5 Signs of a Pest Problem at Your Business

1. Droppings

To identify, though. Bedbug poop looks like marks left by a felt-tip pen, while cockroach droppings are evocative of black pepper flakes. Keep surfaces clean to make identification easy, and ensure that staff routinely check bedding, furniture, floors and walls for signs of pest fecal matter.

2. Physical Damage

Mice and rats will chew through drywall and wires (sometimes even plastic and pipes) to get to food and water. This can cause electrical fires and of course, workspace and food contamination. Look for gnaw marks on furniture and wires for signs of a mouse or rat infestation. Damaged wood, like furniture or outdoor decks, can indicate a termite infestation. Other property damage like holes in siding, roofs or windows could indicate the presence of a larger nuisance like squirrels or raccoons, so make property checks part of your routine!

3. Grease Marks

Rats and mice typically travel along the same paths (close to walls), and rats are notorious for leaving grease tracks. Keep an eye out for dark, greasy spots near the floor to catch a rodent problem before it becomes unmanageable.

4. Nesting Evidence

Most animals that enter your facility are looking for a happy home, so they’ve likely begun constructing nests. Rodents especially will make nests out of anything available to them from shredded paper or old food to grass clippings and leaves. Larger animals like birds, squirrels and raccoons may make similar homes too.

Nests can be trickier to spot since the animal has likely done its due diligence and found a place away from human disturbance. Performing routine inspections for signs of nesting, particularly underneath floors and between walls, can help identify a pest problem.

5. Plant Damage

Plants contribute to the overall environment of your space, but they can also help you easily identify pests! Gnawing on the edges of plants or blades of grass can indicate an insect problem. Similarly, discrepancies in your lawn could be a sign of a mole, beetle, grub, cricket or fly infestation. Keep an eye out for uneven grass length and large, brown, dead patches of grass to identify signs of these pesky creatures quickly.

In short, equip employees with the knowledge to identify pests early, and keep workspaces clean to make these indications easy to spot. Not all pest problems are created equal, and sometimes a matter of days is all it takes for a problem to escalate.

Seeing signs of a pest, or not sure what to make of a new development on your commercial property? Give us a call!