Morganville, NJ Trust & Local Pest Control & Attic Insulation Services

Recently, I was sent to a home in Morganville, NJ to resolve a troublesome mouse infestation. Upon arrival, I immediately saw that there was a separate, potentially even more serious. The home had extensive clutter. The living space was filled to the point where it was difficult to safely maneuver around the home. While we all like to hold onto things, there comes a point where so-called hoarding can become a disorder when a person has extreme difficulty discarding or parting with some of their possessions, regardless of their value or how much they are actually used. The accumulation of clutter rendered this home’s living space virtually uninhabitable and dangerous to the home’s occupants.  

In this case, this homeowner enjoyed finding bargains at flea markets and garage sales. This was a small home without much storage area. It had gotten to the point where the homeowner had to climb over boxes and items, making it challenging and dangerous to move around freely. Not surprisingly, all of the boxes and clutter became a haven for mice. The rodents had virtually unlimited hiding spots and they could move around the home and stay out of sight with ease. 

For obvious reasons, I was concerned. I had to convince the homeowner to remove this clutter for reasons beyond the mouse infestation. Fortunately, having an objective third-party telling him that there was a clutter issue was all he needed. He understood that most of these items had to go in order to deal with the mouse problem and make his home safe once again. The homeowner agreed to clear out most of the “stuff,” and for me to return at a later date. 

Upon return, there was significantly less clutter and I could effectively treat the rodent infestation. I used bait boxes, snap traps, and glue boards to monitor the level of rodent activity. With the reduced clutter and a rodent control program in place, this mouse infestation will be knocked-down in short order. Finally, I scheduled a follow-up visit to re-assess the level rodent activity and make adjustments to the treatment plan as necessary.

While conducting a routine home protection plan servicing, I discovered staining on the siding of the home. Homeowners are often unaware of infestations outside their home or in non-living areas like crawl spaces and attics. Our periodic residential protection plan inspections often uncover these “hidden” problems, allowing us to get them resolved in their early stages before there is significant property damage. 

From past experience, I immediately recognized this type of staining. This home had an active carpenter bee infestation. These large bees resemble bumble bees, except they have shiny black bodies instead of the familiar “fuzzy” look of bumble bees. During the early spring, carpenter bees will start swarming to find mates. After mating, the female will bore a hole into soft wood, making a chamber to lay her eggs. In home exteriors, we often find carpenter bee bore holes in behind facia boards. Because fascia boards are near the roof line and gutters are attached to them, they are prone to water-damage and wood rot, making them attractive nesting locations to carpenter bees and other wood-boring insects (not to mention a favorite of squirrels, raccoons, and other wildlife to gain access to the attic!). 

Besides the actual holes, evidence of carpenter bee activity include sawdust piles (called “frass”) and staining nearby the holes from their droppings. Unfortunately, carpenter bees often return every year to the same area of the home because of a pheromone left in the egg chamber. We eliminate these bee infestations for the current year by using either a liquid or dust application.