Author: Creature Control

What about those Murder Hornets?

The infamous year 2020 has finally drawn to a close and, for most people, it couldn’t end quickly enough. We’ll all look back on 2020 as a year of craziness. But when we do take a pleasant trip down memory lane, let’s not forget the Murder Hornets. What happened to them anyway? In the spring of 2020, the so-called “Murder Hornets” became the newest macabre fascination of the year. There seemed to be no end to the hysteria over the fearsome stinging insects: stories of hornets killing elephants just by buzzing nearby, anecdotes about their excruciatingly painful stings, and conspiracy theories over their origin—were they released in the U.S. intentionally as a new type of hideous biological weapon? But what is the truth behind the 2020 Murder Hornet scare? Though most people became aware of the giant Asian hornet (dubbed “Murder hornets” by the internet) with the Washington State Agriculture Department’s…

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How Covid Lockdowns are Fueling Residential Rodent Problems

The 2020 Coronavirus lock-downs have had many different effects. One unanticipated consequence is an increase in rodent activity. What is the connection between rodents and Covid lock-downs?   The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention has linked the increase in rats and mice specifically to the closing of restaurants. Through the years, rats and mice have relied heavily on food and waste thrown out by restaurants as one of their primary food sources.    During the lock-downs, restaurants have drastically decreased or even stopped food service and production. Suffice it to say, rats and mice have experienced a significant deprivation of the food and waste they had been relying on for so long–especially in denser urban areas and suburban localities near shopping centers.    Driven by hunger, rodents have started searching for other sources of food: our homes. Since restaurants are reducing their food service, more and more people have begun…
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Mouse Invasion

The falling temperatures of October drive rodents indoors seeking warmth. What should you know about mouse control going into the autumn? Getting a Handle on a Mouse Problem The best way to get on top of a mouse problem is by use of our tamper-resistant bait stations. A combination of interior and exterior bait stations is a sure-fire way to take care of mice in the home. Give us a call or drop us an email for more information! Get that General Seal Knocking down the mouse population is only part of the solution—effective rodent control requires sealing off entry points to prevent rodents from getting inside your home to begin with. Creature Control recommends a general seal as an integral part of successful rodent management. Ask your Creature Control technician about looking over your foundation and giving you an estimate for a general seal. It goes a long way…

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Common September Pests

As summer comes to a close, these pests have fully matured and are ready to invade your home. Insects Galore What insects are out in September? The question should be what insects aren’t out in September! Bald faced hornets, yellowjackets, earwigs, ants, spiders and more are all on the move, many of them having their last hurrah before it gets cold. Fortunately, Creature Control has years of experience handling everything the insect world can throw at us. If you’re having an issue, give us a call. Contact Us Red Squirrel Rampage We are approaching the season when red squirrels have their second litter of the year. That means they want to den in your attic! Red squirrels can be incredibly destructive; we call them “chainsaws with paws.” If you’re dealing with a red squirrel problem, you will most likely need exclusion trapping to evict them. Click the link below to learn more…

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An Unexpected Guest in the Fireplace

This past Sunday, we received an emergency call from a residential home in Kalamazoo. The customer reported hearing strange sounds coming from the fireplace—movement, rustling, almost a flapping kind of noise. We sent our West Michigan manager, Josh Boone, out to investigate. It’s not uncommon to get a call for weird noises coming from the fireplace. The chimney is a very common entry point for wildlife such as squirrels, raccoons, bats, and more. These particular sounds, however, were tell-tale signs of a bird. Josh had been to many bird-in-fireplace calls over the years. In most such calls, the bird is a starling that has become inadvertently trapped in the fireplace. When Josh arrived on the scene, though, it was clear right away that whatever was rustling in there was much bigger than a starling. When he opened the fireplace and shined his light inside, Josh saw not a starling but…

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Use Your Bird Seed Wisely

One of the easiest ways to deter unwanted wildlife from getting into your home is to get bird feeders away from the house. We love the birds, but the hard truth is that the bird seed people put in their feeders attracts all sorts of critters, from raccoons to deer to squirrels and mice. Birds are notoriously messy in their eating habits, as you can see from the picture above. Raccoons and other critters will often come to the area by night to scavenge the spilled birdseed. Enterprising raccoons or squirrels will actually climb up and knock the birdfeeder around to intentionally spill more seed. A lot of bird seed gets consumed this way; in fact, it has been estimated that for every 20 pounds of bird seed a homeowner puts out, 11 pounds of it will get consumed by creatures other than birds. The danger in this is that…

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The Proper Way to Help A Turtle Across the Road

A common act of charity on Michigan roads is the occasional stop to help a turtle cross the street so it doesn’t become a road pancake. This is easy enough when the turtle is a small painted box  turtle, but it can get a little sketchy when it is a very large, mature snapping turtle. Snapping turtles are noted for not only their size but their ornery temperament; if you’ve ever had a turtle hiss at you, it was probably a snapper. Their powerful jaws can easily break—and in some cases completely sever—a human finger. They can be very aggressive if they feel cornered. Snappers are not to be trifled with by those unfamiliar with how to deal with them. But even so, we can’t just stand by and allow our belligerent reptilian friends to get smooshed by traffic. Snappers have extremely long life span—most snappers you see crossing the…

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House Centipedes: Harmful or Helpful?

There is nothing more disturbing then waking up in the middle of the night to something scurrying over you.  For most of us we instantly get up, squash it, and flush the remains down the toilet making sure to note we need to call Creature Control in the morning.  Well, Michigan State University is reminding people that not all insects you find inside your home are harmful.  House centipedes, although creepy are actually beneficial as they feed on spiders and other small arthropods that enjoy living inside. No matter how beneficial house centipedes can be some of us are unnerved by the presence of these quick little buggers.  Not only do they have 15 legs, they also house to long antennas on their heads, and two long antennae like appendages coming from their bottoms.   If you are one of the many Michigan homeowners that don’t really appreciate the presence of…

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How Do I Make My Home Less Desirable for Raccoons?

Are you wondering why your home seems to be a regular hangout for raccoons?  You may be attracting them without even realizing it.  Just like they are portrayed in cartoons, raccoons are smart, sneaky, and peculiar.  Their sweet little masks and ringed tails make this particular nuisance wildlife pest hard to be mad at for getting in your trash.  Let’s face it, raccoons and baby raccoons are downright adorable.  If you start noticing an influx of raccoons around your home, you will want to call in the experts at Creature Control to start putting in place active prevention measurements.  We can help you make your home less desirable for these adorable but less than desirable critters. Raccoons Basic Survival Needs Raccoons are driven by their basic survival needs: shelter, food, and water.  Obviously, our homes create the perfect environment for them to thrive.  They are insane climbers that can easily…

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