Get matched with top pest control specialists in Oak Ridge, MO

Trees that provide a habitat to bats and an abundance of bugs—their main food source—will attract bats to your yard. Because the North American landscape has changed so much in recent years, bats have a harder time finding trees with cavities to shelter in. If your yard has a dead or dying tree with a lot of sun exposure, bats will likely be drawn to it because trees with those features are less common.

Ticks love to hide in long grass, mulch beds, leaf piles, and wooded areas, so minimizing these things in your yard can help stop them from making a home there. If you live in an area with lots of wildlife, it's also helpful to put up a fence so that deer and other animals don't bring ticks into your yard.

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.

Moles make mounds that look like tiny volcanoes, and they are sometimes obscure. They're stealthy creatures that feast on insects. Gophers, on the other hand, create half-moon mounds while digging deeper tunnels. These critters chew on roots and plants, so it is often easier to spot the damage created. Also, moles are usually smaller, with velvety fur, tiny eyes, and shovel-like hands for digging. Gophers are larger rodents with prominent front teeth and external cheek pouches for carrying food. That'll give you the scoop on whether moles or gophers hang out in your yard.