Thursday, October 27, 2011

Mouse Control Flower Mound, Mouse Elimination Flower Mound


Looking for Flower Mound Mouse Control or Flower mOUND Mice Elimination? Then look no further than Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control. We guarantee every Rodent Treatment with the best warranty in the business. Give us a call today to find out the difference when you "Always Hire A Professional".

The House Mouse (Mus musculus) is a small, slender rodent that has a slightly pointed nose; small, black, somewhat protruding eyes; large, scantily haired ears, and a nearly hairless tail with obvious scale rings. The adult Mouse weighs about 2/5 to 4/5 ounces. They are generally grayish-brown with a gray or buff belly. Similar Mice include the White-footed Mouse and Harvest Mice (which have grooved upper incisor teeth.)   The House Mouse has an overall gray color. The White-footed Mouse and Deer Mouse both have a white underside.

The House Mouse's tail has very little fur on it, the tails of the Deer Mouse and the White-footed Mouse are moderately to well furred and are light underneath and dark on top. Native to central Asia, this species arrived in North America along with settlers from Europe and other points of origin. A very adaptable species, the House Mouse often lives in close association with humans and therefore is termed one of the "commensal" rodents along with Norway and Roof Rats. Following their arrival on colonists’ ships, House Mice spread across North America and now are found in every state including coastal areas of Alaska, and in the southern parts of Canada.

Thank you for the visiting the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control Blog about Pest Control and Exterminating Services in the North Texas area. If you would like more information about a specific pest or service please choose the appropriate link below and you will be taken to the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control web site or you can call us directly at: (817) 727-8149

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Signs You May Have Rodents Flower Mound, TX

Worried You Might Have Rodents?  Here are 8 Signs That You May Have an Infestation
Rat season is here again in Flower Mound, TX and populations of many species of rodents are moving into never-before infested areas.   Although your home may not have experienced problems with pests in the past, it is a good idea to keep an eye, an ear, and a nose out for signs that rodents have invaded your home.  Here are just some of the most common signs that you may have a rodent problem.

Rodent Droppings
This is one of the most obvious signs that you have a rodent problem. Droppings may be found in places where food is stored such as in kitchen cabinets and drawers. Given that mice like to move about in places that offer them protection from predators, you may find droppings in cupboards or under the sink, along walls, or on top of wall studs or beams. Additionally, mice will leave droppings near their nests, in storage areas such as sheds, barns, or cabins loaded with boxes, bags, old furniture, and other objects as they make an ideal home for rodents.   

Rodent Nests
Rodents prefer to build their nests out of materials that are soft, fuzzy, or warm. Common rodent nest materials may include shredded paper, bunches of dry grass or small twigs, fabric, and furniture stuffing and batting.  Rodents nest in quiet areas near food and water where they can find safety from predators. Inside buildings, ideal places to look are:

  • Inside cabinets 
  • Under or inside dresser
  • In and among boxes
  • Behind and inside machinery and appliances
  • Inside upholstered furniture
  • Inside double walls or the space between floors and ceilings
Food Containers or Food That Appears To Be Nibbled
Usually you will discover droppings near to a favorite rodent food source. Rodents can chew through plastic, so plastic bags and Tupperware -style containers do not protect food items.  It would definitely be advisable to carefully inspect all food and food storage items and areas if you suspect rodents have entered your home at all.

Evidence of Gnawing 
As previously mentioned, rodents will gnaw on almost anything that includes such things as wood, paper board, cloth sacks, and materials even harder than these.  Rodents' teeth grow continuously and they must gnaw to keep them short.  That may help to explain why table and chair legs or similar surfaces show gnawed spots or tooth marks in rodent-infested places.

Small Debris Piles 
If you happen upon a small pile of insect legs and peanut shells near a cabinet door, you may have found a rodent “feeding station.”  Feeding stations are somewhat hidden spots where rodents eat the food they have collected and discard their trash. In these areas, rodents may leave larger-than-normal amounts of droppings/urine, plus remnants of a variety of their “foods” such as nut shells, bits of plastic or paper, cockroach carcasses, and other indigestible items.

You Notice an Odd Musky Smell 
In closed-up rooms infested by rodents, you will commonly smell an unusual, musky odor.  This odor is the hallmark of the common house mouse and to the trained nose, the odor is unmistakable.

