Spiders! Eeeeeck! There’s Less to Fear than You Think
By Alan Caruba
“If there is one genus—arachnids—of insect pests that people fear, it is spiders,” says Leonard Douglen, Executive Director of the New Jersey Pest Management Association. “With the exception of the Brown Recluse spider and the Black Widow spider, most do not pose a biting problem.”
A quick way to know whether you are dealing with a spider or some other insect is to know something about them. All spiders have two body segments and eight legs. If your insect doesn’t have two body segments and eight legs, you don’t have a spider.
Spiders also have two short appendages, one on each side of their face, that are called “pedipalps” or simply “palps.” They are basically modified legs that aid them in food manipulation, mating, and sensing their environment. They do not count as legs, but you will probably notice them while counting the real legs, if you are inclined to do so. Spiders will occasionally lose legs in battle, during mating, or during molting.
“Unlike other insects famed for biting humans such as yellow jackets, mosquitoes, and bed bugs, spiders generally do not bite humans,” says Douglen. “Spiders have no interest in sucking our blood or deterring us from removing their nests. They only bite in defense and that only rarely occurs.”
“In fact, most spiders couldn’t bite people even if they wanted to,” says Douglen. Of approximately 3,000 different spiders in the U.S., only a small number have fangs that are long enough and strong enough to break skin.”
There are, however, four spiders that pose a threat of biting. They are Recluse spiders, Black Widow spiders, Hobo spiders, and the Yellow Sac spider.
In New Jersey there are a variety of spiders common to the state. They include the Daddy Long Legs, the Black and Yellow Garden Spiders, the American House spider, the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow spiders. People most often encounter spiders if they have gardens and, with the exception of the Black Widow they do not bite. In a home or an apartment, anyplace dark is a likely habitat for the latter two spiders.
“Venom from the Brown Recluse will cause local tissue damage,” said Douglen, “and symptoms of a bite can include burning, pain, itching, and redness at the site which can develop within hours or days of being bitten. Bites usually display a deep blue or purple area, surrounded by a whitish ring and a larger red outer ring. A bite can cause headaches, body aches, a rash, fever and nausea or vomiting.”
Treatment should include washing the area well with soap and water, applying a cold or ice pack wrapped in a cloth, and especially for children, the application of an antibiotic lotion or cream.
The symptoms of a bite from a Black Widow spider include immediate pain, burning, swelling and redness at the site. Usually the double fang marks are visible. After being bitten, the victim can experience cramping pain and muscle rigidity in the stomach, chest, shoulders and back, accompanied by headache, dizziness, sweating, salivation, and tearing of the eyes. “The Black Widow bite is a neurotoxin,” says Douglen. “People can experience weakness, tremors and even paralysis, especially in the legs.” Treatment is comparable to that of the Brown Recluse bite “and the victim is advised to seek immediate emergency care for further treatment, as one may require muscle relaxants, pain relievers, and other medications.”
“Studies have shown that about eighty percent of spider bite diagnoses are wrong,” says Douglen. “It is common to misdiagnose insect bites because at least thirty different medical conditions can cause skin lesions.”
“In New Jersey, the most common biting insect these days are Bed Bugs,” says Douglen. “A person with multiple bites has not been bitten by a spider because they only bite once.”
“Homeowners should get regular inspections to determine whether there are any one of a variety of insect pests present,” says Douglen, “and this is particularly important with regard to termite and Carpenter Ant infestations.”
Spring Season & Termites
When Spring Arrives NJ Homeowners May Discover Termites. Don’t Panic. They’ve Been There for Years
“It’s an annual ritual of spring,” says Leonard Douglen, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Pest Management Association. “Along with the warm weather, thousands of homeowners will discover that they have been playing host to colonies of termites.”
“In the springtime the most visible evidence of a termite infestation are the winged “elates”, those termites whose job it is to start new colonies. This mating flight of hundreds and, in some cases, thousands, usually lasts from three to five days.”
The presence inside a home of winged swarmers, usually gathering around windows as sunlight streams in, is a guaranteed sign that the structure has a termite colony.
Estimates of the nationwide cost of the damage termites do every year range between five and six billion dollars.
Several species of termites are native to New Jersey and the tri-state area. “By far the Subterranean termite species pose the greatest problem,” says Douglen, “because they are the most difficult to control and their nest may be below ground.”
The most visible sign of an infestation are the mud tunnels termites build to access a structure, often against a foundation or pier post, and frequently visible in basement void areas under porches and other parts of the home.
The Eastern Subterranean Termite is among the most common in the tri-state area. Homeowners are advised to eliminate any water leaks in the roof and other areas, and inspect the system of gutters that keep water away from wooden surfaces. Crawl spaces in attics or basements should be kept dry through ventilation or vapor barriers. “It is essential to eliminate all wood-to-soil contact,” says Douglen, “and to avoid having mulch against the structure.”
Based on normal feeding activity, it can take from three to eight years for a termite colony to do serious damage to any structure. Experts believe that, under ideal conditions, a termite colony of 60,000 workers will consume one foot of a 2-inch by 4-inch pine word in 118 to 157 days. Termites eat wood, flooring, sheetrock, wallpaper, plastics, paper products, and fabric made of plant fibers.
“One of the best investments homeowners can make,” says Douglen, “is an annual termite inspection by a certified, trained pest management technician to identify such potential points of infestation.” The bad news is that a colony of hundreds of thousands of termites may operate in different locations throughout a structure.
Choose Termite Inspectors Carefully
“Homeowners need to be aware that New Jersey allows anyone, even someone without any previous knowledge or training of any kind, to perform a wood destroying insect inspection,” said Douglen. “It is essential to know that the person hired to inspect has the proper credentials and training to insure that, if a termite colony exists and that he can find it.”
The New Jersey Pest Management Association has, for many years, a training course for its members and others who wish to become inspectors. On successful completion of the course, the Association issues a certificate granting the status of Credentialed Wood Destroying Insect Inspector.
An untrained inspector or one lacking sufficient training can easily miss the signs of an infestation. Termite infestations go unnoticed because, though eating wood throughout a structure, termites rarely break through the surface areas of the wood, leaving it intact.
Douglen notes that people sometimes think the swarming termite alates, the winged reproductive class, are winged ants because “ants and termite swarmers not only look similar, but they come out at the same time, either to expand their colonies or to start a new satellite one.”
The termite swarmer is drawn to any light source such as a window or where the sun is shining on a wall. The usually drop their wings. “A termite has a straight body compared to an ant which has a pinched waist. The termite’s antennae are straight while ants have an elbowed antennae.”
Douglen recommends gathering a few samples of the winged insects and seal them in a plastic envelope such as a sandwich bag. Then call a pest control firm. “They will send a technician who has been trained to identify various insect species.”
Pest control professionals recommend that you vacuum the uninvited winged invaders, but expect to have to repeat the process for several days. Mother Nature always deals in massive numbers.
“Pest management professionals have the licensing and certification, and the training to provide the best protection and to eliminate an existing termite infestation,” says Douglen. “This is definitely not a do-it-yourself project.”
Founded in 1941, the New Jersey Pest Management Association is affiliated with the National Pest Control Association. The NJPMA maintains a website at www.njpestcontrol.com/nj. The website provides a library of information for visitors seeking information on pest species and a directory of member firms.
Read More on Viking Pest Control's Termite Services. Click Here
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.