Get matched with top pest control specialists in Dieterich, IL

Both insects can damage wood, but there are key differences between termites and carpenter ants that tell them apart. Carpenter ants tunnel through moist wood, leaving behind smooth tunnels and sawdust-like piles, as they don't eat the wood but rather carve it for nesting. In contrast, termites actually consume wood, creating irregular galleries filled with mud and dirt, and leaving behind mud tubes as their signature. In terms of appearance, carpenter ants have segmented bodies with heart-shaped heads and larger front wings, while termites have more oval bodies with straight antennae and equal-sized wings.

If the snakes in your yard are non-venomous species (like common Rat or Garter snakes), why not consider the live-and-let-live approach? Some benefits of not getting rid of snakes include:

• They’re great at controlling disease-spreading rodent populations, including rats, mice, voles, and moles.

• Some non-venomous species (like the common kingsnake) eat venomous species like rattlesnakes and copperheads.

• Species like the garter snake keep down populations of garden pests like slugs and grasshoppers.

Bleach and freezing are your best bets here. The soft exoskeleton of spiders and spider eggs is no match to household bleach. Create a mixture that’s half water and half bleach and spray it directly onto the egg sac, and the spider eggs will be killed in less than five minutes. Freezing the egg sac or drowning it in cold water is another option.

There's anecdotal evidence that apple cider vinegar does help to repel mice. But the best way to repel mice is to keep your home scrupulously clean and seal up any obvious entry points. If you already have a mouse infestation, apple cider vinegar won’t get rid of the critters. It’s usually worth the cost of professional pest control to make sure a serious mouse problem is eradicated completely.