The Signs of A Mouse in the House

rodents

With the fall season nearly upon us (fall officially arrives on September 22), rodents, particularly mice, become more active in seeking new sources of food, water and shelter in and around your home. Why is there a rodent “surge” this time of year?

Michigan’s dry, hot summer depleted many naturally occurring food and water sources and this causes rodents to explore their surroundings more aggressively in search of these necessities. And like humans, rodents also look for relief from the elements (i.e. heat) and associate cooler locations with water sources.

The house mouse is a curious creature and will readily explore your home using wall voids, utility pipes and wires, and heating and cooling ductwork to move around in search of their next meal. As a result, wall and cabinet voids near kitchen appliances (i.e. refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves, etc.) and pantries are common nesting sites for mice.

And mice are patient invaders that will wait for just the right opportunity – a door left propped open, being a stowaway in a box of off-season clothes brought in from a storage area, an open bag of pet food or a dime-sized opening in the foundation or door frame – to enter your home.

How do you know if you have a mouse problem? Some common signs of a possible rodent infestation include the following:

  • Rodent droppings (usually black in color and ¼ to ½ inch long) and urine (best detected using a black light)
  • Chewed electrical, computer or cable wiring (a major cause of electrical fires)
  • Unexplained chewing or gnaw marks on carpet, upholstery, drapes, furniture and baseboards
  • Chewed on food product packaging in your pantry

In addition to the kitchen, what areas of your home are most vulnerable to attracting an unwanted rodent infestation? Griffin Pest Solutions identified the following “rodent hot spots” in homes:

  • Attached garages and storage areas above these locations where storage boxes, pet food and other items are found
  • Bathroom cabinet voids
  • Utility rooms and areas beneath, and within base voids of furnaces, washers and clothes dryers
  • In wall, ceiling and floor voids
  • In the insulation of attics and in the contents of the attic (i.e. storage boxes)
  • In basements and crawlspaces near utility openings
  • Firewood stacked next to the house and near a door

If you have a problem with or have questions about stinging insects call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/

Protecting Your Pet From Fleas and Ticks

fleas

With summer in full swing, everyone wants to spend as much time outdoors as they can and that includes family pets. However, there are threats to pets lurking in the great outdoors that Michigan homeowners need to be aware of.

Like people, pets are also at risk for the serious health complications that can arise from tick and flea bites, and Griffin Pest Solutions reminds pet owners to take the necessary precautions to protect Fido and Tinkerbell this summer.

Fleas are a common pet pest that can cause serious health complications. The itchy red bumps left by fleas can lead to excessive scratching, anemia, dermatitis and tapeworms. Fleas can be found indoors and outdoors and frequent areas where pets and other animals frequent in search of their next meal. Like most insect pests they require moisture to survive and prefer humid climates outdoors.

Once inside a home, fleas can become a problem and huge nuisance since they easily reproduce in bedding, carpets or furniture. And even though fleas are wingless they are prodigious jumpers and have been known to jump up to 6 inches. Fleas will jump on people’s shoes and clothing looking for a new food source if their preferred feeding source can’t be easily located.

Ticks are closely related to insects and spiders, and there are over 20 known tick species in Michigan (the American Dog Tick is the most commonly encountered tick in Michigan). In most cases, ticks feed on wildlife but pets (and people) can be bitten when they venture into popular tick areas including grassy shorelines, wooded areas, or fields near wooded areas. Ticks are rarely encountered indoors unless brought inside on the clothing of people or on the body of a pet.

Pets sickened with Lyme disease may suffer from fever, decreased appetite, painful joints, limping and lethargy, and in severe cases, kidney disease can also occur.

Good landscape management practices by homeowners including clearing leaf litter, keeping grass cut or creating wood chip/stone barriers between lawns and adjacent woodlands that are inhabited by wildlife may prove helpful in keeping ticks in check.

Griffin Pest Solutions recommends homeowners follow these tips to protect their pets from ticks and fleas this summer:

 Check pets frequently for ticks and fleas – be aware of excessive scratching and licking.

 Avoid walking dogs in tall grass, where fleas and ticks often hide.

