Yellow Jackets, Hornets, and Wasps, Oh My!

Summer is finally here on Long Island and it’s the time of year for those pesky stinging insects to start ruining our outdoor activities. Our team of exterminators here at Pest Pro Exterminating are prepared to not only exterminate these stinging insects, but helping you take preventative measures to keep your family safe.

Stinging insects such as hornets, wasps, and yellow jackets are incredibly dangerous, especially for people who are allergic. Their sting is painful and their aggressive swarming behavior has proved to be a nuisance here on Long Island during our summers.

Our Pest Control Techniques:

bee-suit

  • We wear protective bee suits, so we are completely covered …no one likes to be stung!
  • Using an aerosol knockdown material we quickly bring down the exposed nest
  • If the nest isn’t exposed, we apply an insecticide dust the openings where they are flying in and out of (crack or hole in your home or outdoor space)
  • The insecticide dust gets brought into the nest for consumption, killing the nest from the inside
  • Once the nest is dead we will remove it, seal it in a bag, and then dispose of the bag

 

Long Island Pest Control – Ants & Crickets

Pest control problems differ depending on the time of year. Springtime on Long Island brings insects such as camel crickets and pavement ants into your home and to your outdoor entertainment areas. While you are away on vacation or visiting many of Long Island’s beautiful beaches, these insects are invading your spaces. At Pest Pro Exterminating of Bohemia, NY, the majority of our calls this year have been regarding extermination for pavement ants andcamel crickets.

Some clients have no idea what those creepy crawlers are and just want them exterminated. We don’t blame them! Here is some information to hopefully help you identify if these insects are part of your pest problem.

Pavement Ants

ant-exterminating-long-islandThe most common ant found on Long Islandis the pavement ant. Their colonies can be found under sidewalks, building slabs, and large rocks. It is important to check your home or building for cracks in the foundation where the ants are most likely to enter. Pavement Ants are drawn to sand piles and soil particles, making the foundation of your Long Island home a prime attraction for these pests.

Pavement Ants feed on a variety of foods such as sugars, nectars fruits, and syrups. They store their food in the nests they build in and around your home. In your home you are most likely to see them active around counter tops and around garbage cans.

 

Camel Crickets (Cave Crickets)

camel-cricket-extermination-long-islandThese creepy little things are called Camel Crickets (also known as Cave Crickets). These are prime Long Island pest problemfor the warmer weather. They invade storage buildings, crawlspaces, basements, garages and indoor areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms. They are attracted to those places where moisture is a problem. These spaces also tend to be the coolest, so the Camel Crickets will go to these spots to beat the summer heat.

 

Although these critters are relatively harmless, they do tend to frighten people because, frankly, they look like miniature dinosaurs and they can jump rather high! Most people do not recognize them as crickets since they do not chirp like the field cricket. Camel crickets will eat pretty much anything organic they can find so the contents of your entire home is an excellent feeding ground for them.

If you are experiencing any of these pest control issues or others in the Long Island, NY area contact the experts at Pest Pro Exterminating!

We will be happy to help!

Helpful Springtime Exterminating Checklist For Bohemia, NY

Connetquot River State Park - Bohemia, NYSpring has sprung! At least we are hoping that this warm weather stays with us for awhile after a long and cold winter. Pest Pro Exterminating is based in Bohemia, Long Island and we have put together a checklist for homeowners and business owners to prepare for the warmer weather. While us and most of our neighbors here in Bohemia have been doing some “spring cleaning,” it is important to remember a fews things in order to limit your chances of pest or insect infestations.

 

 Pests such as bed bugs, termites, and silverfish all live and breed in specific environments. It is important that you are not providing an optimum environment for pests to infest your home or business. Spring time on Long Island means termite swarm season. If you see termites swarming, contact us at Pest Pro Exterminating because this means it is too late and you already have a termite problem. If you are not sure if you are seeing termites or flying ants, please check out this page in order to see the difference.

 

Spring Checklist for Insect Prevention:

 

Long Island Exterminators - Pest Pro

  • Clean windows and repair screens
  • Unclog gutters and drain spouts
  • Test sump pump
  • Inspect and maintain laundry room
  • Clean A/C system
  • Change furnace filters
  • Regrade around foundation
  • Clear and replace old mulch

 

Stink Bugs Make Their Way To Long Island

Stink Bugs Long IslandAsian native stink bugs are appearing across Long Island sporadically for the past two years. As we prepare for the warmer stages of the season, please take caution with attending to your fruit and plant gardens. The stink bugs are approximately 1.5 centimeters and are multiple shades of brown.

 

The Asian native “stink bug” first made their way to U.S. in the late 1990’s settling  in over 39 states. Long Island has been forced to adopt the stink bug as the kind of unwanted guest that can’t help but over stay its welcome. Stink bug infestations have been reported all throughout parts of Suffolk and Nassau County.

 

Although the stink bug does not bite, they do destroy plants and lay eggs in crops. If eating fruit that has fell victim to a stink bug, you will instantly recognize the unpleasant taste. You want to avoid  stepping on the bug at all costs, or else you will be ingesting a putrid odor.

