Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

For years this homeowner in Dayton, NJ has been dealing with carpenter bees drilling into her fascia board and never paid much attention to them. It wasn't until her youngest son noticed some extensive damage to the area and informed her about it. After seeing us treat her neighbors home, she decided to give us a call and we were sent out to inspect and treat. As we inspected the area, we noticed that the fascia board wasn't just damaged, it was almost destroyed by the carpenter bees! There were multiple gaps across the fascia board and, if they aren't repaired or treated ASAP, this will lead to a potential squirrel problem!

Like carpenter ants, carpenter bees can cause significant property damage, as the female bees drill perfectly circular ½-inch diameter holes into fascia boards, porches, decks, siding, sheds, and other wooden structures. While the female creates a tunnel to nest, the male acts as a sentry protecting the female and nest. Those are the ones that dive bomb at you, but can't really do anything since they have no stinger. The females can sting but only does so if threatened. 

For treatment, we injected a residual dusting product into each gallery. This treatment rapidly exterminates the carpenter bees and leaves behind a residual that will eliminate any eggs inside their gallery as well as any returning carpenter bees. Once all the carpenter bees were eliminated, we returned and installed sturdy, metal flashing over the fascia board to prevent squirrels, bats, or any type of wildlife infesting the home. 

As this client in Cream Ridge, NJ, was heading to his car, he spotted several birds going in and out of a small gap in his soffit! He searched for a reputable bird removing company on Google, found Bird Solutions by Cowleys, and we were sent out.

As we inspected the property, we determined that the birds were infesting the home via the soffit-return. We even found a ton of nesting debris inside the soffit! First, we carefully removed all the nesting debris out of the soffit. Next, we disinfected the soffit with a solution that targets bird mites. Bird mites are parasites that feed on the blood of birds. When birds leave their nests, the mites are left behind without a suitable host for their next blood meal. They will make their way into a home, and once inside they will take over, climbing all over your walls, ceilings, and beddings. To make matters worse, bird mites are tiny and semi-transparent, so they are extremely difficult to detect. Bird mites are the main reason why extreme care is needed when removing a nest.

To prevent the birds from reinfesting the area we installed Ridge Vent under the soffit-return and then installed sturdy metal flashing over the soffit and the soffit return.

As we were servicing this property in Cream Ridge, NJ, we noticed a few European hornets swarming around the barbecue grill. As we got closer and opened the grill, we found a HUGE European hornets nest inside of it. The European hornets were actually nesting inside of the grill!

European hornets, also called giant hornets, received their name from its introduction from Europe into the New York area in the 1800s. They are much larger than yellow jackets and, unlike most stinging insects, can be active at night. Their bodies are brown with yellow stripes on their abdomens and have pale faces. European hornets have long bodies and antennae and have two pairs of wings and six legs. European hornets have smooth stingers, so they can sting over and over again. Their sting also carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch, or swell for about 24 hours.

First, we injected a knockdown aerosol application into the nest. We then waited a few moments, and then injected a knockdown liquid application. Both treatments rapidly exterminate the European hornets. A short while later, we removed the nest and disposed of it properly. The homeowner mentioned that he will dispose of the grill at a later date. 

After purchasing his dream home in Cream Ridge, NJ, this customer wanted our Attic Systems team to add blown-in cellulose insulation to his bare attic. 

So the first thing we did was remove all the old insulation and properly dispose of them. Next, we air sealed all the gaps and cracks in the attic, which will eliminate air flow between the living space and the attic, improving energy efficiency. We then placed several measuring sticks throughout the attic to ensure that the proper amount of R-value is added to the attic. Lastly, we added over 12 inches of TruSoft blown-in cellulose insulation throughout the attic. Adding TruSoft will fill the attic to its recommended insulation levels, in addition to maximizing home comfort for the owner. TruSoft also has the highest Class-1 fire safety rating, is resistant to mold and pests, is eco-friendly, and optimizes energy usage for year-round peace and savings!

Our Little Rascals team is at a home in Roosevelt, NJ, to safely remove a raccoon from the property. After a thorough inspection, we determined that the raccoon had ripped apart the soffit returns on the home and infested the attic. A soffit return, also known as an eave return or cornice return, is a architectural detail that occurs when the horizontal cornice of a roof connects to the rake of a gable. It's a feature of Neoclassical architecture where the roof eave on a gable end comes down to a point, then doubles back briefly.

In order to safely retrieve the raccoon, we installed a one-way device over the soffit returns and then temporarily enclosed the areas off with hardware cloth. We also setup several baited devices nearby. The one-way will allow the raccoon to safely leave the area, but is designed to prevent it from getting back in. After a short period of time, we had successfully retrieved the raccoon and relocated it to a new, humane location.

Before we left the home, we fashioned several pieces of sturdy metal flashing and installed them over the two soffit returns to prevent any future raccoons, as well as any other nuisance wildlife, from infesting the home.