Homeowners have a common misconception about mice: They infest people’s homes during the winter and then disappear during the hot season. This is not entirely true. 

Mice in the summer have the natural tendency to forage for seeds and other food out in the fields and yards. But if they find a viable food source in or near your house, they will build a nest inside your home and stick around. 

When the cold season comes, they leave their summer burrows and flock to warmer places to survive. With adequate heating, food and water, our homes become a prime target. 

The attic is a favorite place for mice to seek refuge in. But as soon as the weather starts to get warmer, attics can become hot and humid, so they transfer to cooler areas in the house like cabinets and the basement. 

Summer is the Perfect Time to Mice-Proof Your Home

Because mice tend to be outside during the summer, it’s the perfect time to begin implementing preventative measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends four basic strategies to control rodents, including mice. 

Eliminate food sources. Mice have voracious appetites, eating around 15 to 20 times per day. They’ll typically consume 3 grams of food daily and can subsist on crumbs. So it’s important to maintain a clean home and practice solid waste management, i.e., proper storage, collection and disposal, to keep these pests at bay.

Remove breeding and nesting places. Being territorial creatures, mice will typically search for food no more than 10 to 50 feet from their nest. So if their food source is in or near your house, this means removing rubbish, including firewood and excess lumber, near your home. You should store these and similar materials 18 inches off the ground because mice can jump as high as 12 inches. 

It also helps to leave some space, maybe a couple of feet, between your house and any vegetation, where mice can hide. Remember: A clean yard keeps the mice away.

Mice-proof your home. Mice have small slender bodies that can squeeze through openings slightly more than ¼ inch (6 mm) in diameter. So, it’s important to cover any cracks, holes and openings in doors, windows, gratings and walls. Do an annual perimeter check in late summer or early fall just to make sure you didn’t miss a gap.

Use a mouse trap. You can use either live traps or kill traps, but ensure to place them near runways and burrows and along walls. For maximum effectiveness, monitor the traps and remove any mice it might catch. Otherwise, the rodents may avoid the traps altogether.

Prepare Your Home for the Winter Mice Invasion

These annoying pests can be persistent in invading your home, so consider getting the help of pest control experts. If you have mice in the summer, call the pest control professionals at On The Fly Pest Solutions. Their fully licensed and trained team will take care of the problem in a safe and sustainable manner.

Raccoons are notorious wildlife pests. They break into your yard or house and wreak havoc on your property. Typically coming out at night, they sometimes venture out of their dens in the daytime searching for food. 

You’ve probably tried different ways to keep them off your premises but to no avail. They’re smart creatures after all, with a series of studies in the mid- to late 20th century showing raccoons can solve problems and remember the solutions up to 3 years later.

So how do you outwit these intelligent creatures? The first step is getting to know them. 

Raccoon Habitat and Diet

Raccoons are native to North America, and in the U.S. can be found almost everywhere, except in parts of the Rocky Mountains and southwestern states. They are adaptable and live in a wide range of habitats—from mountains  and forests to farms and cities. However, since the first urban sighting in Cincinnati in the 1920s, they have become more prevalent in suburban areas than rural areas due to the abundance of food and shelter, lack of predators and restrictions in hunting and trapping.

A raccoon’s diet is also adaptable. Being opportunistic feeders, they’ll munch on anything from nuts and fruits to insects, reptiles, fish, birds and eggs—even worms, bird seed, pet food and garbage. 

You’ll likely catch raccoons “washing” their food, but they’re actually feeling it with their very sensitive fingers, removing unwanted parts in the process. (Raccoons have poor eyesight but have well-developed sensory nerves at the bottom of their feet.)

Raccoon Damages and Diseases

A threat to a homeowner’s peace and wellbeing, raccoons leave telltale signs, so depending on where you live, look out for these common indicators that a raccoon has been in your premises.