 

If you notice a few friends lurking in your home the best solution is to immediately vacuum them up and contact Pest Pro Exterminating of Bohemia by clicking here. Pest Pro of Long island can help eliminate reproduction and keep eastern long islands fruit farms safe. The bugs multiply quickly and can lay up to 30 eggs at a time. In order to prevent stink bugs from entering, you should inspect and repair any holes or gaps located in  windows, screens, or doors. If you do not remove the bugs from house they can let out a horrible odor. The stink bugs life expectancy is one year long.

 

Removal of stink bugs this season is recommended sooner then later, to avoid the lethal mix of warm weather and bad odor. Pest Pro Exterminating specializes in the detection and removal of all insects with locations in Fire island, Suffolk, and Nassau County.

 

Click here to read an article on CBS news website about stink bugs invading long island.

CLOTHES MOTHS: Early Detection and Prevention

In order to avoid clothes moths, it is important to periodically check your apparel and keep the area clean. When it comes to material clothes moths have expensive taste, they are attracted to silk, wool, furs, and leather. Early prevention helps avoid discovering a hole in your only outfit, hours before getting ready for an event. Patience is required to thorougly check all hats, scarves, and apparel for surface tears or holes in fabric. If you wait to long, you may lose your one of a kind favorite sweater. If you value your clothes and want to avoid clothes moths start with these first few steps.

 

4 Easy Steps to Prevent Clothes Moths:

1. Vacuum the floors, and keep clothes storage areas clean.favorite-sweater
2. Periodically take clothes out of closet inspect for holes, and shake them out to check for moths.
3. Make sure the clothes are clean before storage moths prefer soiled and scented apparel, clean clothes are less likely to be damaged.
4. Natural prevention can be achieved by storing natural cedar blocks, soap silvers, and bagged cedar shavings with your clothing.

 

If you discover an infestation of moths, immediate action is vital to avoid further damage to clothes. The four easy steps work together simoutaneously to make your closet a moth-free environment. Using expert exterminators and implementing the four easy steps will have you saying goodbye to pesky moths for good. Feel free to Contact Pest Pro Exterminators, with any other questions or information we can provide you with about clothes moths.

Get Rid of Silverfish – DIY Tips

Although they are harmless, Silverfish are not pleasant to have in your home. They are grayish-blue, serpentine-like creatures that feed on books and other starchy materials. They tend to thrive in dark and damp spaces such as attics and basements. Silverfish infestations can be unpleasant and difficult to exterminate. Here are some DIY tips to get rid of silverfish or help prevent them from infesting your home.

How to Trap Silverfish

Once you have figured out where your silverfish are hiding and living, you can set up traps to bait them. These traps can help you get rid of silverfish infesting your home.

 

Glass Jar Silverfish Trap1. Glass Traps

» Take any glass container (such as a mason jar) and wrap it in masking tape or duct tape

» Place a piece of bread at the bottom of the jar

» Place the jar in a spot where you think the silverfish are lurking

» They will climb into the jar for the bread and will not be able to get out due to the slipperiness of the glass

 

 

Newspaper Silverfish Trap2. Newspaper Traps

» Roll up a newspaper and tie the ends

» Wet the rolled up newspaper and leave it where you have seen silverfish

» Set these traps at night and put out several of them

» The silverfish will eat their way into the newspaper, as it is their perfect environment

» Discard of the newspaper without unrolling it

 

How to Repel Silverfish

Here are a few easy do-it-yourself ways to repel silverfish from ever becoming a problem. It is important to take preventative measures before you have to start considering how to get rid of silverfish.

 

Cinnamon Repels Silverfish1. Cinnamon to Repel Silverfish

» Make sachets of cloves and cinnamon (or any other strong smelling spice)

» Place them in your kitchen cabinets to keep silverfish away from your food

» Since silverfish have an aversion to these spices, they are likely to be repelled from infesting common areas of your home

 

 

 

silverfish-repellent-22. Citrus or Lavender Spray

» Get lemon or lavender essential oils

» Dilute with water and shake well

» Spray liberally with spray bottle

» Spray in areas such as closets, drawers, or other bedroom areas

» This is a non-toxic and effective silverfish repellent

Termite Swarm Season on Long Island

It’s that time of year here on Long Island: Termite season! Their swarming season typically begins in late March and early April and can last though May or early June. The subterranean termites will swarm typically during mid day, when it’s sunny, and usually following rain.

Although termites are active year-round, they are less active during the winter and summer months as they will not forage when the soil is too hot or too cold. Here on Long Island, our spring season is the perfect season for termite activity. Unfortunately, not all homeowners know that they need to protect themselves from infestation. The reality is that the question isn’t if you have termites, but when you will get them. It is during this season that termites will begin to swarm, which is the most obvious sign that you have a termite problem.

