Rodent Control Tips For Effingham, Kingstree, & Myrtle Beach Residents

As the weather turns colder here in South Carolina, you probably plan to spend more time inside. Unfortunately, rodents such as mice and rats are thinking the same thing! They look for warm shelter and easy meals; your home might be perfect. If you’d like to make it less perfect (for rodents), you need to roll your sleeves up and implement a rodent prevention strategy. Join us as we share some tips and tricks for rodent control in our Effingham, Kingstree, and Myrtle Beach service areas. As always, we’re here if you need help or have questions. Reach out to Harris Pest Control service at any time.

What rodents are common in South Carolina?

The three common rodents in our region are house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats. Here are a few quick facts about each:

House mice
These rodents are nimble climbers, adept leapers, and surprising squeezers. They can scale the bark on trees and houses alike. They can leap 13 inches straight up into the air and several feet across. They can squeeze their malleable bodies through gaps the size of a dime. Once inside, house mice prefer to stay permanently. This is how they got their name. They love to live in houses.

Norway rats
These brown rats are burrowers. They tunnel into the ground to establish their nests and like to stay near the ground. Their short tails make climbing a bit awkward, so they tend not to. But, like mice, Norway rats can squeeze through small gaps to enter homes. Once inside, they may stay if they find a warm hiding place, such as a wall void near a hot pipe or a heating duct.

Roof rats
These black rats are expert climbers. Like mice, they can scale trees and exteriors. They also run across power lines at night. Once roof rats enter homes, they stay in attics, rafters, and other upper-level areas.

These rodent pests can survive outdoors during South Carolina winters and don’t hibernate. But, like all warm-blooded animals, they prefer to live in warmth. If these rodents discover it is warm inside your home and they can find a way in, you could have trouble with them this winter. 

Rodent control tips for SC homeowners

Rodent detection

A solid rodent control strategy begins with knowing how to detect rodent activity indoors and outdoors. Signs of mice and rats include:

• Black droppings. Indoors, you may find them along walls, in secluded spaces, and other areas where they nest or search for food. Outdoors, you may find them along your exterior, particularly around entry points.
• Grease marks. Rodents have grease on their fur. When they go in and out of a gap or hole, the grease causes surfaces to become black. It also makes baseboards, walls, pipes, and other indoor surfaces black.
• Property damage. Rodents gnaw on building materials and create holes. Look for damage around doors, windows, pipes, and utilities. They also gnaw on food packaging, stored items, and interior building materials.
• Nests. Rodents use soft materials to create balled-up nests in hidden places. A common place to find mouse nests is in the drawers of stored furniture.
  Nocturnal sounds. While rats and mice are both “quiet as a mouse,” you may be able to hear them in your walls or attic spaces, especially at night when they are most active.

If you notice warning signs of rodent activity, contact Harris Pest Control for professional rodent control and exclusion.

Rodent-proofing

If you don’t have rodents in your home, you want to keep it that way, right? Inspect your exterior and do the following:

• Use expanding foam to fill in gaps and cavities.
• Replace damaged weather strips and sweeps.
• Replace or repair screens.
• Ensure that all vents are covered and protected.
• Trim tree branches away from your roof line.
• Install wire mesh to protect vulnerable areas.
• Block rodent access to downspouts on your gutter system.

Once you’ve blocked access, you’ll need to consider the factors that can attract rodents to your home.

Rodent attractants

Rodents are looking for three things: food, water, and shelter. Here are a few things you need to remove or address on your property if you can:

• Seeds
• Nuts
• Fruit
• Pet waste
• Open trash cans
• Junk piles
• Brush piles
• Logs
• Leaves
• Cardboard piles
• Leaks and moisture problems
• Clogged gutters

Rats and mice go where conditions are favorable for their survival and comfort. 

Professional rodent control is the best solution

The reality is that rodent control is hard work. Worse still, it is possible to put in the hard work and still have problems with these pests. Rather than waste time and money on DIY rodent control that will deliver less than stellar results, contact Harris Pest Control for effective rodent control in Effingham, Kingstree, Myrtle Beach, or elsewhere in our Pee Dee and Grand Strand service area.  

Our locally owned and family-operated pest control company has a couple of options for eliminating and preventing rodents. First, we’ll perform a free rodent inspection to identify the species and evaluate the severity of the situation. After that, we’ll recommend a course of action to resolve the problem based on our findings. 

Our team offers stand-alone rodent control that is customized to the specific needs of the property and may include: 

• Rodent-proofing
• Rodent traps
• Rodent baiting
• Exterior rodent stations 
• 30-day rodent control guarantee

We also offer year-round home pest control services, including regular treatments for rodents and other common house–infesting pests. Check out our plan below for more information, or simply give us a call!