Best pest control specialists near Brunswick, TN

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.

Gel bait and gel bait traps use poison to kill cockroaches, and aren’t safe to use around pets. Many gel bait traps are called “child-resistant,” but this only means that the traps are hard to rip open for children. Large pets and children are still able to swallow them. If you use gel bait, use it in areas where pets and children can’t access them, such as under a washing machine. Another option is to use glue traps, which don’t contain pesticides and are safe to use around pets. 

Allowing wolf spiders to reside in your home can have benefits, as they serve as natural exterminators, preying on insects and pests that could become problematic. Their presence can help keep your residence relatively free of nuisance insects such as flies, ants, and cockroaches, reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Wolf spiders are generally not hostile towards humans, and their bites, although painful, usually don't result in a significant medical concern. If you can coexist peacefully with these spiders and recognize their role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem within your household, they can contribute to a healthier and pest-reduced environment.

Roaches multiply quickly, which is why an infestation can spread so fast. Female American cockroaches lay about 12 eggs in each egg case, called an ootheca. They can lay six to 14 ootheca during their short lifespan. German cockroaches lay four to five ootheca in their lifetime, with each carrying 20 to 40 eggs. Many roaches can have 100 to over 200 offspring during their lifespan.