• Damage to shingles, walls, insulation, electrical wiring or other parts of your house or building
• Droppings, urine stains or a nest made from built-up materials
• Dispersed thrash and/or raided and tipped trash bins
• Raccoon paw prints 
• a lot of holes in your lawn or mulch pile
• wrecked garden
• injured or dead chickens or birds, missing or eaten eggs and disturbed nests
• toppled stalks and ripped or half-eaten ears of corn (or other crop)
• empty bird feeders
• devoured pet food

In addition to causing damage, contact with raccoons or their waste also spreads diseases that pose serious health risks to people and their pets. Raccoons are a primary carrier of rabies in the U.S. and are responsible for 60% of the rabies cases in Maryland. In 2018 alone, the Maryland Department of Health recorded 704 rabies cases. They can also transmit parvovirus and canine distemper to domestic dogs, plus roundworm, leptospirosis and Salmonella or E. Coli.

Long-term Raccoon Control and Removal

Because racoons are not only a nuisance but also a potential health hazard, it’s understandable why homeowners are itching to remove these pests from their properties. However, dealing with these nocturnal pests requires proper training, protection and equipment. (If you do this on your own, you could be bitten, scratched or worse, exposed to diseases.)

Your best bet for a long-term solution would be to contact a pest control professional. 

Are raccoons wracking your nerves tonight? Contact On The Fly Pest Solutions so you can sleep soundly again.

It was just an innocent tick bite, right?

Well, it’s not.What you think is just a rash might become a bigger problem if left untreated. A rash is a symptom of several tick-borne infections, such as tularemia, RockyMountain spotted fever (RMSF), southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI) and Lyme disease.

The Lyme disease rash, called erythema migrans, is round or oval and grows in size over days or weeks.  Typically it is an early sign or symptom of infection, along with headache, fever, fatigue and more. If left untreated, the infection can spread to other parts of the body and cause arthritis, facial palsy, Lyme carditis and other symptoms.

Lyme Disease in Maryland

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by blacklegged deer ticks. Also known as borreliosis, Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the United States, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).   Jumping 17% more than in 2016, Lyme disease was reported in more than 40,000 confirmed and probable cases in 2017.  Though the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes the number to be much higher, the CDC estimates that a whopping 300,000 cases of Lyme disease likely occur annually.

In the most recent surveillance data (2017 as of this writing), Lyme disease is prevalent in people ages 40 to 64 years old and the Middle Atlantic, New England and South Atlantic regions have the most number of reported cases.  Maryland has a high incidence rate, with 1,891 cases reported, 1,194 of which are confirmed and 697 probable.

How to Prevent Ticks—and Avoid the Diseases They Carry

Although ticks can bite humans in all stages of their life cycle, Lyme disease is mostly transmitted to people by nymphs, or immature ticks. Being less than 2millimeters (about the size of poppy seeds), nymphs are difficult to spot when they feed during the spring and summer months when they are most active (Adult ticks can also transmit the disease, but they are most active during cooler months.)

It’s important to note, though, that ticks don’t jump or fly and can only reach humans by direct contact. They usually cling to brush, shrubs and tall grass, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors in grassy and wooded environments are at an increased risk.

Here’s how you can prevent ticks and avoid Lyme disease and the other infections they carry

1. Cover up.

Garments can provide temporary protection from tick bites, so wearing pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, and a pair of gloves when going to a woody and grassy area is your first line of defense. Also, do the same with your pets if possible and always keep their leashes on, especially for dogs. Try to avoid any low bushes and long grasses as much as possible, too.

2. Apply insect repellent.

For extra protection, apply insect repellent. Use those that are registered and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (You can use EPA’s tool to search for repellents that suit your needs.) Keep in mind that the product should be cloth-friendly—those with permethrin—so as to avoid any chemical reaction to the garments you are wearing.

3. Use professional pest control services.

The only long-term and sustainable way to get rid of ticks and avoid the diseases they carry is to call pest control experts and avail of their services, such as lawn mowing and/or gardening services, to eradicate the breeding grounds of the ticks.

