Rodent Awareness Week 2020: The Rise of Rat Infestations

Rodents are entering homes in Baton Rouge LA during the pandemic - Dugas Pest ControlRats are always a common pest problem this time of year, but they are especially prevalent in recent times due to the pandemic. In fact, the CDC announced that rats are more aggressive right now due to their diminishing resources. When restaurants and cafes had to limit operations or shut down entirely, rodents were suddenly deprived of their normal food sources. This is why the pandemic has directly caused an uptick in residential rodent infestations. Besides simply being a nuisance, rodent problems can be dangerous as well. This Rodent Awareness Week, the team at Dugas Pest Control wants to help our customers stay protected from the threat of rat infestations.

Are Rats Spreading Coronavirus?

The shutdowns and shelter in place orders caused an uptick in residential rodent sightings as rats and mice became bolder in their pursuit of food. This has since caused an uptick in infestations and rodent-spread issues. Although the number of infestations is rising, you thankfully do not need to worry about rodents transmitting COVID-19 to you or your family.

However, rodents still can spread other diseases including hantavirus, salmonellosis, and many more. They also can cause significant damage to your home. With rodents more aggressive in the current moment, they will not hesitate to make themselves at home in your home this winter and beyond.

Tips to Keep Rodents Out in Baton Rouge

Rodent prevention is the key to rodent control. To avoid the distressing discovery of rodents on your property, try the following tips:

  1. Securely store all food in metal or glass containers with tight-fitting lids.
  2. Clean the inside the house and around the garden. Less clutter means fewer places to hide.
  3. Put outdoor garbage bags in metal garbage cans with securely fitted lids to stop them from feeding on contents.
  4. Seal off cracks and crevices around openings. Mice can squeeze inside holes the size of a dime.
  5. Clean up pet food and bird seed debris, and store pet food in robust containers with fitted lids, preferably above ground level.
  6. If you have a compost heap don’t include organic food waste, as this will attract them.
  7. Inspect your garage, attic, crawlspaces, and vents for potential rodent hiding spots.

The Rise of Rodent Problems

With everything going on this year, the last thing you need to worry about is a rodent infestation inside your home. If you are dealing with rat or mouse sightings, it’s best to contact the rodent exterminators at Dugas. Our team will work with you to ensure your property is protected from these pests. Call us today!

Tips to Prevent Spooky Pests This Halloween

Spiders are a common fall pest problem in Baton Rouge LA - Dugas Pest ControlHalloween is just around the corner, and you’re likely pulling out bins of decorations. You may be putting up fake spider webs and plastic spiders to celebrate, but chances are you don’t want the real ones crawling through your home this time of year. Unfortunately, fall pest problems are common here in Baton Rouge as pests and insects begin to make their way indoors for warmth and shelter. They also can be brought indoors when you unpack your seasonal decorations. It’s important to be aware of the potential pest problems you could encounter this time of year. Keep reading for our top tips to prevent spooky pests this Halloween.

Halloween Pests To Keep an Eye Out For

Fall pest infestations can be frustrating because many of these pests are looking to cozy up inside your home through the winter. Whether you’re about to unpack a box of decorations or want to clean up your property, here are the pests to look for:

  1. Rats. Rodents infamously squeeze their way inside this time of year for warmth, food, and shelter. They could be nesting in your boxes of decorations.
  2. Stink bugs & boxelder bugs. These seasonal bugs appear on the sides of homes and could crawl indoors if given the chance.
  3. Spiders. Spider populations are abundant in the fall and many get indoors. They may be lurking in your box of decorations!
  4. Bed bugs. While common at all times of the year, traveling or college students lead to an increase in infestations. They also could be found on second-hand costumes.

Tips to Prevent Seasonal Pests

You may be putting fake rodents or bats out as decorations, but you definitely want to prevent the real ones from getting indoors! As you would any other time of the year, it’s important to know how to keep pests out of your home. Some of our top tips include sealing all cracks and crevices in your home with caulk, installing a new window or door screens, cleaning up your yard’s foliage, keeping a tidy kitchen with sealed food containers, and storing all seasonal decorations in airtight plastic bins. If you are having trouble sealing off your home to pests this fall, it’s best to reach out to your local exterminator for assistance.

Need Help With Pests this Fall?

It’s nearly the holiday season, and the last thing you want to deal with is a pest problem. Always be extra cautious when unpacking your decorations or buying secondhand items. If you find yourself with an infestation or want to further protect your Baton Rouge home from pests this fall and winter, the Dugas Pest Control residential exterminators are here to help.

