Category: Blog

In general, birds are loyal creatures that are dedicated to their mates as well as their homes. Once they’ve established a nest, they are unlikely to leave unless permanently removed. Pigeons, in particular, love to flock together, and once they’ve chosen their hangout, they aren’t leaving. Unfortunately, pigeons can be a disturbing and annoying nuisance to property owners and their guests when they decide to nest, fly around, and leave dropping around a residential or commercial building.

However, anyone affected by nuisance pigeons should think twice about trying to remove or keep pigeons away on their own because the birds are complex, quick creatures that are also protected under certain laws.

Federal Laws That Protect Nuisance Birds

Pigeons can be quite annoying when they are making excessive noise, destroying gardens, contaminating property, and nesting in inconvenient areas. Excessive pigeon roosting on roofs can create a large mess and cause damage to AC units, vents, and chimneys.

However, even if the nest is creating damage to your property, you should not attempt to move it. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, enforced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, ensures that active bird nests are not disturbed by humans. If not properly handled, you can be punished with a fine of $15,000 and a maximum of six months in jail for endangering a protected bird species. Therefore, it is best to call wildlife removal professionals to keep pigeons away and take care of any unwanted bird nests on your property.

Keep Pigeons Away With Our Professional Bird Removal Services

If your property in the Orlando area has been invaded by nuisance pigeons, then rely on the professional bird removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. We are dedicated to practicing safe, legal, and effective methods to keep pigeons off of your property. Licensed and trained to work in accordance with bird safety laws, our experts use humane exclusion techniques to trap and relocate nuisance birds to a safe location. We also clean and repair any damage the birds left behind.

Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our humane and efficient bird removal services, call us today at 407-295-7194.

Raccoons—masked, cute, and usually depicted as mischievous critters—are actually much more harmful than is let on in cartoons and movies. While most raccoon activity is more annoying than dangerous (like rummaging through your trash), others can be very harmful as raccoons are frequent carriers of infectious diseases. One such disease is the rabies virus.

Technically, any mammal can contract, carry, and transmit rabies—even humans, but raccoons do so much more easily than most animals. If not treated quickly enough or left untreated, rabies can result in death. Therefore, it’s important that you understand the signs of a rabid raccoon if you should ever encounter one on your property.

3 Signs a Raccoon Has Rabies

If there is a rabid raccoon on your property, be sure to keep a safe distance so that you do not have an accident. If possible, observe the raccoon’s behavior as you call for safe, professional raccoon removal. When checking for rabies, keep a lookout for:

1. Foam at the mouth – Foaming is a classic trait of rabies, but it’s also very accurate. Luckily, this is an obvious sign of the disease, so there should be no mistaking a rabid raccoon that is foaming.
2. Strange walking patterns – Rabies will eventually paralyze a raccoon’s hind legs, so you will want to look for stunted walking or signs that the raccoon has difficulty moving around.
3. Weird noises – Raccoons typically make short, squeaky noises, but a rabid raccoon will make erratic noises or whimper and cry continually.

The Dangers of a Raccoon With Rabies

If you have unwanted raccoons in your home or on your Central Florida property and notice signs of rabies, it is imperative that you do not approach or attempt to get rid of the pests on your own. Rabid raccoons may attack, bite, or scratch you and the possibility of contracting rabies is too great to risk, as it can be fatal to you, your family, and your pets.

For expert, thorough, and humane raccoon removal, call the professional team at Critter Control® of Orlando. We can help you permanently get rid of raccoons, and safeguard your home to ensure future raccoon invasions and infestations don’t happen.

Get Rid of Raccoons With Critter Control® of Orlando

At Critter Control® of Orlando, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to getting rid of unwanted critters inside and outside of your home or workplace.

If you encounter a rabid raccoon, keep your distance and call Critter Control® of Orlando immediately at 407-295-7194 to schedule an appointment and receive a free quote for our raccoon removal services.

Imagine returning home after a long day, prepared to enjoy the comfort of your air-conditioned interior only to have your airways flooded by a strong, foul stench; an odor so toxic, you jet out of the house as quickly as you can. That is what a dead mouse smell can do to your home, especially during excessively hot conditions—which happen to occur most of the year in Central Florida.

What’s worse, the body of a rodent, living or dead, carries numerous parasites, germs, and diseases that can result in the spread of any number of festering allergens or airborne infectious contaminants.

Here is how to rid your home of a dead mouse smell and ensure there are no lingering mice left behind.