What is a Termite Swarm:

Spring time is when termites will go airborne in order to reproduce. This is what’s known as “swarming.” Termites will leave their colonies to mate and produce new colonies. Unfortunately, seeing a swarm is usually the way homeowners realize they have a termite problem. But when termites are swarming, this means that the colony has matured and damage is already occurring.

Signs Of Termite Infestation:

Dead Termites-
Finding wings or dead termites around your windows, doors, heating vents, and other places are a sign of termite activity.

Damaged Wood-
This may be difficult to detect at the beginning of an infestation because termites typically feast on wood from the inside out. Wood that sounds “hollow” should be inspected for termite damage.

Mud Tubes-
These are easy to spot as they look exactly like what their name is: tube of mud. They can be found on walls on the inside or outside of your home or any other wood structure. The mud tubes can be round or flat and usually measures 1/4″ or wider.

 

Tips To Prevent Termite Infestation:

1. Look out for mud tubes or termite wings. These are warning signs that termites are present.
2. Keep moisture and condensation away from the home’s foundation, such as from an air conditioner.
3. Stack your firewood and other lumber far from your home.
4. Eliminate the use of wood mulch around the foundation or at least change it often.

 

Contact us for termite extermination and control!

 

Tips from Dr. Oz on Bed Bugs

“Bed Bugs: They’re back, and stronger than ever!” -Dr. Oz

Bed Bugs have become quite the nuisance in last few years. In fact, bed bug infestations have increased by 500% over the last few years. That is a pretty scary number!

Although they do not carry or spread diseases, their bites can be painful and unsightly. They are also extremely easy to bring into the home, as well as extremely difficult to remove. Professional extermination is really the only way to ensure they are removed and removed for good. Bedbugs come out at night and will feed on your blood for up to 5 minutes at a time! After the feeding frenzy, they will scurry back to whatever hiding space they came from: clothing, picture frames, creases in the mattress, in electronics, etc.

Regardless of who you are or how clean your home is, it has no effect on bed bugs. They do not care how rich you are or how poor you are. The biggest outbreaks can be found at every major urban area in the country. New York in particular has been hit hard with infestations.

Here is Dr. Oz and some Bed Bug information you might not be aware of:

“Super Roach” Can With-Stand Cold Winters

Cockroaches are a real nuisance. Any New York resident can tell you that, especially the city dwellers. Many have probably shared their domiciles with them at one point but the good thing was that roaches were unable to survive in NY’s harsh winters. But now that’s not the case.  A new species of cockroach has been found in New York’s High Line Park: a “Super Roach” that can survive in the winter.

Asian cockroaches are the new kids on the block, according to Rutgers Scientists Jessica Ware and Dominic Evangelista whose findings were published in the Journal of Economic Entomolog. They say the new cockroaches are actually fairly similar to the native species, which will provoke competition for space and food.

asian roachThe feuding will most likely keep the new cockroach population low “because more time and energy spent competing means less time and energy to devote to reproduction,” Ware said. New Yorkers have no reason to be alarmed, she added. (USNEWS).

There is a chance it could hurt the ecosystem as traditional cockroaches help with getting rid of garbage and waste. But as of now there is no evidence of that.

As long as they don’t become an epidemic like Bed Bugs, New Yorkers don’t really have a lot to worry about. If they do, however, cause a problem feel free to give Pest Pro Exterminating a call.

New York City Bed Bug Problem

Bed bugs (the tiny blood-sucking insects) have become an epidemic here in New York City. These nasty pests have invaded even the cleanest, most expensive apartments in neighborhoods around New York City. In NYC they have been found in homes, apartments, shelters, and even in 5 star hotels! So it is clear that bed bugs are both a serious concern at home as well as a serious travel concern. Because these tiny insects are difficult to spot and are great in numbers, it is important to employ a professional bed bug exterminator.

 

Bed bugs are spread very easily and can hitch a ride into your home on you, your family, or your pets. When traveling or staying out of your home for long periods of time, Pest Pro Exterminatingrecommends you take necessary precautions so that you do not experience an infestation.

 

Here are some good bed bug travel tips:

(1) Check bed bug reviews online
(2) Ask if the hotel you are staying at use bed bug free mattress encasements
(3) Use bed bug free luggage liners when you pack
(4) Look behind headboards, picture frames and electrical outlets for signs of bed bug activity
(5) When in the hotel, try not to leave any luggage or clothes on he floor so that bed bugs cannot climb into your stuff

 

Bed Bugs Exterminating
Bedbugs are of the insect family Cimicidae. They are oval in shape, flattish and grow to about the size of a small apple seed. They are light in colour and hard to detect. After they have fed on blood however, they will become dark red and easier to spot. Bedbugs come out at night and will feed on your blood for up to 5 minutes at a time! After the feeding frenzy, they will scurry back to whatever hiding space they came from: clothing, picture frames, creases in the mattress, in electronics, etc.

 

Left untreated, bed bugs can spread quickly in multi-dwelling housing. Both Housing and Health Codes require that property owners address infestations promptly. The surest strategies to keep bed bugs from spreading are prevention, early detection and rapid treatment.