Unfortunately, bed bugs infiltrate hotels more often than you think. These pests are common in all 50 states, and since they bunker down within upholstery and other fabrics, they survive the harshest winters. Bed bugs don’t only sequester hotels; they hitch a ride from unsuspecting travelers and can cause a nuisance within offices, daycares, hospitals, dorms, apartment buildings, residential homes, and more.

Problematic bed bugs have been on the rise in recent years, especially for hotels. Major cities, including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, and Lansing, have faced their fair share of bed bug infestations. As you can imagine, a bed bug invasion often has negative connotations; people may assume a run-down, old motel setting, for example. However, bed bugs don’t discriminate based on luxury or cleanliness; they can thrive and multiply quickly within any environment.  

Although bed bugs are not known to spread disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they are parasites that bite and feed on human and domestic animal blood. These bites result in red, itchy patches that resemble small mosquito bites.  

Bed bugs are incredibly resilient, making them challenging to eradicate. They cling from host to host and are easily transferrable between humans, clothing, luggage, and within the fabric seating of vehicles. Taxis, buses, and airplanes are common hiding places as they wait to find their next host.

Bed bugs can survive for up to one year without feeding. They are nocturnal, and most people who experience bed bug bites do not feel them while sleeping, but typically later, they realize they’ve been bitten. The most common signs of bed bugs include unexplained bites on your body or tiny blood trails on bedsheets or along mattress seams.

Adult bed bugs are visible to the human eye, about the size of a flattened apple seed. They have oval-shaped bodies and are a rusty-brown color.

How to Check for Bed Bugs:

• Examine your clothing and luggage regularly to catch and prevent a bed bug infestation.

• Inspect your room as soon as you arrive, placing your luggage on the tiled bathroom floor or in the bathtub until you are confident all is clear. Use a flashlight to inspect the four corners of the mattress, box spring, and bed seams by carefully removing the sheets and the mattress pad. Inspect the edges and cracks, and check around and behind the headboard.

• Also, check the luggage rack and valet trolley. Inspect the furniture around the bed, including the cracks and crevices of the nightstand. Inspect behind pictures hanging on the wall, and pay special attention to the seams on upholstered furniture.

• If you find evidence of bed bugs in your room, notify hotel staff immediately, so they can investigate. Do not stay in a room with visible bed bugs. Ask for a replacement room – not near where you found the infestation.

• Once home, check for bugs within your luggage. Wash clothes and place all dryer-safe clothing from your luggage in the dryer for 30-45 minutes at the highest setting. If you can’t launder as recommended, place the items in a seal-tight plastic bag for several days, or placing items in a freezer will work too. Also, vacuum the inside and outside of your luggage and the fabric in your vehicle.  

Pest Management Solutions for Bed Bugs:

Hotels have a responsibility to their guests to provide safe and comfortable sleeping environments and protect them from certain dangers, such as a bed bug infestation. If a guest reports a pest problem, staff should take immediate action to remedy the situation like transferring them to another room and calling a professional pest specialist for removal.

At Northern Pest, we consider the severity of the bed bug infestation and the environment they thrive in to determine the best method for successful extermination. Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eradicate, so we use a unique treatment with specialized products and habitat modifications to eliminate them. Our all-natural application agent is deadly to bed bugs and destroys their eggs, yet is harmless to humans.

Place your business or home in professional hands that you can trust with a qualified and efficient pest control agency like Northern Pest. We assure to work quickly and discreetly to handle your bed bug problem. All services are confidential; call to schedule an inspection and estimate today.

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Northern Pest: Our family serving yours! We are licensed and insured to provide insect and wildlife pest control. Our crew has the expertise to track wildlife entry points and remove pests of all kinds, including our licensed builders, who can make any of the necessary repairs caused by wildlife. Northern Pest is a member of the MDAT and the NWCOA. We are certified by the IICRC to offer professional mold mitigation services caused by animal damage. At Northern Pest, we do it all!

