It’s 3 o’clock in the morning. You wake up to something scratching and running around above your head in the ceiling. What can it be? Wait, it sounds like there could be more than one! What are they doing up there…bowling? The noise continues through the night until early morning and then finally subsides. Too afraid to investigate the attic yourself (for fear of running into the animal), you call Westchester Wildlife LLC: The experts in Animal Removal since 1986.

Our secretary answers and informs you the noises could be that of a nocturnal animal. Bats, mice, flying squirrels, raccoons are all animals that are active at night and can take up residence in your attic. After hearing the description, our technician concludes the possibility that flying squirrels could be making these noises. An inspection is scheduled to search the attic to be 100 percent sure our instincts are correct. It is not uncommon there can multiple animal problems in one attic. The scratching sounds above your head could be one of several scenarios we’ve come across as Wildlife Removal Experts. The sounds you hear could even be additional critters infesting other areas of the house. In fact, the animal(s) may have been in the attic for a good amount of time living on top of the insulation. You’ve done the right thing by calling Westchester Wildlife LLC. Our inspection services will determine the source of the problem and how to properly remove the animal from your home.

Northern Flying Squirrel: A Background and Behavior

Let’s take a closer look at flying squirrels. What are they? Where do they come from? What kind of damage can they do to my home?

Flying Squirrels are the type of squirrel you might find in your attic in the United States. Also known as the Northern Flying Squirrel, these squirrels can be found in coniferous and mixed forests across the top of North America, from Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to North Carolina and west to California. Northern Flying Squirrel glide distances between 5 and 25 meters (or roughly 16 feet to 82 feet) though they have been observed to glide up to 45 meters (147 feet).

These nocturnal, arboreal rodents have thick, light brown or cinnamon fur on their upper body. A furry membrane called a patagium that extends between the front and rear leg and allows the animal to glide through the air. It’s greyish on the flanks and whitish underneath. Flying Squirrels have large eyes and a flat tail. They can also be identified by their long whiskers, common to nocturnal mammals. An adult Northern Flying Squirrel measures from 25 to 37 cm long (or 9 to 14 inches) and their weight can range from 110 to 230 grams, or 3 to 8 ounces (Wells-Gosling 1985).

Types of Bees Common in Summer

It is very common to see several types of bees during spring, summer, and fall. This time of year we can expect yellow jackets and hornets to be prevalent in Westchester County and surrounding areas.

This year in particular there has been an influx of bees mainly related to a mild winter and hot summer. The more temperatures increase, the more active it seems these insects become.

Characteristics of Yellow Jackets and Hornets:

Yellow jackets are typically ground bees, but also know to nest in many other locations. These North American predatory wasps have the nature to be dangerous and known to build hives two inches to two feet underground. Sometimes they will use an abandoned burrow made by a mole or mouse. Their tendency to build nests in trees, shrubs, and under decks can cause a potential hazard for homeowners. There even lies the possibility that hornets and yellow jackets can be inside a structure or wall. Crackling, sounds of rustling leaves may be an indication that the bees are building their hives inside a structure (hollow walls, attics, flooring, sheds, home siding and eaves of houses).

Yellow jackets aggravate easily and have a nature to be very aggressive. Midsummer is when adult worker bees emerge for nest expansion. They wander in search for food, caring for the queen and larvae, as well as defending the colony. From now until her death in autumn, the queen will remain in the nest and lay eggs. The colony rapidly expands in size by late summer.

Hornets (eusocial wasps) and bald-faced hornets are some of the most physically strongest stinging insects one can encounter. Hornets have a much more dangerous sting. They sting to protect and defend their hive and to kill prey. The sting is more painful to humans due to the highly toxic nature of their venom. Hornets have been known to sting even through protective clothing. Similarly, hornets and yellow jacket wasps do not die after a sting because the stinger is not pulled out of its body. A paper-like substance makes up both of their nests created by chewing slivers of wood mixed with starch and saliva. Hornet’s nests are found typically during spring in dark, sheltered spaces like tree trunks. This “football” teardrop-shaped nest are entirely exterior found also in trees, shrubs, and under decks.

