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How to Apply Insect Repellent - NPMA

Watch this video to learn the proper way to apply insect repellent when spending time outdoors. Video provided by the National Pest Management Association (NMPA).

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Some very concerned tenants who was renting an apartment in Oceanport, NJ contacted their landlord because they believed that they were getting bed bug bites. Usually, mysterious, unexplained bites are the first sign of a bed bug infestation, especially in their early stages. If bed bug activity is suspected, you should not wait until you have definitive proof. It is best to have a professional service perform a bed bug inspection so that, if there is a problem, the infestation can be resolved early while it is still localized and has not become entrenched. Here, the landlord did the right thing and contacted Cowleys for bed bug specialists to perform a thorough inspection of the apartment. And a bed bu inspection has to be just that — thorough. This bed bugs hide in the tightest cracks and crevices they can find, and a superficial inspection just doesn’t cut it. Upon arrival, the tenants told us that they were especially concerned about the couches in their living room. So, we began our search there. We methodically inspected the cushions as we carefully removed them from the couch one by one. It is important to handle furnishings delicately so that the bugs aren’t dislodged. The cushions were clean. Next, we looked into the couch seams with our flashlights to see if any pests were hiding. Still, nothing. We tipped the couches forward and inspected the bottom. Once again, nothing. During a bed bug inspection, it is just as important to determine where there is not bed bug activity as where there is in order to rule out areas where treatment is not necessary.  We then asked the tenants if we could inspect their bedrooms. They were happy to oblige. We went upstairs to the master bedroom, and slowly began to remove the linens from the mattress. There were no fecal stains on the sheets or pillows. Next, we lifted the mattress of the boxspring and inspected all of the mattress seams. Still nothing. We then lifted the box spring. Our persistence paid off. We found the evidence. There were blood spots as well as a live bed bug on the old encasement.   These particular tenants has a bed bug issue several years prior, so they knew the drill. Bed bug treatment is a cooperative effort and the effectiveness of the treatment depends on how well the areas are prepared prior to treatment. It is important to reduce as much clutter from the rooms as possible because clutter means more potential harborage areas. Fortunately, these tenants kept their place quite neat and orderly so there wasn’t much prep work to be done. We awere able to schedule treatment for the following day, and they were completely ready to go.    
Bed bugs on mattress in Oceanport, NJ
Recently, I was sent to a home in Monroe Township, NJ, to resolve a squirrel infestation, and made a video to show how a wildlife technician approaches a situation where animals take up residence inside the structure of a home where they can cause all sorts of damage and mischief. This was one of the more challenging access points to locate. The squirrel nesting area was well hidden, but there is usually some subtle clue that gives away their location. Here, I observed some nesting materials sticking out of the vent holes in the soffit. Oftentimes, squirrels won’t make their nesting area right next to the access because they want some distance between themselves and potential predators. However, in this case the access point is extremely close to where the animals were nesting. Here, there was a torn off loose piece of soffit in the corner of a common, generic roof return that builders often refer to as a “pork chop.” These roofline corners are relatively easy to build compared to other roof designs, but aren’t particularly elegant, hence the name. Sometimes, like we see here these roof corners are used by squirrels and other wildlife to gain entry by ripping right through the plastic. Squirrels are rodents with exceptionally strong teeth and claws and are able to make their way through vinyl or plastic building materials with relative ease. This particular hole was well hidden. I can’t get into the mind of a squirrel, but it often seems that they make hidden access points to help avoid detection. Here, the hole goes right into the soffit where the squirrels built a private nesting area. I’ll need to build a one-way around the hole that will allow the animals to exit but prevent their return and get dome traps on the roof.  We then set up traps for blocking access into the residence and, hopefully, trapping them for relocation to a more suitable habitat. Here, I managed to get the one-way set up as best as I could by wrapping some hardware cloth around the opening. Once the squirrels real that they are locked out of their home, they will often try to tear out a new hole nearby. It is important to discourage them from doing so. You can also see the traps that are properly secured to the roof. The most important thing is that everything is functional and properly secured. It doesn’t have to be pretty; it just has to work until the squirrels are removed since these structures are all temporary. With the set-up in place, these squirrels will be denied from returning to the nest after they come out to forage, and hopefully, they will step into the baited traps so I can safely and humanely relocate them.
