Wildlife Pests

Mice and rats may be small, but they can cause the following outsized problems for homeowners:

Disease Transmission: Rodents can carry over 35 diseases, including hantavirus, leptospirosis, and salmonella. These can spread through direct contact or contaminated surfaces.

Structural Damage: Their constant gnawing—thanks to ever-growing incisors—can chew through wood, insulation, drywall, and even electrical wiring, increasing the risk of fires.

Food Contamination: They often raid pantries and food storage areas, contaminating food with droppings, urine, and hair. Rats, in particular, will eat almost anything they find.

Rapid Reproduction: A single pair of mice can produce dozens of offspring in a year, turning a small problem into a full-blown infestation in no time.

Unpleasant Odors and Noises: Hidden nests in walls or attics can create foul smells, and their nighttime scurrying or squeaking can disrupt sleep and peace of mind.

Attracting Other Pests: Their presence can lure in predators like snakes or larger mammals, and their nests can harbor fleas, mites, and ticks

Despite their reputation, bats are a phenomenal asset to mother nature, eating thousands of insects a nigh.  When they roost in homes however, they can become problematic in the following ways:

Guano Buildup: Bat droppings (guano) accumulate quickly and are highly corrosive. Over time, they can damage wood, drywall, and insulation, and create a strong, musty odor that’s hard to eliminate.

Health Hazards: Guano can harbor fungal spores that cause histoplasmosis, a potentially serious respiratory disease. Bats can also carry rabies, though transmission to humans is rare.

Structural Entry: Bats can squeeze through openings as small as a quarter. Once inside, they may roost in attics, walls, or chimneys, often unnoticed until the colony grows.

Noise and Odor: Their squeaking, scratching, and fluttering—especially at night—can disrupt sleep. Combined with the smell of guano and urine, it can make parts of the home unpleasant.

Legal Restrictions: Many bat species are protected, so improper removal can lead to fines. Exclusion must be done carefully and often seasonally to avoid harming pups.

Squirrels may look like fluffy-tailed acrobats, but when they set their sights on your home, they can be surprisingly destructive. Here’s how they tend to cause trouble:

Persistent Attic Invasions: Squirrels often enter through vents, soffits, or gaps in the roofline to nest in attics. Once inside, they can shred insulation, chew wires, and leave behind droppings and urine. Once access is found, they are persistent in returning.

Chewing Electrical Wires: Like other rodents, squirrels have ever-growing teeth and gnaw constantly. This includes chewing on electrical wiring, which can lead to short circuits or even house fires.

Structural Damage: They can damage shingles, fascia boards, and wooden beams while trying to gain entry or build nests, weakening the home’s structure over time.

Garden and Bird Feeder Raids: Squirrels are notorious for raiding bird feeders and digging up gardens. They’ll eat bulbs, fruits, vegetables, and even strip bark from ornamental trees.

Noise and Disturbance: Their scampering, scratching, and gnawing—especially in attics or walls—can be loud and unsettling, particularly during early morning hours.

Health Concerns: Squirrels can carry fleas, ticks, and mites, which may spread to pets or people. Their droppings can also harbor bacteria and parasites.

Raccoons may look like masked mischief-makers straight out of a storybook, but for homeowners, they can be a real-life nuisance. Here’s how these clever critters cause trouble:

Trash Raiding: Raccoons are notorious for rummaging through garbage cans, scattering waste across driveways and yards in search of food.

Structural Damage: They can tear shingles, fascia boards, and vents to gain access to attics or crawl spaces. They are often attracted to chimneys to gain access as well.  Once inside, they may shred insulation, chew wires, and damage ductwork.

Garden and Lawn Destruction: Raccoons dig up lawns for grubs and feast on fruits, vegetables, and bird feeders, often leaving a trail of destruction behind.

Health Risks: They can carry diseases like rabies, leptospirosis, and raccoon roundworm, which can be transmitted to humans and pets through droppings or direct contact.

Aggressive Behavior: Though usually shy, raccoons may scratch or bite if cornered, especially if they’re protecting young or feel threatened.

Nocturnal Disturbances: Being active at night, they can cause sleep-disrupting noises—thumping, scratching, or chittering—especially if they’ve taken up residence in your home.

