Homeowners Battling Pesky Pests
Numerous homeowners are struggling with various pest infestations, including bats, ants, termites, carpenter ants, roaches, and even mice. They're seeking advice on identification, removal methods, and preventative measures, often expressing frustration with ineffective treatments or conflicting recommendations from professionals.
SOURCES (60)
“We were considering putting it in the attic for raccoons. We since spent 6k to have the attic sealed off at the roof line. Also considered it for deer for plants outside but that's a forever battle.”
“My next door neighbors have a bat infestation. REALLY badly and it’s been going on for months at this point. I’ve come home as the sun is setting and watched them pour out of the building. When I try to leave for work in the morning, they’re flying everywhere and I can barely get into my car without ducking and dodging. Every morning I come out to my car, there’s bat poop and pee all over my car from them flying around it. They REFUSE to call a pest control specialist to extract the bats. If it”
“I actually saw one enter here the other day. I can hear them both from my room and while I’m standing outside looking at this. They quoted us $2000 to take care of it. Any advice on how we get them out and keep them out? submitted by /u/Capital_Grab_3428 [link] [comments]”
“They usually sell them in your local hardware store right next to the mousetraps for rodents.”
“Found destroying an old flower bed by the house. Wondering if this is a "call the pros now" situation or a DIY it'll be ok type one. If the latter - what's the best way to go about keeping the house safe (not concerned with this bed itself being destroyed)? submitted by /u/FernCoolingHeating [link] [comments]”
“I just cancelled my Terminix service (they suck) and I am looking for a new company. I am in Long Island, NY. Been looking at reviews etc but not sure what exactly to take into account when it comes to pest control. Any pointers would be great! Looking for termite and general pest control (spider crickets, spiders etc.) Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/q7supastar [link] [comments]”
“How much are you guys paying for pest control monthly I was paying eco lab 350 a month I talked them down to 275 a month that still seems hefty. They come once a month submitted by /u/AsiansInParris [link] [comments]”
“I really need some advice from people who work in pest control because money is extremely tight right now and I’m trying to figure out what’s actually necessary. We’ve been dealing with the big American/palmetto-type roaches for about a year. We have a pest control company that regularly comes and sprays/treats our house, and it wasn’t working. We’d still see a big roach inside occasionally, maybe around once a week, but that was basically the extent of the problem for most of the year. Recently”
“Based on past redditors posts I am leaning towards this being from a visiting bat? We’ve never seen one in the 3 months we’ve been here, but when I poked a few with a stick they crumbled. Would love some confirmation if that’s what they are, and if so if they cause any harm or what to do to get rid of them? submitted by /u/chickendinner212 [link] [comments]”
“I can hear noises in my ceiling cavity and of course want to get rid of anything living there if it will cause damage but I don't want them to be harmed or killed. Is it possible to find pest control businesses which don't kill or harm the animals? I know they wouldn't with protected species but I mean with e. G. Rats/ birds, I wouldn't want to harm or kill them either. Thanks ✌️ submitted by /u/Spicysoupdumpling [link] [comments]”
“Hello, I called a pest control company out because I saw frass under my alcove bay window. They sprayed around my house but didn’t drill by the window as they said there hasn’t been any new frass in a bit. I only get frass under the window after it rains heavy. Is this frass termites or carpenter ants ? I don’t live in an area that commonly has termites. Thanks. submitted by /u/wattsupbros [link] [comments]”
“Fall is here and I just want to leave the back patio door open without my living room turning into a mosquito buffet. Renting, so drilling into the frame for a real screen door is not an option. Thought about just throwing up a tension rod with a sheer curtain, but my dog would rip the whole rod down on day one. Looked into those clear PVC strip curtains too, but that feels like installing a walk-in freezer door in my living room, plus they are heavy and apparently reek of plastic. I grabbed a b”
“Squirrels have become my enemy as a homeowner. Does anyone have tips or tricks to keep them away/out of house. We have had attic completely sanitized and new insulation installed but squirrels still chew their way in. submitted by /u/Short_Maintenance676 [link] [comments]”