Gear Up Prior to Dead Mouse Removal

Mice can get into extremely tight and narrow spaces such as underneath cabinets, deep in attic crawl spaces, and in between walls. Before attempting to remove a dead mouse, you will need proper safety gear to avoid exposure to infectious diseases. Appropriate gear for dead mouse removal includes:

• Facemask or covering
• Rubber gloves
• Expendable clothing
• Sealable plastic bags
• Bleach solution
• Flashlight

9 Steps to Get Rid of Dead Mouse Smells From Your Home

There are a few steps you can follow to remove the dead mouse smell from your home. The best way to eradicate the smell of a dead mouse is to locate where the rodent’s corpse is and dispose of it. Then identify where it was nesting by following its paw prints or trail of droppings. Removal steps include:

1. Mix up a solution of 10% bleach and 90% water in a spray bottle.
2. Once located, place the dead mouse inside a sealed plastic bag.
3. Spray the solution over the contaminated area.
4. Wipe the area with paper towels or a rag. This should remove any decomposition or
5. Dispose of the towels appropriately, preferably placing them in another tightly sealed bag.
6. Dispose of the bags, gloves, and work clothes.
7. Wash your hands for at least five minutes or shower following disposal.
8. Set up fragrant deodorizers throughout your home.
9. If the smell remains or if rodents or other pests persist, call wildlife removal professionals.

Your Central Florida Solution to Get Rid of Dead Mouse Smells

A dead mouse smell will permeate throughout your house, and, if not quickly rectified, can saturate your property permanently. Furthermore, it can be hard to locate and access the corpse of a rodent if it is behind your walls or in vents. Therefore, the most efficient and fast way to get rid of a dead mouse smell in your home is to seek the help of licensed and trained mouse removal professionals.

At Critter Control® of Orlando, we pride ourselves in using eco-friendly and humane methods of removal when it comes to unwanted critters inside and outside of your home or workplace. Once eliminated, we will also clean, repair, and decontaminate any damage left behind by the infestation.

If you encounter mice on your property, alive or dead, call Critter Control® of Orlando immediately at 407-295-7194 so our experts can get to work solving your mouse problem effectively and permanently.

Whether outside or inside, insects are a common occurrence in Florida due to the great deal of moisture that the state’s climate retains. One of the most infamous insects that commercial business owners must deal with in the Central Florida area is the dreaded mosquito. Luckily, Orlando is home to a pest control company that has revolutionized commercial mosquito control: Critter Control® of Orlando.

Why Commercial Mosquito Control Is Important for Your Central Florida Business

Mosquitos aren’t just a nuisance; they are also vessels for serious diseases. Florida hosts many mosquito subspecies, both domestic and invasive. Out of the many subspecies, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are the largest threats because they often carry the Zika virus. In general, mosquitoes can carry many other diseases, including:

• Malaria
• Dengue
• West Nile Virus

As a commercial business owner, mosquito bites or disease is not something you want to subject your customers or personnel to. Therefore, it’s vital that you select a competent and reliable commercial mosquito control contractor to eliminate the pests.

A reputable commercial mosquito control contractor will provide your business with effective, non-toxic, and non-invasive mosquito control services that will eliminate pests in a way that is undetectable to your clients and staff.

Effective Mosquito Control Methods

Critter Control® of Orlando has revolutionized mosquito control for commercial business properties with the In2Care full-service mosquito control trap. The In2Care full-service mosquito control method and trap provides effective and sustainable pest control by using the mosquitos themselves to spread the larvicide.

The process works by luring mosquitoes to the trap floater and contaminating them with bio-actives that they then disperse to surrounding sites and nests. There, the infected mosquito contaminates the pupae and kills the host before further mosquitoes can breed and diseases can be spread.

Our In2Care traps:

• Control day-time biting Aedesmosquitoes without fogging
• Reduce the risk of transmitted disease
• Utilize green innovation and a reduced amount of chemicals
• Give 24-hour daily protection

Expert Commercial Mosquito Control in Orlando

When it comes to commercial mosquito control in the Central Florida area, Critter Control® of Orlando is your premier choice. Licensed and certified in professional pest control and wildlife management services, our experienced mosquito control technicians are equipped to remove nuisance pests and unwanted wildlife quickly and safely from your commercial property and keep them from returning.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our commercial mosquito control services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

Ants are regarded as one of the most disciplined creatures on the planet. Although they live short lives, ants have an admirable work ethic and will do everything in their power to search out food to bring back to their colony. If you discover ants marching around your home, then getting rid of them should be a priority because ants are also regarded as one of the most difficult species to control once they have invaded a residential or commercial property.

To effectively rid your home of an ant invasion, you must first know what kind of ant species you are dealing with.

