Get matched with top pest control specialists in Wickliffe, 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.

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.

A single bed bug bites multiple times throughout one night until full, but then takes a break for a week or so to digest. However, the more bugs present, the more likely you get bit every night. Tracking how often you get bit is a good way to approximate the size of the infestation.

Preventing rats and mice from getting into the attic can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Here are a few steps you can take to keep them looking elsewhere for a new place to call home:

• Block or cover any potential access holes

• Keep piles or stacks of firewood or other materials away from the house

• Seal food and garbage in containers to prevent rodents from chewing through or getting in