Blog Post

How to Use a Black Light for Rodent Detection

Nick Siebert • January 6, 2024

Easily detect rodents in your home. 

Does this sound familiar? You hear a scratching sound in your attic or walls. Maybe you’ve even seen rodent droppings from time to time. Since one rodent can quickly turn into an infestation, it’s important to investigate signs of mice in the house. The same goes if you suspect rats in the house. 


If you’re looking to avoid snap traps or poison, there’s another option: use a black light for rodent detection. This lets you pinpoint how mice in your attic are making their way back and forth, allowing you to seal any possible entry points. 


Just keep in mind that mice can make their way indoors through an opening as small as a quarter of an inch wide, so you may not be able to find every entry point, but you should be able to find the majority of them. Provided you don’t have an infestation, you may find that using
black lights to detect rodent urine offers a solution for your pest issue. 


Rodent Urine and Black Lights: How Does It Work?


You should always have
a professional pest control company look for signs of rodents in your home, even if you own a blacklight. These trained technicians can quickly spot where rodents are coming in from, sealing off cracks and gaps. They also know how to safely and humanely remove any rodents from your home, relocating anything caught in humane traps. 


Seeing as rodents carry a host of dangerous pathogens and diseases, such as the
hantavirus, you don’t want to delay using blacklights. Professionals also know how to differentiate between variations in urine color and splash patterns, helping them to understand what kind of wild animal is in your home and how to remove it. 


For example, if a professional finds that potential rodent urine appears whiteish-blue, you most commonly have fresh urine. As urine gets older, the color dulls, so anything whitish-yellow usually represents something older. 


If a pest control technician finds a large area of urine, odds are you have something besides a rodent in your home. Additionally, if they find any type of splashing along the edges of the urine, you may be looking at a larger wild animal. Since rodents run and urinate simultaneously, your technician would want to look for drops of urine in the shape of a line. 


You Have Rodents: Now What?


If a black light shows that you have pests in your home, it might be a good idea to speak with your pest control technician about how to detect rodents in walls. This can happen with squirrels, too, but is more common with mice and rats. 


Once comfortable and cozy in an attic space, rodents might become adventurous and explore the world around them — your walls and home included. However, a professional can determine just how extensive a pest infestation is, working to remediate the issue. 


Seeing as mice and other rodents carry diseases
, it’s best to remove them as soon as possible. 


Black Light for Rodent Detection


A black light for rodent detection is a safe, effective way of determining a critter’s entry points into your home. It’s best to always work with a trained professional, as they can determine what type of creature you have nesting, seal gaps and cracks in your home, and work to prevent future infestations from occurring. 


Serene Property Services has the knowledge and expertise to treat any type of pest infestation. We service all of Sussex County, NJ, and Warwick, NY, and specialize in wild animal removal, including bats, rodents, raccoons, and more. We also have extensive experience with bed bugs and cockroach removal, so
contact us today to learn more. 


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