7 Common Types of Ants in Central Florida

Ants thrive in damp atmospheres, so they are a predominant pest in the Central Florida area due to its heavy downpours and regularly moist climate. In fact, there are over 700 ant species in the U.S, with seven of them common to the Orlando area, including:

1. Acrobat ants
2. Argentine ants
3. Carpenter ants
4. Fire ants
5. Pharaoh ants
6. Odorous ants
7. Pavement ants

Once you have identified what kind of ants have invaded your home, then you can proceed with these 5 tips for getting rid of them.

5 Ways to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home

1. Keep a clean space – Ants are foragers and are drawn to any crumbs, leftovers, or sugary food remnants. Keeping a clean space will give them one less reason to stick around.
2. Caulk exterior cracks – Try caulking any exterior access points or cracks that can allow moisture or ants to creep through.
3. Seal other openings around your house – Ants can also access your home through window sills and floorboards. Sealing these openings will ensure they do not enter your home.
4. Locate the colony – If you want to get to the root of a problem, you must find the source. Locating and fumigating the ant colony should prevent the continued line of ants going into your home. However, depending on the species of ants, DIY methods may not resolve the problem entirely.
5. Call the professionals – Ants are hard to kill and will infest a home rapidly. Your best option to get rid of them is to call the experienced ant removal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando. We will properly identify what kind of ant colony is infesting your property and take the necessary steps to ensure it is eliminated.

Safe, Effective, and Reliable Ant Control Services

From the sugar to the shower, ants can end up anywhere and everywhere throughout your home. If you have an ant problem, seek professional help to make sure your problem is permanently resolved. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our safe and non-toxic ant removal services, call Critter Control® of Orlando today at 407-295-7194.

 Wasps are a threatening nuisance to have in or around your Central Florida home or business. Not only can wasps damage the interior and exterior of your property, but they can also be a very dangerous threat to your health and well-being if left to nest and breed. While there are several DIY methods to deter wasps from your Orlando property, it is best to rely on licensed professionals who know how to safely and effectively resolve a growing wasp problem.

7 DIY Wasp Deterrent Tips

Here are a few ways to deter wasps from your property:

1. Hide Sweet Foods – Keeping sweet foods such as jello, juice, and soda cans covered can aid in deterring wasps from your property as the pests are attracted to sweet-tasting foods and liquids.
2. Remove Protein Sources – Wasps are attracted to sources of protein such as burgers and other meat. Keeping your grill clean and free of food remnants can reduce your chances of a wasp invasion.
3. Maintain a Clean Yard – Ensure that the garbage cans in your yard are secured and fruit trees are well kept. This will minimize your possibility of attracting wasps.
4. Scare Them Away – Due to their territorial nature, wasps will avoid impeding on another nest. So you can scare them away from your property through the use of a decoy wasps nest, either bought or homemade with various materials.
5. Trick and Trap Them – Wasp traps can be effective with proper materials and fresh bait.
6. Spray WD-40 – The smell of spray lubricant WD-40 is known to ward off wasps when sprayed outside under structures where wasps may have made their home.
7. Contact Wasp Removal Experts – If precautionary deterrence measures fail and you are facing a wasp invasion, turn to professionals to tackle your wasp problem safely and effectively

 The Dangers of a Wasp Infestation

Wasps are dangerous stinging pests. In fact, wasps can attack in defense of their nest and use their stinger several times if they feel threatened. If a wasp sting triggers an allergic reaction, the symptoms may include:

• Wheezing
• Swelling
• Rash or hives
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness

Upon finding a wasp nest on your property, keep a safe distance and contact the experienced pest control professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando to properly eliminate the pests.

Professional Wasp Removal in Orlando

Hiring Critter Control® of Orlando is your best course of action for dangerous wasp deterrence and removal. Our team of licensed and trained technicians deal with nuisance wasps through the use of low-risk, low-impact, and eco-friendly pest control services that are free of harsh and toxic chemicals—an efficient and permanent process that is safe for you, your family, and your pets.

 Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on Critter Control® of Orlando for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your Central Florida home or business and receive a free estimate for our wasp removal services, call 407-295-7194 today.

Despite being portrayed in children’s cartoons as cute, furry sidekicks that help bake and tidy up around the house, squirrels are actually destructive rodents that can cause extensive damage to the structure of your home and possibly even transmit diseases to you and your pets. If you discover a concerning presence of squirrels in or around your home, it’s important to take care of the problem immediately by implementing these four squirrel prevention steps before they grow into an uncontrollable infestation.

4 Ways How to Deter Squirrels Away From Your Property

There are several ways to prevent squirrels from invading your property including:

1. Sealing Exterior Entry Points

   Inspect the outside of your home for any cracks, gaps, or rotten wood that squirrels can potentially chew through to get inside. Also search for any gaps in your attic where you can see light coming through, signifying. If any entry points are discovered in your search, seal them up.

