• How do I know if I have a mouse or rat problem?
• How do I get rid of a mouse/rat problem?
• How do I know if I have roaches in my home?
• Are roaches dangerous to my health?
• How do I get rid of roaches?
• I have an ant problem in my home, where are they coming from?
• Are ants dangerous to my health?
• How do I get rid of ants?
• How do I know if I have fleas in my home?
• Are fleas dangerous to my health?
• How do I get rid of fleas?
• I found a bat in my house, what should I do?
• What is a safe way to get a bat out of my house?
• How do bats get in my home and what can I do to stop them?
• Do mothballs discourage bats?
• I heard that bats are beneficial. Will putting up a bat house keep them from roosting in my attic?
• I want a bat house and understand that bats can carry rabies, is there anything else I should worry about?
• How do I get rid of groundhogs/ woodchucks?
• I have moles in my yard, how do I get rid of them?
• Are moles eating the roots of my plants?
• Do ultrasonic transmitters stop moles?
• Does chewing gum or mothballs kill moles?
• RAT FACT SHEET
• MULTIPLE RATS AND VERMIN FACT SHEET
• NESTING VERMIN FACT SHEET
• FLEA FACT SHEET
• FIRE ANT FACT SHEET
• COCKROACHES FACT SHEET
• BAT FACT SHEET
• SPIDERS FACT SHEET
• TERMITES FACT SHEET

How do I know if I have a mouse or rat problem?

I have noticed during inspections throughout the three counties that rats and mice are a consistent problem no matter where you live. Other than within cities and villages, I have encountered the majority of the rat problems near farming operations. That doesn’t mean that there are not many rats throughout fields and wooded areas of the Consortium. Rats may also be abundant near rivers and streams, but are often confused with muskrat in these areas. If you have rats or mice, it is important to address the problem as soon as possible since both can carry and spread disease. The disease is spread through their urine and feces. Typically infection results when these materials are consumed or inhaled. Simply cleaning out a backyard shed or garage can be a dangerous task. Dust laden with droppings can kill. A high efficiency filter mask is recommended for these types of jobs.
When I am inspecting a property for rodents, there are several signs I look for. These signs include feces and urine, nesting material, gnaw marks, open food boxes, and track marks.


Feces from a rodent are easy to note. Often they tend to defecate in the same areas. Usually, rodents urinate while in motion and leave streaks of moisture. I am able to pick up these streaks with a black light. Rat feces are similar but about 10 times larger and more rounded.


A sure sign of rodent intrusion is finding a nest or nesting material. In homes and cars, mice will use readily available material nearby including tissues, box material, fabric, foam, newspaper, or carpet fibers. The nest will be well hidden in a tight space. It is usually round in shape with the nursery in the center. Rats typically burrow and nest in holes in the ground or in loose soil.


Gnaw marks can be as difficult to find as a few chews on the edge of a box, to as obvious as a hole in a wall. In one home I visited, I was amazed to spot a mouse running into a hole very similar to the ones you would see on the cartoons. Perhaps a rat had earlier chewed open the hole and the mouse was just using it. Those gnaw holes were located near the corners of the room and on the edges of stairs. Other gnaw marks typically noted are on boxes of dry goods in kitchen cabinets. Rats and mice will gnaw through boxes and plastic packaging to get to food. Recent gnawings appear to be rough on the edges, while old appear to be more smooth as the holes are used.


Track marks can often be seen where mice and rats are traveling. Since both mice and rats prefer to run edges for safety, they often leave track marks on surfaces they brush up against. These marks are left from oils and dirt on their fur. There may also be urine stains on these tracks.

The easiest way to get rid of a rodent problem is to hire a professional exterminator to assist you. Most exterminators are educated on a variety of control and extermination methods and can help you choose the one that best suits you. If you have a small problem and want to tackle it yourself, remember that chemical use can be dangerous. Rat and mouse poisons are highly toxic and can kill both humans and pets. In fact, many dogs are poisoned within the counties this very way each year.


