Signs of an Office Pest Infestation and What to Do About It

Just because you don’t see any pests doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

If your office is infested, there’s a high likelihood you won’t actually see any of the pests at all.

So how do I find out if my office is infested?

There are a lot of other ways to find out if there are any unwanted guests in your workplace. If you notice any of these warning signs, you’ve probably got a problem on your hands.

Here are some telltale signs to watch out for and what to do when you find them.

1. Seeing a Pest During the Day

You might think there’s only one, but it’s most likely not.

A majority of pests are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day when you’re at work. If you do see a pest running around during the day, there are probably even more you don’t see.

Spotting more than one pest during the day is a good reason to call an exterminator.

2. Unusual Smells

A strange smell in the workplace might mean pests have started nesting in your building.

These smells could be coming from certain types of insects, or it could mean a critter has died somewhere inside. It might be difficult to notice these smells if your office is large or if the infestation is small.

And of course, a strang smell doesn’t immediately mean there is a pest infestation in your office, but it’s a good reason to start looking into the source or the problem.

3. Pest Excrement

Droppings are sure signs you have some type of pest in your office. If you aren’t sure whether or not you’re building has been infested, do a quick look for pest droppings.

Just remember, some pest like rats leave very obvious excrement behind, but other pest excrement is harder to find. You can have your employees keep an eye out for fecal droppings, but you might need a more detailed examination from a professional to find anything.

But if you do find any droppings of any kind, you’ve got something living inside your office.

4. Signs of Nesting

A lot of pests make nests, and they will make these nest out of whatever resources they have available. That means there’s a good chance they’ll be making them from the supplies in your office.

Paper is a common nesting material. If you find a lot of shredded paper around the office, a pest has most likely been using it to make their new home.

Even though you see the signs, you might not be able to see the nest itself. Most pests build their nests in tight, dark place you won’t be able to reach. Think of places like inside the walls and roof or underneath the floor.

So keep an eye out for any stolen material.

5. Hearing Scratching Sounds

You probably won’t hear these sounds unless you stay at the office pretty late.

When the pests wake up, they’ll start looking for something to eat, and the scratching noises are the sounds of them scavenging around. This scratching usually means you have large pests like rodents in your building.

If you do happen to hear these sounds, you should call an exterminator right away.

6. Grease Tracks

Rats and mice usually travel along the same routes over and over again. This can create grease marks along the wall where they rub up against it.

If you see any dark grease spots around your office, a rat or mouse has probably been there several times already.

7. Plant Damage

Pests like to gnaw on leaves and blades of grass. Finding bites in your office plants could mean you have bugs or animals in your office.

Uneven lawns can also mean you have moles, beetles, and other bugs outside as well.

8. Building Damage

A lot of pests like to chew things, so you may see bite marks inside your building. Keep an eye out for holes in the walls and floors as well. These could be more signs of chewing or ways for the pests to get around.

Check things like wood furniture, decks, or anything else made of wood for damage to make sure you don’t have any termites.

If you notice property damage you can’t put a cause to, you should call a professional, like Reynolds Pest Management. They know the signs of pest infestation and might be able to find one you didn’t realize was there.

What Should I Do If I Notice Signs of Pests

If you ever spot any signs of a pest infestation in your office, you should call a professional exterminator as soon as you can. Not only will pests damage your property, they can also have a negative impact on your health.

At the very least, they can cause health problems like respiratory issues and asthma, and in more severe cases, they can spread diseases to your employees.

So you’ll want to get these pests out of your office as quickly as possible.

Once they’re gone, there are a few other things you can do to make sure they never come back.

• Repair any holes or small entrance into the building (so pests can’t get back in)
• Get rid of nests and other nesting materials (things like mulch and piles of leaves)
• Make sure your garbage containers are tightly sealed with lids
• Don’t feed birds near your building
• Clean up any food or water in your building

Doing these things after the pests have been removed from your building will keep them from sneaking back inside.

Take Care of Your Pest Infestation

You should never ignore signs of a pest infestation. If you do the damage to your property will only get worse and the health risks for anyone working inside the building will significantly rise.

Does this whole pest issue have you a little stressed? Take a look at this guide to help you manage your stress.