Mice are the last visitors that restaurant owners want to see on their premises. In spite of best efforts by the proprietors to prevent their appearance, these pests may find a way into an eatery, and not always in the obvious places.
Mice want to get indoors when the elements make life outdoors uncomfortable, even in summer, and where they're pretty sure they'll find something to eat. Unfortunately, they can nest just about anywhere, so restaurant managers should be on the lookout for signs that mice may have invaded their basement, storage rooms, ceiling or walls as well as any place where food is nearby.
Obvious signs of the presence of mice are feces pellets, the smell of urine - similar to ammonia - and the sound of scurrying across floors and behind structures like walls. If you put on a light in a darkened area, the sound of mice running will be a tip-off that they've taken up residence on your property. By moving stored items, the pests also may run into the open.
If there are enough signs that mice are indeed on the premises of your restaurant, it's time to call a professional pest control service like Abell Pest Control for mouse removal. They'll gauge the extent of your rodent problem, customize a treatment plan for you and assess the conditions that can be improved to prevent future infestations.
Aside from cleanliness and proper storage of food inside the restaurant, outdoor maintenance will also help prevent mice from infiltrating your property. Mice are known for squeezing through the narrowest cracks in a structure or burrowing through a shallow foundation. But they can also travel through floor grates, chimneys and vents, which should be secured with screening.
They may also get onto your property as a stowaway in shipments to your business. The large number of food deliveries and locations where they come from open up lots of possibilities for mice to enter your restaurant. Careful inspection of your deliveries as they arrive and working with reputable purveyors who are also serious about mouse control will help you keep the rodent population down.
Maintaining a trash disposal area that's as clean as possible is also important to keep the pests from your premises. Washing out garbage receptacles regularly and keeping them closed with tight-fitting lids will help significantly. By keeping a fair distance between the trash area and your building, you'll also limit the opportunities for mice to make an easy entry into your restaurant.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
