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Cowleys Pest Services Videos - Page 3

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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I went to a home in Middletown, NJ where the homeowner noticed a constant flow of wasps entering under the siding on the exterior of their house. Yellowjackets are a social wasp. They are by far the most troublesome, especially ground and cavity-nesting ones. Yellowjackets are aggressive and will vigorously defend their nests if disturbed. Defensive behavior increases as the season progresses and colony populations become larger while food becomes scarcer.  Now, in fall, the foraging yellowjackets are primarily scavengers, and they start to show up at picnics and barbecues around garbage cans. At certain times and places, the number of scavenger wasps can be quite large. I take no chances when dealing with a sizable nest, like the one I encountered today, I took extra precautions and put on my bee suit.   The most effective way to get rid of this nest is to apply insecticide dust into the cavity and rely on the wasps social activity. The returning nest building workers will return to the nest and come in contact with the dust and die soon after. The homeowners were happy this dangerous situation was handled quickly and properly and no one got hurt. 
Aggressive yellowjackets alarm Middletown, NJ homeowners
When homeowners have an ant infestation, the underground nest is usually outside nearby the home and foraging ants find a way to access the home through gaps or cracks in the foundation or openings around pipes, windows or doors. Ants can also build nests inside homes in crawl spaces or wall voids, but that is less frequent. Ants will enter homes in search of food and water, and ant infestations often follow significant rainfall when their nests may be flooded and the ants are seeking safe higher ground.  Foraging ants follow a pheromone trail from the nest to wherever they have found food or water. When conducting an inspection, it is important to follow the trail to determine the general vicinity of the nest. Here, for this homeowner in Millstone Township, NJ, I needed to find the ant trail for foraging ants making their way into the kitchen. Ant infestations are more than a nuisance. They can contaminate food and cause sanitation issues.  I determined that the ants were following a path from behind the trash cans, coming up the foundation under the house siding, and then making their way inside through a kitchen window. I performed an interior-exterior treatment to eliminate the colony, using a gel bait in the interior and a liquid application that will be carried back to the nest and shared with the other members. With social insects like ants, it is critical to kill the queen and the members in the nest for a long-term resolution of the infestation. Killing isolated foraging ants will not permanently resolve the problem.  
Ants follow the trail into Millstone Township, NJ home
Recently, a homeowner in Brick, NJ contacted Cowleys after seeing that she had a bug bite after waking up in her bed. As you’ll see, it was a good thing that she did. Mysterious bug bites after waking up or resting in bed or on your favorite sofa or recliner are often the first sign of a bed bug problem. These bugs stay well hidden between their blood meals and, especially in the early stages of an infestation, the signs are subtle and easily overlooked.   Here, the homeowner began stripping her bed and searching everywhere. As often happens, she found nothing. Someone may or may not find live bed bug activity, and if you aren’t familiar with the signs of a bed bug infestation, know where they commonly hide, or don’t conduct a systematic and thorough search, you may well not find anything. Nevertheless, she did not want to take and chances. She did the smart thing and contacted Cowleys.  When I arrived, the homeowner appeared frazzled and appeared as though she hadn’t slept in days. She said she just couldn’t sleep until she knew what was biting her at night. I completely understood. Even just thinking you have bed bugs can cause a lot of anxiety.  She took me to her bedroom, which was sparse with few pieces of furniture and possessions. When dealing with bed bug infestations, that makes my job much easier because the less clutter, the less potential harborage areas for these biting bugs.  The bed frame was rather large and not easy to move. However, for a proper inspection, it needed to be pulled away from the wall, so I slowly lifted the mattress and box spring so that I would not dislodge any bugs, and inspected the seams — a common bed bug hiding spot. Nothing. I saw that there was a small nightstand and slowly removed the drawers for inspection. Again, nothing. I flipped over the nightstand and, still, nothing. There were no fecal stains or bed bug skins from molting anywhere. Bed bug specialists must be persistent. Every time I find nothing in one location, I look at it as being one step closer to finding the bugs. Using my flashlight, I scanned the baseboards that were hidden from view by the bed. JACKPOT! I found a bed bug — and it was a juicy one filled with blood from a recent blood meal. The client was visibly relieved that I found the source of her problems. Even though it’s never good news knowing you have bed bugs, it’s better than having bed bugs and not knowing that you do. Once you know the problem, it can be treated. She requested that we treat the room and wherever else there may be an infestation. For me, the detective work and finding the problem is the most rewarding part of a bed bug inspection.  