2. Installing a Fence

   A tall fence around your property or a mesh barrier around your garden will prevent squirrels from being attracted to your yard.

3. Reducing Available Food Sources

   Remove bird feeders, birdbaths, pet bowls, or birdhouses to reduce heavy squirrel activity on your property. These items provide easily accessible sources of food and water to hungry squirrels and will keep them coming back time and again for more.

4. Clearing Excess Yard Debris and Vegetation

   Remove piles of debris on your property that can house squirrels. Also if you have trees within six to eight feet of your house, trim any overhanging limbs and branches to ensure squirrels don’t have a jumping-off point to access your roof.

3 Dangers of a Squirrel Infestation

Encountering squirrels in an outdoor setting is a generally pleasant and charming experience. However, when squirrels get inside your home, they can be a big problem. A few ways squirrels can harm you and your property include:

1. Structural damage

   Since squirrels are the largest common invasive rodent, they can cause extensive damage to your home. They frequently target any open attic spaces and can even end up in your walls. By shredding attic insulation and gnawing on beams, wires and cables, they can create fire hazards and damage to the structure of your home, which may lead to costly repairs.

2. Disturbing noises

   Squirrels make squeaky vocal sounds like their rodent cousins, mice and rats. They can also create a large amount of noise from their bodily movements. Scratching and scurrying noises from inside your walls and across your attic floorboards can be heard throughout the day, but you’re more likely to hear them during the evening and overnight.

3. Contact with disease

   Squirrels can carry infectious diseases, like rabies, and spread them through their waste or any parasites they host. That’s why it is essential to keep your distance from squirrels and hire wildlife professionals to remove them safely, quickly, and permanently.

Contact Your Local Squirrel Removal Professionals

At Critter Control® of Orlando, our expert pest removal technicians are fully equipped to remove all squirrels efficiently and humanely from your home. After the pests are removed, we take additional measures to ensure you and your home are secure and the problem never returns. To schedule a home inspection and receive a free estimate for our squirrel removal services, call us today at 407-295-7194.

Because of their intimidating and scaly appearance and ability to strike, bite, and inject venom, snakes have been one of the most feared creatures since the dawn of time. Despite their reputation, however, not all snakes are harmful to humans. In fact, most snakes try their best to avoid people. Whether a snake is dangerous or harmless to you all depends on which species you encounter.

If you come across a water moccasin on your property, there are a few things you should know.

8 Facts About Water Moccasins

1. Water moccasins, also know as cottonmouths are venomous snakes often found in the southeastern part of the United States.
2. Water moccasins acquired the name “cottonmouth” due to the white coloration on the inside of their mouths, which they expose when they feel threatened.
3. Moccasins are semiaquatic (hence the name water moccasin), meaning they are skilled at swimming and slithering on land.
4. Typically banded brown or yellow, water moccasins range from 2 to 4 feet long and have muscular bodies covered in ridged scales.
5. Water moccasins have blocky heads with vertical pupils, large jowls, and heat-sensitive facial pits between their eyes and nostrils that allow them to detect the slightest change in temperature and pinpoint their prey before striking.
6. Although water moccasins are adept at hunting warm-blooded prey, they prefer to avoid humans altogether. When threatened, water moccasins can secrete a foul-smelling musk to deter predators.
7. If cornered, water moccasins will coil their bodies and open their mouths wide to reveal the white coloration inside. This is intended as a warning to startle any threats.
8. If all else fails, then a water moccasin will not hesitate to strike and bite an approaching threat.

9 Symptoms of a Water Moccasin Bite

If you are bitten by a water moccasin, then you should seek immediate medical attention. When a water moccasin bites, its venom can prevent your blood from clotting. Here are some symptoms you may experience if bitten by a water moccasin:

1. Intense pain
2. Blood loss
3. Weakness and fatigue
4. Difficulty breathing
5. Swelling
6. Nausea
7. Reduced blood pressure
8. Skin discoloration
9. Extreme thirst

Because of their ability to bite and inject toxic venom, water moccasins are indeed dangerous creatures that should not be approached or handled without proper equipment and experience.

Professional Snake Removal Services

If a dangerous water moccasin is present in or around your Orlando home or business, then keep a safe distance from the animal and rely on the professional snake removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services.

To schedule an inspection for your Central Florida home or business, call 407-295-7194 today.

