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Testimonials From South River
Thank you for doing a great job. Felipe took the time to talk with me and understand the problem.
Testimonial by Susan N. from South River, NJ
Pete Katula was..... Pete Katula was very professional. He went above and...
Testimonial by Charles L. from South River, NJ
Products & Services
Pest Control Services
Local Termite Treatment
Carpenter Ant Control
Bed Bug Extermination
Rodent Control
Ant Control and Extermination
Cockroach Extermination
Flies and Bee Control
Spiders and Bug Control
Stinkbug Services
Beetle and Flea Control
Tick Control Services
Gutter Guards
Crawl Space Vapor Barriers
Attic Insulation
Before and After Pictures from South River
Mice find easy entry to South River, NJ home

Mice find easy entry to South River, NJ home

Before After
Mice find easy entry to South River, NJ home Mice find easy entry to South River, NJ home

A South River homeowner was having issues with mice in her basement and kitchen, and she contacted Cowleys. I was immediately dispatched to take care of the problem. During my inspection, I concentrated on finding signs of mouse activity such as droppings, rub/grease marks along walls, and loose nesting materials. I am also concerned about locating potential access points. With small rodents like mice, this can present a challenge. These animals are even smaller than they look because of their fur. A house mouse weighs less than an ounce, and can fit through a hole as small as a dime. It is especially important to inspect around the home’s foundation, both indoors and out. Mice, looking to escape the harsh outdoor elements during the winter, often enter homes through the basement or crawl space. 

Sure enough, during  my perimeter inspection, I saw that a pipe entering the exterior of the home into the basement was not adequately sealed. The openings around the pipe’s edges perfect for a mouse — the only thing missing was a welcome mat! There was no doubt that mice were exploiting this opening. Their “business card” — their droppings — were all over. There were pellets sprinkled at the base of the entry point as well as inside the hole itself. 

I showed the homeowner the source of her problem, and explained to her how I was going to get rid of her rodent infestation. She was extremely grateful. First, I patched the area around the pipe with rodent chew-proof knitted wire copper mesh. It is critical to find and seal the entry points. If you don’t, you can set up all the traps you want inside your home, and you still won’t permanently resolve the problem. Finding these small, often hidden or overlooked holes is time-consuming back-bending work, and it helps to know what to look for. We tend to see the same “hot spots” for rodent entry. Fortunately, the area around the pipe was the only observed gap during my inspection. 

I also placed several snap traps in those areas inside the home where there were indications of high rodent activity. This will get rid of any mice that may be still be lurking about, and these traps will also allow me to gauge whether there is still activity when I return for my two-week follow-up. At that time, I’ll re-inspect the home and perform any additional treatments as needed.

Yellow jackets find home in roof at South River, NJ home

Yellow jackets find home in roof at South River, NJ home

Before After
Yellow jackets find home in roof at South River, NJ home Yellow jackets find home in roof at South River, NJ home

Recently, I was dispatched to a residence in South River, NJ. The homeowner was having a problem with yellow jackets. These wasps with their distinctive yellow-black coloration are one of the most territorial, aggressive stinging insects we come across. They seem almost anxious to sting at the slightest provocation.  

Although yellow jackets often nest outdoors in rodent burrows and other cavities, sometimes they decide to build nests inside homes. Decks, eaves, soffits, gutters, and even holes in brick are all potential yellow jacket nesting sites. Here, the wasps found an opening of a roof dormer soffit. The homeowner realized he had a problem because he was hearing buzzing and light scratching/clicking sounds in his upstairs ceiling. These wasps, as many wasp species, will chew on wood because cellulose makes for great nesting material. They are powerful enough to chew through drywall. These were some of the sounds that the homeowner was hearing. By the way, don’t knock on the drywall. It may be so paper thin that you’ll make a hole in it!

Upon arrival, I immediately inspected the exterior and observed yellow jackets entering and exiting the dormer soffit. I also saw a paper hood protruding out of the soffit that was clearly part of their nest. Yellow jackets build paper nests that are completely surrounded by a paper envelope. This paper-like pulp is a mixture of chewed wood fibers and their saliva. Inside, I inspected the upstair ceiling and found that the moisture from the nest had soften the sheetrock.

