It’s night. Outside, clouds march over the face of a full moon. Leafless trees dot the stark landscape while a north wind moans through limbs and past walls. Suddenly, a series of scritching, scratching, noises capture your attention. It’s very apparent you are not alone!
Sounds like the opening scene of a scary movie, right? But it’s real life. Full moons, cloudy nights, barren trees, and strong winds happen all the time. And if you’ve got pests in your attic, strange noises do too!
For many of us an attic is an unimproved upstairs closet, a space to store infrequently used items we don’t use often or haven’t decided to discard. For reclusive pests it’s a wonderful place to settle in for the winter…or longer.
Last month we talked about the importance of winter pest control, and how cold-weather pest control focuses on indoor treatment. Today we’re going to dig deeper (pun intended) into the lifestyles of pests that love to make the upper levels of your home, their home!
House mice are common visitors to attics. Away from light and prying eyes they can build a nest with little interruption. To them, attics are like a home and a home improvement warehouse store rolled into one. Exposed insulation, cardboard boxes, paper-wrapped wiring, et al, are perfect for nesting and even for food. Mice are excellent climbers; they have no trouble accessing high places. They can easily scale trees and reach your house by traversing limbs hanging over your roof. (We strongly recommend trimming trees near your house to discourage animals of all sorts from getting into your attic!)
Roof rats specialize in living in the upper parts of buildings. These rodents possess extraordinary climbing abilities. LIke mice, they also use nearby trees to make their inside. Despite their size, roof rats can squeeze through gaps as small as a quarter.They often follow pipes or wires to an opening. No gap, no problem! They’re more than capable of gnawing through solid materials like wood, aluminum siding and drywall.
One of the craftiest creatures in the wild, racoons use their strength and expert climbing abilities to get into homes and attics. These animals are known to sneak through poorly screened vents or gaps in eaves, but they can rip right through roofing materials to get inside. Not only will raccoons feel right at home in your attic, but rubbish in your trash cans will likely become their primary food source!
Tree squirrels are usually content to nest in tree cavities during warm weather, but are more than willing to exchange their outdoor residence for an indoor life when winter comes. The relative warmth of an attic is very attractive when temperatures plunge. Like other rodents on this list, squirrels can use small gaps to get inside, where they relish building nests using insulation and odds and ends they find.
Lots of flying creatures also find attics attractive. Remember the gloomy night described earlier? Our next attic-lovers fit right into the scene. I’m talking about bats! These winged mammals aren’t just props in creepy movies! They live all across America… including here in Oklahoma! Big brown bats are more common than you might think, which is good, because they help keep insect populations under control. But they do need a place to live.
Despite having a 7-inch wingspan, these bats can get through openings as small as one-half inch! Gaps along rooflines, vents, etc. are just like a front door to them. Once inside, they turn your attic into their year-round cave. Since bats are protected by law, you’ve got to exercise care when removing them. Contact your local or state wildlife service to determine appropriate steps for relocating them.
Cluster flies have a habit of huddling together in wall voids and attics, hence the name. They can also become long-term residents, staying inside from autumn through spring. When trying to make their way outside they occasionally become disoriented and enter your living space instead!
Birds of various types are known for roosting in attics; pigeons are notorious examples. You really need to watch out for them. The mess they make is reason enough to keep pigeons away, but what’s worse is that once hatchlings have been born, your attic becomes a nesting space the birds will return to every year. Trust me…you don’t want that to happen!
Bees and wasps are always looking for hidden places to build nests. They’ll go anywhere large enough to clear their wings. Prevention is your best strategy anytime stinging insects are involved. They are hard to handle when angry (which happens often); some are capable of damaging structures. The cost of removal and repair can run into the thousands of dollars.
This is a pretty big list, but is certainly not comprehensive! Lots of other critters are capable of finding their way into your attic for a short, or long, stay!
Do you have an attic pest problem that needs attention? Call or text us at (405) 679-8729. At KC Pest Control we’re able to care for most of these pests. For problems we’re not authorized to handle, we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction! Your satisfaction is our number one goal!
