The Warden's Watchlist
Mice
Small intruders, big problems.
Mice may be tiny, but in Vermont’s cooler months, they’re notorious for squeezing into warm homes—nesting in walls, attics, and basements. Once inside, they can quickly multiply and cause serious issues.
Why they’re a problem:
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Health Risks: Mice carry bacteria, droppings, and parasites that can contaminate food and surfaces.
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Property Damage: They chew through insulation, wires (a fire hazard), and even wood.
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Rapid Reproduction: A single female mouse can birth 5 to 10 litters per year, with 5 to 12 pups each time. That means one pair of mice can lead to over 100 mice in just a few months.
All it takes is a dime-sized opening to start a full-blown infestation.
At The Earth Warden, we take a nature-wise, hands on approach to evicting mice and fortifying your home. Between sealing, inspections, and baiting with safer humane bait, we are effective and respectful of the creatures we evict.
Carpenter Ants
Nature’s builders—until they’re building in your home.
Carpenter ants are among Vermont’s most common wood-damaging pests. Unlike termites, they don’t eat wood—but they chew through it to build their nests, hollowing out beams, joists, and sills.
Why they’re a problem:
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Structural Damage: Over time, their tunneling can weaken wood from the inside out—especially in damp or aging homes.
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Stealthy Behavior: They often go unnoticed until damage is done. You may see a few scouting indoors, while a full colony is silently working behind the walls.
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Colony Size: A mature carpenter ant colony can contain up to 50,000 ants, including satellite nests scattered throughout the structure.
They’re most active spring through fall, especially after rain. If you’re seeing large black ants indoors, particularly near wood or water sources—it’s time to act.
At The Earth Warden, we use targeted, natural treatments to disrupt colonies without harming your home—or the land it stands on.
Norway Rats
Strong, smart, and stubborn.
Rats are clever survivors that often invade barns, compost bins, sheds, and even home basements—especially in rural areas. They’re drawn to food sources and shelter, and once established, can be hard to remove without a strategic approach.
Why they’re a problem:
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Health Hazards: Rats carry pathogens and leave urine and droppings that can contaminate food and surfaces.
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Chewing Damage: Their constant gnawing can damage insulation, wiring, plumbing, and even foundation structures.
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Rapid Breeding: One pair of rats can lead to dozens of offspring within a year, creating a full-blown infestation.
At The Earth Warden, we focus on humane, eco-conscious control methods that eliminate rats and discourage them from ever coming back—without poisoning your land.
Earwigs, Silverfish, & Pill Bugs
Harmless—but not welcome indoors.
These nocturnal, moisture-loving insects don’t bite, sting, or destroy your home—but they often wander inside during rainy seasons or in the fall when the weather turns.
Why they’re a problem:
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Creepy Presence: While harmless, their sudden appearance in bathrooms, basements, or kitchens can be unsettling.
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Moisture Indicator: Their presence often signals excessive moisture or gaps in your home’s perimeter defenses.
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Seasonal Clusters: You might see many at once, especially during wet weather or seasonal transitions.
We help track down the source and create a natural barrier that keeps outdoor insects where they belong—outdoors.
Yellowjackets
Bold, aggressive, and always on the hunt.
Yellowjackets are among the most aggressive stinging insects in Vermont. Often mistaken for bees, they’re thinner, shinier, and far more territorial—especially in late summer when their colonies are at peak size.
Why they’re a problem:
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Highly Aggressive: They sting with little provocation and can swarm quickly if disturbed.
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Multiple Stings: Unlike bees, yellowjackets can sting repeatedly, making them a greater threat—especially to kids and pets.
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Nesting Habits: They often build nests underground, in wall voids, or in dense shrubs—making them easy to stumble upon by accident.
At The Earth Warden, we specialize in safe, precise removal—protecting you and your pollinators without synthetic toxins.
Bald-Faced Hornets
Loud defenders of high places.
Despite their name, bald-faced hornets are technically a type of yellowjacket. They’re large, black-and-white fliers known for their loud buzz and striking appearance—and for defending their aerial nests with swift force.
Why they’re a problem:
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Aerial Nesters: They build paper-like nests high in trees, under eaves, or on structures—sometimes the size of a football.
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Territorial Swarms: Their sting is painful, and they defend the nest as a unit. A perceived threat (even just walking nearby) can trigger an attack.
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Rapid Growth: A single nest can house hundreds to over a thousand hornets by late summer.
We remove bald-faced hornet nests with care and respect—using botanical products and protective techniques that align with our all-natural values.
Paper Wasps
Graceful builders with a hidden temper.
