Category: Tips

Understanding Ground Trapping

It’s now March, which means that the sap has begun to run in the maples, the squirrels can be heard chattering in the trees, and the intermittent snow of a Michigan winter is replaced with showers of rain. The smell of spring in the air may be something else, perhaps the musky scent of a skunk family as they wander your yard throughout the night. They’re not the only mammals to become active this time of year. From now until fall, you can have visitors from groundhogs, raccoons, opossums, rabbits, and sometimes even foxes, depending on where you live. While none of these animals are really all that dangerous to humans, it can be disconcerting to see them roaming in “your” yard, especially if you have domesticated animals. Ground trapping, the entrapment and removal of wildlife pests at ground level (opposed to those in an attic or other elevated space,)…

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Why You Suck at Insect Control

Most people know that there are some pests that they just can’t control by themselves, such as mosquitos or bedbugs. Mosquitoes don’t necessarily breed on your property, and the only good way to control them is with a fog treatment. On the opposite end of control, bedbugs are off-putting and resistant enough to over-the-counter remedies that most people end up calling a professional right away (which is the right decision).  But what about insects that many people try and treat without a second thought, such as wasps, ants, or stinkbugs?  Every grocery store carries a line of insecticides, or even traps, all claiming to “kill on contact,” or “kills *given pest* instantly,” but when used by the average consumer, they often do little to nothing to stem the tide of insects. What is the difference between generally available products and those that our technicians use to control pest issues? The…

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Understanding Recurring Services

Many of our customers call us out to deal with raccoons, bats, or squirrels: issues that are usually solved within a few weeks (depending on the season) and with only a few visits from one of our technicians.  Pest issues, however (especially mice), nearly always require more maintenance to keep control over the population.  This can seem discouraging to those who just want their problem solved, but we have a nearly painless method of maintaining control over small rodents.  Therefore, we often recommend our Recurring Services program. Typically, a mouse service starts with an initial inspection. The technician will write up an estimate for a rodenticide application, determine the number of exterior and garage bait stations (containing rodenticide) required, and the seal work to be done.  The rodenticide treatment and the bait stations can usually be done at the same visit, and two weeks later, the technician will return to…

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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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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…

Use Your Bird Seed Wisely
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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…

The Proper Way to Help A Turtle Across the Road
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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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Identifying a Honey Bee

“Help! I’ve got honey bees in my house!” As summer approaches, we start to get a lot more calls for “bees.” I put “bees” in quotation marks because often “bee” is a catch-all phrase people will use to refer to any and all stinging insects. Yellow jackets, carpenter bees, honey bees, bald faced hornets, mud dauber wasps and everything in between are called “bees.” People will often call and say they think they have a honey bee infestation. Honey bees are of particular concern, for two reasons. First, removing honey bees from a home can be a major hassle. Besides removing the hive, the bees will often have constructed massive honey combs in walls or ceilings that can only be removed at great expense. Second, honey bee populations in the United States are going into steep decline due to a phenomenon known as “colony collapse disorder.” Because of this, Creature…

Identifying a Honey Bee
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