Bed bug found during inspection in Brick, NJ home
Recently, I was sent to a home in Colts Neck, NJ to treat a wasp infestation. The wasps had nested behind the home’s siding, which unfortunately, is all too common. Many types of wasps like to build their nests inside cavities such as rodent burrows in the ground and inside tree cavities. But sometimes, the wasps choose manmade structures and will build nests around the roofline of the home, in outdoor floodlight fixtures, and here, behind a home’s siding. These are small insects and have no problem accessing the smallest gaps and cracks.  First, I used a spray where the wasps were entering and exiting to quickly knock down their population. I waiting a few minutes until there was no more observable activity, and then treated the area with a waterproof dust especially made to wok in those wet and damp places that insects love to hide.
Wasps in Colts Neck, NJ
Ants will nest in the most unexpected places in and around your home. Recently, a concerned homeowner in Rumson, NJ called Cowleys after discovering ants nesting inside the cushions of her patio furniture. When the patio furniture was not in use, she would store the cushions in a nearby shed to protect them from inclement weather when not in use. Recently, on a nice sunny day, she had taken them outside so that she could relax by her pool. Unfortunately, there was an unexpected surprise. Ants started pouring out of the cushions. Apparently, they wanted to enjoy the nice weather as well!  She immediately contacted Cowleys and asked that someone come out as soon as possible to resolve the issue. Soon thereafter, I was dispatched for this ant problem and arrived as soon as I could fit it in my schedule. Upon arrival, I saw that the homeowner was visibly frustrated that her patio future was infested, and I assured her that the problem would be resolved. She brought me over to the shed, and I started my inspection. I immediately found a trail of ant entering around the shed door. There was no access for me to inspect underneath the shed, but I was able to determine where they were gaining access. I applied a non-repellent application around both the interior and exterior perimeter of the shed. With non-repellent products, the insects have no idea that the product has been applied so the foraging continue to cross in and out of the shed, blissfully unaware that they have come into contact with the treatment. Also, the effect of the treatment is delayed. The ants are not immediately killed. Instead, they stay alive long enough to carry the product back to the nest where it is shared among the members of the colony. Within two weeks, the entire colony will be eliminated.  Ant infestations can be challenging because of their sheer numbers. Ant colonies can range from a few hundred members to tens of thousands. As such, to successfully resolve an ant infestation, the treatment must reach the nest. Merely killing the foraging workers as you see them does virtually nothing to eliminate the infestation. Those ants you see are just the tip of the iceberg. For an ant treatment to be effective, it must reach the underground nest. This is why we use professional-grade non-repellent applications.
Ants shack up in Rumson, NJ shed
Spiders can show up anywhere in your home, often when you least expect them. For those who have outright phobias of spiders, coming across one is no joke. It can be a frightening, traumatic experience. Why don’t these creepy spiders just stay outside? One reason they like to come inside our homes is because their webs are delicate. Spiders look to build their webs in quiet, private places, often in the corners of rooms, where they are protected from the outdoor elements. What better place to build a web than inside a structure free from wind and rain. With an indoor web, all the spider need to do is patiently wait for an unsuspecting insect to get stuck in its little trap, and it’s dinner time! Recently, I was sent to a home in Barnegat Light, NJ. This homeowner found a clutter of spiders nesting behind an umbrella in the corner of the mud room that was not used for quite some time. She was none-too-thrilled to come across so many spiders at once. After a loud shriek that reverberated throughout the house, she collected herself and contacted Cowleys. She had no interest whatsoever in trying to deal with this spider infestation herself.   Upon arrival, I first vacuumed all of the live activity and spider debris that I could find including the webs and egg sacs. Vacuuming removes the immediate problem. After, I applied a liquid treatment that will act as a preventative moving forward. One of the best ways fro homeowners to reduce spider populations by reducing other insect populations in and around their home. Spiders are predators that seek out all sorts of insects for food. They are actually beneficial insects in that they reduce the populations of many unwanted pests. The problem with spiders is when they gain access inside your home and start to breed, often in alarming numbers. Periodic preventative perimeter treatments will  keep out insects as well as the spiders that follow them.   All of us find an occasional spider or two in our homes. However, once spiders start to nest inside the home and are crawling around in large numbers, professional pest control treatment is necessary. Also, a large spider infestation is often a sign f another insect infestation in your home. After all, a thriving spider population requires a good, steady food supply. Finally, although black recluse and black widows are the only two venomous spiders in New Jersey, virtually all spiders bite. For some, a spider bite can trigger severe swelling and other adverse reactions. In those cases, immediate medical attention is necessary.