Trapping squirrels in Monroe Township, NJ
For the apartment buildings served by Cowleys, we recommend bed bug inspections at least twice a year, especially for complexes with units that have had bed bug issues in the past. Many property managers request proactive bed bug inspections. Often, tenants fail to timely report these infestations  and what could have been a localized infestation in one unit has morphed into a major multi-unit infestation. Bed bugs easily hitchhike from one host to the next and, although these infestations can happen anywhere, they are especially problematic in high-density housing.  We service many senior apartment buildings, and bed bug infestations are quite common and often are more entrenched. Why? The elderly, for a variety reasons, do not notice the signs of bed bugs in their early stages because of vision issues and limited mobility. Many are physically unable to lift up their mattress an box spring to check for bed bugs or the tiny fecal stain spots they leave behind. Also, many are unaware that they are even being bitten. Not everyone experiences welts and itching from their bites. It has ben reported that up to 30% of the population does not show signs of bed bug bites. Also, seniors on corticosteroid medications often have no reaction to the bites as well. Bed bugs are parasites that feed exclusively on blood, and prefer human blood to other animals. When not feeding, they prefer to hide near their host in dark cracks an crevices that they can wedge themselves into. To determine if there is a bed bug problem, an inspection requires lifting and moving mattresses, chests of drawers, sofas, and other heavy pieces of furniture since the bugs will hide in out-of-the-way places. They are hardly ever out in the open in plain view.  Recently, I found a bed bug issue in a senior housing building that we service in Oceanport, NJ. At first glance, the apartment was clean and orderly, showing no signs of bed bug activity. Bed bug infestations have nothing to do with sanitation issues, but if there is clutter, there are more potential hiding spots for these pests, and make it makes the infestation more difficult to treat. Here, we found bed bugs after lifting up the mattress and box spring.  Once we find a bid bug issues, we immediately perform a knock-down treatment to hold the tenant over until we can schedule a full initial servicing.We do everything we can to treat any affected apartments in question as soon as possible after the inspection in oder to contain the infestation. These periodic bed bug inspections have become important monitoring tools for us and the apartment managers to stay on top of this troublesome infestation.
Bed bug Inspections in Oceanport, NJ
Homeowners in Hazlet, NJ started to notice mouse droppings being deposited in their garage. These homeowners, as many of us do, turned their garage into a storage unit for their belongings instead of a place to keep their cars away from the outdoor elements. Sometimes I think we acquire too much stuff and don’t know where to put it all! Our garages and basements get stuffed to the gills with all sorts of seasonal items and other things we’ve long forgotten about. When storing items in there areas, it is important to use pallets or something to maintain to keep your belongings off the ground. Moisture and condensation can easily develop. Also, for air circulation, keep a gap between the wall and the items. Doing so, not only provides easier access to your belongings, it also protects your belongings from rodent infestations. Mice have no problems boring into cardboard boxes to nest. Also, rodents have poor vision. They will travel in a line along walls while foraging where their bodies touch the sides. If you look closely enough along their pathways, you’ll often see rub or grease marks from the dirt and oils on their fur.They will only ever off the pathway when locking a food source or a good private harborage site.  With rodent inspections, finding their actual or potential entry points and sealing them is critical to get these infestations under control. Otherwise, there is always the risk of a re-infestation with a new crop of rodents looking to escape the hard outdoor elements. One off the main culprits allowing mice inside homes are the gaps around utility pipe chase. Over time, the sealant around the pipe deteriorates and falls off leaving gaps that are more than enough for these tiny rodents to squeeze their way inside. It only takes an opening around the size of a dime. Here, there were multiple entry points around the pipes coming into the garage. It was an open invitation for the mice. I treated the area around the openings with a tracking powder that attaches to their fur, which is then ingested while grooming. Any rodent that travels through the powder will soon meets its demise. I then sealed the openings with a chew-proof copper mesh. The homeowners would later finish the exclusion with a heavy-duty caulk. With the entry points blocked, the mice in the garage will be eliminated. it was important that the homeowners took care of this issue because I have no doubt that some of the mice would have found their way inside the home.   
