Common Pests of the Late Summer

A gray squirrel

Late summer feels like the season when we should finally be left alone by pests, but this is not actually the case. All kinds of critters are capable of taking advantage of the lingering warmth and growth from previous months to sustain themselves or even continue to thrive. If you want to make sure that the last of your summer isn’t overrun by pests, you have to make conscious and regular efforts to defend yourself against them. Learn about the most common late summer pests in Eastern TN and what you can do about them from our experts at Johnson Pest Control!

Pests We See in Late Summer

Although late spring and early summer are commonly regarded as the most pest-ridden seasons, there really is no time of the year in which you can completely avoid pests. This August and September, you can expect to deal with the following:

  • Ticks: Because ticks breed in the early summer, the late summer is when we can expect to see their populations in full swing. Watch out for ticks when walking around tall grass or dense vegetation.
  • Bees and wasps: As long as people are cooking or congregating outside, bees and wasps will be present. Leaving out sugary or protein-rich food will attract these insects or even incentivize them to build a home nearby.
  • Mosquitoes: If mosquitoes can establish a breeding population in a relatively undisturbed area, they can stick around until temperatures drop below 50°F. This means that they can continue to thrive in the late summer.
  • Wildlife: Animals that hibernate during the winter have particularly active summers. Raccoons, opossums, squirrels, and more all cause regular issues for local home and business owners.

 

Contact us today to help with your late summer pest problem!

 

Preventing Pests in Late Summer

It’s important to remember that any serious pest infestation should be addressed by a professional pest control technician, but if you want to pest-proof your property before any problems arise, we have some prevention advice for you:

  1. Seal entry points: Look around your property for gaps in roofing, fencing, siding, foundation, and more places that pests could get through. Sealing gaps with a silicone-based caulk or fixing window openings by adding screens will help prevent pest problems.
  2. Be careful with trash: Taking out the trash regularly will help prevent indoor pest problems and using sealable lids on your outdoor bins can keep bees, wasps, and wildlife away from your yard.
  3. Keep a neat yard: By trimming your trees and shrubs, getting rid of grass clippings and leaf piles, and decluttering in general, you can prevent all kinds of pests from finding temporary shelter.
  4. Eliminate standing water: Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water pools, so monitoring your yard for buildup in gutters, planters, and elsewhere can help prevent breeding ground establishment. If you have a pool, spa, or birdbath, it’s wise to cover it up when not in use.

Expert Late Summer Pest Control

If your summer has been full of pest problems despite your prevention efforts, you might have a problem that has to be addressed by your local pest control company. We have seen it all here at Johnson Pest Control — our licensed, certified, and highly-trained technicians will have no problem assessing your property to identify vulnerabilities and develop a sweeping pest removal plan. To learn more about how we can help you and receive a free quote, contact us today!

What Are Those Sounds in the Attic?

Inspecting an attic for pests in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest ControlDo you hear scurrying or scratching noises coming from above your ceiling? Sounds coming from the attic or walls may be the first indication that animals are present, but there are other things to watch out for. The type of animal in the attic and the extent of the problem cannot be determined without sufficient experience in wildlife control. Fortunately, Johnson Pest Control‘s wildlife removal experts can help! Our critter control team has removed all sorts of wild animals around Eastern TN from our customers’ attics with efficient and humane strategies. Read on to learn more about common wildlife attic invaders!

Clear Signs of Animals in the Attic

If you suspect that the sounds coming from your attic are the result of a wildlife infestation, make sure to check around your house for other signs that can shed some light on the issue. There are several more things to look for that show you have animals in the attic:

  • Animal urine and feces behind appliances, in crawl spaces, and along walls
  • Nesting damage or destruction of insulation
  • Bite marks on your belongings or on the structure of your building
  • Branches, leaves, and torn paper litter your roof or attic

What Wildlife Do I Have in my Attic?

Once you’ve determined that there are animals upstairs, the first step in handling them safely is to identify them. Following is a list of the animals most commonly found in Eastern TN attics, along with the evidence they leave:

  1. Rats and mice: Mice and rats make nests in attics by tearing up insulation. Furthermore, they must constantly gnaw on hard surfaces in our houses to prevent overgrowth in their incisors. You have a rodent infestation if you notice these signs paired with dainty scurrying in your walls or attic.
  2. Raccoons: The strongest of the common culprits, raccoons are able to tear through our walls and roofing to get inside our attics. They are active at night, and being as heavy as they are, tend to make the loudest noises while we sleep.
  3. Squirrels: Squirrels use roof vents and eave gaps to sneak into our homes, preferring a less forceful approach than raccoons. You can tell squirrel noises apart from raccoon noises by their volume and times—squirrels are diurnal.
  4. Birds: Birds nest in our attics using twigs and leaves from outside like some other animals, but can be easily told apart by the noises that they make. It’s important to deal with birds quickly to eliminate any risks posed by their hazardous droppings.

What is the Safest Way to Get Rid of Animals in the Attic?

It’s important to get ahead of wild animals in Eastern TN by taking preventative measures before they arrive, such as sealing your trash bins and closing off holes in your roofing, walls, and foundation. However, if they’ve already snuck into your home, you’re best off leaving the wildlife removal work to your local exterminators. At Johnson Pest Control, we prioritize the most humane techniques to get wildlife out of your home safely as well as quickly. Contact us today to learn more about our critter control services and receive a free quote!