Paper wasps are slender, reddish or brownish wasps known for their open, umbrella-shaped nests built under eaves, in mailboxes, or in sheds. Less aggressive than yellowjackets, they’ll usually only sting when their nest is threatened.
Why they’re a problem:
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Nesting Near People: Their favored spots often bring them into close contact with daily life—porches, doors, and windows.
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Painful Stings: While less defensive, their sting still packs a punch—especially in tight areas or by accident.
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Rebuilding Instinct: If not removed thoroughly, they often return to the same sites season after season.
At The Earth Warden, we remove paper wasp nests naturally and help you protect your home with subtle habitat adjustments—keeping your space safe without harming beneficial insects.
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles
Not your friendly garden ladybug.
These beetles may look charming at first, but they’re an invasive species with a habit of invading Vermont homes in large numbers—especially in late fall when they’re seeking warmth.
Why they’re a problem:
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Unwelcome Swarms: They cluster on windows, walls, and ceilings—often by the dozens or hundreds.
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Odor & Staining: When disturbed or crushed, they release a foul-smelling yellow fluid that can stain surfaces.
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Bite Risk: While not dangerous, they can bite humans—causing minor irritation.
They’re most active during warm autumn afternoons and often return year after year if entry points aren’t sealed.
At The Earth Warden, we use a non-toxic pheromone disrupter and natural insecticide to cull their numbers in the fall—without poisoning your home or harming native species.
Cluster Flies
Uninvited guests of the colder seasons.
Cluster flies quietly slip into your home in late fall and gather behind walls, windows, and in attics. While harmless, they can appear in swarms on sunny winter days, creating a constant nuisance.
Why they’re a problem:
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Indoor Swarms: They cluster in windows and ceilings, especially when warmed by sunlight.
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Recurring Infestations: Once they find a way in, they tend to return every year.
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Odor & Mess: Their droppings and dead bodies collect in hidden spaces, leading to staining and foul smells.
They don’t breed indoors, but their presence points to cracks and gaps in your home’s protective barrier.
At The Earth Warden, we control their numbers with a botanical insecticide as well as sealing larger gaps that make it easier for these pests to enter your home.
Western Conifer Seed Bug
The slow-moving intruder that overstays its welcome.
These long-legged, leaf-footed bugs look alarming but don’t bite or sting. They feed on pine trees in the wild, but in fall, they move into homes seeking warmth—and they’re persistent once inside.
Why they’re a problem:
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Stealthy Invaders: They slip in through small gaps, especially around windows and attic vents.
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Buzzing & Odor: When disturbed, they emit a pungent pine-like smell and can buzz loudly when flying indoors.
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Hard to Catch: Their size and flight make them unsettling houseguests.
They’re most likely to show up in autumn and reappear on sunny days through winter.
At The Earth Warden, we prevent entry and manage existing intrusions with natural methods without harming your air quality or the conifers outside your door.
Ticks
Tiny creatures, serious consequences.
Ticks thrive in Vermont’s wooded and grassy areas, often lurking just off the trail or lawn edge. Though small, they carry serious health risks—and they don’t stay outside if they can help it.
Why they’re a problem:
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Disease Risk: Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and other illnesses through a single bite.
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Stealthy Presence: They cling to humans and pets, often going unnoticed until attached.
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Expanding Season: Warmer seasons are lengthening their activity window in Vermont.
They’re most active from spring through fall, especially in shady, humid environments around homes, trails, and woodpiles.
At The Earth Warden, we create safe perimeter treatments using plant-based repellents and smart habitat management—reducing tick activity without dousing your land in synthetic chemicals.
Carpenter Bees
Solitary workers with a destructive streak.
Carpenter bees may look like bumblebees, but they’re quieter, lonelier, and more interested in your woodwork than your flowers. In Vermont, they tunnel into decks, eaves, and siding to build nests—leaving perfectly round holes and sawdust behind.
Why they’re a problem:
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Structural Damage: Though slow, repeated tunneling weakens wood over time—especially soft or untreated boards.
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Cosmetic Wear: Their nesting leaves behind unsightly holes and trails of frass (chewed wood dust).
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Persistent Return: They often return to the same wood year after year if untreated.
They’re most active in late spring and summer, especially in sunny, south-facing wood surfaces.
At The Earth Warden, we deter carpenter bees with natural repellents and strategic wood treatment—preserving your structures without harming pollinators or spraying toxins into the air.
Bats
Sacred to the night—but not your attic.
Bats are vital members of Vermont’s ecosystem, eating thousands of insects each night and pollinating plants in silence. But when they roost in attics, chimneys, or eaves, they can pose serious risks to your home and health.
Why they’re a problem:
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Health Hazards: Bat droppings (guano) can carry fungal spores linked to histoplasmosis and other respiratory issues.
