<img height=1 width=1 style=display:none src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=393538917502649&ev=PageView&noscript=1">
To Schedule Service, Call 800-618-2847

Pests of Fall: The Usual Suspects

Pests of Fall: The Usual Suspects
Viking's Guide to Fall Pests

Many people do not realize that seasonal changes make a significant difference in your pest risk.

In the summer, many pests are content to live outside. Not only are warmer temperatures comfortable for them, but food and water sources are usually abundant in the outdoors during the summertime. However, as temperatures drop, pests begin to look inside, not just for living spaces, but also for sources of food. Ants- While ants can be a problem at any time during the year, many people will find ants beginning to infiltrate their homes in the autumn, when summer outdoor food supplies become limited. Many people think of ants as a nuisance pest and believe that:

1) Ant infestations are easy to treat

2) Ants do not cause health or safety problems.

These two myths can set you up for major problems. First, ants can contaminate food sources for you and your pets, but, perhaps more significantly, they can create structural damage in your home; carpenter ants eat wood and even non-carpenter ant varieties can damage homes by creating nests in your walls. Stink bugs- A big, smelly problem, stink bugs head inside when the weather gets cooler. Stink bugs are an interesting pest, because they do not bite or sting people and they are not a vector for disease. However, they emit a noxious odor when they are squished and even when they are just frightened. Moreover, their droppings are actually harmful to fabrics and some hard surfaces. Cockroaches- Cockroaches are not as vulnerable to temperature swings as other pests, but they do want a water source and often infiltrate homes in the fall in order to find access to water. It should come as no surprise, then, that cockroaches are often found near pipes or drains. They do not stay there, though; instead, cockroaches will move throughout a home in search of food. Nocturnal pests, you may not see any cockroaches in the early stages of an infestation; but, instead, may find droppings. If you see one, at night, assume you have a cockroach problem; these pests live in groups, are extremely hard to exterminate, and reproduce quickly. Rodents- Rats, mice, and other rodents are very common fall home-invaders. Like other pests, they come into houses seeking warmth and food as temperatures drop and outside food sources get scarce. Some of us have a natural aversion to these vermin, while others may think of a single rat or mouse as adorable and be hesitant to contact an exterminator. Domesticated rats and mice may make good pets, but wild rats and mice are a huge health and safety hazard for people. They spread diseases, destroy property with their waste, and chew constantly. The chewing can directly damage your home, but more of a threat is that they will chew through wires, which can disrupt electrical service or even cause fires. In addition, they are often covered with their own pests, and these fleas, mites, ticks, and lice are happy to jump from their rodent hosts and feast on your family and your pets.   Our next blog will tell you how exactly to pest-proof your home for the fall.   About Viking Pest Control Providing pest control solutions since 1980, Viking is the largest family owned pest control business in the northeast. Viking is a Quality Pro company and members with the NPMA. Viking offers both residential and commercial pest control service. Contact us today!

Fall Pest Prevention

It is Easier and Safer to Keep the Pests Out Than It is to Try to Get Them Out

When you think of a pest control company, your mind probably automatically goes to exterminators and pesticides.  While those are a part of a pest control business, anyone with experience in pest control will tell you that it is much easier and more affordable to keep pests from invading a home than it is to make a home pest-free after it has been infested.  That is why Viking Pest Control is happy to offer a fall pest prevention package for its New Jersey area customers. The key to pest prevention is to keep them from coming into your home.  Why do they want in your home in the first place?  Your home is warm and inviting, while outside it is starting to get cold and hostile.  In fact, many pests know that they will not survive the winter if they stay outside, but that they can thrive in a warm environment.  Therefore, pests will try very hard to get into your home and even relatively large pests, like mice, can come through very small spaces. Step one is to locate any pest entrances.  Common entrances include around doorways and windows, and any normal entrances to your home, like dryer vents and soffit gaps.  After an inspection, the Viking Pest Control pest prevention experts will seal any pest entrances. This can include securing your dryer vent, blocking potential entrances with copper mesh, using caulk to fill gaps in trim and siding, and using weather stripping to ensure that doors and windows are snug. Step two is to take preventative measures to keep your home from seeming inviting.  Warmth is great, but pests need more than warmth to survive.  It is important to deprive them of the moisture they need, so Viking’s pest prevention experts will look for any sources of moisture in your home, such as leaks under sinks and in cabinets, and let you know about them.  They will also look for areas that are hospitable for pests such as clutter under sinks or along floors. Prevention is ongoing, so step three will require collaboration between you and Viking’s pest control team. You will need to keep pet and human food sealed and out of reach.  Furthermore, if there are signs that you already have bests, Viking may use pesticides or employ traps to eliminate the current pet population. Working together, you and Viking Pest Control can ensure a pest-free fall for your home!

