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Pest Control questions, answered by experts

Rats are nocturnal creatures, meaning they are most active at night, typically from late evening through the early morning. They use the cover of darkness to explore, forage for food, and find water, as they feel safer and can avoid daytime predators and human activity. Their sharp senses, including keen night vision and hearing, are well-suited for navigating in the dark. Because they prefer to stay hidden during the day in secluded areas like walls or attics, you are more likely to spot signs of their presence—such as droppings or gnaw marks—before you see an actual rat.

If you seal bees in a wall and don’t leave them any way to escape, they may make one of their own. Otherwise, they’ll die inside the wall, and that creates many additional problems. It takes a long time, and the bees will start rotting, which can make your home smell miserable. All the dead bees and any honeycombs they may have created will also attract a number of bugs or other pests to your home. That’s why we suggest removing the bees entirely, and not trying to seal them away.

Squash bugs only see one generation per year, but that doesn’t mean they won’t return. These persistent pests overwinter in garden debris, under leaves, and in nearby structures, emerging in the spring ready to start the cycle again. Without proper cleanup and preventative measures, you can expect squash bugs to come back each growing season, especially if you’ve had issues with them in the past.

Deers have an extraordinarily strong sense of smell, which means they can react strongly to certain scents. Lavender, garlic, mint, cinnamon, clove, and human hair are some of the most offensive scents for deer. You can try mixing some of these pungent oils or scents with a spray mixture and adding them to your garden.

To determine if you have a rat or mouse infestation, look for several key differences. The most obvious is the size of the rodent: rats are significantly larger with thicker bodies, while mice are much smaller and more slender. You can also identify them by their droppings; rat droppings are larger and rounder, about the size of a raisin, while mouse droppings are smaller, like a grain of rice, and often have pointed ends. Other signs include the sounds they make, as rats produce louder scratching and gnawing noises due to their size. Behaviorally, rats tend to be more cautious, whereas mice are more curious and might be seen more often. Additionally, rat nests are typically larger than those of mice. If you are unable to see the pest or find clear evidence, a professional inspection can provide a definitive identification.

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