Extra Facts:
Bees hate vibration. The use of lawnmowers cause a rumble and can stir the bees from their hive. Take caution around your property.

How Westchester Wildlife Can Help!
If you or someone you know needs assistance with Bee Removal and you are in one of our service counties, Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, or Fairfield please contact Westchester Wildlife to schedule an inspection today!
914-760-5713 or 800-273-6673

Why we need honey bees:

Honey bees are pollinators and vital to our ecosystem. They are responsible for pollinating nearly one-third of the food we eat. This is an estimated value of 15 billion per year.

Without a sustained bee population, produce could dramatically raise in cost and the food industry would risk losing billions of dollars. Bee extinction will cause a severe food chain collapse. Honey bees are known for their production and storage of honey and beeswax. Honey is made from the nectar of flowers and used in a variety of foods and sweeteners. Honey has a variety of medical applications and can be used as a healthy antioxidant, allergen reducer, and cough suppressor. Beeswax is used in food production, pharmaceutical cosmetics and other common products such as candles, shoe polishes, and lip balms. In brief, we are reminded how honey bees are an asset to our way of life.

Factors affecting the honey bee population:

Since 2006, there has been a major disturbance to the bee population. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a hive abruptly disappears. The actual explanation is somewhat undefined, but water pollution, parasitic mites, pesticides, disease, and urbanization have been documented as contributing causes. A highly toxic clothianidin (insecticide) marketed by Bayer CropScience is a suspected agent responsible for the worldwide honey bee demise.

Our climate changes and unpredictable weather patterns in the recent years has disrupted the natural cycle of honey bees. Warm weather disturbs the feeding cycle, putting hives at risk by supplementing natural food sources. Higher temperatures may increase the growth rate of fungi and viruses that wreaked bee colonies. The mild winter and extreme heat has enabled honey bees to swarm at a higher rate than usual. The NY Times recently reported an unusual number of active swarms around the city this spring as a result of warm temperatures and beekeeper’s poorly managed hives.

What’s Happening Now:

Did you know that honey bees are not native to our country? The species can be traced back to South Asia where most of the the known fossil deposits originated from. In 1999, the Giuliani administration added honey bees to the list of prohibited (exotic and dangerous) animal list. In efforts to keep the bee population thriving, beekeeper Andrew Cote waged a successful campaign against the city’s ban which was lifted in 2010. This year, more than ever Westchester Wildlife LLC has come across dozens of nests and swarms in our service areas.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with Bee Removal and you are in one of our service counties, Westchester, Putnam, Duchess, Rockland, or Fairfield please contact Westchester Wildlife to schedule an inspection today!
Call: 914-760-5713 or 800-273-6673

Bats are mammals whose webbed wings make them the only mammals capable of flight. These unique winged creatures have been depicted in myths and stories as vicious blood sucking mammals, generating needless fears for humankind. As a result, their benefits to our ecosystem seem to be overlooked and their nature to be misunderstood.

Seventy percent of bats are insectivores. Primarily bats prey at night and it is known that a single bat can eat up to 1,000 insects in a single hour. A pregnant female can consume the equivalent of her entire body weight in insects each night. Breeding season occurs in the spring, having one to three liters in a season. Females are very strategic with the timing of their pregnancy and birth of their young as they aim to coincide with food availability and favorable ecological conditions. Female bats instinctually will delay fertilization for months, storing sperm until the following spring. For such small bodies, bats surprisingly have long life spans. They can live over 20 years (some up to 32 years), making them the world’s longest lived mammal for it’s size. However, bat population growth is limited by the slow birth rate.

Let’s discuss bats and their beneficial impact on our environment. It is very easy to go about our day-to-day lives unaware of how it all keeps turning, yet if a huge staple of our ecosystem diminished, we would know. Bats are pollinators and seed-dispersers of countless trees, plants, and shrubs. Without pollination, gradually ecosystems would die. Plants would cease to provide food for wildlife, the base of our food chain. If our plants die there could be a serious breakdown in our ecosystem. Bats consuming so many insects also lessen our reliance on pesticides in agriculture.