Keeping the mice out of Hazlet, NJ home
The Vineland, NJ State Veteran Home offers long-term care services for veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents. It is a beautiful facility that provides those who served our nation the highest quality healthcare. Their administration contacted Cowleys to help them resolve a massive pigeon problem. Feral pigeons have a strong attraction to buildings and other man-made habitats for nesting and roosting because they resemble their natural habitat of cliffs and ledge formations. These birds harbor diseases and their prodigious droppings are unsightly and unsanitary. Their droppings are so acidic that they can dissolve paint and cause extensive property damage, especially to roofing materials and ventilation systems. Over time, there droppings can even cause concrete stonework to crumble.  Our focus with nuisance birds is to evaluate the particular building and level fo infestation to determine the best mix of bird deterrent devices to make the building inhospitable to them. Birds will soon move elsewhere they seek to avoid the deterrents or it is impossible or difficult to land. We look for humane solutions for the birds to simply relocate elsewhere, and these deterrents ensure that any new birds won’t bother your premises. There are plenty of places for nuisance birds to go. With deterrent devices the birds are sent a  loud and clear message that your property is off-limits.  Here, we set up six eagle eye deterrents in strategic locations on the roof. Eagle eyes emit an annoyingly large glare of light that distracts the birds from landing. We also installed a dozen bird repellers that use continuously moving arms that prevent large birds like gulls and pigeons from landing. The spinning and sweeping movement scares birds away. The propellers are wind-driven but can also be solar-powered for less breezy areas.   There was one area of the roof that housed the exhaust stack for the kitchen grill where we could not install these types of devices. The stack was metal and would get quite hot when in use. It would be hazardous to put any devices in the area and they would likely be damaged and rendered ineffective from the intense heat. The birds were attracted to the nearby area surrounding the stack because of its warmth. To prevent birds from landing in this area of the roof, we decided to install bird spikes around the stack where they were roosting. These spikes make the surface impossible for them to land.  With the installation of these bird repellent devices, the level of bird activity around this facility will be substantially reduced. Cowleys was not about to let these birds ruin this home to so many of our New Jersey veterans who sacrificed so much. We took this particular job personally and wanted to make sure that this beautiful building stayed beautiful. There are plenty of other places along the Jersey Shore for birds to land, nest, and deposit their droppings. We made sure that this VA home was now officially off-limits for these filthy birds.   
Pigeons problems in Vineland, NJ
Recently, I was called out to service a home in South Toms River, NJ to help a homeowner having an issue with mice entering a home, an all-too-common problem this time of year when temperatures drop and mice are looking to escape the harsh weather. The homeowner was particularly concerned because she was at a loss as to how the mice could possibly be entering the home. I explained to her that mice only need the tiniest of gaps and cracks to gain entry because of heir diminutive size. People are surprised to learn that a mouse weight less than an ounce! The homeowner found out that she had mice in the most unpleasant way. She observed droppings in her basement while she was getting her Christmas decorations assembled for the holiday season. Finding mice droppings is the quickest way to stop any holiday cheer.  With a mouse infestation, I am always focused on finding their entry points into the home. I’ve found that one effective inspection technique that works well for me is to work in the dark! I will turn off all the basement lights and look for areas where light may be shining through. If I can see daylight, it means that there is usually plenty of space for mice to squeeze inside. Obviously, this works best on bright, sunny days. Here, with the lights off, I saw light coming in the house around wires and pipes. This is a common rodent entry point because the sealing around pipes and wires starts to disintegrate over time. Upon closer inspection, I observed a few droppings in the areas around these gaps. These weren’t potential entry points; they were actual ones.   My preference is to set the bait traps before sealing the holes. I want to give the mice a way out of the house after ingesting the bait so they die outside and the homeowner does not have to deal with mouse carcasses in the home. Holes that are closed too soon may trap the dying mice inside. I placed several traps along the interior perimeter of the basement. Finally, I advised the homeowner that I would return for a two-week follow-up where I would seal all of the entry points. She was relieved that I was able to locate the openings and had a plan in place to rid her home of these pesky mice.
