Category: Blog

Noticing wildlife on your property is a common occurrence, especially if you are a Polk County, FL resident. However, noticing wild animal activity inside your property should be cause for alarm. While most critters avoid human contact, some may attempt to access your home for warmth or access to food. Once inside, invasive wildlife can cause a great deal of damage to your property, spreading contamination and disease in the process. To effectively get rid of the unwanted pests, you will need the help of wildlife removal professionals.

Here is when you should call in an expert to deal with wild animals on your property.

When to Call Wildlife Removal Professionals

The best time to call a professional for a wildlife intrusion is when you discover wild animals living in your home. Attics, basements, or even walls have spaces big enough for a critter to build a nest. Other areas on your property—such as outdoor sheds or the crawl spaces under your home or porch—are frequently targeted by invasive critters looking for shelter. It’s important to call wildlife removal professionals as soon as you see the animal. The longer they are allowed to stay, the more property damage and health risks they can cause.

Benefits of Calling a Wildlife Removal Professional

While you may be tempted to take care of the problem yourself, DIY wildlife removal can cause more problems than it solves. A wild animal will likely be as scared and can pose a risk to you and your loved ones if cornered or threatened, leading to additional health issues and property damage. Additionally, many at-home methods don’t prevent future intrusions. Without the implementation of proper preventative measures, other invasive critters can make their way into your home.

Wildlife removal professionals, like the expert team at Critter Control® of Polk County, have access to the necessary methods and equipment to safely remove wildlife and keep them out permanently.

Safe and Effective Wildlife Removal Services

If you’re dealing with a wildlife intrusion on your Central Florida property, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County for safe and effective services. Our four-step method utilizes eco-friendly and affordable best practices to remove wildlife and keep them from returning. To schedule an inspection for your Polk County home or business and receive a free wildlife removal estimate, call us today at 863-204-2815.

Raccoons may seem cute, but they can become a big nuisance if they get into your trash cans. Fortunately, there are several ways to get them to stop digging around your garbage. Here are a few raccoon prevention methods to keep the nuisance critters away from your trash.

Raccoon Removal and Prevention Tips 

• Secure Your Bin – The easiest way to prevent a break-in is to tighten your security. Keep trash cans inside and only move it out to the curb right before pickup. Consider keeping it in your garage instead of your yard. If you have to store trash outside, seal your cans with a lockable lid or strap it closed.
  
  
• Remove the Smell – Raccoons rely on their sense of smell to lead them to food. They’re often drawn to trash because they can smell it. An easy raccoon removal trick is to regularly clean out your garbage cans with a pressure washer and bleach. If they can’t smell it, raccoons won’t be attracted to your trash and will leave it alone.
  
  
• Scare Them Off – While raccoons can make themselves look scary if rabid or cornered, they’re easily frightened and often run if they think they’re in trouble. Repellants like motion-activated lights or sprinklers will startle raccoons once they’re approached. Other raccoon repellents scented with ammonia will make them think there’s a predator around and keep them at bay.
  
  
• Rely on Raccoon Removal Experts – If these pesky critters still won’t go away, you may be tempted to get rid of them yourself. However, you should leave raccoon removal to the experts. A wildlife removal professional will know how to handle wild animals like raccoons and use the proper methods and techniques to remove them safely and humanely.

Professional Raccoon Prevention and Removal Services

Whether you have an existing raccoon problem or want to prevent one from starting, the professionals at Critter Control® of Polk County are here to help. Our licensed and trained technicians use safe and eco-friendly techniques to remove unwanted wildlife and prevent them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free raccoon removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.

Rats are an invasive pest that can quickly multiply and become difficult to remove. Unfortunately, many DIY rat removal techniques involve harsh chemicals, dangerous poisons, and harmful traps that can put the health of everyone on your property at risk. Thankfully, there are several humane rat removal methods you can try to remove nuisance rats and keep everyone safe in the process.

Humane Rat Removal Methods

• Seal Up Food Sources – Many inhumane methods involve using bait that’s left out in the open. Instead, take the opposite approach by making food inaccessible to hungry rats. Use airtight, sealed packaging on goods stored in your pantry, including grains and pet food. Storing food in your refrigerator also keeps it out of reach. Also, keep a tight lid on your trash cans, both inside and outside.
  
  
• Use Natural Deterrents – Rats heavily rely on their sense of smell to guide them. You can use this to your advantage by combining household ingredients into a natural repellant. Strong essential oils like peppermint or eucalyptus will overwhelm their noses. Other spices, like cayenne pepper, will smell bitter and taste bad if accidentally ingested.
  