Since 2006, a plague known as “white nose syndrome” has killed nearly 5.5 million bats nationwide in 19 states. The fungal infection originated in a cave in Albany, NY where a vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of bats are known to hibernate. The white fungus grows on the face, wings, and bodies of hibernating bats. Bats who have been afflicted lose fat stored and sometimes behave oddly, flying outside caves during winter months searching for food. This past winter some more points of the syndrome have become clear: some bats survive for several years indicating that the syndrome isn’t deadly.

Bat Emergencies In Your Home:

Since bats are valuable and we need them around, this doesn’t mean we want them in our homes. The new plague affecting bats has made extermination and pesticides illegal to use against them. Therefore, bats are removed by a method known as “exclusion.” This method remains the most effective and best way to control bats in a structure. If you or someone you know needs assistance with Bat Removal and you are in one of our service counties, Westchester, Putnam, Duchess, Rockland, or Fairfield please contact Westchester Wildlife to schedule an inspection today!
914-760-5713 or 800-273-6673

Summer is here. Common wildlife seen this time of year in our area include: bats, honeybees, woodchucks, squirrels, and chipmunks. Each creature possesses their own unique behavior which is themed around survival instincts. We share the natural habitat of these animals and very often we find they are considered a nuisance, causing distress to home and property owners. Listed are some common facts, behaviors and potential damages these wildlife animals can cause.

Woodchucks, Squirrels and Chipmunks.

Woodchucks are herbivores and feed on vegetables, grasses, and legumes. They are active mostly during the day and seen sometimes basking in the summer sun. Yes, woodchucks may seem unassuming at first thought, but they can cause a threat to agricultural and residential property. Their feeding habits can cause vegetative residual havoc and this wildlife creature has been known to damage building foundations and farming machinery. Woodchucks are excellent at making burrows. These can be extremely large and often have two to five entrances to escape from predators.

Squirrels and Chipmunks:

Squirrels and chipmunks have similar habits and hazards to one’s home. They are part of the rodent family. Some species include: the flying squirrel, gray squirrel, and red squirrel. Squirrels reproduce in the early spring and while they are most active during the day, only the red squirrel is nocturnal. They are excellent climbers and known to store nuts in attics, chimneys and walls.

The eastern chipmunk is a small, brownish, ground-dwelling squirrel. They are considered a nuisance mammal. They have the ability to cause structural damage by burrowing in patios, foundations, and retention walls.

Squirrels and chipmunks possess similar hazards and potential risks. Homeowners should be aware is the kind of damage these creatures can cause by taking up residence in their home. Females will seek shelter in your home for bearing their young. The young can later chew wires that could create serious fire hazards. Insulation can be damaged and is a common spot for squirrels to go to the bathroom. Urine and fecal matter odor can spread and cause health risks.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with these issues, and are within one of our service counties (Westchester, Duchess, Rockland, or Fairfiled) please contact Westchester Wildlife to schedule an inspection today!
914-760-5713 or 800-273-6673

The Plight of the Honey Bee and Why Bee Removal is Important

Albert Einstein once noted that if all of the honeybees ceased to exist on Earth, then mankind would have four more years left before it could no longer survive. Honeybees don’t just make honey; they pollinate more than 90 of the tastiest flowering crops we have.

We don’t often think about how important bees are to the process of life as we go about our own daily lives, and even fewer people realize that wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets serve the same purpose as honeybees in pollinating flowers and plants, which is essential for the survival of all living things. About one-third of the human diet comes from insect-pollinated plants and the honeybee is responsible for 80 percent of that pollination.

Pollinated plants and trees include apples, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, nuts, soybeans, squash, and citrus fruits, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, kiwi, cantaloupe and other melons.

