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Although raccoons aren’t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:

• Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting. 

• Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close. 

• Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon’s den to keep them from nesting.

• Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.

• Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.

If you’ve had a prior bat infestation or simply want to avoid having bats invade your home in the first place, there are a few steps you can take without the need for a pro. 

• Seal entry points, such as where your chimney meets your house, or other gaps or holes exist.

• Use bat deterrents like bright lights or ultrasonic devices to force them away from your home. 

• Reduce bat attractions like standing water and bird nectar feeders inviting bats into your yard.

There are several things to consider before you hire a professional exterminator:

• Do they have the proper licensing?

• Are they experienced?

• Do they use eco-friendly products?

• Are their products pet safe?

These are questions to ask yourself when you’re on the hunt for an ant exterminator, but you can also ask the exterminator or pest control company directly.

Ticks are most commonly found behind (or even inside) ears, behind knees, in belly buttons, in the hair, and in your underarms. If you find a tick on your body or on your pet, use a pair of clean tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible. If you simply yank or twist it, you can leave the tick’s mouth parts lodged in your skin and will need to remove those carefully with the tweezers. 

Once you have removed the tick, flush it down the toilet and wash your skin with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Know the signs of lyme disease such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a rash.