You Hear Strange Noises at Night
No, you aren’t losing your mind, but there may be someone wandering around in your attic at night.  As many rodent species are nocturnal, an infestation in an attic may be most obvious from the sounds coming from attic areas at night as mice and rats will run, climb, scratch and gnaw on beams and wiring while using insulation in these areas as an ideal nesting material. Depending on the size of the individual rodent, noises made in these areas can be quite loud and unsettling.

You See a Mouse in Your House
All species of rodents generally prefer to keep to themselves and avoid humans completely. If you have mice or rats, unless the infestation is large, you may never see one at all.  It is fair to assume that if you have seen a mouse in your house, the infestation is well underway at it is time to call a professional for help.

Prevention and Solutions
Obviously, prevention is the best solution to any pest problem. Infestations by rodents and the damage they cause are not only costly to repair, but also a serious health hazard here in Texas. Both hanta virus and the plague have been found in Arizona in the past year which makes vigilance even more important.  To avoid a potential rodent infestation, one must do everything they can to make certain that their home is “rodent proof.” If you have any of the signs mentioned here, you may want to take action immediately to solve your pest problem before it becomes worse by contacting Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control as soon as possible.

Thank you for the visiting the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control Blog about Pest Control and Exterminating Services in the North Texas area. If you would like more information about a specific pest or service please choose the appropriate link below and you will be taken to the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control web site or you can call us directly at: (817) 727-8149

Friday, October 21, 2011

Flower Mound Rat Elimination, Flower Mound Rodent Control

Flower Mound Rodent Control and Exterminating

Roof Rats are more aerial than Norway Rats in their habitat selection and often will live in trees or on vine covered fences. Landscaped residential or industrial areas provide good habitat, as does vegetation of riverbanks and streams. They will often move into sugarcane and citrus groves. Roof Rats are sometimes found living in or around poultry or other farm buildings as well as in industrial sites where food and shelter are available. Being agile climbers, Roof Rats frequently enter buildings from the roof or accesses near utility lines which they use to travel from area to area. They have been found in sewer systems, but this is not very common.


Feeding Habits:


The food habits of Roof Rats resemble those of tree squirrels, since they both like a wide variety of fruit and nuts. They also feed on a variety of ornamental and native plant materials. Like the Norway Rat, they are omnivorous and will feed on most anything if necessary. Roof Rats usually require water daily, though their local diet may provide an adequate amount if high in water content. 

Feeding Behavior:

Roof Rats usually begin searching for food shortly after sunset. If the food is in an exposed area and too large to be eaten quickly, yet not  too large to be moved, they will usually carry it to a hiding place before eating it. Many Rats will hoard considerable amounts of solid food, which they may or may not eat later. When necessary, Roof Rats will travel considerable distances for food. They can often be seen at night running along overhead utility lines. They may live in trees or attics and climb down to a food source. This is important from the standpoint of control, for traditional baiting or trapping on the ground or floor may intercept very few Roof Rats. Roof Rats have a strong tendency to avoid new objects in their environment and this can influence control efforts. These Rats may take several days before they will approach a bait station or trap. 

Reproduction and Development:

Born in a nest about 21 to 23 days after conception, the young Rats are naked and their eyes are closed. The 5 to 8 young in the litter develop rapidly, growing hair within a week. When they are 9 to 14 days old, their eyes open and they begin to explore for food and move about near their nest. In the third week they begin to take solid food. The number of litters depends on the area and varies with nearness to the limit of their climatic range, availability of nutritious food, density of the local Rat population and age of the Rat. The young may continue to nurse until 4 or 5 weeks old. Young Rats generally cannot be trapped until about 1 month old. At about 3 months of age they are completely independent of the mother and are reproductively mature. In tropical or semitropical regions, the breeding season may be nearly year-round. Usually the peaks in breeding occur in the spring and fall. 

Senses:

Rats see poorly, relying more on smell, taste, touch and hearing. They are considered to be colorblind, responding only to the degree of lightness and darkness of colors.  Roof Rats also have an excellent sense of balance. They use their tails for balance while traveling along overhead utility lines and are very agile climbers.


Thank you for the visiting the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control Blog about Pest Control and Exterminating Services in the North Texas area. If you would like more information about a specific pest or service please choose the appropriate link below and you will be taken to the Assassin Exterminating & Pest Control web site or you can call us directly at: (817) 727-8149