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Do Mice Make Noise?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a mouse on gravel

Do mice make noise? This is a question pest control professionals get a lot. Mice are relatively small animals, so the noises they make aren’t very loud—but they do make various noises. And, the more mice there are, the easier it becomes to hear them.

If you think you are hearing mice making sounds, it is a possibility that you have a mouse infestation. It’s also possible that you’re hearing something else that isn’t mice. The noise could be from another rodent or other animal, and it should be checked out by a professional without delay. If mice are active in your home or anywhere else on your property, there will probably be other, more obvious signs besides the noises they make.

One of the most common signs of a mouse problem is finding mouse droppings. These are about the size and shape of grains of rice, and are dark brown or … Read Full Post »

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What To Do About Brown Patches on Lawn

. Posted by in • Houston
a dollar spot on a lawn

A beautiful, healthy lawn is a symbol of pride for many homeowners.

Few things are more disheartening to a committed homeowner than finding discolorations and brown patches on their perfect landscape. It’s especially disappointing when they seem to appear out of the blue.

The sad fact is that disease is a stealthy predator that tends to rear its ugly head overnight, attacking our lawns when we least expect it.

Summer lawn diseases can devastate the most well-cared-for green spaces like a blight.

For homeowners who put in the time and effort to achieve that perfect carpet of green, it’s important to understand what can cause brown patches. And, more importantly, what they can do to repair these problems quickly and prevent them from returning.

What Causes Brown Patches

In reality, there are a lot of things that can kill the grass on a lawn, and not all are disease-related.

The key to spotting and dealing with lawn … Read Full Post »

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Earwig Versus Termite: Which Pest Do I Have?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
an earwig

Do you know the difference between an earwig and a termite? These two pests are often mistaken for each other, but they are extremely different in appearance and habits.

As a homeowner, it’s valuable to tell these insects apart so that you know what to do when you spot one of them in or around your home. While earwigs can become an annoyance, they do not pose the same threat to your home’s structure as termites.

If you spot termites or some signs of termites, it’s wise to contact a pest control professional. The faster you catch an infestation, the less damage it can do to your home. This guide will also break down two common signs of termites in your home: termites coming out of walls and termite tunnels on walls.

Earwig Appearance and Habits

Earwigs and termites may look similar to an untrained eye; however, they have quite a few physical distinctions. … Read Full Post »

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How Many Mice in a Nest?

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
a group of mice in a nest

Has a mouse made its home in your house? One furry little mouse may not seem like a huge problem; however, mice reproduce rapidly. A small colony can quickly turn into dozens of mice in your home in a matter of weeks. 

Mice carry diseases, cause property damage and can invade your kitchen. To safeguard your home against a mouse infestation, it’s important to know about their life cycles and habits. Keep reading to learn how many mice live in a nest, what food attracts mice and how to keep mice away.

If you spot a mouse in your home or hear them at night, contact a rodent control specialist right away. Catching these unwelcome guests early is the best way to prevent them from taking over your home. 

How Many Mice in a Nest?

Up to two dozen mice can live in a nest at a time. Mice have prolific breeding habits, which … Read Full Post »

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Are Mice Nocturnal?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a mouse in a house

If you’ve noticed signs of mice, but have never actually seen a rodent, you may wonder how bad your problem really is. Or, you may start wondering, ”Are mice nocturnal?” The answer is yes—mice are nocturnal. This means they are most active at night, under the cover of darkness.

Why are mice nocturnal? Keep in mind that they are tiny, timid creatures. It benefits them to do most of their running around at night, searching for food and water. Nighttime is when they are least likely to run into predators.

The fact that mice stay hidden during daylight hours is one of the reasons an infestation can be so hard to find and control. Many times, mice build nests that homeowners never even know are there—that is, until the mice start causing too many problems to miss.