It was time to treat the nest. Because of the aggressive nature of these wasps, i don’t take any chances. I put on my protective suit with a hat and veil to protect me against any insect stings. When yellow jacket nests are first treated, you are often “greeted” by a swarm of angry, aggressive wasps. A individual yellow jacket can sting multiple times, so f a nest is disturbed you can be facing dozens of painful stings. For obvious reasons, active yellow jacket nests, especially those built in challenging locations, are not DIY homeowner projects. 

I climbed on the roof and used an extension pole sprayer so I could keep as safe a distance as possible from the nest, and injected a dust into the soffit opening. The dust will be shared with all of the members of the nest and it won’t take long for the queen and the rest of the colony to be eliminated.

Company Awards
Cowleys Receives the Golden Osprey Award for Business Excellence
We are incredibly honored to receive the Golden Osprey Award from the Jersey Shore Chamber of Commerce for the Business... [Read more]
Cowleys Voted Best Places to Work in n NJ for a Second Year in a Row
We are honored to be named to the 2022 Best Places to Work in New Jersey list by NJBIZ magazine... [Read more]
Cowleys Wins Asbury Park Press's 2021 Best of the Best Community Choice Awards for Monmouth County!
Cowleys Services has been voted Monmouth County's BEST of the BEST 2021 Pest Control Provider by the Asbury Park Press!... [Read more]
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South River, NJ Expert Pest Control Company

Here at Cowleys Pest Services we not only adhere to the highest pest control standards, our goal is to provide you with an excellent experience and service in South River and nearby NJ.

From your first phone call through treatment and follow-up we at Cowleys Pest Services pledge to give you great customer service while fixing your pest problem.

Since 1991, we have been treating a wide variety of pests, bedbugs, insects and rodents -- just contact us to get more details on your home or building's issue. Take advantage of our expertise to get rid of unwanted pests or animals in your South River, NJ home.

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At Cowleys Pest Services we also have pest control plans where we routinely inspect your home or building and apply needed solutions ahead of developing a recurring pest problem. Our pest service plans have different levels too, to best suit your needs that you can change over time if needed. From our Green Service Plan to our Platinum Service Plan, we'll keep your home pest-free.

Business & Home Pest Services We Offer in South River:

  • Bedbug Extermination
  • Flea Control
  • Termite Control
  • Pest Control
  • Exterminators
  • Rodent Control
  • Ant, Beetle, Spider, Insect Control
  • Tick Control Services
  • Pest, Bird and Animal Control Services 
  • Attic Insulation Services
  • Gutter Guards
  • Crawl Space Encapsulation
  • Expertise and Technical Know-How to Fix Your Pest Problem
  • Financing Available
  • Written Estimates and Inspections
Job Stories From South River, NJ
Water leak provides trough for cockroaches in South River laundry room

One of our commercial clients, an apartment complex in South River, was having a problem with oriental cockroaches. These roaches, also called water bugs, have a preference for dark, damp, cool areas. You’ll often find them under sinks and washing machines, and crawling around damp basements. These are a larger than the German roach, our primary nemesis in the roach family, and are noticeably more sluggish than other roach species. Like all roaches, they carry diseases since they often travel through sewer pipes and live on filth.

A tenant had reported to the property manager that there was a bug problem near a washing machine in the building’s laundry room. When I inspected that area, I immediately noticed that a roach trap monitor I had previously set was chock full of black oriental roaches. I immediately saw the cause of the roach problem: A pipe adjacent to the washer was leaking, and water was pooling on floor. An oriental roach could not have asked for a better home!  

I pointed out the leak to building maintenance, and asked that they try to fix the pipe as soon as possible. Otherwise, the roach problem would not be resolved. To help get rid of the current infestation, I spot treated around the washer and did a crack and crevice aerosol treatment where the roaches were exiting. I then replaced all of the roach monitors monitors in the laundry area to help me gauge the level of insect activity for my next visit.

Water leak provides trough for cockroaches in South River laundry room - Photo 1