Preventative Measures To Avoid Infestation By Squirrels, Scorpions, And More by Art Gib
I remember when I was young, we had a next door neighbor that allowed his backyard to become a complete jungle. He had a pack of bloodhounds that were kept in the yard, which he rarely cleaned up after. But what was worse was when the "vermin" crept in: mice. We could sometimes see them crawling over the dogs!
It didn't bother us until those same mice began to infest our house. When you live in a house as long as my parents have lived in theirs (thirty years), you find that all kinds of household vermin and pests come and go. But the best approach is to try and prevent them from invading in the first place.
Squirrels are a less-known pest that can get into your home and begin to, like mice, get into food and just generally wreak havoc. One of the major troubles with them is they are smarter and more resourceful than many other critters, so they will find even the smallest holes lurking on or around your roof and eaves and sneak in through your attic.
To avoid this, cut back the branches of any trees within a reasonable distance of your roof. Then take a weekend to inspect the roof, eaves, gutters, and surrounding areas which might have holes that would grant access to your attic or an upper floor of your home.
You might want to get these repaired professionally, but you can at least tide your home over with heavy-duty wire mesh from your local hardware or home improvement store.
Growing up in the Valley of the Sun, I had many friends who had the misfortune of being awoken in their own beds by a scorpion's sting. Yikes!
If you, too, are a desert dweller, I can tell you that it can be difficult to keep these creepy-crawlies out of your yard, but keeping them out of your house should be as simple as making sure that you have solid seals on all doors and windows.
Don't leave them ajar, even for ventilation, as this provides the perfect opportunity for scorpions and spiders to make themselves at home. If you, your child, or even your pet has an encounter with a scorpion--even if it's just in the yard--consult a professional to spray inside and out, especially because many types of scorpions can be deadly to babies and young children.
To keep from attracting many different pests, including mice, roaches, and ants, avoid leaving food out of your cupboards and don't allow dirty dishes to just sit out on countertops or tables (or even in the sink), as you will soon become to neighborhood food supply to many-legged critters that are NOT your friends.
DQPestControl (http://www.dqpestcontrol.com/) is a Nassau County Animal Control. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory
I remember when I was young, we had a next door neighbor that allowed his backyard to become a complete jungle. He had a pack of bloodhounds that were kept in the yard, which he rarely cleaned up after. But what was worse was when the "vermin" crept in: mice. We could sometimes see them crawling over the dogs!
It didn't bother us until those same mice began to infest our house. When you live in a house as long as my parents have lived in theirs (thirty years), you find that all kinds of household vermin and pests come and go. But the best approach is to try and prevent them from invading in the first place.
Squirrels are a less-known pest that can get into your home and begin to, like mice, get into food and just generally wreak havoc. One of the major troubles with them is they are smarter and more resourceful than many other critters, so they will find even the smallest holes lurking on or around your roof and eaves and sneak in through your attic.
To avoid this, cut back the branches of any trees within a reasonable distance of your roof. Then take a weekend to inspect the roof, eaves, gutters, and surrounding areas which might have holes that would grant access to your attic or an upper floor of your home.
You might want to get these repaired professionally, but you can at least tide your home over with heavy-duty wire mesh from your local hardware or home improvement store.
Growing up in the Valley of the Sun, I had many friends who had the misfortune of being awoken in their own beds by a scorpion's sting. Yikes!
If you, too, are a desert dweller, I can tell you that it can be difficult to keep these creepy-crawlies out of your yard, but keeping them out of your house should be as simple as making sure that you have solid seals on all doors and windows.
Don't leave them ajar, even for ventilation, as this provides the perfect opportunity for scorpions and spiders to make themselves at home. If you, your child, or even your pet has an encounter with a scorpion--even if it's just in the yard--consult a professional to spray inside and out, especially because many types of scorpions can be deadly to babies and young children.
To keep from attracting many different pests, including mice, roaches, and ants, avoid leaving food out of your cupboards and don't allow dirty dishes to just sit out on countertops or tables (or even in the sink), as you will soon become to neighborhood food supply to many-legged critters that are NOT your friends.
DQPestControl (http://www.dqpestcontrol.com/) is a Nassau County Animal Control. Art Gib is a freelance writer.
Article Source: ArticleSnatch Free Article Directory