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Benton Harbor and the Indiana border is home to many common urban-dwelling animals. Squirrels, bats, moles, opossums, raccoons, skunks and deer rank as some of the most common mammals in the state. They're also the animals that most frequently invade homes, yards, or your personal space. They can damage your home, spread ectoparasites and potentially spread diseases.
At Critter Control, we remove nuisance animals and give you back security and peace. Below are some examples of how we remove the most common nuisance wildlife in Benton Harbor and along the Indiana border, using our inspection, removal, and repair process.
These maurading masked bandits are notorious for raiding trash cans and eating anything left outside in Benton Harbor. They'll make a quick meal fom things like picnic scraps, pet food, garden crops and chickens. Their front paws resemble human hands, which allows them to turn doorknobs, open storage bins, climb trees, chimneys and poles.
Raccoons would be cute if they weren’t so destructive. They will do whatever they can to get into parts of your home that they see fit to sleep and give birth in. If they must rip, tear, or break something to get to that spot, they will. Raccoons make a variety of noises, like whimpers, growls and screams. They leave feces and urine nearby their shelter.
Before trying to remove a raccoon from your home by yourself, remember they can carry diseases, and if threatened, they may bite. Calling nuisance wildlife animal control experts is recommended. Critter Control's three-step process works well for raccoon removal.
Inspection
During the inspection, we determine the severity of the raccoon infestation. We look for physical evidence like footprints in or around the home, stains from raccoon feces and urine. On the exterior of the house, we look for damage like scratches on boards, broken vents and screens, ripped apart shingles, destroyed soffits, and every possible entry point.
Raccoon Trapping
Live trapping is one of the most efficient ways to get rid of a raccoon. Depending on the situation, a one-way door or excluder valve can be installed. An excluder valve works by allowing the raccoon to leave but blocks its reentry. The choice of device is largely dependent on the season and location of the raccoons on your property. Direct capture is not commonly used because raccoons are a rabies vector species. If we must trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the raccoons and we check traps frequently, based on state laws.
Repairs
We provide a wide range of repair and restoration services. We can repair raccoon damage like broken screens on vents and chimneys and broken boards on decks and porches. It is essential to apply cleaning agents and ectoparasite treatments on areas inhabited by raccoons.
Rat and Mice Pest Control
Like most areas in the United States, Benton Harbor has its share of rodent issues. Cities like Bridgman, New Buffalo and Niles offer plenty of habitats favorable to rats and mice. Please do not try to handle rodents, nor attempt to clean up after them yourself, as rodents in the area are known for spreading illnesses. Instead, call Critter Control of Benton Harbor as soon as you notice any signs of a rodent infestation. We'll send one of our trained technicians to establish the best eradication program for you.
Inspection
During a rodent inspection, we thoroughly inspect your attic and provide a complete exterior home inspection. The most common signs of rodent activity are gnaw marks, feces, rub marks, nesting material, runs in insulation material, and small entry points.
Rodent Trapping
A Critter Control wildlife specialist will create a strategic trapping plan to remove the rodents found in your home. Critter Control specialists may use snap traps and live traps to capture and remove mice and rats. Rodent trapping can usually takes between five to fourteen days.
Repairs
The best way to reduce the possibility of letting unwanted rodents into homes is to seal possible entrances. Exclusion methods include caulking cracks in foundations, capping chimneys, and installing mesh covers over vents and crawl space entrances. We also strongly recommend a maintenance service. Rodents have front teeth that continuously grow, which means they can gnaw a new way back into your home.
When squirrels in Benton Harbor and SW Michigan get too close to home, they can become a nuisance. They often chew threw fascia boards, soffits and builder's gaps on homes and enter attics to give birth to their young. They also have a nasty habit of chewing wires and cables in attics. If you are experiencing a squirrel problem on your property, it’s best to leave removal to a trained specialist who will humanely trap and remove squirrels.
Inspection
Wildlife specialists look for signs such as chewing on, in, or around your home, small openings leading to the attic or the crawl space, droppings, and debris like nuts or nesting material. Beams, wires, pipes, and insulation may all show signs of damage from squirrels.
Squirrel Trapping
Live trapping or one-way doors are the most effective and humane ways to get rid of squirrels. One-way doors should never be used during birthing seasons (Spring & Fall), so our specialists will decide which is the best tool for the job. If we have to trap, we place traps strategically to safely catch the squirrels and check those according to state laws.
Repairs
We can restore your home or office by squirrel proofing all entry points after we have removed the offenders. We can also clean-up the nesting sites and remove any debris, food, feces and soiled insulation.
There are
9 bat species found in Michigan. Bats are insectivores and can consume more than one-half their body weight in insects each night. In Michigan, bats raise pups from June through late July and should not be excluded from roosts during this time. Some property owners may attempt to
remove a bat themselves; however, this is not advisable, as bats are known carriers of rabies. Rather than trying to remove them yourself, please allow a Critter Control specialist to humanely remove all bats for you.
Inspection
We perform a full interior and exterior inspection and search for signs such as rub marks, guano, a strong scent of ammonia, and small openings. The most common sign is the accumulation of guano (feces).
Bat Removal
The most effective and humane way to remove bats is by utilizing a bat valve in conjunction with a full home exclusion. A bat valve allows for bats to exit your home but not re-enter. We follow all local ordinances for humane bat removal. We will never abandon flightless pups in your attic.
Repairs
After removing the bat valves, we seal the entrance hole(s) so bats can no longer enter your home. If there is substantial guano in your attic, you should consider taking advantage of our attic remediation services to remove the soiled insulation and replace it.
