally unsafe and even cause collapses. While termites eat away at the wood that makes up a home, they also create dust, waste, and shed skins, aggravating allergies and asthma.
Termites are difficult to get rid of, and assessing their damage can be dangerous, which is why it should be left to trained professionals. At Mitchells Pest Control, our pest control managers are experienced in working with termites and safely removing them. Contact us to learn more about our termite control services. Once you have a termite-free home, you will want to ensure it stays that way by doing the following:
- Inspect your foundation and exterior walls for any cracks that termites can squeeze through.
- Keep your yard clear of organic debris to stop moisture from building up. You should also use crushed rocks as a barrier between your home and any mulch or soil to help reduce moisture contact with the foundation and keep subterranean termites away.
- Keep up with yearly termite inspections; this is the best way to protect your home against these pests.
Wildlife
We often forget how much wildlife is around us until they become a problem. Some pests, like insects, are relatively easy to get rid of, but this isn't the case with wildlife. Depending on the type of animal you are dealing with, removal may include trapping, relocation, or exclusion. All of these forms of wildlife control should be done by a professional to ensure it is safe for both people and animals. Common area wildlife include:
- Squirrels
- Raccoons
- Bats
All of these pests cause different problems. Squirrels, being rodents, need to chew to keep their teeth from overgrowing. Because of this, they will chew through whatever they can get to, including materials in your home if they get inside. They can also spread parasites and diseases like fleas, ticks, rabies, tularemia, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis. Raccoons also carry rabies and salmonellosis. They can also spread E. coli, roundworms, and giardiasis as they scavenge for food on your property. Bats can also spread rabies but are more of a threat with the waste they produce called guano, which is dangerous to people's health.
You should never try to handle wildlife on your own. As you can see above, wildlife can carry many different diseases and become aggressive if threatened. Let our pest control managers assist you to keep you and your family safe. You can contact us at Mitchells Pest Control to learn more. If you want to keep wildlife from making themselves at home on your Virginia property, you should try the following prevention tips:
- Install fencing around your yard and use outdoor lights at night to help deter animals like raccoons.
- Remove food sources by keeping tight-fitting lids on garbage cans, removing bird feeders, and installing animal-proof fencing around gardens.
- Inspect and repair any damage along the roofline, install a chimney cap, and fill in holes around utility lines entering your structure to keep pests from getting inside.