Finding Mouse Problems and Solutions in South Toms River, NJ
Today, I had the pleasure of having one of our newer techs riding with me to help show him “the ropes.” Hands-on training presents great teaching moments through out the day, and the experience technicians enjoy sharing their knowledge and approach.Our office received a call from the property manager of one of our commercial accounts, a residential community in Manalapan, NJ. A hornets nest had formed in a potentially dangerous location — on a fire hydrant right near a school bus stop. Although with dropping fall temperatures, hornets nests naturally die out, with the workers dying and the mated queen hibernating over the winter, this was still an active nest and needed to be treated and removed. We happened to not be far from this community when the call came in, so we immediately took care of it.   This technician had not yet removed a hornets nest before, so I knew we were in for a good time! Every technician remembers their first hornet nest removal, and this was an active one. I talked through the treatment, and since the nest was still very active so I had him put on the protective bee-wasp suit. The new tech fearlessly treated the nest and removed it from the hydrant to bag it and take it off the property. There may always be wasps still in the nest, so we take all of the nest debris with us. He worked safely and efficiently, and will soon be ready to go out on his own. 
Dangerous hornets near Manalapan, NJ fire hydrant
The property managers for an elderly housing building in Asbury Park, NJ have contacted with Cowleys to perform a building-wide bed bug inspection twice yearly. It’s a tremendous undertaking, but one that’s well worth it, especially for those apartment complexes that have had bed bug issues in the past. Periodic bed bug inspections in senior housing is critical for a variety of reasons. Tenants in these buildings can have poor mobility, poor eyesight, and sometimes even diminished mental capacity to relax that there is an infestation in their unit. Because many are on anti-inflammatory medications for medical issues, they may not even be aware that they are being bitten. Also, there apartment units can have clutter issues, so there are more potential bed bug harborage areas. With these inspections, we left mattresses, boxsprings, couches, and other furniture. Bed bugs will hide in seams and on the bottom of furniture. Rarely do they stay in plain view. During these inspections, we often find bed bug problems that the tenant was unaware of, especially when the infestation is in its early stages and the insect populations are low.  When inspecting these units, we always inspect the bed and the areas around the bed such as nightstands and beside furniture. Bed bugs feed exclusively off human blood, and they prefer to stay near their food source between their blood meals. As such, we concentrate on those areas of the apartment where the tenants either sleep or nap. Our objective is to identify problems and get things under control before an isolated bed bug problem becomes a major building-wide nightmare for the tenants and property management.  Should we find a bed bug issue, we immediately set up a treatment plan for the resident. Any plan starts by instructing the resident as to how to properly prepare their unit for treatment. Clutter removal and other pre-treatment tasks are essential for our treatment to be effective. If the tenant is unable to do the preparatory work, the property manager must locate family members or other resources to help. Cowleys has extensive experience with bed bug infestations, especially in high density living arrangements like apartment buildings and nursing homes. We have a five-week treatment plan protocol. We perform an initial servicing followed by two follow-up visits, one after two weeks and a second after another three weeks. During these follow-ups, we re-inspect and perform additional treatments as necessary.  With these periodic bed bug checks during the year, we are able to keep problems under control before they become a serious issue.