Recent years have seen a major decline in the honeybee

Even though these other stinging insects are also important, none are nearly as crucial to the ecosystem that we know as the honeybee. Recent trends have discovered an unnerving occurrence throughout the United States and especially the Northeast. Honeybee populations are on the decline. In some cases, this decline is quite severe. Scientists are still trying to determine what could be causing this rapid and previously unseen decline, but it has many people within the scientific community concerned, to say the least.

Homeowners should know about this decline in the honeybee population, at least at its very core, and to also understand that without honeybees, Einstein might have been right – we may not have long to live without them. Why is this important? Since honeybee populations are in decline, it’s even more important to make sure that the ones that are alive and existing, even if they are residing within the walls of your home, are allowed to continue to live and pollinate and produce offspring.

Of course, it’s easy to dismiss one hive that is causing a nuisance to you and your family, or to even consider yellow jackets or wasps as dangerous – which they can be – and want to kill them all as quickly as possible, but if every homeowner or property owner thought this way, then the honeybee may not have much hope left for the future.

Bee Removal services

Let’s not sugarcoat this: bee removal services will often cost more than extermination. Yet there is a great service that bee removal provides beyond just helping the bee population. Killing bees or wasps or hornets requires harsh chemicals and when these chemicals are used in the home or outdoors, other creatures, whether it is your children or pets or nature’s animals like squirrels and birds will be exposed to them.

Some of the chemicals used can potentially cause headaches, birth defects, and possibly even death. So, even if you don’t care about the overall bee population, when you want to get ride of that hive, think about the consequences of the chemicals that you will be using.

If you’re ready to help protect the bees from extinction, yet you don’t want them on your property or in your home, then contact Westchester Bee Removal and find out just how rewarding it can be to have done the right thing, while having the peace of mind that your home and property, and your loved ones are safe from any aggressive stinging insects.

Getting Rid of Woodpeckers is a Challenge:

Woodpeckers are solitary and anti-social creatures. They have a strong ecological impact that help trees stay healthy and protected from mass infestations.

However, their behaviors can cause damage to your home or other properties and the sheer, incessant noise of hammering can be quite a nuisance. There are several challenges that arise when it comes to removing woodpeckers from your property. The Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects woodpeckers from being harmed when they are being controlled or moved. This is a main reason why it is imperative to call a wildlife removal expert, one who is familiar and compliant of the laws in place.

Woodpecker Damage: Why they dig into homes

Like any other wildlife issue, damage can range from minor to significant. This applies to famous behavior trait of woodpeckers: drumming or pecking on a tree or home exterior. There are three basic reasons why woodpeckers drill holes into the sides of homes.

First, and most common, is strictly territorial. Woodpeckers drill holes into structures to mark their territory. These holes are generally small, not too deep, and are clustered together in tight spaces. This indicates to other woodpeckers that this location is already spoken for. While many people would assume that woodpeckers only drill holes into wood siding, that is a misconception. They will drill into just about any siding, including aluminum, when marking their territory. If the woodpecker has found the attic of a particular home warm, safe, and inviting, and undisturbed, then this is a prime target for woodpeckers. If you see this kind of marking of territory along the exterior of your home, then it’s time to consider getting rid of woodpeckers from your home.

Secondly, woodpeckers drill holes is for nesting. These holes will be larger than the previous holes and will lead to a comfortable nesting location. Many homes that have eves or attics, for example, may offer woodpeckers a perfect location to nest and they will drill these holes for easy and comfortable access to the interior spaces. Getting rid of woodpeckers will mean sealing off these holes, among other steps.

Lastly, woodpeckers drill holes is for foraging. Woodpeckers feast on insects and other bugs that tend to reside in wooded surfaces, such as those found in trees. If you find foraging holes in your home from woodpeckers, then that could also be a strong indicator that you have insects burrowing through the wood of your home. That is something else that would need to be taken care of as well.

Trapping, Prevention and Removal

It is important to protect the integrity of your home. Getting rid of woodpeckers must be done with care and in conjunction with the laws that protect them.