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Northern Michigan is prone to pests seeking shelter during the harsh winter. When temperatures dip near freezing, residents may notice an uptick in pest activity within the premises. For those who own an RV or camper, keeping mice at bay when the vehicle is not in use is especially difficult. Mice are small enough to squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, so cracks and holes you didn’t know existed can be found and infiltrated by these tiny yet destructive creatures.

Tips to Keep Mice Out of Your Home on Wheels:

• Inspect for Entry Points: Examine your camper and detect potential entry points. Look underneath the camper and search for any holes that mice may enter, focusing on areas where pipes and electrical wires egress. Inspect the exterior, including windows and doors, under the hood, and check the “basement” storage area. Finally, check the interior, closely inspecting dark, hidden areas such as the back of cabinets and drawers.
• Prevent Entry: Seal all cracks and gaps with expanding spray foam or caulk. Once you locate entry points, fill them with foam spray, caulk, or wire mesh. Pay special attention to any access panels, the dumping compartment, and your camper’s pop-out or pull-out sections.
• Keep it Squeaky Clean: After your trip, properly clean your camper. When storing your trailer, even for a short period, all food and condiments should be removed, apart from canned goods. Don’t trust a plastic bin to prevent mice from chewing through, either! Thoroughly clean up crumbs, spills, and sticky messes, including the refrigerator, microwave, countertops, cushions, and floors. If you have children, double-check and clean areas such as the pull-out couch, bed, and play areas.   

• Storing Your Camper: If able, it’s ideal to keep your camper on a hard, paved surface. Parking your wheels on grassy or wooded areas is where mice are more likely to roam. A solid surface acts like a buffer to further protect your trailer. Also, regularly check your camper so that if there is a problem, you can act quickly to remedy it.

• Use Natural Mouse Repellent: Consider using DIY remedies such as placing moth balls, dryer sheets, or Irish Spring soap in openings around the camper. Cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil may work, too, as rodents dislike strong smells. Cats are also great at keeping the mice away!

• Set Up Mouse Traps: Kill traps are another option. You can preemptively set up mouse traps to eliminate those who may wander inside. You will need to periodically check the traps, dispose of any carcasses, and reset new traps.

• Set Up Recurring Rodent Services: When all else fails, or if you want to go the easy route, Northern Pest can set up a rodent program that will protect your home and property!

Keeping up on recreational vehicles doesn’t have to be a lot of work, and there’s really no way to seal those things up. Take a load off and relax a bit by calling Northern Pest. Our techs will assess your situation, inspect your premises, and recommend solutions. Our reoccurring rodent program includes strategically setting up tamper-resistant devices which hold rodenticide bait blocks. These attract pesky rodents who will eat the bait and leave as they normally would and die outside within a day or two in search of hydration. Our team will regularly come out as scheduled to check and refill the stations with bait. For hassle-free pest control, call Northern Pest today!

Northern Pest: Our family serving yours! We are licensed and insured to provide insect and wildlife pest control. Our crew has the expertise to track wildlife entry points and remove pests of all kinds, including our licensed builders, who can make any of the necessary repairs caused by wildlife. Northern Pest is a member of the MDAT and the NWCOA. We are certified by the IICRC to offer professional mold mitigation services caused by animal damage. At Northern Pest, we do it all!

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Small brown bats, common in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, may hibernate for more than six months. With the arrival of warm weather and insects, bats too emerge in search of food. In their hunt, they may find their way into your home and decide it makes a nice area to roost. Any suspected bat invasion should be dealt with as soon as possible as these pests create an unhealthy living environment through exposure to rabies and histoplasmosis. Bats can also damage insulation and may cause a severe odor problem.