Maryland Tick Prevention

Ticks may be small but they are infectious, and it is foolish to think you are immune to their ill charms. The ailments they cause, such as Lyme disease,should not to be taken lightly as these could be deadly in the long run when not properly treated.

And because “prevention is better than cure,” it is advisable to eradicate ticks that might be lurking in or near your homes—endangering the health of your entire household, both humans and animals.

On the Fly Pest Solutions provides safe, sustainable and the most up-to-date treatment methods and techniques through its Integrated Pest Management(IPM) system, which deals with the problem at the source.

Is a tick issue pestering you? Call us now!

Summer in Baltimore is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and having fun in the sun. However with the rise in the temperature and humidity it also makes the perfect playground for pests to have a great summer bothering you. Nothing ruins a mood faster than having ants and mosquitos crash a barbecue, playing in the yard with creepy crawlies running over your feet, or spotting unwanted house guests on the way out the door in the morning. Get your home and yard back with these tips to help keep pests away this summer.

Keep the Kitchen Clean

       Insects, during the summer, look for food anywhere they can get it. Don’t let that place be your kitchen! You can keep pests away for the summer by keeping the possibility of food sources away from your kitchen. Follow these tips on keeping your kitchen clean to give you the best chance at not getting any insects for visitors.

•        Keep the floors swept and free from an dropped food
•        Wipe down the counters after you use them
•        Take your trash out frequently, don’t let anything sit for too long
•        Put food away as soon as you get it
•        Don’t let over ripened fruits and veggies stay on your counter

Maintain Your Yard

        Pests look for a great place to live and create nests. With an overgrown yard, you provide them with the perfect place to live and create their nests. Keeping your yard maintained is the best way to help prevent pests from moving in and keeping them away all summer long.

•        Cut back trees and bushes near your home
•        Mow the lawn regularly
•        Weed the yard
•        Rake up any additional debris that you see in your yard

Get Rid of Entryways to Your Home

       One of the best ways to keep pests at bay is to stop them before they even get the chance to start. You can accomplish this by blocking the entryways to your home that pests can use. Keeping pests away can be tricky as they look for any and every crack or opening they can find to infiltrate your home. Follow these tips to keep your home a no pest entry zone.

•        Check doors and windows for gaps
•        Repair any holes in screens
•        Frequently check window stripping and replace it as soon as it shows signs of wear

Take Care of Standing Water

       Mosquitos are one of the biggest pests throughout the summertime. They constantly look for places to breed in water and make it even harder to get rid of them. The best way to help keep mosquitos at bay is to make sure there is no standing water on your property.

•        Check your property frequently for standing water
•        Look for leaks near your air conditioner
•        Check rain spouts for trapped water
•        Pick up any stray toys that can hold water

Check Outdoor Furniture

       Swings and outdoor furniture of all kinds can be a great place for insects to set up shop. Spiders frequently create webs on these easily accessible furniture pieces. In order to keep them from moving in follow these steps.

•        Check chains on swings for webs and egg sacks regularly
•        Check corners and the underside of your outdoor furniture regularly
•        Remove egg sacks and webs as soon as they are spotted on any furniture

Properly Store Firewood

       Once the summer months are over and the chills start to set in, it’s great to have a stock pile of firewood and many people keep their pile well stocked and continue to add to it throughout the year. Firewood piles are a perfect place for termites to get closer to your home, don’t let this happen.

•        Keep firewood away from your home, at least 5 feet or more
•        Store the firewood on racks above the ground to give pests less access

Pest Control Services

       All of the things that you can do on your own to help keep pests away this summer are helpful, and keep your chances of pests lower. However one of the best things you can do to keep pests out is to bring in a team of professionals. A pest control service can provide the following:

•        Spray for common pests in your area on a regular basis
•        Create personalized attack plans to keep your home pest free as possible
•        Peace of mind that your house is protected

By using these tips throughout your home and yard this summer, you can enjoy yourself without having to deal with all of the issues that pests can cause. Keep pests away this summer, and enjoy the fun in the sun while it’s here.

