Summer Critters

In the summer, squirrels are most commonly active 2-3 hours before sunrise, then they rest in the afternoon and will resume activity around 2 hours before sunset. Squirrels are not usually a major problem in homes in the summer, but prevention is key to keeping them out in fall and winter.

With the temperatures warmer, bats are out of hibernation and ready to eat. This means they can also be found in your attic raising their young in the summer months and generating piles of guano.

Mice can be found in your crawl spaces, attic, and even behind your refrigerator during the summer to avoid the hot temperatures. They have also been known for chewing through anything in their way and the ability to get pregnant up to 10 times per year—making them an even bigger threat to your property.

Raccoons are very active on summer nights, looking for food. You will most commonly see them in the Brooklyn Park area digging through trash cans and potentially coming nearer to your home than you'd like. Be extra cautious if a raccoon seems overly friendly—they could have rabies.

During the summer months, voles can be found eating plants in your garden or other areas of your property. These animals eat living plants in the summer when they’re available. In addition, voles are more active during the night in summer when they will not be as disturbed by humans.

When rats enter your home, they are seeking food, water, shelter, and comfortable temperatures. The summer months can get really hot for these creatures and they need to seek cool temperatures to survive, and just like mice, they can chew through anything in their way.

The chimney swift's residence is usually from May–August, so Brooklyn Park residents should definitely be on the lookout for these avian pests during summer months. They are usually found nesting in chimneys, as they prefer dark and isolated areas.

In the summer months when the air is warmer and the sun is out more regularly, snakes can be found taking shelter in shade and other places they can find cool air. Snakes will usually be drawn to a house by dark spaces and cooler temperatures; however, once inside your home, snakes will start looking for mice and rats to eat.

Opossums are most active in the summer and spring months. This animal is commonly attracted to your house by strong odors coming from a garbage can. It is normal for these creatures to dig out a porch or shed and take shelter near a food source.

These nocturnal critters are active in summer and also mate during this time. Near the end of summer, flying squirrels start the food storage process that extends into autumn.

Chipmunks are very active in summer, busy with the beginning stages of constructing their underground nests for winter. Like other critters, chipmunks seek shade on hot summer days, and unfortunately, this refuge is sometimes your garage or home.

Chimney swifts, sparrows, woodpeckers, pigeons, and more are common summer birds. In addition to being raucous, these pest birds' behavior and corrosive droppings can be dangerous to your home's structure.

Moles are active during both the day and the evening in summer. The primary issue caused by moles comes in the form of landscape damage, as their tunneling is usually done when the soil is soft and they can push up.

The gopher's breeding season continues into the summer and babies are born underground. Similar to moles, gopher damage is primarily apparent in the landscape. Some of their favorite food sources include grasses, shrubs and even trees.

Insects in the summer can be very annoying and intrusive. It is common to find a lot more bugs in your house during summer because these cold-blooded creatures need warm temperatures to survive. In addition to seeking safety, insects also enter your home for secure resources like food, water, and shelter.

One of the most common smaller intruders during summer is the ant. They often come inside looking for moisture. Ants are busy during summer laying eggs, building up their colonies, and searching for food.

As you might expect, these pollinators are most active when flowers are in bloom in summer months, and also when other stinging insects are out and about. Bees are not aggressive and least likely of the stinging insects to approach and sting a human, but it is still wise to call the professionals if you have an abundance of bees near your home.

Larger than wasps but similar in shape, hornets are also quite active in summer, mating and finding shelter. These stinging insects are at their peak aggression in summer. Hornets are able to sting more than once and they have been known to pursue humans to sting them if they feel threatened.

Summer is the wasp's busiest season. They come out of hibernation and search for food sources; namely protein. By mid-summer, the wasp's nest has reached its peak size. More than a few wasps near or inside your home likely indicates a nest nearby.

Known for being one of the more aggressive stinging insects, yellow jackets are certainly not opposed to coming after humans to sting. Yellow jackets are also known to eat other insects as protein sources, such as flies, crickets and more.