Signs of an Infestation

The unfortunate truth is that you can have a full-blown mouse infestation and … Read Full Post »

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House Mouse: Identification & Control Tips

. Posted by in , • Austin
a mouse in a house

A house mouse may look cute and fluffy, but an infestation in your home is not something to take lightly. House mice carry dangerous diseases that can harm humans and pets. They can also cause severe property damage both indoors and outdoors.

It’s important to know how to identify a house mouse from other mice species so that you can deal with the problem correctly. This guide will break down their appearance and how they differ from other types of mice species.

Additionally, let’s discuss how to control a house mouse problem and prevent the annoyance from returning. Since house mice can cause outdoor property damage and destroy your gardens, this guide will also go over how to keep them out of your beds.

Finally, you’ll learn about an interesting method that mice use when they feel threatened: playing dead.

As a homeowner, learning about the behavioral patterns, appearance, and dangers of the house … Read Full Post »

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Signs of a German Roach Infestation

. Posted by in • Orlando
a german cockroach

German cockroaches are one of the most common types of roaches, and you can identify the small, penny-sized insects by their elongated shape, light caramel brown color and two black stripes that run along their shell-like top covering. They have a full set of wings, but they do not fly.

This roach variety doesn’t sneak into homes and other buildings from the outside, like their American cockroach cousins. They spend most of their lives hanging out in places that keep them close to sources of food and water. They spread through multi-unit dwellings such as apartment buildings by traveling through the spaces in between the apartments or business suites, always seeking food and water. Restaurants and hotels also see their fair share of these unwanted visitors. Homeowners can accidentally bring these pests home with them from a multitude of locations. Unfortunately, just one or two German cockroaches can quickly turn into … Read Full Post »

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What Are the Signs of a Rat Infestation?

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a rat in a garden

A potential rat infestation is an unpleasant reality of being a homeowner. However, when you know the signs of rats, you can catch an infestation in its early stages.

For example, it’s important to know what rat droppings look like and how they differ from the droppings of other rodents. You should also know about their nests and the materials they use to form them. Understanding their habits and hiding spots will also help you identify the source of your rat infestation.

Next, it’s important to know about the diet of a rat so that you can take measures to keep them out of your kitchen and lawn. Additionally, there are simple ways to make your home inhospitable to rats that all homeowners should remember.

Finally, it’s valuable to know about the sleeping patterns of rats. Rats are hard to catch because they are active at night. This guide will tell you everything … Read Full Post »

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Heat Isn’t Working in the House: What’s Wrong?

. Posted by in
a home where the heat is not working

When the weather finally turns cool, we want our furnaces to kick on when necessary. When they don’t or when the furnace turns on but there’s no heat, we want to know why and fast. Here are several reasons the heat isn’t working as it should.

Check the Setting

It might seem silly, but not having the thermostat set to heat is often why the heater isn’t turning on. Simply set the desired temperature and turn the unit to “heat” and things should start working correctly.

Safety Switches

All furnaces built after the 1990s have safety switches. They play a crucial role in your heating system. If you have a gas-fueled heater and a switch detects that gas is being supplied to the heater but is not igniting, the switch will turn off the system. They will also turn off your heating system if it gets too hot or if they detect a carbon … Read Full Post »

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Do Mice Carry Rabies?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
a mouse

When you have a mouse infestation, it needs to be dealt with as efficiently as possible. Mice are incredibly fast breeders, so an infestation that’s not eliminated quickly is likely to grow out of control. These rodents can cause property damage and they contaminate anything they touch. This is partly because they carry bacteria and diseases that can make people sick. But, do mice carry rabies?

Mice are rarely infected with rabies, and they have not been known to transmit rabies to humans. Still, they pose a danger to people’s health in several ways. While they don’t carry rabies, they carry other harmful bacteria and diseases. These include salmonella, hantavirus, leptospirosis, typhus and plague.

When rodents crawl on your kitchen counters or chew through cereal boxes in your pantry, they are contaminating your food along with the surfaces in your home. Additionally, the pathogens in mouse urine and droppings have the potential … Read Full Post »

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