           Every summer Baltimore natives are forced to deal with different kinds of pests that the warmer weather brings forth. However one of the biggest, problem making, pests are squirrels! While some may not think of a squirrel as an issue, they can be some of the most innovative and difficult pests to get rid of. Squirrels are responsible for multiple types of issues: from getting stuck in your home, chewing through spots on homes, and disrupting bird feeders. Fear not, below are a few tips and tricks on how to prevent squirrel problems this summer.

Prevent squirrels from getting in your house

           Squirrels are often the most happy when living in trees, however due to the fewer trees available to them, they have adapted and will use anything they can to make their lives as happy as possible with what they have to work with. This leads them straight to your home for shelter.

•        Inspect your home to make for any existing entry points, squirrels san use as their way in, that lead through your walls or toward the attic
•        Repair any holes and entryways you discover, after you’ve made sure there are no squirrels currently using that entrance
•        Spray entries with taste-adversive repellent
•        Seal holes with  ½” or ¼” hardware cloth

Prevent Squirrels from Gaining Easy Access to Attics

           In order to help keep your home squirrel free, you can create measures to keep squirrels from being able to climb a tree to get into your attic. Get rid of the possibility of them being able to climb trees to get into your attic, keeps them out of your home.

•        Wrap the tree in sheet metal to prevent the ability to crawl up the tree
•        Keep the metal 4 feet above the ground and at least 3 feet wide to prevent squirrels jumping over the metal

How to Get Squirrels Out of Your Attic

           Squirrels that stay in your attic for an extended period of time are most likely to be a mother and babies, especially in the summer as this is the time of year that they tend to have their litters. If this is the case there are a few things you can do to get the squirrels out and keep them out.

•        Make sure babies are following the mother on daily outings and then install a one way door trap, allowing them all to leave and not regain access
•        Seal the entrance with ½” or ¼” hardware cloth once they are all gone
•        Soak rags in household cleaning products to place in the attic, the smell will encourage them to leave
•        Shine a light on the nest
•        Play loud music in the attic to drive the squirrels away

Get a Loose Squirrel Out Of the House

           With squirrels so active during the summer months, it is possible that they accidently enter your home. Once this happens, the squirrel will frantically search for a way to escape the unfamiliar environment. In order to help get them out of the home follow these tips:

•        Close all other doors leading to the rest of the house to offer a clear path out
•        Turn lights off and cover windows that are not the one you want to leave the squirrel out of, as they will follow the light out after being left alone
•        Provide something for the squirrel to be able to reach their exit space; Think of a chair to climb or knotted sheets to climb down for a higher level exit
•        Set a live trap batted with peanut butter, leave alone for a few hours, set them free outside

Stop Squirrels from Creating Holes in Your House

           Squirrels tend to chew on the trim of houses, this cam cause issues with the look of the exterior to your house. Once they have caused this damaged it can be difficult to fix and match to the rest of the trim. In order to prevent this from happening:

•        Spray the trim of your home with taste-adversive repellent
•        Make sure to spray a patch test to make sure it does not affect your paint before using it on the entire house

Keep Away from Bird Feeders

           Squirrels hunt out any food source they can, one of the easiest things for them to find and use are bird feeders. Once they discover this source of constant food, they are not likely to go anywhere else in search of food. The best way to keep squirrels away from bird feeders is to keep them from accessing bird feeders as a source of food.

•        Keep feeders away from trees and jumping off points which are easily accessible
•        Use “Anti squirrel” feeders designed so they cannot get to the food itself

During the summer while all kinds of pests are out and about, you can use these tips to make sure one pest you won’t have to deal with are squirrels.

“Spring showers bring May flowers,” they say, but for homeowners spring also brings pests.