  
• Scare the Rats Away – Rodents are naturally skittish and often flee if they hear unexpected noise or think they’re in danger. Sonic deterrents will blast a high pitch that annoys rats but is undetectable to humans. Sometimes, simply leaving the radio on can scare rats away. For areas outside your home, motion-activated lights or sprinklers frighten rats and make them less likely to hang around.
  
  
• Hire Humane Rat Removal Professionals – Snap traps and rat poison are often considered extreme and inhumane approaches to rat removal. However, the rat removal professionals at Critter Control® of Polk County only use humane and eco-friendly techniques to safely and effectively get rid of rats.

Effective and Safe Rat Removal Services

For permanent and humane rat removal from your property, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County. Our licensed and experienced wildlife removal technicians will remove nuisance rats from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.

The last thing you want to find around your home or business is a rat. The often diseased rodents can cause significant property damage and spread contamination that puts you and your loved ones at risk. Fortunately, there are a few natural rat removal remedies you can try to help get rid of nuisance rats.

Natural Rat Removal Remedies 

1. Essential Oils – One common rat removal method is using essential oils. Several scents will overwhelm a rat’s sensitive nose and drive them away. Effective essential oils include peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella. Simply soak a cotton ball in a diluted solution of water and your essential oil of choice. Then place the saturated cotton around areas of high rat activity to repel the pests.
    
2. Onion – Another natural item that repels rats is an onion. Rats can’t stand the allium’s strong scent. Chop up a few pieces of onion and place it around rat entry or exit points. This method requires constant monitoring, though, as the onion will rot and its scent will fade.
   
3. Steel Wool – Rats often make their way inside properties by using their powerful teeth to gnaw through just about any material. Steel wool, however, is a tough material that rats struggle with. Place steel wool around vulnerable openings around your home to prevent rats from entering.
   
4. Cat Litter – Rats have many natural predators, including cats. However, you don’t need to adopt a cat to convince a rat that it is in danger. The scent of cat litter will mislead rats into thinking a cat is nearby. The rodents won’t want to live somewhere they feel threatened and will leave.
    
5. Hire a Rat Removal Professional – DIY techniques can be effective, but most of them won’t provide a long-term solution. Ultimately, the most permanent rat removal method is to consult with an expert that uses humane methods to safely and permanently remove rats from your property.

Expert Rat Removal Services in Central Florida

If you have a rat problem on your Polk County property, you’ll want the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County on your side. Our experienced team of licensed and trained rat removal experts will quickly and safely remove nuisance wildlife from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free rat removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.

Raccoons are nocturnal omnivores that will eat anything they can get their paws on. Therefore, the mischievous critters are regularly spotted diving into residential trash cans in search of food. The longer raccoons stay on your property, the more damage they can cause to your yard, your home, and your health. Fortunately, there are several raccoon prevention strategies to keep the pests from getting into your garbage.

Raccoon Prevention Techniques

Raccoons may be clever, but it’s easy to outsmart them. Some ways to protect your garbage cans from raccoons include:

• Reducing the smell: Raccoons rely on their sense of smell to find their next meal. Try double-bagging what you throw away to reduce the smell from attracting hungry raccoons. Mothballs or ammonia-soaked rags will also keep them away.
   
• Securing your trash bins: It’s easy for a raccoon to lift the lid and crawl into your garbage can, so make sure the lids are tightly sealed. To keep them out, consider adding an extra layer of protection to your trash can, like a bungee cord or lock. If you can, keep your garbage cans stored inside at night.
   
• Scaring them off: Since they’re scavengers, raccoons are easily frightened. Set up motion-activated sprinklers or lights to spook them. When at the curb, place your garbage cans in a well-lit area where raccoons are less likely to venture.
   
• Changing it up: Raccoons are smart, and they may eventually figure out your tactics. It’s a good idea to change up your raccoon prevention methods to keep them away from your garbage.

Professional Raccoon Removal Services Near You

Ultimately, the most effective way to permanently get rid of raccoons is to hire a raccoon removal expert. Wild raccoons can pose health risks when you directly interact with them. That’s why raccoons should only be handled by the equipped and experienced professionals at Critter Control® of Polk County. Instead of dangerous removal techniques that can be toxic and inhumane, we use safe, eco-friendly methods of removal and exclusion for permanent raccoon removal.

To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our effective raccoon removal services, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.

Rats are cunning rodents that can pose huge risks to both your home and health if they manage to infest your property. The longer they stick around, the more harm they can inflict on your home. To prevent costly and unsanitary damages, try some of the following natural rat removal remedies.

