Pest Control in Portland Maine A Portland Maine pest control company can help you resolve current infestations and prevent future ones from occurring. Known for its big-city amenities and small-town charm, Portland offers an array of activities year-round. Unfortunately, these same attractions draw pests like cockroaches and browntail moth caterpillars. Keeping rodents away from buildings should start with properly storing and collecting garbage. It is also important to keep garbage bins a reasonable distance from structures and to remove weeds and tall grass to reduce shelter for rats and other pests. Carpenter ants are notorious wood-destroying pests. They burrow into rotten and water-damaged wood where they hollow out sections to form their nests. They enter homes through cracks in walls, attics, and crawl spaces, but may also invade from outdoors along tree branches touching the roof, electrical and telephone wires, and fences near the house. Inside, they feed on sweets, jelly, meats, sugar, honey, and other household food. They leave behind sawdust where they have tunneled through the wood. Eliminating moisture conditions is the first step in carpenter ant control. Check for leaky roofs, chimney flashing, and plumbing; poorly ventilated attics or crawl spaces; and rotted or water-damaged wood. Trim broken limbs from trees and shrubs that touch the house; remove stumps, logs, and piles of firewood within 50 feet of the structure; and seal cracks in foundation walls and around pipes and wires. Cockroach infestations thrive where food, water, and moisture are readily available. Kitchens and basements, where uncovered trash and residue in sinks and drains provide an all-you-can-eat buffet for these pests, are the most common areas where cockroaches can be found. To prevent cockroaches, store foods in sealed containers and empty and clean all garbage cans each night before they are brought out for collection. Make sure that all pet food and dishes are kept in tightly sealed containers, and stacks of cardboard boxes or paper grocery bags are not left laying around the house. If you discover scurrying sounds in your walls, attic, or crawlspace, contact Green Shield Pest Solutions for. We can inspect and determine how they’re getting inside and repair any damage that they’ve caused, then implement measures to exclude them from your home. This includes the extermination of the bats and the cleanup of the guano.