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 PestsBy 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.
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.
HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY FIRST PEST CONTROL SERVICE VISITS? (INTERIOR)
Common preparations include; cleaning the area to be treated, removing clutter, picking up pet food, and putting away open food.
All children’s toys and personal items should be picked up from the floor and moved outside of the treatment area.
It is recommended that all windows be closed prior to arrival.
People and pets must be out of treatment areas until the products have dried after the treatment. Some treatments may require additional, more specific, preparations. These will be communicated with you in advance of your service.
WILL TREATMENT AFFECT MY GARDEN?
If you have a garden, merely advise the technician of the location of any edible plants when they arrive. They will avoid treating near the garden.
Many of our materials may be safe when applied up to the dripline of the plants (the area the plant would drip on when wet). We will however implement a larger buffer than is required to further help protect your safety.
I HAVE A FISHPOND; CAN THE TREATMENTS NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE POND OR FISH?
Our technicians are careful to avoid sensitive areas, such as ponds, during treatments.
I HAVE A POOL; CAN THE TREATMENTS NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE POOL?
It will not affect your pool. Viking has carefully selected only the best materials with our primary concern being the safety of your family, pets as well as the environment. These materials are then carefully applied by our highly trained pest management professionals in a manner that all but eliminates contact with non-target treatment sites like pools and other sensitive environments.
WHAT SAFETY PROCEDURES MUST I FOLLOW AFTER TREATMENT?
Always consult your service report for product-specific precautionary requirements; these are emailed to you upon completion of the treatment.
Avoid all treated surfaces until dry. Once most materials have dried, they pose little risk and you may proceed as you normally would with your daily life.
Your technician will discuss any necessary safety precautions with you at the time of service.
I HAVE PETS, ARE YOUR TREATMENTS PET-FRIENDLY?
Viking’s certified technicians care about you, your family, and your pets. Please inform your service technician you have pets and s/he will take the necessary precautions.
Our programs are designed around people with pets and children in mind. Our products are carefully selected to minimize any effect on your family, pets or the environment.
Viking Pest also offers an Organic Pest control program that offers a range of non-pesticide treatment options.
Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Viking. We are always ready to answer your questions!
HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM MY PREMISES AFTER TREATMENT?
Most treatments do not require you to leave your home, though we do recommend you avoid contact with treated areas until dry (approximately one hour).
If instructions differ for the service being rendered, you will be notified prior to treatment.
For bed bug treatments we recommend 4 hours.
DO YOUR MATERIALS HAVE A STRONG ODOR?
Most of our materials have very low or no odor.
Some roach and bed bug treatments or power sprays may have an odor. These services will usually involve reentry time.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE THE TREATMENT TO WORK?
Most treatments will be effective within 10-14 days.
Some, like direct treatment of a hornet’s nest, will be effective in days.
Others, like the treatments for some ant species, can take around 2 weeks. If you see an increase in pests after treatment, that’s a good sign the service is working.
I NOTICED MORE BUGS THAN USUAL AFTER TREATMENT, WHY IS THAT?
It is common for insect activity to increase after successfully treating pest harborage locations because many of our products have a “flushing” effect design to eliminate the entire concern, not just what is being seen.
I AM SEEING ANTS IN BETWEEN MY SERVICE VISITS; WHAT CAN I DO IN THE MEANTIME?
Use a napkin or paper towel to kill the ants.
Once removed from the location/countertop/window, utilize an appropriate cleaning solution to clean away the trail to try and remove the pheromones the ants were trailing upon.
Do NOT use any type of pesticide product as it may cause budding in some ant species which would make the issue worse or it may contaminate baits or non-repellant products we may have applied.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT RAINS AFTER MY SERVICE?
Our exterior treatments are designed to hold up in adverse weather conditions. Once a liquid treatment has dried, rainfall will not wash it away. The average dying time for our treatments is 2 hours.
DO YOU OFFER SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES?
Yes, Viking Pest offers a wide variety of services for commercial properties.
DO YOU PROVIDE SERVICES TO MOBILE HOMES?
Yes, Viking Pest provides pest control services to mobile homes, detached homes, row homes, apartments, condos, and more.
I HAVE TWO HOMES; DO YOU HAVE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS?
Yes, Viking Pest has multiple locations throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. Viking has local pest control professionals servicing each area.
I JUST BOUGHT A NEW HOME, SHOULD I GET A PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION?
Purchasing a new home is a large investment. Every new homeowner should have their home professionally inspected for termites by a pest management expert.
The professionals at Viking Pest will carefully inspect for prior or current damage and provide you with a termite prevention or control treatment option to protect the structure of your home.
No, we do not have any products labeled for use on chipmunks.
DO YOU OFFER A SERVICE GUARANTEE?
Yes, Viking Pest does offer unlimited service requests. During your contracted service agreement, our team will re-treat if necessary, to get rid of unwanted invaders. Some limitations apply. – Yes, Viking offers a service warranty for the entire length of an active service agreement.
ARE BOTH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF MY HOME COVERED?
Viking Pest Home Protection Plan services include both interior and exterior coverage of the home. Interior services should be scheduled ahead of time with a Viking representative.
DO YOU PROVIDE SAME-DAY SERVICES?
We can respond to emergency situations, typically within 24 hours. However, scheduling non-emergency calls is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
IF I PURCHASE YOUR HOME PROTECTION PLAN, HOW OFTEN DO I RECEIVE TREATMENTS?