The best means for control is prevention. Prevention includes sealing and caulking around the home, keeping foods sealed, removal of scrap, bedding, rotting lumber, packing materials and tarps from around the home, seal garbage cans, and regular cleaning. Many in our area forget about how they are storing animal feed including dog food. These feeds should be stored in sealed containers.


If you have an existing problem, prevention activities and changes will help, but may not be enough. If you don’t have a good mousing cat or dog, I suggest trapping. Several types of traps are available from single catch live traps, multi-catch traps, glue traps, and snap traps. All can be effective if properly used. With bait traps, I like to use a small amount of peanut butter covered with bird seed. Please be cautions when handling dead mice. Wear gloves and immediately wash hands after handling.


Finally, it has been my experience that the ultrasonic devices either provide very limited protection or do not work at all. The effects are very limited, as rodents seem to become accustomed over time.

Roaches are similar in shape and size to some common beetle species in this area. However, there are some distinct differences. Most notable to me are their antenna. Most commonly mistaken beetles in the area have short, insignificant antenna. The German cockroach (most commonly seen in this area) has long antenna, almost as long as their bodies. Another big difference is the speed in which they travel. Beetles are comparatively slower.


Often you will only notice you have roaches when you find a dead one because they are typically nocturnal and very quick. Dead roaches can be brought to me or taken to your local UW-Extension office for identification. You can also check for photos online or visit your public library for information.


One other typical sign of roaches often seen is their droppings. Usually if there is a significant infestation, these droppings are very notable. The droppings look to be a dark oily grit, the size of sand particles. There is not pattern to the droppings, but they are often found on counters, stoves, inside cabinets, and under refrigerators.

Yes, roaches can be dangerous. The fecal matter produced by a roach contains proteins that some are allergic too. It is suggested that roach fecal matter may cause, but certainly triggers, asthma. Roaches are also able to produce a secretion that breaks down food and can increase spoiling times.

First of all, a roach infestation most often indicates that your living conditions in the home are dirty and unsanitary. Changes must be made in the way your food is handled and stored, garbage is handled and stored, sweeping and floor washing, cabinet cleaning, dishwasher cleaning, the handling of dirty dishes, food storage, dusting, vacuuming, clutter removal, and picking up. Not even a professional exterminator can get rid of roaches if you don’t, or are unable, to change these items.


Once changes have been made in the home, other extermination means can be put into effect. Pesticide/Insecticides and sprays can be used to eliminate the problem. Residual sprays (like aerosol pest bombs) leave a chemical residue on surfaces that can last for weeks. Non-residual sprays (Raid) are contact killers and are only effective in the area they are being sprayed. Powders and liquid concentrates are also available for use but normally require specialized user knowledge. A professional should be consulted.


Boric Acid has been suggested as a control measure. I don’t have much experience with this method. The theory is that the acid powder sticks to the roach, is carried behind walls and into areas where others are hiding, and transferred from insect to insect. Eventually, the acid is able to breakdown the covering on the body of the roach, killing it.


Baits are most commonly used and are highly effective for limited infestations or when other means of control are in effect. These baits work similar to some ant baits in which the attractant and poison are taken from the bait container into walls and other hard to reach areas of the home. The effectiveness of baits range up to one year.


It is important to remember that use of any pesticides or insecticides can be dangerous. All applications can leave residual chemicals on food left out, counter tops, and other eating surfaces.

Ants can come from either inside or outside of your home. Most often the ants are coming from the outside. If from the inside in this area, they are often carpenter ants, living in rotting wood in your home. Check attic, basement, and crawlspaces for little areas of sawdust or wood damage. Other smaller ants in the home are can also be dangerous even if they don’t eat wood. They often carry organic material and sugars into low ventilated areas causing rotting damage. I have found that the best time to check for ant activity is at night, after the lights have been off for at least an hour. Take a flashlight and walk throughout suspected areas, watching for ant trails. This can also be a VERY effective means of discovery outside. One time, I found that there were ants living in a wall area of my home, traveling down a power cord to a bug lamp, siezing their prey, and bringing it back. I would have had no idea this was going on had I not checked at night.

