| Termites and Other Pests |
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Did You Know? Termites have become a problem in nearly every state in the country. Experts estimate that as many as 14 subterranean colonies exist per acre of property. Each colony consists of as many as 1 million termites! That's a very large problem. And sadly, most insurance companies will not cover for termite damage. Termites feed off of wood and cellulose materials, such as furniture, boxes, the wood used in the construction of your home, siding, wallboards, floorboards, decorative wood items, even books, as well as the trees on your property. Termites can enter your home through basements, crawlspaces, even concrete slabs. It only takes a tiny crack, 1/64 of an inch, for a termite to pass through. Unfortunately, you can't always tell when your home has fallen victim to termites until the obvious signs are there (i.e., swarming or dead termites in your home). Once they are spotted, the chances are good that damage has already started. Here are some "red flags" you can look for, the most common signs that wood destroying insects--such as Termites, Carpenter Ants, Carpenter Bees, and Powderpost Beetles--might be invading your home: 1. Sawdust-like "powder" near doors, windows, and/or garage 2. Stray wings left near doors, windows, and/or garage 3. Tiny holes on any wood surfaces in or outside of your home 4. Paint that has started to bubble on wood surfaces 5. Mud tunnels lining the foundation of your house, either inside or outside 6. Flying termites--inside your house. Termites swarm by the tens of thousands each year, looking to expand their territory Sometimes, people are seeing termites, but mistakenly presume that they are ants or "flying" ants. Here is a picture that will help you to distinguish between the two:
If you see either of these pests in your home, DON'T PANIC! Save some in a jar or baggie and call 516-798-BUGS. Victor Pest Control Corp. will determine not only if you have termites, but also determine the best course of action for eliminating them, and by utilizing termite monitoring and baiting systems help to prevent them from recurring.
Did You Know? Powderpost Beetles will continue to breed in the same location for generations, until they ultimately destroy the wood that they have been nesting in. The Powderpost Beetle is a brown insect less than 1/4 inch in length. Each Spring, adults will lay their eggs in the pores and exit holes of hardwoods, such as lumber, rafters, joists, finished woods, furniture, flooring, and paneling. Older wood furniture and antiques are especially vulnerable to the Powderpost Beetle. In time, the larvae hatch and begin to eat their way through their surroundings, boring tiny holes 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter, leaving behind a fine powder-like saw dust. This process continues throughout the winter until the larvae has reached adulthood the following Spring, emerging from the exit holes to start the cycle over again.
Did You Know? Honey Bees are often mistakenly blamed for stings that people get from Yellowjackets. It's actually the Yellowjacket that is the real nuisance at backyard parties and picnics. Honey Bees have a barbed stinger, which means it can only sting once and in doing so causes the Honey Bee to die. Honey Bees are not aggressive and tend to move away when they feel threatened. Most Honey Bee stings are accidental and occur, for example, when someone is walking barefoot through clover, or while gardening, causing the Honey Bee to sting reflexively. Yellowjackets, which are narrower in size than the Honey Bee, can and will sting repeatedly. Their colonies start out in the Spring as a single queen and their populations grow throughout the Summer months, peaking in late Summer and early Fall. Yellowjackets are commonly seen hovering around their nests or around garbage cans. Occasionally, their nest is exposed but, more often, it's built in logs or landscape timbers, underground, or in an attic or outside wall of a home/building. Bumble Bees, like Honey Bees, are beneficial in pollinating flowers. But unlike the Honey Bee, the Bumble Bee is capable of stinging multiple times. Bumble Bees usually build their nests underground, in abandoned mouse nests, under a clump of grass (often adding grass to hide the entrance), under slabs, wood decks & porches, or in wall voids. Bumble Bees tend to get aggressive if they feel that their nest is threatened. Wasps are semi-social insects that live in small colonies. They have long legs and long wings, and they have a pinched or "threaded" waist. Wasps build open-celled nests under protected areas, such as under eaves and overhangs, roof peaks, decks and railings. Wasps appear to hover around when they fly (like a helicopter). Wasps, too, can sting multiple times. The Cicada Killer Wasp may appear frightening to people due to its unusually large size (nearly two inches). But these are a solitary wasp and rarely sting unless disturbed. Cicada Killer Wasp females use their sting to paralyze their prey (the cicada) rather than to defend their nest. The females are non-aggressive and rarely sting unless touched, caught in clothing, disturbed by lawn equipment, etc. The males will aggressively defend nesting sites, but have no sting. The adults feed on flower nectar and sap, while using the cicadas that they capture and paralyze to feed their young. Cicada Killer Wasps burrow underground, each hole dug by a female (they do not nest together). The excess soil thrown out of the burrow forms a U-shaped mound at the entrance. This ground-burrowing wasp may be found in sandy soils to loose clay in bare or grass covered banks, hills as well as raised sidewalks, driveways, patio slabs, planters, window boxes, flower beds, under shrubs, etc. Nests are usually made in the full sun where vegetation is sparse, especially in well-drained soils. Hornets are somewhat beneficial in helping to control other insects, but they are very aggressive when it comes to protecting their nests, and their stings are very painful. Hornets are mostly black with white markings on their face and tip of abdomen. They can be up to 3/4 inch in size and build aerial nests which may be located under ANY sheltered area. Bald-faced Hornet nests are always enclosed in a gray "paper wrapping" which can be up to 24" high, often found in a bush or tree. If you discover an active Hornet nest, STEER CLEAR! The Carpenter Bee, which is a wood damaging insect, resembles a Bumble Bee, but the upper surface of its abdomen is bare, shiny and black. Similar to the Cicada Killer Wasps, the male Carpenter Bees will aggressively protect their nesting area, but have no sting. The females are capable of inflicting a painful sting, but seldom will unless they are handled or threatened physically. Carpenter Bees tunnel into wood surfaces to lay their eggs, with adults emerging each Spring to repeat the cycle. Carpenter Bees prefer bare, unpainted, or weathered softwoods especially redwood, cedar, cypress, and pine. Carpenter Bees will nest in eaves, window trim, facia boards, siding, wooden shakes, decks, and outdoor furniture. The entrance holes and tunnels created by the Carpenter Bees are perfectly round with a diameter about the size of your finger. They leave behind a trail of coarse sawdust by each entry hole. Burrowing sounds can sometimes be heard from within the wood. Over time, as with all wood destroying insects, extensive damage can occur if not treated.
