Unwanted Guests
Calling a pro for pest control
can save time and money
Area experts can secure a home to prevent invasions
(April 2020) – As more development takes place every day, wildlife problems seem to be on the rise in areas wildlife once called home. In addition, the creepy, crawly kind of pests still make themselves known in homes and businesses, so it’s always best to call a pest control professional to get rid of the unwanted insects and rodents for good.
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Photo provided Opossums can damage property by creating holes. |
If your problem involves raccoons, skunks, snakes, squirrels, opossums, groundhogs or snakes, Lee Woodfill of Lee’s Nuisance Wildlife Services is able to help. In business for the past three years in Madison, Ind., Woodfill said the most common critters he is called to remove are squirrels and raccoons.
Attics are the most likely spaces to be invaded, said Woodfill. Keeping trees and shrubs away from the roofline of a home is one way to prevent future invasion of such animals.
“I tell most of my customers to walk around their homes at least once a month and look for damage from rain, wind, tree limbs or animals. If you see something that needs to be repaired, fix it before the animals find it.” Wild animals are creatures of habit and will return to the same hiding place year after year.
Woodfill stumbled upon his line of work by luck “One day during lunch I was reviewing the Indiana DNR website and saw a title I had never heard before, Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator,” he said. After further reading, he decided it was his dream job. “All it required was taking a test about traps and wildlife to get a permit.”
He uses cage traps and one-way doors. There is only one way to let animals out, and they cannot get back in.
Woodfill tracks down and traps large and small animals hiding around a property and relocates and releases them in a more suitable habitat. He is careful about where he releases them so they do not come back and can acclimate into a new environment.
While squirrels, birds and raccoons can be fun to watch, they are more harmful than most people realize. “Besides the diseases some carry and possibly being bitten by them, the damage the animals make can be costly,” said Woodfill. He covers a wide area “on both sides of the Ohio River with most of my work being in the Louisville area.”
Although he’s never had to tangle with a strange or overly aggressive animal, Woodfill said that removing “raccoons with babies from attics are always a challenge. Mommy Raccoon is protective and hides them in areas that are hard to get to.”
Wild animals can tear up a lawn, burrow in an attic, dig into a roof and build nests throughout a home. He advises leaving animal removal to the experts.
His services include wildlife damage repair that will block off and repair broken walls, roof vents or chimneys where animals are accessing a home, and seal holes to discourage future intrusions.
Signs of wildlife damage a homeowner can look for that might detect wildlife invasion include holes in the roof or fascia, damaged siding or drywall, chewed up insulation and wires, thumps under the home, or scratching in the walls.
Dominion Pest Control is another Madison, Ind., company that can remove wildlife, with the exclusion of bats and birds. A majority of their work deals with smaller insect pests such as termites, roaches, bedbugs, fleas, ants and spiders.
“We get rid of everything,” said owner Mike Prickett. The types of pests “are spread evenly across the board.” The company was created in the 1970s, and Prickett is its fourth owner.
Dominion’s state certified technicians use chemical treatments, spray, gel, live traps and baits, “depending upon what you have to get rid of.” The company covers all of southern Indiana and has been used by factories and restaurants, as well as homeowners.
Prickett said there are signs a homeowner can look for to know he has unwanted guests, such as sawdust. This usually signifies termites or carpenter ants. “If you see one roach, you probably have hundreds. The longer you let it go, the harder it is to get under control.”
Dominion will make follow-up visits as needed, he said. A large portion of his client base receives monthly visits, but he also suggests having quarterly follow-up visits “to keep things under control.” Services also include bi-annual and annual visits.
The company inspects inside and outside, using granules and spray. It also offers mosquito treatments, which are given every three weeks, he said. A fogger is used around bushes and shrubs to eliminate the pesky insect.
Prickett advises calling a professional to get rid of wildlife or insects. When buying an over-the-counter chemical to kill insects, it comes in a very small amount, he said. The chemical may have the adverse affect of making the insect angry and prolonging its departure.
He said roaches can learn to identify the chemical. It may be ingested by a mother and kill her, but it can be passed on to her babies and get in their system so that they become immune to it and live. A professional technician, such as the ones at Dominion, know this and can use methods to effectively eliminate pests once and for all.