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Noisy & Unsettling: They scratch, chirp, and flutter inside walls or ceilings—especially at night.
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Property Damage: Their guano and urine can damage insulation, wood, and drywall.
Bats are protected by law in many areas—and for good reason. They’re not pests to poison or trap. They’re creatures to be redirected.
At The Earth Warden, we never harm bats. Instead, we use exclusion work and one-way valves to allow bats to leave safely—and keep them from returning. It's a respectful, permanent solution that protects your home and our nighttime pollinators
Mosquitoes
The winged thieves of summer peace.
More than just a nuisance, mosquitoes disrupt evenings, carry disease, and breed in even the smallest pools of standing water. In Vermont, they flourish after rain and in damp, shady areas.
Why they’re a problem:
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Bites & Itching: Their bites are itchy, inflamed, and especially irritating to children and pets.
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Disease Vector: Some mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
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Aggressive Breeders: A single bottle cap of water can host dozens of larvae.
They’re most active from late spring through early fall, especially at dusk and after rainfall.
At The Earth Warden, we treat the land—not the air—with botanical larvicides and strategic habitat shifts that keep mosquito populations down while leaving your soil, water, and pollinators unharmed.
Squirrels
Charming in the trees, destructive in the rafters.
Squirrels are agile, intelligent climbers that can chew, claw, and squeeze their way into attics, eaves, and soffits—often turning your home into their winter den. Once inside, they’re loud, persistent, and surprisingly destructive.
Why they’re a problem:
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Chewing Damage: They gnaw on wood, insulation, and wiring—creating fire hazards and expensive repairs.
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Noisy Occupants: You’ll hear scratching, thumping, and scampering—especially at dawn and dusk.
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Aggressive Nesters: Females may raise young inside your home and defend the space as their own.
They most often invade in fall and winter, but can be active year-round—especially in areas near bird feeders, gardens, or roofline trees.
At The Earth Warden, we handle squirrels with a combination of humane one-way valves, kill trapping (when appropriate and legal), and meticulous exclusion work to seal up entry points and keep them out for good—without toxic baits or sprays.
Powderpost Beetles
Quiet destroyers, deep in the wood.
Powderpost beetles are small, elusive insects that can do serious damage over time. Their larvae bore into hardwoods—floorboards, beams, furniture—turning it into a fine, powdery dust as they feed. They're often mistaken for old damage until it's too late.
Why they’re a problem:
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Structural Damage: Infestations can weaken floor joists, support beams, and trim from the inside out.
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Hard to Detect: Most of their life is spent hidden within the wood; you may only notice pinholes and sawdust (frass).
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Recurring Threat: Some species can re-infest wood season after season if conditions remain favorable.
They’re most active in warm months, especially in moist or poorly ventilated wood, and often introduced through reclaimed lumber or older structures.
At The Earth Warden, we identify active infestations and use natural, targeted treatments—never foggers or toxic sprays—to eliminate beetles and protect the integrity of your home’s bones.
Pavement Ants
Tiny settlers with a taste for your crumbs.
Pavement ants may be small, but their colonies can be vast—and they don’t mind bringing the whole crew into your kitchen. Nesting under sidewalks, stones, and foundations, they often find their way indoors in search of food and warmth.
Why they’re a problem:
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Indoor Foraging: They enter through cracks to scout out sweets, crumbs, and grease.
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Stubborn Colonies: Their nests can stretch beneath concrete, patios, and slab foundations—making them hard to reach.
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Visible Trails: You’ll often see neat lines of workers moving between walls, baseboards, and windowsills.
They’re most active in spring and summer, but indoor colonies can persist year-round.
At The Earth Warden, we track them to the source and use safe, plant-based treatments that eliminate colonies without coating your floors or foundations in synthetic poisons.
Spiders
Vermont may be spared the worst of the venomous eight-legged kind, but that doesn’t mean spiders aren’t a problem for local homes. While it’s rare, black widows and fiddleback spiders (brown recluse) do occasionally make appearances — most often as stowaways in firewood, shipments, or outbuildings.
But it’s the common cellar spiders that cause the greatest disturbance. They thrive in quiet corners, especially in basements, crawl spaces, and sheds, spinning dense webs that collect dust, debris, and insect prey. These webs grow quickly and become a haven for egg sacs — turning a few stragglers into a full-blown infestation over time.
At The Earth Warden, we treat spiders not just as pests, but as a sign of imbalance in the shelter. Our approach includes botanical deterrents to reduce activity and carefully targeted de-webbing services to remove cobwebs, hidden egg sacs, and established nests. By clearing out both the structure and the source, we help prevent the next generation from taking hold.