Despite their unsanitary nature, bats are extremely beneficial to our ecosystem, in part by controlling insect populations by eating 500 to 1,000 mosquitoes or other similar sized insects per hour. At Northern Pest, we recognize the importance in conserving these mammals. Depending on your geographical location and the time of the year, shortly after breeding season for bats, any exclusion work (evicting bats by the installation of check valves, one-way doors that allow bats to leave but not re-enter) may have to wait. The reason? Because any juvenile bats that are in your attic are still unable to fly. They will starve to death if their mother exits the den to feed and is unable to return due to the check valves and seal work recently completed. Usually, by the end of August, juvenile bats have matured and have flown the roost!

Juvenile bats can present another problem. Much like children, young bats are a bit clumsy and can end up in odd places by coming inside through open windows, chimney flues, exhaust pipes, or via a gap in the soffit or the ridge vent. Once inside, a young bat may not know how to get back out. Undoubtedly, a bat within the home is troubling to most people, and many customers have called us for a singular sighting of one.

The best time of year to complete bat-work is between May and July. If you need to wait until after August, try to get something done before the first constant frost (usually October-November) as not to disrupt an overwintering colony.

To lower the risk of a bat problem:

• Seal up any entry points
• Trim trees away from the roof and exterior siding
• If you hear scratching and clawing sounds coming from the walls or ceiling, especially at night, call Northern Pest to deal with a suspected bat invasion!

For safe, humane removal of bats, call Northern Pest. After a thorough inspection to identify entry points, we install check valves that allow bats to exit and prevent them from returning. Once the colony has vacated, the valves are removed, and the entry points are sealed to prohibit re-entry. After a bat exclusion, the cleanup process can begin, and any restoration repairs required can be done. Contact us to learn more about our process.

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Northern Pest: Our family serving yours! We are licensed and insured to provide insect and wildlife pest control. Our crew has the expertise to track wildlife entry points and remove pests of all kinds, including our licensed builders, who can make any of the necessary repairs caused by wildlife. Northern Pest is a member of the MDAT and the NWCOA. We are certified by the IICRC to offer professional mold mitigation services caused by animal damage. At Northern Pest, we do it all!

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com

Rodent Bait Stations

A mice infestation is a common household problem that brings several health risks and hazards to a home or business. Once you spot a rodent scurrying around, there are likely dozens more nesting on the property. The most effective way to get rid of these pests is by using bait stations. Unlike trapping devices that catch and kill a singular rodent, or unsafe piles of rodenticide left in various corners, bait stations are tamper-resistant devices that hold rodenticide bait blocks. Pesky rodents are attracted to the bait within the station, they eat and leave as they normally would, and they die outside within a day or two in search of hydration.

Bait stations only work as long as there is enough rodenticide for the rodents you are trying to control. Our recurring rodent services will regularly come out as scheduled to check and refill stations. We not only make sure to use the appropriate bait, but we will ensure that the bait stations are strategically placed both indoors and outdoors. For hassle-free pest control, call Northern Pest today!

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are starting to wake from their dormant state. One of the most common signs that you have an invasion of carpenter ants is wood damage. Piles of sawdust, similar to pencil shavings called “frass,” is actually the excavated wood that they chopped up with their mandibles and discarded near their nest entrance. Carpenter ants don’t eat wood; they burrow through moist structures to build their colony, typically beginning near a window or door frame, along rooflines, and areas with water damage.

Another tell-tale sign is their size; carpenter ants can be 5x larger than a common black ant, and the reproductive ants are winged. The sight of flying carpenter ants indicates that the colony is well established and searching for new settlements. They are identified by their heart-shaped head and single node below their rounded thorax.

A carpenter ant colony will not go away on its own. If you notice any of the mentioned red flags, it is imperative to seek professional pest control services asap. Our professional extermination services will not only prevent future invasions by sealing up cracks and open voids, but we go the extensive length to make sure no ants are left behind (as just a few can rehome a new colony.) We are also licensed, bonded, and insured to make the necessary repairs caused by wildlife damage, bringing back the integrity of your home or office to pre-pest condition.   

Get Help Today!

From Home, the Lake, Camp, or Your Business -Northern Pest Has You Covered!

