Get matched with top pest control specialists in Arlington, KY

Skunks spray as a defense mechanism to ward off predators. The active ingredient in their sulfurous, oily musk is n-butyl mercaptan, which evaporates into a powerful and smelly gas. Once the spray hits the skunk’s target, the stench can linger for days, and water and common cleaning kits aren’t enough to wash it away.

If you happen upon a skunk in your yard, try to back away slowly to reduce the chance of them aiming at you. Encouragingly, they don’t use their weapon casually, as it can take up to 10 days for their life-saving weaponry to refill. Paw stamping, hissing, lifting their tail, and arching their back are early signs they feel trapped or under threat and that it’s time to make a careful retreat.

Yes, bears can smell through walls if they are close enough. Estimates vary, but experts say bears can smell up to a maximum distance between one and 20 miles. Food inside a house does not attract bears to the degree that food left outside does, though.

The cost to hire a pest control specialist varies depending on the type of infestation. For example, the cost to exterminate spiders averages from $100 to $300. Other pest control costs include:

• Ants: $100–$500

• Bed bugs: $350–$5,000

• Cockroaches: $100–$600

• Fleas: $150–$400

• Rodents: $180–$600

• Wasps: $100–$1,300

• Mosquitos: $70–$500

• Bats: $230–$700

• Beehives: $75–$1,500

• Termites: $230–$2,500

• Snakes: $130–$600

• Armadillos: $50–$500

Notably, earwigs, centipedes, and spiders all enjoy a silverfish lunch. You can’t turn to natural predators to fix your silverfish problem: In fact, one issue with silverfish is that they can bring in unwanted earwigs into the house or cause a minor infestation of hungry spiders, so it’s important to get rid of them as soon as possible.