Colonial Pest Control Inc

First cold nights of the year, and the calls start coming in from Worcester County up through the Merrimack Valley. Scratching in the walls at night. Droppings under the kitchen sink. A chewed-open bag of birdseed down cellar.

A mouse can squeeze through a gap about the size of a dime. Older New England houses, especially ones with stone foundations, have plenty of those: where the oil line comes through, around the dryer vent, along the sill plate, and under the bulkhead.

A few things to do this week:
- Walk the foundation with a flashlight and look for daylight, gnaw marks, and greasy rub marks
- Move birdseed, grass seed, and pet food into metal or heavy plastic bins
- Stack firewood off the ground and away from the house
- Put a sweep on the door between the garage and the mudroom

If you're already hearing them, traps alone usually won't solve it. Our techs find where they're getting in and seal those entry points as part of the job.

Colonial Pest Control. Founder-owned and independently operated since 1984. Get a free quote at 800-525-8084 or colonialpest.com.

Yellow jackets wind down with the frost — but they’re still cranky until then.

Give ground nests and wall activity space. Late-season colonies defend hard, and DIY sprays near the house often make it worse.

Colonial handles stinging insects safely when you need them gone.

Brown marmorated stink bugs love sunny New England walls right now.

They mass on south- and west-facing siding, then slip into wall voids for winter. Don’t crush them indoors (you’ll regret the smell). Seal cracks and vents while the window’s still open.

Need help before they settle in? Message Colonial.

Cooler nights are the cue mice have been waiting for.

They’re already probing foundations, garage doors, and utility gaps. A hole the size of a dime is enough. Walk the exterior this week — steel wool + caulk now beats droppings in the pantry later.

Colonial Pest Control can seal and treat before fall gets busy.