Autumn is a wonderful time of year. Trees turn beautiful shades of red, yellow, and orange. Pumpkins and apples are ready to harvest. The air turns crisp and the nights feel cozy. We like to spend time outdoors in autumn, but also enjoy sitting in front of a fire on a chilly night. We’re not the only ones looking for some extra warmth at this time of year, though. Fall is the prime time for rodent invaders to come calling in Illinois and Iowa homes.
For rodents such as mice and rats, fall is the time of year when their survival instincts kick into high gear. The weather is getting colder and food supplies are getting lower, which tells them that they need to solve those problems quickly in order to survive the winter. For rodents, the perfect solution is to get into a nice warm house that also offers a never-ending food supply.
While it may be the perfect solution for them, it’s anything but that for the people who find themselves host to these pests. Rodents cause an abundance of problems for homeowners.
- Rodents chew constantly on almost anything they can get their teeth on. They’ll chew through storage boxes and damage or destroy the contents. They’ll chew holes through walls, then go on to chew through insulation. They’ll chew on wiring creating a fire hazard that you may not even be aware of until it’s too late.
- Rodents spread illness and disease. When rodents get into your home, they’ll scavenge for food, usually at night while you sleep. If they travel across your countertops, dishes, or food you’ve left out, they can leave behind bacteria that can make you sick. They’ll also leave contaminated feces behind that may cause illness.
- Rodents carry parasites. Ticks and fleas can often be found on rodents. If they get inside your home, the parasites will eventually drop or hop off of them and start looking for a new host, which will potentially be you or a family member.
While it’s tempting to try to take care of a rodent infestation on your own, DIY methods are often ineffective or, at best, only partially effective.
This is due to several factors, such as:
- Rodents often nest in hard-to-reach places, such as in wall voids or between floors. Your best efforts may not be enough to reach the well-hidden critters.
- Mouse traps are often ineffective. Rodents are wary by nature and often will not go near a trap simply because it’s out of the ordinary. If it has your scent on it or the scent of another rodent that was previously captured, they will also steer clear of it. Because of their wariness, rodents have also been known to trigger a trap and manage to get out of the way before it closes on them.
- DIY rodent extermination can be dangerous. Rodents are shy creatures, but they will bite when feeling threatened. If you are bitten or scratched trying to eliminate a rodent problem on your own, you are putting yourself at risk of illness from that injury.
Instead of tackling the problem on your own in your Davenport or throughout your Quad-City residential property, it is far better to call in professional pest elimination specialists like the ones at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. We have the equipment and experience necessary to safely rid your home of your entire rodent problem. We can also help you avoid a repeat problem down the road. We even offer pest control options that keep your home safe from rodents and other pests 365 days a year.
Whether you want to prevent them before they arrive or eliminate a current problem, Quik-Kill can help. Give us a call today to learn more.