Prevention Tips for Fall Rodent Infestations

Rodents get inside Baton Rouge LA homes in the fall - Dugas Pest ControlPest problems are notorious in the fall months, especially rodent problems. Rats and mice are known to enter homes through the tiniest of openings. Once inside, they will gladly burrow in the attic, basement, walls, and other areas of the home. Because rodents can contaminate surfaces, spread germs, and cause structural damage, it’s extremely important to learn how to keep rats and mice away. Here at Dugas Pest Control, we want you to feel comfortable in your home without worrying about rodents. We’ve gathered our top prevention tips for fall rodent infestations–read on to learn more!

Our Top Rodent Prevention Tips

No one wants to deal with rodents in their home. Some of our top tips to keep them out and away from your home in Baton Rouge include:

  1. Get rid of excess moisture. Fix leaking pipes and clogged drains.
  2. Store firewood away from your home. Piles of lumber will surely attract rodents and other pests to get close to your house.
  3. Store food properly. Securely store food in tight-fitting containers with lids.
  4. Keep a tidy yard. Cut back any tree limbs or vines that are attached to or near the home.
  5. Seal holes around pipes. Use caulk or wire wool to cover up gaps and openings near pipes and other openings.
  6. Cover vents. Install mesh screens on your vents. Also, consider installing screens on doors and windows.
  7. Use tight lids on trash cans. Rodents love to rummage in the garbage! If possible, keep your trash cans sealed and stored.
  8. Protect eaves. Fix any damaged roofing and use wire mesh to seal gaps in your eaves.

Dangers of Seasonal Rats and Mice

Rats and mice can be a nuisance at any time of the year. However, they often come inside more and more often when the temperatures drop, making them particularly troublesome in the autumn and winter months. Once they get indoors, rats and mice will take shelter in attics, basements, kitchens, and garages. A rat or mouse problem often begins when the rodents get in through your chimney, pipes, air vents, and more. In addition to contaminating surfaces and spreading germs, rodents can chew through materials with their ever-growing teeth and cause serious damage inside.

Fall Rodent Infestations in Baton Rouge

No one wants to deal with rats or mice in their property on their own. If you have an infestation in your Louisiana home or want to prevent one altogether, it’s important to call our team of rodent exterminators. The experts at Dugas will customize a rodent control plan suited to the unique needs of your home.

Is Fall the Season of Spiders?

Dangerous spiders in Baton Rouge LA - Dugas Pest ControlAlthough spiders are a common pest year-round, many people consider fall to be the season of spiders because of how abundant they seem. Spiders hatch in the springtime—by the time August and September roll around, they’re definitely in full force. These eight-legged creatures are attracted to food, water, and shelter that your home provides them with. Thankfully, most of the spiders in your home are harmless and will, for the most part, avoid you altogether! That said, there are two spiders in particular that you should keep an eye out for: the black widow and the brown recluse spider. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about spiders during the fall months here in Baton Rouge.

Black Widow vs Brown Recluse Infographic - Dugas Pest Control in Baton Rouge LA Identifying Black Widows and Brown Recluse Spiders

It can be difficult to differentiate between your common house spider and the more dangerous black widow or brown recluse. Because these two spiders can bite and potentially cause dangerous side effects, it’s important to know how to differentiate them: 

  • Black widows
    • These spiders have a characteristic red hourglass shape on its body.
    • They build sticky, tangled cobwebs in garages, sheds, and near the ground.
    • They can bite when they feel threatened.
  • Brown recluse spiders
    • Brown recluse spiders have a darker brown violin-shaped spot on their bodies.
    • They build loose, dome-shaped webs for shelter.
    • A brown recluse bite is known to be very painful.

Preventing Spiders During the Fall

To keep spiders out, there are several ways you can make your property less attractive to her in general. Our top spider prevention tips include:

  1. Maintain your yard and lawn. Overgrown bushes, shrubs, piles of wood, and more can attract spiders to your property and eventually indoors.
  2. Regularly clean your home. Doing so can prevent insects that spiders like to prey on and eliminate hiding spots for pests.
  3. Seal any cracks and crevices. Inspect the inside and outside of your property for tiny spots that may be inviting spiders in, and seal properly.
  4. Install or repair screens on doors and windows. Tight-fitting screens are the key to keeping insects, spiders included, out.
  5. Inspect items before bringing them indoors. Egg sacs and adult spiders are known to be inside old boxes you may be transferring.

What to Do When You Have Spiders

We all know that seeing the occasional spider in your property is completely normal. But what do you do when you’ve spotted a dangerous species or are dealing with endless webs? It’s likely time to call your local spider exterminators here at Dugas. Our spider pest control experts can control current infestations and make sure you don’t have to deal with spiders in the future!