Skunks can be adorable and often keep to themselves, but when they reside near or at our homes, they can become an aromatic adversary for the following reasons: 

Spraying: Their infamous defense mechanism—an oily, sulfur-based spray—can linger for days or even weeks. If a pet gets too curious or a skunk feels cornered, the resulting stench can seep into homes, furniture, and clothing.

Burrowing: Skunks often dig dens under decks, porches, sheds, or foundations. These burrows can weaken structures and create entry points for other pests.

Lawn and Garden Damage: They dig up lawns in search of grubs and insects, leaving behind small cone-shaped holes. They’ll also raid vegetable gardens, compost piles, and unsecured trash cans.

Pet Encounters: Curious dogs are frequent victims of skunk spray. Beyond the smell, skunks can scratch or bite if they feel threatened, and they’re known carriers of rabies.

Health Risks: Besides rabies, skunks can carry parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites, which may spread to pets or into the home.

Unwanted Guests: A skunk den can attract other wildlife, including predators or scavengers, compounding the problem.

Also known as “whistle pigs”, these animals often look charming waddling across a lawn, but they can be surprisingly destructive to homeowners. Here’s how they tend to cause trouble:

Burrowing Damage: Their extensive tunnel systems can undermine foundations, patios, decks, sheds, and even driveways. These burrows may cause structural instability or collapse over time.

Garden Raids: Woodchucks are voracious herbivores. They can devour vegetables, flowers, and ornamental plants at an alarming rate—sometimes wiping out a garden in a single afternoon.

Lawn Hazards: Their burrow entrances leave large holes and mounds of dirt, which can be dangerous for people walking or mowing the lawn, and even for pets or livestock.

Chewing on Infrastructure: Occasionally, they gnaw on underground wires or irrigation systems, leading to outages or costly repairs.

Attracting Predators: Their presence can draw in predators like foxes or coyotes, which may pose additional risks to pets or livestock.

Absolutely beautiful, but these animals can cause the following issues:

  Property Damage: Foxes can dig dens under houses, sheds, and outbuildings, which can damage the foundation and create structural issues.

Garbage and Compost: Foxes are opportunistic feeders and will rummage through garbage cans and compost bins, creating a mess and attracting other pests like rats and cockroaches.

Garden Damage: Foxes can damage gardens by digging up plants, eating fruits and vegetables, and trampling flowers.

Strong Odor: Foxes mark their territory with a strong, pungent odor from their anal glands, which can be unpleasant for homeowners.

Health Risks: Foxes can carry diseases such as rabies, distemper, and mange, which can pose health risks to pets and humans.

Pet Safety: Foxes may pose a threat to small pets, such as cats and small dogs, especially if left unattended outside at night.

Although elusive, these critters can cause several problems:

Lawn and Garden Damage: Moles dig extensive tunnel systems just below the surface, which can cause unsightly ridges and damage to lawns and gardens. Their tunnels can disrupt the roots of plants and grass, leading to wilting or death.

Uneven Ground: The raised tunnels and molehills can create uneven ground, which can be a tripping hazard for people and pets.

Secondary Pests: Moles primarily feed on insects, earthworms, and grubs, but their tunnels can inadvertently attract other pests like voles and mice, which can further damage plants and even invade homes.

Soil Displacement: The excavation of soil to create tunnels and molehills can displace large amounts of soil, which can smother and damage the grass and plants above.

Damage to Equipment: Mole tunnels can interfere with lawn maintenance equipment like mowers and trimmers, potentially causing damage to the equipment or creating a bumpy mowing experience.

In New York, nuisance birds like pigeons, starlings, sparrows, and gulls can cause more than just a ruckus—they can create real headaches for homeowners. Here’s how:

Property Damage: Bird droppings are highly acidic and can corrode paint, metal, and even roofing materials over time. Nests built in gutters or vents can block drainage and airflow, leading to water damage or fire hazards.

Health Hazards: Birds can carry diseases such as histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and salmonella. Their droppings and nesting materials can harbor fungi and parasites that pose risks to humans and pets.

Noise and Disturbance: Some species, like starlings and grackles, gather in large, noisy flocks—especially at dawn and dusk—creating a constant din that can disrupt sleep and peace of mind.

Attracting Other Pests: Bird nests can harbor mites, ticks, and fleas, which may migrate into the home. Droppings and leftover food can also attract rodents and insects.

Legal and Safety Concerns: Many birds are protected under federal or state laws, so improper removal or nest disturbance can lead to fines.