Pest Problem Guides
Not sure what you're dealing with? These are straight, practical answers to the questions Central New York homeowners and renters actually ask — the noises, the signs, and what to do right now.
Scratching in the Walls at Night: Mice or Something Bigger?
Light, fast scratching and scurrying inside walls or ceilings — especially at dusk and after dark — is most often mice. Slower, heavier thumping or scratching, particularly in the attic or at dawn, points to something bigger like squirrels, and loud movement can mean raccoons. The timing and weight of the sound are the biggest clues.
Read the answer →There's a Bat in My House: What to Do Right Now
Stay calm, keep pets and children out of the room, and close interior doors to confine the bat to one space. Open an exterior window or door so it can leave on its own. Do not release it outside if anyone may have been bitten or exposed while sleeping — in that case the bat must be safely captured for rabies testing. When in doubt, call a professional.
Read the answer →Bed Bugs in a Collegetown Apartment: A Renter's Guide
Report it to your landlord or property manager in writing immediately, don't try to treat it yourself with store sprays (they scatter bed bugs and make it worse), and don't move belongings to another unit or a friend's place, which spreads them. In New York, landlords are generally responsible for treating infestations under the Warranty of Habitability.
Read the answer →My Landlord Won't Deal With the Pest Problem: New York Renter's Rights
In New York, significant pest infestations can breach the Warranty of Habitability (Real Property Law §235-b), which generally makes landlords responsible for keeping rental units livable — including addressing rodents, cockroaches, and bed bugs. Put your request in writing, keep records, and if the landlord doesn't act, a tenant-rights organization or attorney can advise on next steps.
Read the answer →Carpenter Ants or Termites? How to Tell the Difference
Carpenter ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae, and (when winged) two pairs of different-sized wings; they leave clean galleries and sawdust-like shavings. Termites have a straight, broad waist, straight antennae, and equal-length wings; they eat the wood and leave mud tubes and soil-flecked galleries. In Central New York, carpenter ants are far more common than termites.
Read the answer →Hundreds of Flies on the Upstairs Windows Every Fall
Those are almost certainly cluster flies — slow, dark flies that gather on warm upstairs windows in fall and again on warm days in late winter. They come from the soil and fields around your home and enter your walls and attic to overwinter. You can't spray them out once they're inside; the fix is a timed exterior barrier before they get in.
Read the answer →Yellowjackets Going Into the Siding: What It Means
Steady yellowjacket traffic in and out of a gap in your siding means there's a nest inside the wall void. Do not seal the opening — trapped yellowjackets often chew through into the living space. This is a hidden nest that should be treated professionally, especially in late summer when colonies are large and aggressive.
Read the answer →Mouse Droppings in the Silverware Drawer: Is It a Health Risk?
Yes, mouse droppings and urine can carry bacteria and viruses and should be cleaned up carefully — but don't sweep or vacuum them dry, which can send particles into the air. Disinfect, wet-wipe, and dispose of them with gloves, then wash any affected items. Finding droppings in a drawer also means mice are active inside and it's time to address the infestation.
Read the answer →Something Died in the Wall: Dealing With the Odor
The strong, sickly odor of a dead animal in a wall usually means a mouse, rat, or other small animal died in a void, and unfortunately the only real fix is removal — odor products and air fresheners only mask it. The smell typically peaks over one to two weeks and fades as the carcass dries, but locating and removing it is the fastest resolution.
Read the answer →Found a Tick on My Dog: Lyme Risk in the Finger Lakes
Ticks on pets are common in the Finger Lakes, where blacklegged (deer) ticks carry Lyme disease. Remove the tick promptly with fine tweezers, grasping close to the skin and pulling straight out, then clean the area. Watch your dog for symptoms and talk to your vet about testing and prevention. Reducing tick habitat in your yard lowers the risk for both pets and people.
Read the answer →Sawdust Piles Near the Windowsill: What Causes It
Small piles of what looks like sawdust near woodwork, windowsills, or in the basement are usually frass — the debris carpenter ants push out of the galleries they excavate in wood. It can also indicate other wood-boring insects. Either way, it's a sign of insects nesting in or damaging the wood, and worth identifying promptly.
Read the answer →Squirrels in the Attic in Spring: Why Now, and What to Do
Squirrels denning in your attic in spring are almost always a female raising a litter, which means there are likely babies present. That changes the approach: you can't just seal the entry, or you'll trap the young inside. The right method is humane removal that accounts for the litter, followed by sealing the chewed entry points so they can't return.
Read the answer →Do I Need a Pest Inspection Before Closing on a House?
Often, yes — many lenders require a wood-destroying-insect (WDI) inspection, documented on the NPMA-33 form, before closing, and even when it's optional it's smart protection against inheriting hidden termite or carpenter-ant damage. In Central New York, carpenter ants and moisture-related wood damage are the most common findings, more so than termites.
Read the answer →Bought a Used Couch: How to Check for Bed Bugs
Before bringing any used furniture inside, inspect it thoroughly in good light: check the seams, folds, tufts, and underside for live bugs (flat, reddish-brown, apple-seed sized), tiny dark fecal spots, shed skins, or pale eggs. Pay special attention to seams and the frame underneath. If you see any signs, don't bring it in — used furniture is a leading way bed bugs enter a home.
Read the answer →Skunk Under the Deck or Shed: What to Do
A skunk denning under a deck, shed, or porch is common in spring, and it's often a female with young. Don't try to force it out or seal the opening while it's inside — you risk getting sprayed, bitten, or trapping babies. The right approach is humane removal that accounts for a possible litter, followed by exclusion so nothing dens there again.
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