Moles and gophers are similar rodents in terms of how they look and behave. However, once you know their differences, it is easier to distinguish what sets them apart from one another. While each critter appears adorable and seemingly harmless, they pose a great threat to the well-being and appearance of your yard. If there are burrowing animals tearing up your Central Florida property, here are some ways to tell the difference between a mole and a gopher so you know what services to enlist to remove the nuisance critters.

The Difference Between Moles and Gophers

While both rodents are furry, similar in appearance, and produce large piles of dirt on your grass, there are ways to tell the two apart. The ways in which moles and gophers differ include:

• Size –At six to eight inches long, moles are the smaller rodent. Gophers, on the other hand, range from five to 14 inches long.
• Appearance –Moles have a pointed and hairless nose with small eyes, big paws, and webbed toes on their front legs. Gophers, however, have prominent incisors and close their lips behind their teeth.
• What They Eat –The diet of a gopher includes plants and vegetables while moles eat insects. This is a key way to differentiate which rodent is caused damage to your yard.
• How They Dig –Moles dig into the ground creating a circular, cone-shaped hole with no regard for whether or not it closes behind them. Gopher hills are typically crescent-shaped with an intentionally closed hole.
• Tunnel Systems –The tunnel system for moles usually runs 16 to 18 inches deep while gopher tunnel systems are more shallow and 2 inches in diameter.

The Damages Caused of Moles and Gophers

Both rodents can cause significant and costly damage to residential and commercial properties. Not only can the pests destroy the well-being of your exterior foliage, grass, and soil, but by digging holes and tunnels in your front and backyard, moles and gophers can wreck plumbing, sever cables, and destroy the foundational integrity of your home, business, and surrounding vicinity. The damage that can be done may be irreversible without the help of experienced professionals who understand how to navigate and flush the pests’ hole and tunnel systems. It’s important to call a professional to safely remove moles or gophers to mitigate damage.

Expert Mole and Gopher Removal Services in Orlando

Seeking help from the professionals at Critter Control® of Orlando to solve your mole or gopher problem can save your property from serious damage. The CritterSafe® methods we use to remove the rodents safely and effectively include:

1. Inspection –Our experts thoroughly examine your property for areas affected by the pest.
2. Removal – We utilize eco-friendly and humane trapping methods to remove the critter.
3. Repair – The areas that were damaged by the mole or gopher will be repaired and restored.
4. Prevention –We secure any potential openings in your yard to prevent future infestations.

The experienced pest removal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando will quickly and safely remove nuisance wildlife from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate, call Critter Control® of Orlando at 407-295-7194 today.

Moles are some of the animal kingdom’s most skilled diggers and are highly adept at building underground tunnels and shelters. Unfortunately, this makes them one of the most difficult to control. Moles can dig deep into your soil, and because digging is what they do best, they leave molehills, dead patches of grass, and ridges all over your lawn. To keep your yard from being destroyed, here are some ways to get rid of moles.

5 Ways to Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard

The most effective ways to remove moles from your property include:

1. Fencing

   More of a preventative measure, installing a deep fence around your property can keep moles from burrowing under and damaging your yard. Be sure to build a trench at least 2–3 feet deep and line it up with mesh to keep them out.

2. Keeping a clean yard

   Clearing your yard of all dead leaves and other organic debris creates a less conducive environment for moles. This also allows for easier identification of a mole invasion.

3. Eliminating food sources

   Moles love grubs and other insects. If you treat to get rid of such underground bugs, the moles will likely relocate for better food sources.

4. Using a Repellent

   Utilizing a castor oil-based mole repellent can help to deter mole infestations.

5. Trapping

   This is one of the most effective methods to get rid of moles. However, moles are known carriers of diseases like rabies, so, to keep yourself safe, it’s best to rely on mole removal professionals to trap and get rid of the moles in your yard.

Rely on Professional Mole Removal Services

Removing moles can be tricky and dangerous. Thankfully, the team of experienced animal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando are equipped to handle such critters and restore your peace of mind. Our team has developed a proven CritterSafe® method to quickly and humanely remove moles from your home or business. Our four-step process includes:

1. Inspection – Your property will be examined by our technicians to determine how the critters got in.
2. Removal – Our technicians will isolate the wildlife and ensure they are removed humanely and safely.
3. Exclusion – Preventive measures are implemented to stop future infestations.
4. Restoration – All damages caused by the pests will be fixed and returned to pre-infestation condition.

Call Orlando’s Mole Removal Experts at Critter Control®

If your property in the Orlando area has been invaded by moles, then rely on the professional mole removal experts at Critter Control® of Orlando. Whether you have an existing pest problem or want to prevent one from ever starting, you can count on us for safe and effective services. To schedule an inspection for your Central Florida home or business, visit our website or call 407-295-7194 today.