Need assistance with nuisance wildlife? Call Sho-Me Pest Control, the Best Pest Control Professionals for Bat and Wildlife Removal in Mid-Missouri. Let Us Help you with Wildlife Removal and Relocation.

Central Missouri’s Bats, Ground Hogs, Raccoons, Skunks, and Squirrels

"Nuisance" animals are native to Missouri’s local landscape but can still cause problems.

Bats

There are 14 species of bats commonly found in Missouri. Three of these species are known to roost in houses and buildings, with the big brown species being the most common to inhabit structures. Bats in Missouri are insectivores; they help keep insect populations in check. They do not drink blood or attack humans although they will defend themselves if threatened.
We do have several endangered species of bats in Missouri, and they will roost with more common species such as the “big brown. “This is why we only exclude bats to ensure they have a safe way out and are not harmed. They simply must go find a new place to live.
Rabies is known to occur in bats but is not common — less than 1% become rabid. If exposed to a bat bite or scratch, it is vital to consult your physician.
Bat droppings may contain histoplasmodium spores, which are fungi that may cause histoplasmosis and other respiratory problems when airborne. In large colony situations, we do provide cleanup services to remove all droppings and contaminated insulation to prevent poor air quality in the home.
Bats may also bring other unwanted invaders to your home. Bat bugs are common on roosting bats; they are blood mites that live off the bats and are very similar to the more commonly known bed bug. Once the bats have been evicted and the house sealed to prevent re-entry, it is important that a pest control treatment be done to get rid of any leftover bat bugs.When we get a bat call there are many things to take into consideration.

The architecture and age of the home are probably two of the biggest questions. Bats tend to key-in on areas such as rooflines, louvered vents, soffit gaps and other construction gaps. Bat inspections are very involved. It is crucial for us to check everything for entry points including your attic if you are having issues with bats at your home or business before we schedule bat removal. When scheduling bat removal, it is very important that this be done at the correct time of year. We do not remove bats from a roost in the summer months from May 15th through Sept. 15th because this is the time of year, they could have young in the roost. After September 15th, the young are big enough to fly and are feeding with their parents nightly. Call Sho-Me Pest Control if you need to schedule a bat inspection!!

Ground Hogs

The groundhog is a large ground-dwelling rodent commonly found throughout Mid-Missouri. Also known as woodchucks, groundhogs have adapted well to anthropogenic changes in the landscape over several centuries. Because of their ability to thrive in human-dominated landscapes, groundhogs are often perceived as a nuisance species. Indeed, groundhogs can damage home gardens, agricultural fields, and golf courses by consuming plants and burrowing under structures. While damage can be severe locally, in most cases groundhogs can peacefully co-exist with humans. Groundhog burrows can also damage the foundations of buildings and sidewalks when the tunnels are too close to the structures or paved surfaces. On farms, burrow entrances and tunnels can damage expensive farm equipment and endanger livestock who accidentally step into them. When groundhogs burrow too close to fruit trees in orchards, they injure the trees by causing excessive aeration of the root systems. Due to their voracious appetite (consuming up to 1.5 lbs of vegetation per day), groundhogs can quickly decimate a home garden or landscape planting. Call Sho-Me Pest Control if you need to have a destructive ground hog removed from your property!

Raccoons

Traditionally, raccoons prefer heavily wooded areas with access to trees, water, and abundant vegetation. There, they make their dens in the hollow parts of trees as well as abandoned burrows, traveling up to 18 miles to forage for food. Raccoons are extremely adaptable. They are often found in suburban and urban areas, making their homes in man-made structures like attics, sewers, barns, and sheds They will tear up insulation on pipes, rip the insulating paper off the wall, chew on wires, yes, chew on wires, urinate, and leaving fecal matter causing damage to ceilings and strong odors. In urban areas, raccoons tend to stay closer to their dens with a range of only about 1 mile, depending on their age and sex. Because of their ability to coexist with humans, raccoons can become a nuisance when they damage gardens, raid garbage cans, or inhabit human structures. They can be especially destructive on farms, where they feed heavily on crops and sometimes kill poultry by raiding chicken coops. If you are having problems with raccoons getting into your trash cans or have them living in your attic call Sho-Me Pest for professional raccoon removal and relocation!

Skunks

Striped skunks breed from February to March in Missouri and need a den site to do so. Female skunks will look for potential nesting sites in late winter. Den sites include:

Under homes
Beneath decks and porches
Within or beneath sheds
Within wood piles
In crawl spaces underneath the home

Skunks will also use the deserted burrows of other animals. If they’re desperate, they will dig a burrow. The nesting is where a lot of the damage that’s caused by skunks can occur. Their claws are quite sharp and can dig or tear through a lot of material, including metal screens and vents. Feces and odor contamination can also cause a lot of problems. The smell from a scared skunk is not pleasant, and if they’re allowed to breed within a space, the smell will continue to get worse. Digging in or around den sites, scratching and chewing from within the den site, and of course debris caused by skunks can all cause significant damage within and around your home. Skunks are attracted to residential areas by the availability of food, water, and shelter. They become a nuisance when they live under porches, decks, garden tool sheds, or homes. Their scent is usually not welcome around homes, and they often spray dogs that bark and or anyone that approaches them rapidly. Call Sho-Me Pest Control if you need wildlife removal and relocation in South Central Missouri!

Squirrels

Missouri squirrels can be pests as they can damage electrical wires and telephone lines outdoors. They also enter homes in the colder months to keep warm, where they can gnaw at wires, insulation or walls and make a lot of noise. Once the squirrels are in your home, they can do widespread damage. The squirrels will find bedding material by shredding your insulation and wood frame. They will also chew through electrical wiring, which can lead to a fire. They can also chew through PVC, which can lead to flooding or water damage. If you have squirrels getting into your attic or home call Sho-Me Pest, LLC for expert squirrel removal and relocation.

Call Sho-Me Pest to Protect you home and yard from bothersome wildlife. Sho-Me Pest Control services St. Robert, Waynesville, Lebanon, Rolla, Dixon, Richland, Newburg, Crocker, Stoutland, Laquey, Plato, Ft. Leonard Wood, Falcon, Roby, and all surrounding areas.

Moles

The eastern mole is chipmunk-sized, though it is not a rodent; it has palmlike, short front feet that are held over the head with palms facing outward. The mole uses its large hands to move through the soil in about the same way a person swims underwater. The head looks nearly featureless except for the flexible, piglike snout. Although the mole’s eyes are only good for telling light from dark, its senses of hearing, touch, and smell are acute. The velvety fur is characteristically slate gray but often appears silvery on freshly groomed moles and sooty black on juveniles. A cinnamon-brown staining on the chin and along the middle of the belly is common on adults. The tail is nearly naked and is highly sensitive to touch. Though moles are routinely disliked for disfiguring lawns and inadvertently damaging plant roots, their tunneling also aerates and mixes soil, permitting air and rainwater to penetrate deeper. They also eat many destructive insects, including cutworms and the larvae of those bazillions of Japanese beetles.

Birds

About 10,000 species of birds exist in the world and nearly 400 of them have been found in Missouri! They are found in every habitat, from city centers to the middle of nowhere. Birds enhance our lives in nearly every way, playing significant roles in the ecosystem, economy, and outdoor recreation. However, birds can also cause problems and become pest. Such as nesting in unwanted places like porches or dryer vents. Which in turn can cause birds mites and lead to infestations.

Opossums

The opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) is common throughout Missouri, including in urban and suburban areas. Although they rarely cause significant damage, they can become a nuisance near homes where they may get into garbage, bird feeders, or pet food. They also occasionally kill poultry.