“We purchased our house over 7 years ago and during the inspection it was mentioned that they had termite prevention done on the shed. Fast forward we found termites that definitely at through the floor and part of the wall in our shed. I also saw they were going at our wood pile for our open pit fires we have on occasion. This pest problem is all new to me and I'm not sure on the best approach... For anything I usually get 3 quotes, so I got that down at least. The one local business I reach”
“I'm in SoCal Inland Empire debating on using Dewey or Lloyd Pest Control. We have tiny black ants popping up everywhere and need a reliable service. Regardless of price, tell me your experience with either of these companies submitted by /u/randall_handles [link] [comments]”
“Found behind my couch and on my windowsill. I live in a duplex that’s about 100 years old and not well sealed. I had ants earlier this year and termites have been an ongoing issue per the landlord. I have monthly pest control services as well but I’m so afraid that this is something worse like mice, even though these seem too small. Any ideas? submitted by /u/throwawaygoinghats [link] [comments]”
“We have had rats in our attic and hired a pest control company because we wanted them completely gone. We already paid $1,899 for an exclusion and before that they put poison bait in the attic. It has been about 3 weeks and we are still hearing them walking and scratching up there. They did seal some holes outside with copper mesh and foam but we have already noticed other spots that look like they were missed. Before we hired them I asked about patching holes, checking the crawlspace, door swee”
“We have recently noticed a TON of earwigs getting inside our home. Our next door neighbor is having the same issue. I’ve seen that diatomaceous earth is good for ground level protection, but what is a good spray for places such as windows and doors? TIA! submitted by /u/DrivenBusinessGirly [link] [comments]”
“So recently I signed up for recurring pest control. They want 1700 to do treatment. He then backed off the price on some classic salesman discounts. The "bait" trap he showed me actually doesn't look eaten by termites. It looks broken by a human. Also no live termites were found and no wings or mud tunnels. Here are the photos he took and the bait trap. He kept the bait trap off his report submitted by /u/Dear_Research_4749 [link] [comments]”
“Had our windows replaced last year and now we have this debris under two windows. I clean it and a week later the debris is back. If it is ant frass, is this something a typical pest company can take care of? We live in the Midwest. I’ll attach another picture below. submitted by /u/Adept-Pea-4048 [link] [comments]”
“Pictures above of their “evidence” of termites. I could use some advice because this situation doesn’t seem right. A pest control company (Quell) inspected my home and told me I had an active termite infestation. They showed me some photos/videos and tried to sell me around $2,200 worth of termite bait stations + $500 a year for “maintenance” Before moving forward, I decided to get second and third opinions from two different licensed pest control companies in Texas. Both of them independently t”
“I had my annual pest service this week and a few days later I got a call about free termite inspection. I figured sure why not. The tech came out today and drug a dead log that was maybe 30ft away from the house up to the house to tap it out and show me the termites. Except he didn't just do it at the sidewalk which was a few feet from the house, he brought it all the way up to the house. So he basically dumped little termites on the ground just inches away from the house. Granted I'm su”
“I'm at my wit's end. We are pretty sure a squirrel or something got trapped in our old wood burning chimney and died. I called everyone; pest control, chimney sweeps, clean up services, the works. No one could help. Now there are flies. I'm certain they are blow and flesh flies and I am horrified. Is there anything I can do to stop them? We've tried to get to the dead thing and we just can't so we resorted to duct taping up holes to prevent a smell, which has worked, but the”
“Hello!!! House is in AZ built in 2023 and found a small line of termites in our garage. We had a company out and got this quote. Does that seem reasonable? Have another company coming wonder is that necessary or should we have it spray and monitor it? I think from research anything we do has to be good for 3 years per Arizona law to keep them away? Just curious thoughts house is about 2400 sq ft. Included the pre and final from AZ dept of agriculture. Thanks so much!!! submitted by /”
“i don't know if i'm just unlucky or what but i cannot keep up with this pest pressure. the leaf footed bugs are incredibly annoying but not new. but i don't know WHAT is going on with these stink bugs. prior to this season i've seen maybe a couple dozen in any given year and now i have hundreds. the japanese beetles too, only a handful previously and today i have a whole colony boring into a sunflower trunk. the flea beetles i understand, i grew eggplant this year and learned the”