Northern Pest is licensed and insured to provide insect and wildlife control. Comprehensively, our restoration crew is licensed builders with the expertise to not only track wildlife entry points but also repair any damage caused by insects or wild animals. Northern Pest is a member of the MDAT and the NWCOA. We are certified by the IICRC offering professional mold mitigation services caused by animal damage. At Northern Pest, we do it all!

During home inspections, one of several things we look out for is the existence of wood-boring insects. While many of these pests are beneficial in converting deadwood into the soil, having them in your home can be dangerous as they compromise a house’s structural integrity. The prevalence of wood-boring insects is heavily dependent on the region’s climate. In Michigan, carpenter ants thrive due to the relatively colder environment. While carpenter ants don’t consume wood, they chew and chop it up using their mandibles, preying on moist, damaged wood, to construct their colonies in the portions they’ve tunneled out.

If you notice piles of “frass,” which looks like sawdust, this is the excavated wood shavings that carpenter ants have tunneled out near the nest entrance. Also, the presence of large black ants, especially those that are winged and fly, consider this a red flag and that you potentially have a carpenter ant infestation. The nest may not necessarily be inside your house, however. Instead, carpenter ants may have a nest outside but enter your home searching for food and water. Carpenter ants usually emerge at night, feeding on sugary and fatty foods.

How To Check for Carpenter Ants:

• May through July, use a flashlight at night to look for foraging workers.
• After dusk, pay close attention to the attic, basement, and garage. You may be able to follow the worker ants to their nests.
• Always check for carpenter ants in areas with damp wood, possibly due to leaks, poor ventilation, defective flashing, and condensation.

Over time, the outdoor parent colony will fill capacity and send their winged, reproductive ants to find new colonies, this time – they may be in your home. To get rid of carpenter ants, you need to locate and eliminate the parent and satellite nests. It’s imperative to reach all the ants in the colony, as a few stragglers will create a new settlement.

A carpenter ant colony will not go away on its own. If you notice any of the above-mentioned warning signs of a pest invasion, it is imperative to seek professional insect control services. At Northern Pest, our professional extermination services will not only prevent future infestations by sealing up cracks and open voids, but we go the extensive length to make sure that no ants are left behind (as just a few can rehome a new colony.) We are also licensed, bonded, and insured to make the necessary repairs caused by wildlife damage, bringing back the integrity of your home or office to pre-pest condition.  

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Northern Pest is a local, family-owned, and operated insect and wild animal control company spanning six counties in Michigan’s central upper peninsula. We’ll help you find the least invasive and most cost-effective plan to handle any irritating pest problem affecting your home or business. We are licensed and insured to provide pest control services, building maintenance, and repair work caused by wildlife damage. As a comprehensive animal and insect control company, Northern Pest is honored to give our customers peace of mind by providing solutions for troublesome wildlife. Contact us today at www.northernpest.com or call 906-553-4841 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Beyond sneaking into our residences and breaking into our food supply, rodents are also a significant concern because they can transmit several diseases to humans through waste and other forms of contamination. Mice and rats can carry more than 35 different diseases, so getting rid of them at the earliest sign of an invasion is imperative. Read on to learn about some of the diseases they carry.

Salmonellosis
Caused by the bacterium salmonella, this disease can be spread through contaminated food. The bacteria causes food poisoning; symptoms of which include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
This potentially life-threatening disease spreads through deer mouse waste by means of direct contact with urine or feces, consumption of contaminated foods, or bite. This virus can take one- to five weeks to completely develop symptoms, which typically manifest through fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, or other abdominal issues. The virus can also become fatal if not properly treated.

Rat-Bite Fever
This disease is caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis and Spirillum minus bacterium. It spreads to humans through contact with an infected rodent or eating contaminated food. Symptoms generally manifest three- to ten days after exposure and can include fever, headaches, rash, vomiting, and muscle pain. Antibiotics can cure this ailment.