They can be. Ants typically are not the cause for health problems in this area. However, ants can cause significant damage and bring other problems into the home that can influence your health

Prevention is always the best cure. Cracks around the outsides of homes should be thoroughly sealed. You may also want to treat or spray around the foundation of the home. Food products, especially those that contain sugar, need to be stored properly at all times. Garbage cans with discarded sweet products is a huge attractor for ants.


If you have an existing problem inside the home, you may want to try foggers, baits, or boric Acid (see “How do I get rid of roaches?”).

Because of the abundant wildlife in this area, fleas are common outdoors. I venture to guess that all have had fleas in their homes at one time or another, whether they know it or not. Interesting enough, there are several species of fleas, some which don’t care for people so they often go unnoticed and quickly die.

When people notice fleas, it is usually because their pet has become a host and is continually scratching, biting, or has bite marks. The fleas can be seen on the pet by running your hand across the hair, exposing the skin and spotting the tiny dark bugs moving about. Often they are easily seen on the pets belly or “arm pit” areas. Sometimes when pets are not too bothered, the only time they are noticed are when they land on owners. Some types can bite you, leaving you with an itch and a rash.

They can be. Most often they are not. Fleas have been known to pass disease however.

Prevention is the best initial remedy. One should consult their veterinarian on the best prevention methods for your pet. I like the new products that you place between the shoulders of your pet, and allow for the pets oil glands to distribute it around the body. These treatments are also highly effective for tick control. Other methods include shampoos, powders, insecticide sprays, dips, foams, pills, and collars. The most effective of these are the pills, least effective are the collars.


Fleas may be localized to your pet or may have infested your entire property. When doing an indoor treatment, it is important to know if there is a bad infestation before choosing a treatment. Localized treatment may be ineffective if the problem is bad enough. You must assume a large infestation unless proven otherwise. To see how bad the situation is in your home, place a light near the ground, over a pan of soapy water. Check the water in the morning. If there are several fleas in the water, you want to treat the house.


House treatments include foggers and sprays. You must remember that the fogger or spray may not reach all areas and that consistent pet treatment and vacuuming is necessary for total elimination.

Most bats found in the house are harmless lost juveniles. However, even lost juveniles can have rabies. As far as positive rabies results go in Wisconsin, bats are the most common species. It is important to avoid being bit or scratched when capturing or removing a bat. If you have been bitten or scratched, the bat should be captured, brought to a veterinarian and submitted for rabies testing. In addition, it is recommended that if a bat is found in a residence where persons have slept or have been mentally impaired (drinking, drugs), it should be tested whether a person is aware of a bite or not. In most rabies related deaths in the United States, victims killed by a bat rabies strain did not recall being bitten or scratched.


Testing fees for human exposure in Waushara, Green Lake, and Marquette Counties will be paid for by the Health Department. Typical symptoms of a rabid bat include, but may not be limited to, activity during daylight, erratic flight, and weakness. Do not handle a sick bat!

First, try to isolate the bat to one room. Turn on all the lights and open the window. In due time, the bat will usually leave on it’s own without handling. If you must handle it, I recommend covering the bat with a coffee can or similar, then sliding a piece of cardboard under the can and release the bat outdoors. DO NOT release the bat if you suspect it has come in contact with humans or pets in your home.

There are professional bat exterminators that can help. Most often bats come in through chimneys and vents, loose window screens, plumbing runs lacking caulk, and through holes in soffit and fascia. Bats can enter a crack as small as 1/4of an inch. Entries should be screened off with cloth or fiberglass screening, plugged with silicone caulk, steel wool or permanently repaired. One primary hole should be kept open until bats exit for the evening, then it can be temporarily closed with a wad of aluminum foil or steel wool. Repairs should be made after dusk when the bats have left their roosts and are out of the home. Also be aware that flightless young may be present between mid-June through early July. Juveniles are usually able to fly in about 3 weeks. To find an entry, make observations at dusk to view where the bats are exiting. You should also be able to see droppings and stains from these areas.

Naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene may repel colonies in tight areas will little ventilation. However, the application concentration rates were high. Sometimes these vapors can be irritation or dangerous to humans.

Bats are beneficial. They catch mosquitoes and other insects from about a half hour past sunset to about an hour before sunrise, stopping only occasionally to rest. Putting up a bat house is a good way to see these creatures in action. However, the bat house will not prevent bats from also using other areas to roost. A bat house will only add an additional roosting and breeding site. Some bats in Wisconsin are very anti-social, seldom seen, but are common. They will roost solitarily. Many of us have seen these on dead or downed oak trees in Waushara County. Brown bat species are more social and will tend to use a box. A colony may contain a few dozen, although they will tolerate many more.

Histoplasmosis, from the fungus Histoplasma Capsulatum, can be contracted by breathing spores from the dust of bat feces. Respirators, protective clothing, and rubber gloves should be worn while working in or near bat roosts. If the roost is in an attic, stained insulation, boxes or clothing items should be discarded, and surfaces contaimined with urine or feces disinfected. You may use 5% bleach solution.

The best method for getting rid of nuisance groundhogs and woodchucks is to live trap. Most traps available are essentially a wire box with door(s) and tripping mechanism. The tripping mechanism is baited, and the door set to close behind the animal.


Late winter and early spring are the best times for trapping groundhogs. Typically late March to early April is the best time to trap them. Burrows are more easily located and the animals are more desperate for food. Also, active spring adults will produce 4 offspring later in spring so trapping now may save you some time later.


You will want to locate your trap a few feet from it’s borrow. Some say to place logs from the borrow hole to the entrance to your trap. Conceal the trap with plants, burlap or leaves, being careful as to not inhibit the workings of the trapping mechanism. Bait your trap with feed corn, potatoes, carrot greens, cucumbers, carrots, apples, beans, lettuce, or peas. When trapping during the summer or near available vegetation, you may want to consult a feed mill about the purchase of a woodchuck lure. Drops of the lure can be placed from the burrow to the trap.


If you capture a woodchuck/groundhog in the trap, exercise caution. Although they have not been a species typically associated with rabies, they can inflict a serious bite wound. If relocating them, you must find an acceptable place. Simply releasing them on someone’s property is not acceptable. I suggest you contact the DNR for advice on the release. I would imagine that they would allow the animal to be released on public land with their permission. I also suggest that the animal be taken at least 5 miles from the property of capture or there is a chance it will return.

Other than trapping and poisoning, there are very limited solutions. The best time to start is in spring, when they are mating and breeding. Males are typically roaming about at this time. Trapping is the most reliable method at this time. You must set them on main runs. These runs can be determined by flattening down a portion of a runway. If the run is repaired within a day or two, this is a main runway.

Moles do not eat grain-based poison or rat poison.

No. Moles are carnivores. They do not eat roots, grains, or plants. They are in search of beetles and grubs for the most part. They may destroy plants inadvertently when digging their trails.

In my research, they have limited effectiveness if any. They are intended to bother a mole and make them move somewhere else. Depending on the brand, moles can become accustomed to this “vibration”. If you feel you must use this method, chose a devise that turns on and off frequently to keep the rodent guessing. Remember, even if it did work, the moles will return as soon as you run out of batteries.

Chewing gum is not part of a moles regular diet. They will not eat it, but avoid it. Mothballs are probably somewhat effective, but are not a good choice. They are a listed insecticide regulated by the EPA. The chemical contained within is a listed carcinogen. In an area with pristine ground water and trout streams, I highly recommend not using such an item. Frankly, it is illegal.

Rats Fact Sheet.

Mulitiple Rats and Vermin Fact Sheet.

Nesting Vermin Fact Sheet.

Flea Fact Sheet.

Fire Ants Fact Sheet.

Cockroaches Fact Sheet.

Bat Fact Sheet.

Spiders Fact Sheet.

Termites Fact Sheet.