“Over the past 4 years of owning our house in Western New York, we've had 4 instances of a bats being inside the house on top of countless occurrences of hearing them scratching in the walls. We had an exclusion service come last year to seal up any entries from top to bottom, which mostly seemed to work. However the most recent bat in the house we had was 3 weeks ago. I watched to make sure that it flew out of the house. But we just found what's in the pictures today. It was just 1, mois”
“West coast Canada, massive rainstorm last night and saw a bunch of swarms on property but then noticed these guys falling from ceiling INSIDE. hoping it’s not what I’m thinking it is but anxiety would appreciate another set of eyes. submitted by /u/speak-slow [link] [comments]”
“I haven’t been able to sit out next to my house, during the day, all summer because of swarms of these pests. I have covered concrete porches on both sides. I’ve treated the soffits and siding, used fans and leaf blowers and they still kept coming back all summer. Now it’s the end of August and I went to go do it again. While walking in the mulch I noticed I kicked some up. Then in the backyard in a grassy area we don’t walk on frequently the same thing. These little fuckers are everywhere repro”
“I am considering just signing up to a pest control company because it seems like a good idea to have someone else deal with keeping pests out of my home than myself. Is this routinely done with a specific problem of can you just get a contract with a company to deal with all kinds of problems on a quarterly or biannual basis? submitted by /u/Dry_Corner6431 [link] [comments]”
“Hi all, My family has a recreational property with a mouse problem. The main structure where we live has been spared so far but the outbuildings (small sheds, old bunkie, electrical panel) are filled with them to a point where they’re making a lot of damage (nesting in my air compressor or in the back of my washing machine). I’m also afraid they’re going to get in the living area soon (I’m sure they’re here and I just can’t see them or their droppings yet). The property is pretty remote and back”
“For the last 3/4 months I have been putting in requests for pest control and visiting the front office about a termite issue. The normal pest control guy is clearly NOT capable of taking care of this issue because it's worse than ever. The termites are making half of my kitchen completely unusable. submitted by /u/One_Interview4196 [link] [comments]”
“Guys, I would love to hear some success stories of people who dealt with rather severe recluse infestations. Looking for some advice what else we can do to handle our situation. Here's my story so far: Bought a beautiful brick home (built 1900) in Missouri. It has an unfinished basement and a crawlspace attic so yeah, obviously theres some bugs and spiders around but I didn't expect what we're dealing with right now. We called a pest control company in May, not because we had any con”
“I've heard about Terry ant traps, which I could place down. It seems pretty big, only moved into the house a month ago, have not noticed any inside. I contacted a local 5 stars pest control and they said $80 to "use a pole to stick in the nest and agitate it, then they put their chemical spraying wand in the hole and they spray inside the nest to kill it off." What would you suggest? submitted by /u/Ok-Actuary-5377 [link] [comments]”
“Hello! This isn’t my first rodeo having bats in the house, but this is a new spot. I had roofing work done a few years ago where multiple layers of shingle were removed, leaving a sizable gap under the dormers. I’m familiar with bat exclusions and was planning to try it myself. I was curious if anyone else has attempted an exclusion in a sloped area and how you approached it? The 1/4” bird netting and tube are most commonly used. None of my Google searches have shown a dormer, and the netting is”
“Have a tree with carpenter ants. Paid a guy I’ve used before to treat them. Been almost two months and they’re still cruising like nothing happened. The tree was treated with imidacloprid. I’m now being told he can’t help me further as the tree is far from my house, and I need an arborist to come out and see if it can be saved. Feel like I got duped out of almost $200 and since they’re a pest control company not exterminators there’s no financial guarantee. 1- do I need an arborist or is there s”
“I live in an old brick house built in 1900. It is lovely but after we moved in we found ourselves to average a bat a year in the house. Every time we found one, it was flying over us in our bedroom (4 or 5 now). Our bedroom is on the second floor, in our closet there is a door that leads to the attic. One time a bat flew up from the basement. Last year, we had a pest company bat-proof the house. While here they checked the attic and found no bat droppings or evidence of bats in the attic. They s”