Bed bug inspection in Asbury Park, NJ senior housing
Recently, I was sent to Manalapan, NJ to remove a large, active hornets nest. The nest happened to be built between two homes, both with children. Both families had a strong mutual interest in having this nest removed for safety reasons. Even with dropping fall temperatures, the nest was quite active and there was a large number of hardy hornets that were not yet done for the season. These aggressive, territorial wasps had plenty of life in them to protect their nest to the bitter end. Bald-faced hornets are large wasps, about three-quarters of an inch long. They are easily identified by ivory markings on their faces and abdomens. These wasps are close relatives of yellow jackets, and they are just as mean and ornery, often stinging without much provocation. While yellow jackets are typically ground-nesters that build their nests inside rodent burrows or other cavities, bald faced hornets typically build distinctive grey aerial nests a few feet off the ground. A mature bald faced hornet nest is a sight to behold. These nests, made of a mixture of chewed wood and saliva, can grow to basketball-sized proportions. Bald faced hornets are physically strong insects that can pierce through a layer of thick clothing to deliver a painful sting. Also, because a single wasp can sting multiple times, a swarm of these insects poses a serious medical threat, especially for children.  Any loud noises or sudden movements around a nest can trigger a swarm of attacking wasps. Suffice it to say, children at play around a hornets nests is trouble waiting to happen. These homeowners did the right thing by contacting Cowleys before anyone was stung. A mature nest can house hundreds of stinging insects! Please consider having an experienced pest control technician handle a hornet nest removal. DIY removal can easily turn into a DIY trip to the nearest emergency room. To resolve this infestation, I first used a foaming-action residual solution that I sprayed directly into the nest opening and around the surrounding area. As a residual application, it stays active to kill any foraging wasps that later return to the nest area and stops them from attempting to rebuild. I also applied a dust to eliminate any returning wasps. After waiting until the wasp activity slowed down,  I removed the nest and bagged it so I could take it with me off the property. With the wasp nest gone, the colony eliminated, and the area cleaned up of any nesting debris, these homeowner will not have to worry about their kids having an unwanted encounter with a small army of angry wasps. I was glad to help out and make this area safe again for outdoor play.      
Hornets scare Manalapan, NJ family
A homeowner from Aberdeen, NJ called Cowleys because while doing some gardening near her sidewalk, she came across a large, wasp with black and yellow stripes. This wasp was hovering close to the ground. This wasp was a cicada killer, a solitary wasp that burrows into the soil, preferably along the edges of driveways and sidewalk areas. These large, menacing wasps are not aggressive. The female does have a stinger yet she will only use it to paralyze its prey, such as a locust . Once it subdues its prey, it will it bring it back and put it inside its burrow. A cicada wasp burrow can be up to 24 inches long.   The female will then lays an egg on the paralyzed locust so it can feed on once it hatches. Treating the burrows with a residual insecticide dust will eliminate the hatchlings and returning adults. 