Spiders love corners in this Barnegat Light, NJ home
Here is a video demonstrating how we “disable” and remove a large baldfaced hornet nest in Plainsboro, NJ. These are strong, aggressive, territorial wasps whose stingers can puncture thick clothing. They are a type of yellow jacket and are identified by their white markings on their head an abdomen. While yellow jackets typically build nests in underground burrows, tree cavities, or behind home siding, these wasps build large nests. As you can see in the video, they often attach their nests to tree limbs. Unfortunately, this one was built too close to pedestrian traffic and needed to be removed.  When dealing with an active baldfaced hornet nest, I always put on a full body suit and face protector. These wasps get particularly nasty if their nest is threatened, and a mature nest can have hundreds of workers ready to protect their nest at a moment’s notice. Even wearing all of this protective gear does not make you completely immune to being stung. If there is a small hole or some weak stitching a wasp or two can find their way in.  As shown in the video, the first step in removing one of these nests, is thoroughly spraying the entire nest with a knock-down aerosol. These nests are complex structures with rows of combs inside a tough outer shell, and it is important to completely saturate the nest. Also, I thoroughly spray into their entry and exit hole at the bottom of the nest. After spraying the nest, I wait until I observe no more activity — and then I spray a bit more for good measure! Even pest control technicians don’t like to be stung, and even though we are used to it, they still pack a wallop. Once there is no wasp activity, I’ll cut the nest off the tree limb, bag it, and remove it. Even with all this spraying their can still be live wasps inside the nest. 
Huge wasp nest taken down in Plainsboro, NJ
Recently, as part of my periodic servicing of one of our commercial accounts in North Brunswick, NJ, I was checking rodent bait stations that I had set up on an earlier visit. One of the bait boxes had a large number of ants in and around the box. Although the target pest was mice, of course, quite often ants are attracted to the bait. When servicing these bait stations, I often find the bait either partially or completely depleted. Since these bait stations are a necessary part of our treatment plan to control rodent populations, it often becomes necessary to control the ants that are attracted to and are feeding on the bait. Prior to this servicing, I happened to be at another commercial establishment that had an ant infestation around the building’s exterior perimeter. When attempting to resolve this ant infestation, I first tried an ant gel bait where they were trailing. The ants had no interest whatsoever in the bait. There was no problem with the bait itself. It just so happens that gel baits have a sugary base that ants need for energy during certain periods in their lifecycle. And at this particular time, they didn’t need it. I immediately went to Plan B and switched the bait to a granular bait that has a protein base. The ants were all over it — literally — within minutes.  Since I was already successful with the granular bait, I thought I’d use it again to deal with the ants that had invaded the bait station. This time, they were not interested in picking it up. I then went to the gel, and these ants began feeding on it immediately. These particular ants were at a stage whether they wanted sugar and not protein.   The lesson with the two jobs is that with ant infestations, and pest infestations in general, we have a variety of products and applications at our disposal. Dealing with pest infestations is not a one size fits all approach. Often, we must try different strategies until we find the one that works for that particular infestation.    
Ants find buffet in rodent bait station in Woodbridge, NJ
The National Pest Management Association conducted a study in which they took a half a million termites and placed them in the soil surrounding a tiny, built-to-scale dream home. A team of researchers observed and documented the behavior of the termites and the damage they caused. The shocking video shows how quickly termites eat away at the structure without the homeowner knowing the extent of the damage.
Model House Destroyed by Termites
Recently, I was in Farmingdale, NJ performing a residential servicing for a homeowner who had a carpenter ant infestation. While I was treating around the exterior foundation and windows of a split-level home, I observed a yellow jacket nest. While we come across hornet hives and paper wasp nests every day, finding an above-ground yellow jacket nest is unusual. Yellow jackets often nest in underground cavities, often in rodent burrows or from other burrowing animals like groundhogs or moles. Sometimes, you’ll even see yellow jacket nests in tree cavities. But it’s rare indeed to find a yellow jacket nest built above-ground like they did here.  Yellow jackets are among the nastiest of all stinging insects. They are aggressive and highly territorial, and won’t hesitate to sting if they feel there nest is being threatened. They wear their warning coloration as a badge of honor! Needless, to say, these yellow jackets were none too pleased that I was near their nest, and I could already see them become agitated. The key with a yellow jacket infestation is to treat them quickly and decisively.  I applied a dust application to the entry point, quickly covering all of the insects inside the nest. Once the signal is sent out that the nest and queen are in distress, the foraging yellow jackets outside become highly aggressive. As they enter the nest and come into contact with the product, they too will die. It takes a few hours for the hive to become completely inactive, and at this time I’ll remove it. One particular problem with yellow jackets is that they leave markers and return to the same location the following year to nest. It is imperative to use the proper product and remove all remnants of activity so they permanently abandon the nesting spot, and move on elsewhere — and any nesting spot fine as long as its not on your property!