“For context I live in an older home so I know bugs naturally try to be in those a bit more. I've seen ants in my dining room and my living room somewhat consistently for the summer. I sweep and mop and vacuum constantly because I have 4 kids and they drop tons of stuff so I'm not leaving crumbs or messes or sticky spots around. I also know that its impossible to have a perfectly crumb free house. Yesterday I was so over the ants that I made a homemade mixture of vinegar, water, Dawn dish”
“Where do you live? City/rural? Unfortunately its going to be hard for me to give you good, actionable and specific recommendations without seeing your property/area”
“These bats are residing in between the attic vent intake and the installed screen. I'd say they've been there a couple years at least. I've seen some droppings for years on my driveway, but I thought it was mice or toads because I have a driveway light so a lot of bugs congregate. Today, there was a lot more droppings and I thought I should take a look. My attic is split, and this is the smaller portion and is not very accessible. They're not damaging anything structurally as far”
“Neighbors noticed a couple bats peeking out our gables. Had to wait for mating season to be over and have had 5 different pest companies come out for quotes. The first one was wild and quoted over $10k and started saying there was guano everywhere which all other 4 pest companies said that wasn't guano. Ultimately I have probably 2 bats in the attic gables. They haven't made it past the insect screen luckily. Question: the first 4 companies wanted to install ridge guard vents as part of”
“Help. The bat was in my moms room and the when I opened the window because it kept flying into it, it decided to crawl thru the top and try to force itself into the bottom. But in doing so got stuck and is now unresponsive. I obviously did not intend for this outcome to happen and did not intentionally trap the bat. submitted by /u/Simple_Marketing2831 [link] [comments]”
“Any suggestion to fight mosquitos, fungus gnats, and ticks in the backyard? We have dogs that love to be outside so any suggestion would help 🙏 submitted by /u/bigdaddyteezy [link] [comments]”
“Connecticut, USA Found a bat still alive in a mouse snap trap in our basement today with an absolutely mangled wing. I assume it came in (somehow) to rest for a day and got caught. I took it to someone authorized to treat and rehab bats. She said it was very dehydrated and was likely there a while before we found it. My beagle is up to date on rabies vaccination (last booster was March of this year). She only goes in basement when we go down and is down there for a couple minutes when we are. I”
“My mother bought a house about six years ago for cheap, and to realize why it was so cheap when the previous owner told her that they had an ant problem. My mother has tried almost all the big brands (Terro, STEM, Ortho, Hot Shot; the list is long) out there claiming to get rid of colonies. My mom claims that Zevo spray gets rid of them, but it seems not to have worked since they are quite literally coming through the walls the moment a food sits on the countertop for 5 minutes. On top of that,”
“Doesn't he have screens on his windows? He may see a lot fewer flying things in his apartment if screens cover all open windows”
“I've had a contract with a fairly large termite company since I bought my house 16 years ago. They come out every July for my annual inspection and all is good. They have been recommending that i get a better moisture barrier installed in my crawlspace because the moisture content was borderline to high. They suggested this at least the past 3 years in a row with a quote for what they'd charge me to do it. I always declined because I didn't want them to do that. I ended up paying a v”
“Hello all. My husband and I are first-time home owners in Virginia. We’ve been in the house just under 2 years and have pest control come quarterly (or more for additional services included in the monthly price). Today, the technician found live termites in a wooden stump about a foot from our house. Now we’re considering installing the bait stations around our house for a $600 charge (+$39 monthly on top of the $39 monthly charge for general pest control, pending possible discounts) to prevent”
“With all the rain we've been having this year. The ants have been horrible at all three of my properties. I would like to treat the outside of the houses and the surrounding yards of all. Probably a minimum of a half acre to one acre of outside yard at each place. What's gonna be my cost-effective and best working choice to use? I already have a electric sprayer that I use for lawn chemicals that I can apply with on the yard or already have a spreader for granules also. So I'm not li”
“I'd lean toward chinch bugs. They usually start near driveways and walkways. You'll want bifenthrin. If you havent done any disease prevention, 2 applications of Scott's Disease Ex at the preventative rate are always recommended to prevent whatever might be coming your way.”