Did You Know? Silverfish are unable to climb a slick vertical surface. That is why so many are discovered in sinks and bathtubs, having climbed down in search of moisture, then becoming trapped. Silverfish are about 1/2 inch in length with a uniform silvery color over the upper surface of their body. They are long, slender, and flattened. Their bodies are broad at the front and gradually taper towards the rear. Silverfish may lay eggs at any time during the year making them a year-round nuisance. They are fast-moving and can travel throughout buildings, though once they find a good food source they will stay close to it. Silverfish prefer a dark, moist environment and require a large supply of starchy foods or molds/fungi. They can be found in basements, kitchens, bathrooms, sinks, tubs, in bookcases, on closet shelves, behind baseboards, wallpaper, window or door frames, wall voids, and sub-floor areas. Attics are an especially popular place with Silverfish due to the abundant sources there, like paper insulation and storage boxes. These pests will feed on wallpaper pastes, natural textiles, books and papers.
Did You Know? The name Earwig came from a European superstition that these insects enter the ears of a sleeping person and bore into their brain. This belief is totally unfounded. Earwigs are a brown insect, roughly 1 inch long. Its most distinguishing feature is it's fierce-looking tail pincer. They use these pincers, or forceps, to defend their nest, capture prey, probe narrow crevices, and fold or unfold wings. Earwigs rarely fly and are unable to travel long distances, though they are rapid sprinters. Earwigs usually "hitchhike" in laundry baskets, cut flowers, newspapers, luggage, lumber, baskets of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, on shoes or even pant-legs. Earwigs don't usually pose much of a threat, but it's the bacteria that they bring with them, rather than the insect themselves, that give humans trouble. Earwigs live in damp areas, underneath or in vegetation, under piles of wood, around building foundations and crawl spaces. Warm Summer weather makes Earwigs more active and they may migrate indoors during periods of prolonged heat or drought. Earwigs are scavengers that enjoy eating plants, ornamentals, fruits and vegetables (they are a greenhouse nuisance) mosses, lichens, algae, fungi, and some are predatory, feeding on aphids, spiders, mites and the like. Once this "accidental tourist" enters a home, it may choose to feed on sweet, greasy or oil foods as well as your houseplants. Earwigs are attracted to light.
Did You Know? Even though their name implies one type of damage, Carpet Beetles are capable of feeding upon and damaging many other materials and will attack any item composed of animal fibers (such as wool, furs, silks, feathers, felt, and leather). Major infestations can occur undetected in a home, causing significant damage to clothing, bedding, floor coverings, and other items. Carpet Beetle infestations may also originate from bird or animal nests or an animal carcass present in an attic, chimney, or wall void. Items commonly infested by these beetles, aside from carpets, are wool sweaters, coats, blankets, furs, down pillows and comforters, and upholstered furniture. They prefer to feed in dark, undisturbed places such as closets, attics, within boxes where woolens and furs are stored, along and underneath carpeting, underneath upholstered furniture, and air ducts where they feed on lint and animal hairs.