 Bathe pets after walks or playtime with other animals.

 Frequently wash pet bedding, collars and plush toys.

 Wash bed linens and vacuum carpets, floors and furniture frequently.

 For on-animal prevention and treatment options, please consult with your veterinarian.

If you have a problem with or have questions about fleas and ticks call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/.

Celebrate a Pest-Free Fourth of July

crawling insects

Can your Fourth of July be Pest-Free?  Your Fourth of July agenda usually includes picnics, cookouts, fireworks and good times with family and friends. It can also include an “explosion” of unwanted pests that want to spoil your good times.

When people gather for their holiday celebrations it is given there will be abundance of food and beverages available. However, your guests aren’t the only ones angling to fill up their plates! Pests are drawn to the sweet, sugary desserts, fruit and soft drinks that are a staple of holiday functions, as well as the greasy leftovers that can be found on grills, serving trays and garbage cans filled with post-party trash.

Griffin Pest Solutions wants you, your family and friends to have a safe, enjoyable Fourth of July and offers the following tips to keep annoying pests from spoiling your holiday fun.

  • Flies – Flies are a common interloper to almost any backyard cookout or picnic. Keep these filthy insects from spoiling your picnic by covering your food with foil or tight sealing lids or set up the buffet inside a screened in porch or tent. Also, remember to clean up food and beverage spills since they are a major attractant to flies.
  • Ants – Like flies, ants are drawn to food, and food spills and leftovers. Ants thrive on sweet, sugary substances like spilled soft drinks. Cleaning up spilled food and drinks, and rinsing out cans and bottles before they go into the recycle bin or garbage can will deny ants their sought after prize.
  • Stinging Insects – Nothing can ruin a party like getting stung by a bee or yellow jacket. Griffin Pest Solutions recommends homeowners inspect their property before the party for any signs of nests in trees or under awnings and the eaves of your home. Also, cover food and beverage cans/bottled since many stinging insects are attracted to sugary substances and no one wants to swallow a bee that flew into your beverage!
  • Mosquitoes – These nuisance pests are regular holiday party crashers and eliminating standing water and keeping vegetation trimmed in your yard are ways to prevent mosquitoes from nesting. Using insect repellent or yard sprays containing DEET or eucalyptus oil, lighting citronella candles or turning on a ceiling or box fan to literally blow mosquitoes away from your deck or patio (mosquitoes are not good flyers) are ways to toss these uninvited guests out.

If you have a problem with or questions about spring pests call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/

Have a happy and safe, pest-free*, Fourth of July!

April is National Pest Management Month

pest identification

Celebrate National Pest Management Month With Eight Great Pest Prevention Tips for Your Home

April is National Pest Management Month and Griffin Pest Solutions is joining fellow pest management professionals across the country in celebrating the valuable role the industry plays in protecting the public’s health, food supply and property from pests.

The dangers and annoyances pests bring to our everyday lives cannot be easily dismissed. The list of potential threats pest pose to property, food and people is very real. For example, did you know?

 Rodents can spoil food with their droppings and urine, and their chewing on electrical wires is a leading cause of house fires.
 Cockroaches contribute to asthma and allergies in children and adults.
 Bed bugs invade hotel rooms, dormitories, office buildings, apartment building and homes.
 Termites literally eat the wood – as much as a cup every two hours – in a structure without you ever hearing or seeing them.

That is why Griffin Pest Solutions’ highly-trained technicians work each and every day to help protect both our commercial and residential customers from these sometimes harmful but always annoying pests.

Spring marks a particularly busy time as pests emerge, looking for sources of food, water and shelter.  And, sometimes the simplest home improvements can be all that’s needed to help ward off infestations.  To assist homeowners in pest-proofing their home this spring, Griffin Pest Solutions offers the following

Tips:

1. Eliminate sources of standing water around the house, including birdbaths and in clogged gutters to help reduce biting mosquito populations.

2. Seal any cracks on the outside of the home with a silicone-based caulk, including entry points for utilities and pipes.

3. Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows.

4. Keep tree branches and shrubbery well-trimmed and away from the house. Overhanging branches can act as highways into the home.

5. Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles.

6. Keep mulch at least 15 inches from the foundation.

7. Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

8. Store garbage in sealed containers and dispose of it regularly.

If you have a problem with or questions about household pests call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/.

For more information on National Pest Management Month, visit http://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/press-releases/april-designated-as-national-pest-management-month/

Home Alone? Not the Case When It Comes To Pests

residential pest solutions

As much as we don’t want to admit it, pests are as much a part of the fabric of a home as is the furniture or drapes. That’s not to say your home is infested with pesky mice or disease transmitting cockroaches but a recent survey from the Entomological Society of America tells us we are definitely not alone.  The study evaluated the biodiversity of arthropods in homes and found that humans share their houses with more than 500 different kinds of arthropods such as insects, spiders, mites, and centipedes.

Matt Bertone, an entomologist at North Carolina State University and a researcher on the study, says homeowners think their homes are sterile environments but that is not always the case.  “Our homes host far more biodiversity than most people would expect,” says Bertone. “We share our space with many different species, most of which are benign. The fact that you don’t know they’re there only highlights how little we interact with them.”

Which pests are most likely to be your roommate?

Researchers went room to room in homes collecting living and dead arthropods and found 579 different arthropod morphospecies (animal types that are easily separable by morphological differences) from a total of 304 different families.  On average, homes in the study played host to nearly 100 different arthropod species belonging to between 24 and 128 distinct families. What pests topped the charts when it came to infesting homes? According to the study, the five most commonly encountered pests were:

1. Flies
2. Spiders
3. Beetles
4. Ants
5. Book lice

While the number of creeping, crawling and flying pests may look threatening to homeowners, the reality is most of these pests are merely wanderers who inadvertently gained access to your house through an open window or door or brought in with flowers, plants or packages, and don’t constitute a full-blown infestation.  Another point researchers wanted to emphasize was most of these unwanted pests are not equipped to live inside and die off fairly quickly. To read the complete report visit http://bit.ly/1ZKpbIa

For pests such as mice, bed bugs or cockroaches that decide your home is a suitable place for an extended stay, the residential pest management experts at Griffin Pest Solutions have proven solutions for giving them the boot once and for all.

If you have questions on pests call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/.

Invasive Species Reporting – Be a Citizen Scientist

Invasive Species Reporting – Be A Citizen Scientist

When it comes to preventing nuisance and threatening pests from becoming a problem in and around homes and businesses in Michigan, the best defense is a good offense.

The Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) is a regional effort to develop and provide an early detection and rapid response resource for invasive species that threaten public health, structures or crops.

Led by researchers from Michigan State University, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Agriculture, the program’s goal is to assist both experts and citizen scientists in the detection and identification of invasive pest species to support successful management strategies.

Whether you are a pest management professional or a citizen scientist with an interest in pests and the environment, MISIN is right up your alley.

To report invasive species you must complete the no-charge registration process on the MISIN website – www.misin.msu.edu or download the MISIN app on your mobile phone.

Once registered you can report invasive species sightings in your area and have the ability to interactively map targeted invasive species occurrences. The MISIN mapping service allows users to navigate the project area and screen digitize species occurrences with the aid of statewide digital imagery.

Contributors can select from various search types including by date, species, geography, project or contributor. Search results will be displayed for both the state of Michigan and across the United States.

Not sure exactly what type of invasive pest you have spotted in your backyard or in the kitchen of your restaurant? Not a problem. The MISIN website offers registered users more than 40 online species identification training modules to help budding pest sleuths properly identify the insect they have encountered.

The invasive species education modules will help you become more comfortable with identifying these species in the field and are recommended before contributing information to the database. Each module, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, includes a short ten question quiz at the end to help you assess your newly acquired knowledge.

Participating in the MISIN program will help prevent and eliminate harmful invasive pest species from threatening residents, crops and structures across Michigan. The information gathered helps the participating agencies identify trouble areas and work with the appropriate experts – including the professional pest management industry – to develop and execute control programs when and where they are needed.

If you have questions on the MISIN program visit www.misin.msu.edu or call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/.