The Bug Barometer, a seasonal forecast of pest pressure and activity in the U.S. released biannually by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), predicts residual winter moisture and wet weather ahead will cause pest populations to spike this spring all the way through summer. The most common spring pests in the contiguous United States include ticks, mosquitoes, ants, termites, cockroaches, stinging insects, flies, rodents and earwigs or springtails.

The Dangers of Spring Pests

More than being unwelcome visitors, spring pests can also be dangerous to have around. Aside from being a nuisance, they also transmit diseases and cause costly property damage. For example, an NPMA report states “termites alone cause over $5 billion in property damage annually, a cost not covered by homeowners insurance.”

Pest-Proofing for Spring

April is National Pest Management Month, and it’s a timely reminder for homeowners to be vigilant in preparing for and preventing pests from ruining your springtime cheer. Here are some tips to proofing your home and garden against the most common spring pests. 

Ticks

These small parasitic arachnids, potential carriers of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and many other diseases, oftentimes sit in tall grasses waiting for their next victim.

So, regularly cut the grass low, and wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and closed-toe shoes when outdoors. Apply bug repellent with at least 20% DEET for an extra layer of protection against stinging insects.

Before going inside the house, check your whole body—as well as your pet—for any ticks, which you can remove with tweezers. Then throw your clothes into a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill the ticks. 

Mosquitoes

Like ticks, these pesky bugs also carry various diseases, such as malaria, dengue and Zika virus. They thrive in stagnant water, so eliminate any possible breeding areas in your house and yard, including birdbaths and clogged gutters. Protective clothing and insect repellant will also work to prevent mosquito bites when going outside.

Termites

Chewing through your flooring, wallpaper and other wood items, termites can damage your home without your knowledge. Drawn to moist, secluded areas, these “silent destroyers” can be stopped by installing gutters, splash blocks, and downspouts that divert water from your home’s foundation. Removing wood or mulch from contacting your house’s exterior will also help.

Flies

Flies are notorious for contaminating food and transmitting diseases, such as tuberculosis and Salmonella. To prevent flies, regularly remove garbage in well-sealed containers.

Rodents

Mice and rats are known carriers of the plague, typhus, jaundice and more. They can squeeze through holes and tight spaces, so seal any cracks that they can use to enter your home.

Welcome Spring Pest-Free

If you suspect any pests living in your attic or yard, it’s important to act quickly. Being able to seek the help of professionals can help prevent or get rid of pests at the first sign of infestation.

Call us today and get the professional pest control help you need. We offer a warranty on all our work, keeping the bugs and rodents away in-between our monthly servicing.

Rodents. You think you know them, but do you really? Or are you holding on to fictitious beliefs rather than facts?

Comprising 40% of mammal species, rodents aren’t just composed of mice and rats; they also include squirrels, guinea pigs, hamsters, gophers, beavers, gerbils, porcupines, and chipmunks. (But since mice and rats are the most common rodent pests, we’ll focus on them in this article.)

Humans have long considered rodents to be pests, and we’re still struggling on how to deal with them today. It can be frustrating to get rid of them, even more so if your solution is based on a myth. So, let’s debunk the most common rodent myths asap!

Here are five myths about rodents that you should eradicate right now:

Myth 1: Cats will take care of your rodent problem.

The truth: Unfortunately, cats aren’t very effective at eliminating rodents, specifically rats. A study funded by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) found that cats don’t successfully kill and control rat populations. The researchers observed that “less than 1% of cat and rat encounters resulted in a rat being killed; despite stalking behavior being observed 20 times.”

Scientists also found that, indeed, when the cat is away, the mice—in this case, rats—will play. For every cat sighting, the researchers observed, rats were nearly 20% more likely to move toward a shelter. But while the sight of a cat might get rats hiding initially, “the rodents will patiently wait them out and return undeterred once the cats lose interest and leave the scene.”

Myth 2: Rodents love cheese.

The truth: Despite what “Tom and Jerry” and other cartoons might have us believe, mice—and other rodents—aren’t tempted by cheese.

