Avoiding the Pests Flood Waters Leave Behind
Several regions have been hit by heavy rains that left behind flooded homes and businesses. Now that the waters have receded, people will be dealing with the cleanup efforts.
Pests that sought refuge from the flood waters add a safety concern to the process. Scorpions, snakes – venomous and non-venomous – mice, rats and ants, sought higher ground from the encroaching waters. Now that they’ve found nice dry places that likely have access to food and water, they won’t be leaving in a hurry.
Massey Services, a 32-year professional pest prevention company, offers these tips to help you take back your home or business from these flood refugees.
- Be alert for wildlife that may have been displaced by the floodwaters. If you suspect pests have made a home for themselves in your home’s crawl space or attic call a professional pest prevention expert to inspect your home. They have the proper safety equipment should they encounter snakes, scorpions and other biting or stinging pests.
- Chemical snake repellents may not be completely effective. Engage a professional snake handler to trap and remove any snakes you may find.
- Glue traps and snap traps can work for a few small mice, but larger rodents may require professional-grade traps for removal.
- Rodents have the potential to carry at least 10 different kinds of diseases, including salmonella, rat-bite fever, bubonic plague and bacterial food poisoning, all of which can cause severe illness and even death. Once they have been removed from the home or business, eliminate entry points to keep them from returning
- Lock up any food sources in tight containers and eliminate any access to water/moisture.
- Pests don’t care where their water comes from but they do need to drink water to survive. Drain all containers that may hold standing water, clean out drain pipes and make certain faucets don’t leak.
- Fire ants are known to cluster on top of flood waters. Once waters recede, the ants tend to wander around for some time until they establish another ground colony.