You go to the pantry for a midnight snack. Suddenly you become less hungry and more scared! You find tiny droppings next to a shelf with canned food and cereal boxes. It looks like it belongs to a rat, but you are not entirely sure. This is just one of the indicators to call for pest control services. When your home gets infested, you can take immediate action to stop activity and prevent future harm. Whether you’re in an urban or suburban area, look for these 7 signs you should call pest control.
Faeces
Pests are not polite. They leave faeces on the premises, so intrusions are easy to spot. If you see noticeable faeces in your home, this is a sure sign that there are pests around. In addition to obvious places like the pantry, check in cellars and other dark areas around the building. Bed bugs, rodents and other pests like to mingle in the area and often leave physical traces of their visits.
Droppings might be hard to find, but it will be helpful. Their size and shape will help you understand the type of pest you are dealing with. For example, rodent droppings are usually rectangular and conical in shape, whereas insect droppings are much smaller and often look like tiny black dots.
Nesting
Pests will nest when they find a suitable place to build a hiding place. They can continue breeding there. Rodents have a special tendency to nest and generally choose dark areas. If rats are to blame, be aware that they use small household items to build temporary shelters. In addition to home-made paper and materials, they also bring in leaves and clippings from their travels in and out of the new shelter.
Damaged Fabric
Have you noticed recently that sofa armrests, mattresses or carpets look particularly shabby? These soft spots attract pests, leaving easily visible damage. Beware of black spots and scratches. The latter may indicate, among other things, the possibility of bedbugs. It’s also a good idea to check clothes in drawers and closets for the presence of pests.
Dirty Surface
Have you noticed that at times, even after routine cleaning, the walls and furniture still look dirty. What’s up? This could be another sign of a pest infestation. When a rodent crawls on the surface of a house, it can leave dirt, oil and grease marks. Rodents are known to leave crumbs, body fluid stains, hair and other stains. If you find yourself in repeated cleaning cycles, a pest may be the culprit!
Variety of Sounds
No, you are neither crazy nor a dreamer! The “scratches” you hear upstairs could be rodents from your attic. Or it could be a termite that roams at night. In addition to the unique nail scraping sound, you’ll also hear other sounds such as squeaks, creaks, flapping, whining, and squealing. Stay Cautious!
Strange Odour
Have you noticed a strange smell recently? This could be the bad smell of pest excretions which tends to be irritating and musty. It may also be the smell of rodent nests that may contain rotten food. As mentioned earlier, these pests use household items to build their nests. It can be trash cans, food scraps, spills, garbage or sewage. Uneaten particles quickly turn into mould and produce a foul odour!
You may also get the smell of dead rotting pests. It can be difficult to pinpoint exactly where the smell is coming from when they die inside the walls of your home, but a qualified pest control team can help.
Visible Sightings
Sometimes the evidence is right in front of you! If you see rats running under the kitchen sink, know it’s time for pest management. You can also pull the sheet back and may find bedbugs crawling along the edges of your mattress. If there are ants, you can see dozens of them crawling through pantry shelves. In addition to living pests, you may also find some dead bugs or moulting insects near your home.
All of these are clear signs that it is time to urgently call a pest control company. This can be difficult to deal with, but leaving the problem untreated will only make the damage worse. Are you paying attention to these signs? Pest control services can take quick action to control this. The above seven issues should be taken seriously, no matter how much damage has already occurred.