Natural Rat Removal Strategies

1. Use Strong Scents

Rats have a strong sense of smell that they use to locate their food. Fortunately, it’s easy to overwhelm their sensitive noses and drive them away. There are several ingredients you can find in most grocery stores that rats can’t stand, including:

• Peppermint oil
• Onions
• Garlic
• Pepper flakes
• Cloves

To use these smells, sprinkle them around areas that rats frequent. Replace the supply every few days to keep it fresh and effective.

2. Instant Potatoes

Instant mashed potatoes are an easy meal to cook. They’re also an effective rat removal method. Spread uncooked instant potato flakes around the rats’ hiding spaces. When rats ingest the flakes, they’ll swell up and drive the pests away.

3. Scare Them Off

Ammonia is a chemical found in the urine of many rat predators. If rats smell ammonia, they’ll think their home is unsafe and move to a more secure location. Create a solution of equal parts ammonia and water, and spray it around your home to scare rats off. However, be careful when you handle the chemical as it can be dangerous if you ingest it.

4. Rely on Rat Removal Professionals

These natural rat removal methods may temporarily be effective, but they won’t create any long-term solutions. If you want to permanently remove rats from your property, you’ll want the expertise of a rat removal professional. If you have a rat problem on your Polk County property, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County.

Professional Rat Removal Services in Polk County

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Polk County will quickly and safely remove nuisance rats and other wildlife from your property and keep them from returning. Whether you want to take care of a current wildlife infestation or prevent one from starting, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815 to schedule your inspection and receive a free rat removal estimate

Rats are annoying pests that can create stress for you and your property. The sooner you can get rid of invasive rats, the better off you will be. Here are some humane rat removal methods you can try to help evict nuisance rats.

Common Humane Rat Removal Methods

• Remove Clutter

One of the easiest ways to remove rats safely is getting rid of their hiding spaces. Rats use clutter in your yard and home to hide, nest, and roam. Reduce their hiding spots by picking up yard debris and keeping appliances away from the walls.

• Take Away Food and Water

Rats are drawn to your property because it provides a safe space with plenty of access to food and water. The rodents scavenge for their meals and will chew on just about anything. An additional humane rat removal technique is to remove their food sources. Tightly seal food in your pantry, double-bagging garbage to reduce its odor, and store your food and waste in a cool, dry space. If you have pets, don’t leave their food and water out to attract rats. Also, pick up any dropped nuts or produce in your yard.

• Use Repellants

Since rats rely heavily on their strong sense of smell, use it against them by growing plants that produce odors rats can’t stand, such as:

• Garlic
  • Onions
  • Tomatoes
  • Marigolds
  • Lavender

Make sure you know what you’re planting as some of these can be harmful to pets if ingested. If natural scents don’t work, ammonia is a chemical found in predator urine that scares rats away. Soak some cotton balls in ammonia and place them around your home where rats are present.

• Introduce a Predator

Another humane rat removal method is to introduce a natural predator to the area. Install a bird box to invite rat-eating birds of prey to your yard, or consider adopting a cat. Natural predators will humanely control the population and scare off any rats on your property.

Hire a Humane Rat Removal Expert

While the above humane rat removal methods may work in the short-term, there’s no guarantee they will have a lasting effect. Additionally, DIY methods can be expensive and more effective methods like traps can be cruel and inhumane. That’s why your best chance for long-term, humane rat removal is hiring the wildlife removal professionals at Critter Control® of Polk County.

Our licensed and trained technicians will quickly and safely remove nuisance rats from your property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our services, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.

Moles are small rodents that love to burrow underground, uprooting your backyard and threatening the structure of your home. While store-bought mole repellents and traps claim to be a solution to your burrowing rodent problem, how effective are these treatments at getting rid of moles?

How Mole Repellent Works

Mole repellent can be effective at deterring moles, if used correctly.

Repellents either come in a liquid spray that can be used on affected areas or solid pellets that are inserted into molehills. Chemical-free ultrasonic repellents send vibrations underground and overwhelm their sense of hearing.

Castor oil is another active ingredient found in most mole repellents because its scent is overpowering to a mole’s sense of taste and smell. When properly applied, castor oil will seep into mole burrows and drive the pests away.

If mole repellents don’t work, store-bought traps are another often effective method of mole removal.

How Mole Traps Work

Traps are a less humane method of getting rid of moles than natural repellents. While mole traps can work if set up correctly, they can be tricky and hard to maintain. There are several different types of mole traps with varying levels of efficiency. How well a trap works depends on the following factors:

• Size of infestation: The severity of your mole infestation will determine how many traps you will need to buy. The more moles you have, the more traps you’ll need.
  