Proper Trap Placements for Summertime Pests

Proper Trap Placements for Summertime Pests By Gregory Covello A.C.E. Summer is finally here and as our gardens flourish so do the pests that invade them. Throughout my travels I often encounter do-it-yourselfers trying to eliminate a variety of pests using various traps. Many times I can’t help to notice the poor placement of pest traps. I would like to share some tips on proper placement of various traps to affectively capture your target pest. One of the most common trap placement blunders that I encounter is placements of lure traps near areas where humans will congregate. I have witnessed a countless number of yellow jacket traps place near pool yards and picnic tables. There are a variety of yellow jacket and wasp traps commercially available to reduce the number of these stinging insects without using pesticides. These traps utilize either a commercially prepared lure, or a beverage or your choice (extra sugary sodas or beer would be my recommendation) to attract the insect to the trap. When you place these traps on or near the picnic table that you are eating at, you are actually enticing the stinging insects towards you. Stinging insect traps should be placed away from the areas that you are trying to protect. Traps should be placed by hanging them from trees, poles, or fences where people will not be spending time. Try to establish a perimeter of these traps along your property line, not near your home or garden. In similar fashion to the stinging insect trap, there are commercially available mosquito traps. Most of the mosquito traps that are available utilize a propane tank that fuels a unit that is designed to emit carbon dioxide that will attract mosquitoes within a certain radius. You do not want the center of the attraction zone to be your garden. If you choose to invest in one of these units, once again, keep it away from areas frequented by people such as gardens, and outdoor dining areas. One of the most common summer garden pests also has a commercially available lure trap. The Japanese beetle trap, often easily recognized by the hanging bag full of bugs is another attractant type trap. Most of these traps are actually sold with pole type stand to hang the trap from. The lures available with these traps are highly attractive to Japanese beetles making it once again extremely important to place these traps away from you roses and veggies. Japanese beetle traps should be placed upwind of your garden, not in it. Also, follow the labeled instructions for the number of units you should use. Often, multiple units may be necessary to get a desired level of control. Traps are not only for insect pests. Another common summertime invader is the groundhog. There are various types of live traps available to get rid of this common excavator. The common box style live trap can be an effective tool if placed correctly. Sometimes you have to study your target a little before placing a trap. Often I see traps placed directly next to a groundhog burrow. Although you will occasionally trap a groundhog with trap placement near the burrow, a better solution is to place the trap where the groundhog is feeding. Leave a trail of bait leading up to the trap. Make sure bait is place behind the trigger plate, not in front of or on the trigger. Be creative with you bait choices when trapping a groundhog. As a general rule, use whatever the groundhog may be damaging or eating out of your garden. If your tomatoes are getting eaten, using a tomato as bait is probably a good choice. I have successfully used apples, tomatoes, and dark leafed lettuces that stand up well in the high summertime temperatures. I have heard of successes using cantaloupe and other fruits, however, I cannot share any personal success stories with cantaloupe. Unless the trap you have is specifically designed to place directly over the burrow, try not to place the cage too close to the burrow as to not alarm the animal. Best of luck to you with your trapping endeavors.

Stink Bug Traps in Gardens

Stink Bug Traps in Gardens may Increase Damage to Tomatoes

March 25, 2014 by Entomology Today The invasive brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is an important pest of fruits and vegetables. To counter them, some home gardeners use pheromone-baited traps that are designed to attract, trap, and exterminate them. However, new research from entomologists at the University of Maryland suggests that the traps may actually increase stink bug damage to tomatoes. Stink Bug Traps in Gardens may Increase Damage to Tomatoes The researchers asked 15 gardeners to place stink bug traps at the ends of rows of tomatoes, while another group of 14 placed no traps in their gardens. Both groups experienced nearly the same amount of stink bugs on the tomato plants themselves, but the the abundance of stink bugs on the tomato fruits was marginally greater in the gardens with traps, and the fruits sustained significantly more injury than tomato fruits grown in gardens without traps. Furthermore, tomato fruits on plants near the traps housed more stink bugs than tomato fruits on plants that were away from the traps. “We found no evidence that stink bug traps protected tomatoes from H. halys,” the authors wrote, “and it appears that the addition of traps to gardens may increase injury to tomato fruits.” The increased damage may have resulted, in part, because of a phenomenon known as “trap spillover,” which can occur when pests arrive in the general vicinity of a trap and rest on vegetation before entering and being captured by the trap. “This study presents evidence that placement of an attract-and-exterminate stink bug trap near a plant may actually result in greater abundance of stink bugs on the fruit,” the researchers wrote. “Vegetable gardens with traps may sustain more injury than those without traps.”

Overwintering Pest Protection

Why Choose Viking’s Overwintering Pest Protection Over “Store Bought” Stink Bug Traps?

Effectiveness  Most traps by manufacturers label only have an attractant that spreads out approximately 20 feet. It would take many traps to properly protect your home and you may never reach the roofline area. Viking protects the entire home with a residual from the roofline down that lasts on average 60 days and VOPP plans are backed by our service agreement. Costs  Most homes would require 6 – 10 traps for minimum protection and require the purchase of costly pheromone refills… not to mention your valuable time spent installing and refilling- all with no service agreement. Viking has a fixed cost with a 365 day service agreement backed by a professional licensed staff. Track record  There is no proven track record for these traps in fact early reviews of the stink bug traps have been disappointing. In our experience with other pests such Japanese beetles we have witnessed negative effects caused by the attractant of the pheromones. Some studies show attractants can bring more pests to your home and cause more harm than good. Currently there are no traps being sold to professional pest control companies. Viking is a leader in stink bug control and has a large base of satisfied customers.
Accountability  Vikings provides you with a team of professionals available in person and via the phone for all of your questions and concerns.