While there exist many rodents and pests in Illinois, only a few make life hard for home and business owners. These rodents can cause significant problems by getting inside structures, building nests and multiplying. Furthermore, they also spread diseases, cause damage through their constant chewing, and attract parasites. Often, rodents are attracted to a home without the owner’s knowledge — perhaps, their lifestyle or simply the house’s condition.
To become more familiar with Illinois’s most popular pests, take a look below at the most common types of rodents in Illinois, learn tips to make your homes less tempting for rodents, and how to efficiently get rid of them in case of an infestation.
Rodents You Should Know About
Several different rodents call Illinois home. However, the most common rodents are here that usually cause a nuisance to home and business owners.
Mice
The two common types of mice that invade Illinois homes are deer mice and house mice. The house mice are small with beady black or pink eyes and long hairless tails.
They usually live in fields, but they are more likely to stay there once they find their way into your home. House mice are often linked to the spread of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, leptospirosis, and rickettsialpox.
On the other hand, the deer mice are comparatively larger with a white underbelly and feet. They are often found in rural areas and prefer living in barns and other outbuildings. But they sometimes move into homes. What makes these mice a growing problem is their being vectors for hantaviruses.
Both types of mice urinate, leave feces in their nests, and then abandon them when it gets too dirty. It is often dangerous to clean the nest without using a respirator; furthermore, house and deer mice carry fleas, ticks, lice, and other ectoparasites in their fur, which paves the way for secondary diseases like Lyme disease to spread.
Rats
Rats or Norway rats are another common rodent found in Illinois. They build their burrows in the ground, particularly under debris and other objects and are opportunistic feeders. So, while they can survive feeding on trash, they will get to larger food items like meat, cheese, and dog food in a home.
Norway rats spread ticks, mites, and, most importantly, fleas. Hence, their infestation is always accompanied by a flea infestation. Additionally, the diseases associated with Norway rats include plague, Lyme disease, rat-bite fever, and murine typhus. Tick-borne diseases spread by these rats include babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, STARI, RMSF, anaplasmosis, and tularemia.
Badgers
Badgers have increased in numbers in urban areas like Illinois in recent years. They often cause damage to gardens, property, and amenity areas. Badgers are great at exploiting the several types of foods available in urban areas.
They also eat invertebrates and dig shallow pits in lawns, which is what creates the greatest nuisance for homeowners. Additional problems are caused when badger latrine (dung pits) used to mark the boundaries of territories are spotted in gardens.
Moles
Little mammals with tiny eyes and pointed muzzles, moles feed on insect pests, grubs, and soil organisms. Hence, the problem they cause is pretty simple — digging deep tunnels and destroying your lawn. The opening to the tunnel appears as raised volcano-shaped, swelling your yard.
How To Deal With Rodents
Depending on the rodents you want to get rid of, you will have to employ various strategies. For instance, sealing cracks, keeping food in airtight containers, or getting a cat might help you get rid of or prevent mice infestation.
Additionally, you can also use essential oils like peppermint or clove oil to repel mice. When it comes to badgers and moles, you might want to set humane traps in areas of your home where they frequent. Moles and badgers generally come out at night looking for food.
So, set traps with treats for them, and later release the rodent you capture at least a mile away from your home. The same method can be used to get rid of mice and rats as well.
Always ensure your home environment is clean. Nonetheless, if rodents infestations get severe, your best bet will be to get pest control quotes for Bloomington il.
Prevent or Get Help
The rodents mentioned above are a few of the many that constantly invade Illinois homes. If you are living in the area and are dealing with any of the rodents, there are several steps you could take to prevent or eliminate the infestation.
Nevertheless, working professionals always offer the best and most reliable results. So, if you find the situation is something you can’t manage, then make sure you reach out for help at the earliest.