Most Viking Home Protection Plans provide a Pest Shield to protect your home with seasonally timed visits (5 seasonally timed visits with a SMART Premier Home Protection Plan or 2 seasonally timed visits with a SMART Home or Convenience Home Protection Plan. For more information on the plans, you may call us at 800-618-2847
All plans include unlimited additional requests for covered pests. If you notice any pest activity in-between your scheduled preventative treatments, you can call Viking for unlimited service requests, meaning Viking will treat your home as necessary throughout the year.
ARE THERE ANY NOTIFICATIONS BEFORE SERVICES ARE PERFORMED?
Viking Pest’s Home Protection Plan is designed around our customers’ busy lives. As a result, all residential customers will receive a text message 1 week before their service AND another the day before.
And COMING SOON, customers will receive one annual email detailing their projected service schedule and service expectations.
For exterior treatments, you do not need to be home. However, if you like to be home or need to reschedule the service, please call 800-618-2847.
CAN MORE THAN ONE SERVICE BE PERFORMED DURING THE SAME APPOINTMENT TIME?
Depending on what the services are, this may or may not be possible. Sometimes, services do require specialized equipment and licensing that may require us to separate services.
AM I ABLE TO REQUEST A SPECIFIC TECHNICIAN FOR MY APPOINTMENTS?
Yes, though scheduling availability may be affected.
HOW LONG DO SERVICES TAKE?
The length of service varies depending on the pests being targeted and the size of the treatment area.
CAN THE TECHNICIANS PERFORM SERVICES WHEN I AM NOT HOME?
Yes, Viking’s Home Protection Plans provide a Pest Shield to protect your home with seasonally timed visits that are designed to protect your home from pests without the inconvenience of coordinating a time to be home for service.
If you are not going to be home during treatment, we ask to make sure all gates are unlocked around your property, so our technicians are able to access all exterior parts of your property to properly perform your treatment.
Unlimited additional services for covered pests provide the assurance that an interior or exterior service can be scheduled anytime you need.
WHY DO TECHNICIANS ONLY TREAT THE EXTERIOR AND NOT THE INTERIOR FOR MY THREE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS?
Most pest concerns emanate from the outside. We proactively treat the exterior of your home to prevent pest entry.
If you are encountering pest concerns inside or would like the interior of your home inspected, we would like to encourage you to schedule a visit at no additional charge.
WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FOR CANCELING OR RESCHEDULING SERVICE?
Services may be canceled up to 48 hours prior to the scheduled treatment date.
Services may be rescheduled up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled treatment date unless in the event of an unforeseen circumstance.
WHAT METHODS OF PAYMENT CAN BE USED?
Viking Pest accepts checks (they must be mailed in), money orders, credit cards, and ACH payments. Credit card and ACH payments may be processed over the phone or through the Customer Connect portal.
HOW OFTEN DOES PAYMENT OCCUR?
Payment schedules differed between each plan, please refer to your contract for more details on your specific plans.
For more information, you may call Viking at 800-618-2847 and ask a Customer Care Center Representative to advise you of your payment plan.
WHY DO I PAY FOR MONTHLY INVOICES OR QUARTERLY PAYMENTS, IF I ONLY HAVE THREE APPOINTMENTS PER YEAR?
Payments for our pest control plans are evenly charged on a monthly basis to alleviate the pressures of one upfront cost and to assist with monthly budgeting for our customers. Your pest control plan can be paid in full at the beginning of your yearly service agreement if you do not wish to receive monthly payments.
Most maintenance plans include FREE unlimited service visits for pests covered under your plan should you require additional treatments. If you are noticing pest activity between service visits, give us a call to schedule your free treatment.
AM I ABLE TO PRE-PAY FOR SERVICES?
Services may be pre-paid by contacting a Viking representative at 800-618-2847. Pre-payments cannot be performed through the Customer Connect portal.
WHY AM I REQUIRED TO CONFIRM MY NAME, ADDRESS, EMAIL, AND PHONE TO LOOK UP MY ACCOUNT EVEN AFTER I GIVE MY ACCOUNT NUMBER?
With Viking having access to customers’ Personal Identifiable Information (PII), Viking has always and will always be vigilant in confirming customers’ information to ensure we are only speaking to account owners. This process is similar to calling a bank or utility company; as well all want to make sure we are speaking to an authorized person.
For reference, Viking Customer Service Reps are required to confirm the following when a customer calls in:
1. First and Last Name 2. Address on File 3. Telephone Number on File 4. Email Address
Additionally, by verifying the information above, we ensure we have the most updated information for customer communication including service notifications, service reports, and access to Viking’s customer portal.
HOW DO I SET UP MY CUSTOMER CONNECT PORTAL ACCOUNT?
To activate your Customer Connect Portal Account, please visit this page with step-by-step instructions with photos. https://www.vikingpest.com/customer-connect-portal/ Or, you may call Viking at888-395-1008 and ask a Customer Care Center Representative to please invite you to the customer portal.
HOW DO YOU ACCESS THE CUSTOMER CONNECT PORTAL AND WHAT RECOURSES DOES IT PROVIDE?
The Customer Connect portal may be accessed by visiting this link: https://vikingpest.pestconnect.com/login. The Customer Connect portal provides information regarding your account including service history, billing history, documents, material usage history, and the ability to ask questions, request services, or make payments.
I FORGOT MY USERNAME OR PASSWORD TO THE CUSTOMER PORTAL
A customer’s username for the Customer Connect Portal is an email address. If you are unsure about the email address used, please contact a representative at 800-618-2847.
Customers may reset their password by clicking the “forgot password” option on the portal’s main login screen.
I MOVED AND WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE MY ADDRESS ON THE CUSTOMER CONNECT PORTAL BUT AM NOT ABLE TO. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
If you have moved, please contact a Viking representative at 800-618-2847.