“I'm curious if anyone can give a suggestion here, I had my roof redone and we have had a couple issues after that needed to be fixed. But now we have had bats in the house and the bat expert thinks maybe the ridge vent has too many gaps. I'm wondering if this is something the roofers should correct or just a reality of ridge vent? I'd rather have the roofers deal with this if it's under their warranty than pay $1000+ for ridge guard. submitted by /u/Hencley [link] ”
“Pest control company said i should buy their “plan”…but it seems like a ripoff. So can I just buy the same spray that they’d use and just spray the perimeter of my house once a month or something? Or is it not that easy/simple? P.S. I have kids, so I don’t want to spray anything toxic (my wife has said the past to sprinkle cinnamon around our house, but that has limited efficacy) submitted by /u/Snowboardsurfer91 [link] [comments]”
“Do I need to rip my siding off? submitted by /u/SecretiveShades [link] [comments]”
“Thought we had bed bugs, pest inspector found no evidence in mattresses, told us about bat bugs and low and behold, there was a roost in an inaccessible attic and we could hear them clearly from HVAC closet. Bat problem has been taken care of, but now with no hosts, we are seeing more bat bugs regularly on the walls. Every online resource about bat bugs says to get professional pest services to treat them and every pest control company has basically told me there’s nothing they can do. Orkin and”
“All other replies are correct, squirrels, armadillos, raccoons, and skunks will do this. Thankfully they’re pretty easy to deal with if you can spray a liquid deterrent around your property edge to keep them away.”
“I just moved into a new rental home two weeks ago, and have been dealing with tons of ants that seem to keep showing up every other day or so. Problem areas include- front door, back door, under & surrounding the kitchen stove, by the bathroom, and in the garage. I’ve been using the Terro liquid baits and have had success in the past before, but I’ve placed about 12 of them in the past 2 weeks and haven’t seen much of a difference yet… I’ve also noticed something interesting around a trap th”
“These ants first appeared months ago, but they've gotten much much worse over the past few weeks. I wish I had done something about it earlier, but now looking for advice on how to get rid of these asap. They are small ants (?), but not like the ones you see when you search "ant infestation" on google, so not sure which type they are. See them in groups and clusters like many of the pics shown here, and also see singular ones. The extent of it is getting ridiculous as they were onc”
“Last August I had a pest company come out and confirm that a small colony of about 25 bats were living in the attic of the house I’d purchased only eight months prior. The attic space is very small, and my home inspector clearly didn’t do enough inspecting up there. Sellers didn’t disclose bats and I therefore inherited them. I did an initial exclusion in September with the company, but one week into the exclusion one of the exits fell down and the bats immediately got back in. Company came back”
“I got a house from 1878 and I recently moved in . The first issue was it had flying termites so I had a local contractor put high grade bait stations everywhere and I haven't seen a swarm ever since . I got a room on the side of the house I rarely go in and when I looked by the window I seen this . What is is this from ? I don't know if it's carpenter ants or termites but I haven't seen any bugs . The last time I seen termites they would come out and start swarming and letting yo”