Fall Wildlife Problems in Ohio: What Homeowners Should Watch For

As temperatures begin to drop across Central Ohio, wildlife activity around homes can start to change. Fall is a busy time for many animals as they search for food, shelter, and protected places to spend the colder months.

Unfortunately, attics, garages, crawl spaces, sheds, and areas around foundations can provide exactly what they’re looking for.

Knowing what to watch for this fall can help homeowners catch a wildlife problem before it turns into a much larger one.

Mice Moving Indoors

One of the most common fall wildlife problems is mice finding their way inside.

As outdoor temperatures cool, mice begin looking for warm, protected areas with easy access to food and nesting material. Small gaps around foundations, utility lines, garage doors, siding, vents, and other areas of the home can provide an entry point.

Signs of mouse activity can include:

• Droppings in cabinets, basements, garages, or attics• Scratching or movement inside walls• Chewed materials or food packaging• Nesting material• Small gaps or openings around the exterior of the home

Removing mice that are already inside can help with current activity, but identifying and sealing their entry points is an important part of preventing the problem from continuing.

Squirrels Looking for Attic Access

Fall is also a good time to keep an eye out for squirrel activity around your roof.

Squirrels can take advantage of damaged soffits, fascia, roof returns, vents, and other vulnerable areas to gain access to an attic. Once inside, they can damage insulation, wiring, wood, and other materials.

Homeowners may hear running, scratching, or chewing sounds, particularly during daylight hours when squirrels are most active.

If you notice squirrels frequently traveling across your roof or spending time around the same area of your home, it may be worth taking a closer look.

Raccoons Around Homes and Attics

Raccoons remain active throughout the fall as they search for food and suitable shelter.

They are strong animals and can take advantage of vulnerable areas around roofs, soffits, vents, chimneys, decks, sheds, and other structures.

Because of their size, raccoons can cause significant damage when entering a home or building. Sounds from an attic may be heavier than those caused by mice or squirrels and can include walking, thumping, scratching, or movement overhead.

Finding the entry point is an important part of determining how the problem should be handled.

Bat Eviction Season Is Coming to an End

Fall is especially important when it comes to bats.

In Ohio, the timing of bat exclusions matters. During the warmer months, bats may use attics and other structures as roosting areas. A proper bat exclusion allows bats to leave while preventing them from getting back inside.

As temperatures continue to cool, the window for completing bat evictions begins to close.

Homeowners who have noticed bats around their roofline, staining near potential entry points, scratching or chirping sounds, or bats inside the living space should have the home inspected rather than simply sealing visible openings.

Bats can use very small gaps, and sealing the wrong areas before properly addressing the colony can create additional problems.

Groundhogs Preparing for Colder Weather

Not every fall wildlife problem happens inside the home.

Groundhogs spend much of the warmer season building up fat reserves before winter. Their burrows are commonly found underneath sheds, decks, porches, barns, and other structures.

Burrowing around these areas can disturb soil and create concerns around foundations, landscaping, and structures.

Fresh digging, large burrow openings, and piles of displaced soil are all signs that a groundhog may be using the property.

Signs of Wildlife Activity to Watch for This Fall

Some wildlife problems are obvious, while others start with very small signs.

Pay attention to new scratching or movement in walls and ceilings, unusual noises in the attic, droppings, damaged vents or soffits, chewed materials, disturbed insulation, digging around structures, or animals repeatedly visiting the same area of your home.

Even a small exterior opening can become an entry point for wildlife.

Finding the Entry Point Matters

Removing an animal is only one part of solving many wildlife problems.

If an animal found a way into a home once, another animal may be able to use that same opening later. A thorough inspection can help identify current activity, potential entry points, and areas of the home that may need to be repaired or sealed.

KBC Wildlife Solutions provides wildlife inspections, trapping, removal, exclusion, and repair services for homeowners dealing with nuisance wildlife in Central Ohio.

If you're hearing something in your attic, noticing signs of wildlife around your home, or simply aren't sure what you're dealing with, give us a call.