If you or someone you know needs assistance with Woodpecker Removal and you are in one of our service counties: Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, or Fairfield
Please Contact Westchester Wildlife LLC to schedule an inspection today!
914-760-5713 or 800-273-6673

The Important Service of Dead Animal Carcass Removal.

It may sound like the punch line to a tasteless joke, but dead animal removal service is no laughing matter. If you’re a homeowner and have ever had to deal with the stench and frustrating foulness of a dead animal rotting in your yard, or somewhere in the woods that you could precisely locate, then you know how repugnant the odor can be. And how long it can last. Life and death occur all around us and while, for the most part, wild animals tend to die far away from human contact, or human noses, that doesn’t always happen.

From deer to mice, dead animals can create problems that go beyond the smell

Dead animals that are not tended to or taken care of can pose a risk of disease and illness to people, both children and adults. Dead animals attract insects that feed on it, and then carry bacteria that grows on the decaying carcass away to other places, such as inside your home. When the dead animal is inside the walls of your home, then it can be a strong indicator that you have an infestation, such as that of mice, and can pose the more unenviable task of trying to retrieve it without causing significant damage to the walls, or to any other structural part of the house.

Westchester Wildlife has been removing dead animal carcasses for more than two decades and that means we are experienced in the entire process. There are processes and procedures that need to be followed in New York State with regard to the removal and disposal of dead animals from property. We follow all current guidelines and regulations, so you can rest assured that the dead animals in your home or around your property are tended to legally and ethically

A part of an effective plan for wildlife removal in Westchester is knowing precisely what kind of creature has invaded your home. Buildings, whether they are houses or sheds or garages or even places of business, are prime targets for wildlife to infiltrate. There is warmth, dryness, and most of the time food. Animals are constantly surveying your home or place of business, looking for a way in, and when they find one, they can be challenging to get rid of.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, that is. Wildlife removal in Westchester should be done by experienced professionals, people who have been dealing with just about every kind of wildlife for more than twenty years, which is what the fine people at Westchester Wildlife have been doing.

Knowing your animals

Let’s take a moment right now to run through the list of different wildlife that cause the most problems for homeowners and business owners in the region. While this list isn’t exhaustive, it gives you an idea of the different creatures common to the area.

Bats, beavers, bees, chipmunks, coyotes, deer, geese, mice, moles, pigeons, raccoons, rats, shrews, skunks, snakes, sparrows, starlings, voles, woodchucks, and woodpeckers.

If you’re like most people living in the area, you have seen or heard almost all of these animals at one time or another. Who hasn’t heard the familiar pecking of the woodpecker? Or how about seeing the frantic flight of bats as evening draws near? Or the pesky buzz of bees or yellow jackets when you’re trying to eat your meal? Knowing the kind of animal you’re dealing with is the first step in the process of wildlife removal in Westchester.

Some creatures are in danger

Yes, it’s true. Headlines should commence now. There are a number of creatures that are in danger. Bats and honey bees are two of the most important to us humans, and we have no idea why they are sick and dying, or just disappearing. There are many theories and plausible excuses being extrapolated every week, but none of them are helping keep them from vanishing.

Do we know what will happen if the honey bees all disappeared? No, but Einstein predicted that mankind would have four more years left on this Earth is they did. Do you know the difference between honey bees and yellow jackets? If you don’t, then you will want to call in a professional to deal with a bee infestation. Not only can honey bees be safely removed from homes and relocated, their numbers can be salvaged a little as well. Honey bees are generally docile unless they feel directly threatened.

Yellow jackets, on the other hand, would just as soon sting you as pass you by. They are much more aggressive and removal is generally a permanent thing for them.

Knowing the wildlife that you are dealing with is important for you, as a homeowner, and as a passenger on this mortal rock. Wildlife removal in Westchester can be done without harming any creature and for some, that’s far more important. If you want the best experts to guide you through this removal, then call on experience. Call on Westchester Wildlife.