Cicada killer in Aberdeen, NJ
Recently, I was sent to Skillman, NJ, a small community within Montgomery Township in Somerset County for a bed bug inspection. This particular job reinforces that a bed bug infestation can happen to anyone anywhere. Bed bugs are not just a problem for apartment dwellers in high density urban areas!  The homeowner suspected that she had a bed bug infestation because she was getting mysterious bites and wanted a positive confirmation of bed bug activity to start treatment, if necessary. Waking up with insect bites is often the earliest sign that there may be bed bugs in your home. This homeowner did the right thing. She contacted us immediately instead of waiting until the problem got worse. Even if you are not 100% sure it’s bed bugs, contact a professional pest control service. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.  Bed bugs stay hidden near their hosts so that they don’t need to venture far for their blood meals. Often, we find them in and around beds, but they will be anywhere we nap, sleep, or rest. Here, I found sticky bed bug eggs and cast skins in the seams of a couch. Bed bugs hide in the smallest cracks and crevices they can find, and with their flat bodies they have a wide variety of hiding places to choose from in our homes. they can fit into spaces as thin as a business card. Bed bugs happen to love tight seams in furniture because it gives them a sense of security. They like to have multiple sides of their bodies touching a surface while they are hiding between feedings. As small as bed bugs are (especially nymphs), bed bug eggs are even smaller. A bed bug eggs is about the size of a pinhead or grain of salt. To me, bed bug eggs resemble a dramatically shaved-down piece of rice. They are pearl-white and covered with a sticky glue-like substance so they adhere to surfaces and are not easily dislodged. I’m often asked, how do you even see these little eggs? The answer is that, as a bed bug specialist, I’ve had to develop a close eye for detail and I know where to look. A bed bug inspection must be systematic and methodical because bed bug eggs, just like bed bugs themselves, are almost always found in hidden locations.  These insects naturally avoid open spaces, and unless there is an exceptionally heavy infestation, you’ll almost never find them hanging out in plain sight. To locate bed bugs, eggs, casings, and fecal deposits, you have to go beyond the surface and actually lift and flip things over (and do so carefully so that the bugs do not fly off!) to find their small, dark, quiet hiding spots.  Although no one is happy to find out they have a bed bug infestation, she was relieved to know that she wasn’t imagining things and there were bed bugs biting her. At least now she could treat her home and eliminate them. We set up a treatment date to give her some time to get her home properly prepared for treatment. Bed bug infestations can be challenging and require follow-up visits. However, we stay with it and work with the homeowner until the infestation is successfully resolved.
Bed bugs in Skillman, NJ
A homeowner in Brielle, NJ was having a serious, ongoing nuisance bird problem, Seagulls and crows had decided that his flat roof made for an excellent rest stop, and they had turned it into a an active waste deposit facility. Seagulls do not limit their food sources to ocean aquatic life. These birds are opportunistic scavengers similar to pigeons, and they will seek out and consume almost any food debris. Just like pigeons, gulls have thrived in human habitats and these birds routinely build nests anywhere they can find readily available food sources.    Gulls are large birds that produce large quantities of white, thick, soupy, glue-like droppings. Their droppings are a toxic stew of pathogens and are a nightmare to clean, especially once they harden. Gulls are a problem not just because of the aesthetics of a roof being covered with their slime (which is bad enough!). Their acidic droppings can cause property damage — dissolving paint and even disintegrating roofing materials and causing roof leaks.   The homeowner contacted Cowleys to resolve his bird issue. We handle all types of nuisance birds in addition to wildlife like squirrels and raccoons that often find their way inside our homes. With gulls and other nuisance birds, we use a variety of deterrents to make your property inhospitable to them. The particular deterrent depends on a number of factors such as the type of bird and the layout of the home or building. We change their behavior so that they go elsewhere. We do not harm birds in any way, In fact, gulls, as a migratory species are protected by both federal and state law.. You cannot harm or destroy them, their nests, their eggs, or their chicks.   The homeowner wanted us to resolve the problem, but he did not want us to install anything that would involve directly drilling or otherwise attaching any deterrent onto his roof. We decided that the most effective way to keep the birds away was to use large cinderblocks in which we secured six “eagle eyes,” strategically placing them  across the roof. For birds, an eagle eye is a major optical annoyance. Whenever I install these deterrents, I like to think of that 70s song, “Blinded By the Light.” As the wind catches the eagle eye, it spins around and emits an tremendously annoying glare that distracts them and limits their vision — just like glare affects our ability to see when we are driving. Because, birds have different color sensitivities, we use the red eagle eye to repel gulls.   Gulls want nothing to do with them! The video shows the gulls flying over the roof but avoiding landing on their once favorite hangout and the annoying flash that these devices give off. For birds, the eagle eye is a sign that says “Sorry We’re CLOSED.” To deal with the crows, we installed birds spikes on the railing where they were roosting. By taking away their landing area, the birds will naturally move to a more hospitable location off your property. The birds don’t go away mad, they just go away!            
Birds problem on Brielle, NJ building