Skunks are a common pest in Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and the surrounding areas. These animals are known for foraging for food in trash bins and pet food bowls. They're also profound and efficient diggers, and can mutilate an entire yard in a single night
searching for grubs. Their distinctive black and white fur, and their pungent odor that can linger for days, are unmistakeable. If you happen to cross paths with a skunk, do not try to scare it away. Please also remember that skunks
can carry rabies; therefore, it’s best to let a professional handle removal for you.
Inspection
In addition to noting any pungent odors that signal the presence of a skunk, we will inspect the condition of your landscaping, as skunks are known for tearing-up lawns and shredding grass while hunting for grubs and insects. We will also inspect the perimeter of your building's foundations and under decks, to locate burrows.
Trapping and Removal
Never try to remove a skunk from your property yourself. Getting sprayed is a very unpleasant experience. Furthermore, these animals may carry diseases that can spread to humans and pets, such as rabies. Our specialists will use live traps to capture and remove skunks for you, or they'll use a one-way exclusion device to evict skunks from their harborage areas. The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification.
Skunk Control
The most effective ways to control a skunk problem is exclusion and habitat modification. Methods like sealing foundation gaps, replacing and screening broken foundation vents and installing hardware cloth (rat walls) around unprotected sheds and decks are the most effective and permanent ways to keep skunks out.
We recommend keeping pet food inside and securing any trash bins.
Other Common Wildlife Issues
Critter Control Wildlife Removal Process
Critter Control is here for you every step of the way in the wildlife removal process. From inspection to removal—and even exclusion and repair—we have the services you need to get rid of raccoons, rodents, and other nuisances fast. First, we identify the animal on the property, then use humane methods to remove the animal and secure weak points where more could enter. If damage has been done, we can make those repairs for a complete restoration. Contact a Critter Control office near you today.
Wildlife Inspection
During the inspection we try to ascertain how many animals there are, where they are located, and how they got in.
Based on what you have seen, heard and smelled, we start the inspection where you have noticed signs of animal activity. Evidence of animals inside your home include nests, dens, feces, and animal tracks. We investigate the exterior of your home looking for possible entry points, any evidence of animal damage, tracks, fur, animal waste, or rub marks.
Removal
We use several methods to humanely remove the animal from your home. Depending on the species, the number of animals, and the condition of your property, we develop a custom wildlife removal plan. Humane wildlife removal strategies include animal traps, one-way doors, and repellents.
Once we guarantee all animals are gone, we implement exclusion techniques. Exclusion techniques provide a safe, long-term solution to nuisance wildlife in your home. We create barriers to prevent animals from getting to resources. We only apply exclusions once we are sure all animals are gone from your home.
Exclusion and Repair
Wildlife will damage your home. Exclusion techniques repair any damage the animal causes getting into your home. Inside your home, animals build nests and dens out of readily available material. They will create runs through the insulation. Rodents will gnaw on anything including electrical wires and pipes.
Animals can also spread diseases. We apply sanitation agents to clean up feces and urine. Mammals can host pests like fleas, ticks, and mites. Ectoparasite treatments exterminate those pests so you don’t become their next host.
The Critter Control Difference
Trained Specialists
Animal removal is a highly sophisticated job. As such, we vet and train our team members to ensure they have the knowledge and skill to remove any pest from your building. Our wildlife experts utilize advanced removal and exclusion techniques and damage repair.
Guaranteed Work
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. Critter Control® takes great pride in providing quality workmanship resulting in customer satisfaction.
Critter Control Guarantee
Your satisfaction is always guaranteed. We provide reliable prevention from future intrusions. Resolving a nuisance wildlife issue calls for more than trapping and removing the critter. Our exclusion services offer immediate and long-term wildlife solutions.
Residential and Commerical
Invading nuisance wildlife can wreak havoc on property. If left unattended wildlife and pests can cause costly property damage. Whether a residential property, apartment buildings, retail stores, office buildings, industrial plants, medical facilities, or warehouses, our trained professionals can handle any wildlife removal problem.
Q & A with Benton Harbor Franchisee Shane Dietrich
What are some of the most common wildlife issues that homeowners face in your area?
The most common wildlife issues in our area are bats, squirrels, raccoons and mice gaining access into customers attics, walls, and crawlspaces. Also skunks, opossums and woodchucks living under decks and sheds and damaging landscaping.
How do the seasons affect wildlife activity in Benton Harbor?
There are times that we see peak activity. In late fall, we see an uptick in wildlife entering homes to find a place to over-winter. In spring, wildlife are invading homes to give birth to their young, causing homeowners to hear more activity.
What are some common signs of nuisance wildlife activity?
The most common sign of wildlife activity is noise being heard by a homeowner. Additional signs of wildlife can be droppings or nesting material in or on the home and/or holes the animals have created to enter the home..
Any prevention or exclusion tips for residents in your area?
The best advice is to call Critter Control for a whole home inspection to determine the needs of the home to prevent and or exclude wildlife.
When should homeowners call you?
The best time to take action and call Critter Control is the first time you notice or think you may have a wildlife problem. Delaying will likely result in the animal creating more damage to the home. Homeowners can also call for an inspection to seal the home before wildlife becomes a problem. Being proactive versus reactive to wildlife issues will save homeowners money and headaches in the future.
This franchise is independently licensed and operated by KSD, LLC, dba Critter Control of Benton Harbor, MI.