Did You Know? Fleas can winter in unoccupied structures where no host organism is present, for many months, quickly springing back to life if any vibration is felt, such as that of someone entering the room. Fleas are uniquely designed, wingless parasites whose slender shape permits them to easily navigate through the hairs of animals. Fleas feed off the blood of animals and humans, hopping from one host to the next. Since they use such a wide variety of hosts, Fleas are capable of transmitting diseases such as tapeworm larvae (causing heartworm in pets) and bubonic plague (from wild rodents such as prairie dogs) to humans. Fleas living outdoors can survive under shrubs near buildings. Fleas will then enter a home or building by hopping perhaps from a dog, to a cat, to another dog, and onto a human. Flea bites cause skin irritation to both animals and humans. Due to the fact that Fleas use their hosts for transportation, complete and total prevention of future infestation is not always possible and once fleas are established in a building, treatment is unavoidable. There are instances where Fleas will enter a pet-less home via "uninvited" animals, such as mice, rats, squirrels, or raccoons. A variety of preventative applications both inside the home and on pets, however, can provide some protection against future infestations.
Did You Know? The home range of a Mouse is no more than approximately 30 ft. from its nest. Mice and Rats have a very short generation time and can populate a structure in a short period of time. Mice can fit through openings as small as 1/4 inch in diameter (basically any hole that you can fit a pencil through), while Rats can fit through any opening as small as the size of a quarter. Rodents may nest within appliances, in wall and floor voids, in false ceilings, behind counters, and within other similarly protected areas--even inside your snow boots! Mice chew on anything and everything--wood, metal, glass, plastic, and stone--in order to keep their large front teeth sharp and shortened. Mice and Rats can run up almost any vertical surface, including pipes and cables, though they prefer to travel along edges--wall/floor junctions, rafters, along pipes, foundations-- using their whiskers as guides. Mice and Rats usually search for their food at night. They have poor vision, but powerful senses of smell, hearing, touch and taste. If you happen to see one during the day, it may mean that there is a lack of food or that the rodent population is very high. Mice can get all of their moisture from their food if a ready water source is not available. Rodents are extremely adaptable and will eat nearly anything. Mice are tiny, sparrow-sized rodents, with long tails, and their heads appear triangulated with a pointed muzzle. Rats are medium sized rodents, commonly ranging from 6 to 11 inches bearing a long thin tail of up to 7 inches. Because their size is greater than that of a Mouse, the Rat's features are also larger, such as the feet and rounded ears. There are nearly 1200 different species of rodent around the world, varying in color and size. Many times people mistake a baby Rat for a Mouse. Rodents pose a health threat due not only to the bacteria they carry with them, but also from the threat of their potential to carry the Hantavirus--the New York-1 virus can develop into Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), an airborne illness that can, in some cases, be passed from rodent to human during the handling, cleaning, or removal of rodent feces. Mice and Rats can also carry unwanted fleas into your home, causing a dual infestation.
Did You Know? It is estimated that there are some 20,000 different species of ants in the world. Two species that we treat often are Carpenter Ants and Pavement Ants. Pavement ants small in size and their color ranges from light brown to black. They can swarm at any time of the year, depending on the heat and humidity, and can swarm for several days at a time. Pavement ants got their name due to their tendency to build nests in the cracks of sidewalks and driveways. But they will also nest beneath and along other areas of pavement such as patios and building foundations, as well as beneath mulch, landscaping, and stones. Pavement ants that make it indoors will nest within wall voids, in attic insulation, beneath toilets, and water heaters, as they are very adaptable. They can be seen foraging for food during daylight hours and will follow trails along the edges of structures, sides of baseboards, beneath the edges of carpets, or along plumbing lines. Carpenter ants are larger than pavement ants and are black in color. Carpenter ants behave similarly to termites, and like the termite they can cause structural damage. Here is a picture of a carpenter ant: Did You Know? Cockroaches have been linked to some health problems. They spread germs and can have an adverse affect on people with allergies or respiratory problems and can cause/aggravate asthma. There are many species of cockroach in the world, but three common ones that we treat are the American roach, the German roach, and the Oriental roach. The German roach is small, about 5/8" long, light brown in color with 2 stripes running lengthwise on its head. The American roach is a bit larger, 1" long, and is reddish-brown in color with a yellow ring around the top of its head. The Oriental roach, or "sewer" roach is larger still, at about 1.25" and is shiny black in color. Roaches like damp areas such as sewers, basements, laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. They move very quickly, and tend to scatter and hide in the light, saving their foraging for after dark. Roaches have been found hiding/nesting in places like boxes, fridge motors, electrical outlets and switches, stovetops, ovens, telephones, dishwashers, clocks, radios, televisions, furniture, even picture frames. Roaches will eat food left out on countertops, crumbs on floors, unsealed food items in drawers and cabinets, and will even eat dry dog and cat food.
Did You Know? Victor Pest Control Corp. can help you identify your pest, eliminate your pest, and treat your home/business to prevent pests utilizing quarterly maintenance programs. Call us today and make an appointment for your Free Estimate. We "debug" you when you "bug" us! 516-798-2847 (BUGS) ~ or ~ 516-579-2171
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Powderpost Beetle
Honey Bee 
Yellowjacket 
Bumble Bee
Wasp 
Cicada Killer Wasp 
Hornet
Carpenter Bee
Silverfish
Earwig
Carpet Beetles
Flea 
Mouse 
Rat
American 
German 
Oriental