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
A viral infection caused by contact with rodents, this can be transmitted via a mouse’s urine or feces, touching its nesting materials, or a bite. Symptoms come in two phases which include fever, muscle aches, lack of appetite, headache, nausea, and vomiting to start. Then, those infected can experience stiff neck, drowsiness, confusion, sensory disturbances, motor abnormalities, paralysis, and brain inflammation. It’s not usually fatal but can cause hospitalization or permanent neurological damage.

Bubonic Plague
The most famous rodent-caused sickness due to its deadly effect on humans during the Middle Ages, the bubonic plague (also known as Black Death), is transmitted through rats. Fleas with the bacterium Yersinia pestis infect the rats and can also infect humans through handling a contaminated animal, fluid, or tissue. Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes. Antibiotics can treat this disease quickly, but it can be fatal if left untreated.

Tularemia
Caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, this disease can spread through rabbits, flea and tick bites, airborne dust particles, and contaminated water. The most common symptom of tularemia includes skin ulcers or swollen lymph nodes. It is usually curable through antibiotics but can be life-threatening.

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Do you have a rodent issue? Contact Northern Pest and let our pros handle the problem today.

Northern Pest is a local, family-owned and operated insect and wild animal control company spanning six counties in Michigan’s central upper peninsula. We’ll help you find the least-invasive and most cost-effective plan to handle any irritating pest problem affecting your home or business. We are licensed and insured to provide pest control services, building maintenance, and repair work caused by wildlife damage. As a comprehensive animal and insect control company, Northern Pest is honored to give our customers peace of mind by providing solutions for troublesome wildlife. Contact us today at www.northernpest.com or call 906-553-4841 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

Mice are the most common rodent found in peoples’ homes. Using whatever materials they can find to make their nests, these pests invade homes by squeezing through tiny holes and voids within walls or other areas. They can also gnaw through drywall and insullation with ease.

Mice prefer to snack on grains, fruits, seeds, crackers, nuts, and other dried goods. Depending on what’s available, mice will chow down on just about anything, including insects, food scraps, and more.

Numerous issues can result in a home due to the presence of mice. From physical damage to your cabinets, electrical wiring, insulation, papers, boxes, and other materials to health hazards, mice should be removed from your infrastructure as soon as possible. Mice carry microbes and pathogens which can be transmitted to humans, such as hantavirus. They can also trigger asthma in humans if allergic.

Foraging for food isn’t the only reason mice infiltrate your home; they are also looking to build nests and raise their pups. Mice can reproduce swiftly, as females can give birth up to six babies every three weeks.

Especially during the cold winter months, mice can cause extensive damage to a home. Moreover, mice can get into your garage and climb in your vehicles to stay warm, chewing and nesting near the engine.

Do you think you have a mouse in your house? Here are some signs:

• Damaged or chewed-through food boxes or food with nibble/teeth marks
• Nests made from shredded napkins, boxes, papers, etc., found in drawers, closets, and more
• Tiny, thin oval feces droppings
• Electrical damage within walls or under the hood of your car
• Oily marks on walls or tiny footprints on the floor

If you spot one or more of these signs, you might have a mouse problem. Take action by cleaning up crumbs, storing leftovers, sealing holes, removing nests, etc. To remove them altogether, you will need to call a professional.

At Northern Pest, our techs are expertly trained and ready to remove rodents from your home or business. Contact us to get rid of mice invaders today!

Northern Pest is a local, family-owned and operated insect and wild animal control company spanning six counties in Michigan’s central upper peninsula. We’ll help you find the least-invasive and most cost-effective plan to handle any irritating pest problem affecting your home or business. We are licensed and insured to provide pest control services, building maintenance, and repair work caused by wildlife damage. As a comprehensive animal and insect control company, Northern Pest is honored to give our customers peace of mind by providing solutions for troublesome wildlife. Contact us today at www.northernpest.com or call 906-553-4841 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.