• Quality of trap: Lethal traps are usually the sturdiest and are made of stainless steel or aluminum. They’ll be the most weather-resistant, but they’re also the least humane.
   
• Usability: Some mole traps can be difficult to set up and can accidentally put you at risk of injury. Other traps require multiple hands to set up.

The Trouble with Mole Repellents and Traps

Mole repellents and traps may be effective, but they require constant maintenance and won’t permanently solve your mole problem. Your best solution for complete mole removal is relying on the professional mole removal services of the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County.

Professional Mole Removal Services Near You

Instead of using harsh chemicals or harmful traps, the experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Polk County use safe and humane methods to permanently remove moles from your property. To schedule your inspection and receive a free mole removal estimate by calling today at 863-204-2815.

Raccoons may seem cute from a distance, but they can cause you lots of problems if they make a home on your property. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent a raccoon infestation.

Remove Food and Water Sources

The main reasons raccoons wander onto your property is to search for food and water. Trash cans, compost piles, and fruit and vegetable gardens are common sources of snacks for these critters. To avoid attracting raccoons, keep trash cans tightly sealed and stored inside. Regularly clean your yard by picking up fallen produce and raking up debris. Eliminate water sources by removing bird baths and tightening leaky faucets.

Reinforce Your Property

Raccoons look for dark and safe spaces to build their dens. Thick brush, debris piles, and crawl spaces under decks and porches are the perfect hiding spot. Maintain your lawn by trimming overgrown bushes and foliage. Enclose the empty spaces under your home with sturdy material such as sheet metal or wire mesh so raccoons can’t claw their way in.

Use Scent Repellents

Raccoons rely on their sense of smell to find food and alert them to predators. You can use their sensitivity to your advantage by overwhelming them with scented deterrents. Store-bought deterrents often include ammonia, a chemical commonly found in predator urine that raccoons will avoid. Vinegar and cayenne pepper can also be mixed with water and sprayed around your yard as a plant-safe raccoon repellent.

Scare Them Off

Since raccoons are nocturnal, they’re most active at night. They’re also naturally skittish and will run away at any sign of danger. Motion-activated lights and sprinklers placed strategically around your backyard can be effective at chasing them away.

Hire a Raccoon Removal Professional

While the above solutions may work temporarily, the best way to get rid of raccoons permanently is by hiring a pest control expert. That’s why if you have a raccoon problem in your Polk County home or business, you should rely on the professionals at Critter Control® of Polk County.

Remove a Raccoon Infestation with Critter Control® of Polk County

The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Polk County use humane and effective methods to remove nuisance raccoons from your property and keep them from coming back. Schedule your inspection and receive a free raccoon removal estimate today by calling us at 863-204-2815.

Ants are tiny pests that cause big problems the longer they stick around. While some ant problems can be dealt with using at-home methods, you’re better off relying on the services of a pest control professional to permanently rid your home of nuisance ants. Here’s when you should call a professional exterminator for ant control.

Ant Control Problems that Require Expert Help

• Recurring Ant Infestations

If ants keep returning to infest your space after multiple DIY attempts at removal, then they’re probably resistant to most of your methods. An ant control professional will have access to more permanent solutions and can help prevent the pests from returning.

• Stinging Ants

Some species of ants are harmless and easy to treat. Unfortunately, Florida is home to several types of venomous ants, including red fire ants. These insects produce a powerful sting that can cause severe allergic reactions. For your safety, it’s better to consult with an ant control expert who is equipped to deal with these dangerous ant species instead of putting your health at risk.

• Risk of Structural Damage

Wood-dwelling carpenter ants will chew into and hollow out wooden support structures to build their colony. Such activity is a serious threat to your home’s structural integrity. If you notice small piles of shavings next to your wall or a colony of winged ants in the spring, call an ant control professional immediately.

Dangers of DIY Ant Control

Some at-home methods rely on dangerous chemicals to kill ants. Exposure to such toxic sprays can threaten the well-being of you, your loved ones, and your pets. Therefore, if you have an ant infestation on your Polk County property, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Polk County.

Safe and Effective Ant Control Services

Our expert team of technicians use a four-step process that is safe and humane for effective and permanent removal. Our method includes:

1. Inspection –We conduct a thorough walkthrough of your property to determine the infestation’s size and extent.
2. Removal – We use several methods to remove all ants from your property.
3. Prevention – Entry points are sealed to prevent further infestations.
4. Restoration – Any property damage is cleaned and restored to its original condition.

To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our ant control services, call Critter Control® of Polk County today at 863-204-2815.