Above ground wasp nest in Farmingdale, NJ
Recently, I was sent to a home in Belmar, NJ for its summer Home Protection Plan (HPP) servicing. With our HPP, homeowners receive periodic visits and preventative exterior perimeter treatments throughout the year. Also, with a HPP, homeowners can call us at any time to treat a pest infestation that’s covered under the plan at no additional charge. During these servicing visits, we perform a careful and systematic exterior inspection, looking for potential pest issues. Often, we uncover pest activity that the homeowner was completely unaware of. Here, for instance, with this servicing, I found ants trailing up the foundation. By treating ants and other pests while they are still outside, we can often avoid inside infestations that become more problematic to treat.  When ants build their underground nests nearby homes, foraging ants will often find small cracks and gaps around the foundation and windows to gain entry into the home. Here, I treated the foundation with a non-repellent residual spray. The foraging ants carry back to the nest and unknowingly share  it with the rest of the colony. This type of treatment is often the most effective way to resolve an ant infestation because the product is being carried and distributed throughout the nest, eliminating the entire colony including the reproducing queen. It’s far more effective than ant sprays that simply kill a few isolated foraging ants.  I also put down a granular product around the home’s foundation. These particles, which are activated with rainfall, release a small amount of product when wet, providing an effective long-term deterrent to ants entering the home.  We always prefer to eliminate an ant colony before the insects have a chance to gain entry inside the home. Ants, and any pest for that matter, cause far more problems once they are inside. Eliminating ant colonies around the exterior perimeter is one of the best ways for keeping your kitchen and the rest of your home ant-free.  
Ants found during HPP in Belmar, NJ
A commercial property in Belmar, NJ that I service on behalf of Cowleys, contacted me after someone on their staff discovered mouse droppings inside the building by their back door. They were understandably concerned about a rodent infestation and the severity of the problem, and wanted a professional option about what preventative steps could be taken to resolve the infestation, and more importantly, to stop further rodent entry.   I immediately stopped by to conduct an inspection and locate the access points for these animals. Mice can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime. The general rule is that if a mouse can poke its nose through an opening, the rest of its body will follow. I started near the droppings, and found a small opening around the door trim as a possible entry point. Of course, an opening that looks small to us, can be more than enough from the perspective of a mouse! I then took my inspection to the building’s exterior. It didn’t take long for me to find several openings where rodents could be entering. Upon closer inspection, I found some proof-positive evidence: There were mouse droppings inside openings that lead straight inside the building. this was a definite entry point that needed to be sealed. To exclude mice from gaining any further access through these openings, I first used a gnaw-proof copper mesh. Although mice must gnaw to sand down their ever-growing incisors, they cannot handle this rough, unforgiving mesh on their teeth. If the mice can’t make a quick entry where there was an opening, they will divert to different areas. If your building’s foundation is a solid barrier with no easy access points, they’ll move to some other building. After the copper mesh was in place, I wanted to add extra assurance that mice could not enter, so I applied an expandable foam that locked everything in place. These openings were now permanently sealed and any foraging mice would be out of luck to use these points of access again.  With the entry points sealed, I placed a few “tin cat” traps by the interior areas as a precaution. These low-profile non-poisonous non-lethal “bait, trap, and release” traps are a great way to monitor the size of the population without dealing with smelling insect-attracting rodent carcasses. We use these traps as a monitoring tool to determine whether we were successful in locating all of the rodent access points. I’m looking forward to the follow-up in two weeks to reinspect and determine whether mice are still able to gain inside access. I’m extremely confident that between the sealing of these holes and the placement of the traps, indoor mouse activity will drop down to nothing for this customer and this infestation will be completely resolved. 
Rodents find way into Belmar, NJ home