A 2006 study found that a mouse’s diet consists primarily of grains and fruit. So if you’re thinking about what to put in that mousetrap to attract mice, Procter Rodent Control, a family firm which has been producing Britain’s best-selling mousetrap since 1897, suggests peanut butter and chocolate.

Myth 3: Rodents eat anything and everything.

The truth: Sorry, but rodent’s aren’t nature’s living garbage disposal. Like humans, they do have a diet, and it consists of what can be found in their environment.

In a 2018 study, researchers studied the bones of rats and found that those living in the city had “a higher-quality and more stable diet than rural rats did,” while rats in the country ate whatever food they could find—confirming Aesop’s “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse” story.

“Rats are really interesting, because their diets are a reflection of foods people leave lying around,” said Eric Guiry, an archaeologist at Trent University in Ontario and lead author of the study. For example, city rats ate a lot more meat than rural rats.

Meanwhile, homeowners might mistake chewed up books, papers, wires, and insulation as getting eaten by mice. But in reality, female mice use these shredded materials to build a nest.

Myth 4: Rodents that ingest poison get dehydrated and go outside to look for water.

The truth: Rodent baits, or rodenticides, can take effect as quickly as two days or up to 10 days, depending on how fast-acting or lethal it is. The poison works by reducing the rodent’s blood-clotting ability, which damages its capillaries and causes internal hemorrhage. So the rodent dies of internal bleeding—not dehydration—but the delay can mean that the rodent can die in its nest, inside your property or outside.

Myth 5: Seeing rodents during the day means you have a rodent infestation.

The truth: While rats and mice are nocturnal, that doesn’t mean they don’t come out during the day. These rodents are just so good at keeping out of sight that you might only notice a mouse or rat scampering in your house or commercial building when there’s already a severe infestation. Telltale signs of rodent infestation include droppings, stale smells, chewed holes in walls or floors, and shredded materials.

Don’t let it come to this!

Now that we’ve debunked myths about rodents, you’re one step closer to getting rid of those pesky rodents more effectively.

Don’t wait for a severe infestation. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.

Animal removal can be tricky at times. Being able to pinpoint the location, identify the source of the noise and remove the animal is one of the harder aspects of wildlife control. Our wildlife experts use the latest in technology to help them.

How On The Fly Pest Solutions humanely removes animals in the Baltimore area.

No, it’s not an oxymoron. Although animal removal and sustainability seem opposite of each other, the two can certainly live together… (see what we did there?)

Man has been battling wild creatures over resources and living space since the beginning of time. And while it’s safe to say that we’ve won that battle, only recently have we begun to realize the consequences of fighting.

Right here in Maryland, we’ve seen the Grey Wolf, American elk, snowshoe hare, and several other species disappear from the wild completely!

Our Sustainable Wildlife Removal Solution

We now understand that we need to work with Mother Nature and focus on more humane methods of animal removal.

Humane animal removal and humane animal control mean that the relocation of animals is made as comfortable as possible for the creature in question.

Here at On the Fly Pest Solutions, we work to ensure that critters can’t make their way back into your solar powered home. As part of our humane animal removal service, we use things like one-way doors and excluders while sealing up points of entry.

These sustainable methods are so effective that we warranty our seal ups for up to two years.

Wild animals are fascinating and necessary for the balance of our ecosystem. But as much as we want to keep these animals within our environment, it’s unrealistic to share our homes with them (for their safety just as much as our own.)

What to do When You Need Wildlife Removal Services

If you’re ever faced with an uninvited guest (of the animal kind, of course), give us a call, and we’d be happy to relocate it back to an appropriate habitat.

Check out some of the creatures we’ve been called to relocate here and find out more about what we do and how we do it!

Our emergency wildlife team responded to a fawn that had fallen through a covered window well. The mother deer patiently waited close by as our expert technicians safely removed the fawn and reunited him with his mother. Our technicians replaced the cracked cover with a new one to prevent similar incidences in the future.