Whether you live in Pennsylvania or any other state, mosquitoes are incredibly pesky insects that can cause all sorts of problems. Are you having trouble getting rid of them? Don't worry. Here are some great mosquito control tips and tricks that you can use in your own home. Get Rid of Mosquito Habitats You can't get rid of mosquitoes by just killing them one by one. You need to solve the problem by eliminating them at their source. Thus, look for any standing water around your home. They may be found in fountains, rain gutters, bird baths, and any potted plants at least once every seven days. Use the Proper Pesticides When using chemicals to deal with these insects, you need to make sure you're using the right ones. You need to use a specific type of pesticide for larval mosquitoes, for example, than you would for adult mosquitoes. Use the Proper Repellants One type of commercially available repellant is DEET. Though many claim that DEET is harmful, it's actually safe as long as you do not inhale it, swallow it, or slather it all over your body. It works by blocking a mosquito's receptors for carbon dioxide, which is what attracts them to you in the first place. You should only put DEET onto certain parts of your body. Apply a small amount to the thin areas of your skin, such as your elbows, wrists, ankles, and forehead. Though it may have a bad reputation in some circles, it can actually be effective if used properly. Keep Them Out with Barriers If there are any holes in your home, you need to patch them up as soon as you can. Otherwise, the mosquitoes may be able to get in. Make sure that your window and door screens are in good condition, too. Wear Tightly-Woven Clothes These insects are not able to penetrate any clothes that have tight weaves, according to Prevention. Synthetic fibers, in particular, can protect you well. You could also invest in clothes that offer sun protection, as they also tend to have tightly woven fabrics. On that note, avoid wearing any clothes that are made of very thin fabric, as mosquitoes can penetrate your skin through them. These are just a few ways you can keep mosquitoes at bay. If they still won't go away completely, though, you may need to hire some mosquito control experts to take care of the problem for you.

Winter Pests: Firewood and the Winter Pest Problem

Viking’s Guide to Winter Pest Problems

Who doesn’t like a nice, roaring fire on a cold winter’s night? Most people think it is delightful and, if they have a fireplace, happily burn fires as often as they can, enjoying how their warmth and ambient light can make a room feel cozy and inviting with very little effort. What most people do not think about is the connection between firewood and pests. In our fall pest series, we covered the type of pests that seek to infiltrate homes in the fall: insects and rodents try to come inside for warmth, food, and water. The wood pile where you store your firewood might create a similar safe-haven for pests, which you may unwittingly bring into your home when you bring wood inside, or invite into your home if your firewood is stored adjacent to one of your home’s exterior walls. While any type of pest can hide in firewood, the real danger is from bugs. Stink bugs, cockroaches, spiders, Boxelder bugs, and ants can all make their homes in a woodpile. Of course, the real dangers are termites and carpenter ants; they can make a home in a woodpile and then move onto a home’s wood, which can result in cosmetic and structural damages. While there is no way to keep all pests out of your firewood, there are ways to make it less attractive to pests. Store all firewood on raised, plastic platforms. If the firewood is stored outside year-round, you can cover it with sheets of plastic to exterminate bugs that might already be on it and make any new infestations more difficult. Store all firewood away from your home, so that any pests cannot easily move back and forth between the woodpile and your home. Finally, before you bring any firewood inside, inspect it carefully to avoid bringing hitchhiking bests inside your home. 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!

Like people, pests have three major needs to survive: shelter, food, and water.  While many pests can overwinter in the outdoors and can find water sources, even in the coldest weather, they are often tempted to invade homes, garages, barns, and other human-spaces for food.  Therefore, one of the best winter pest prevention tips that we can give is to secure your food so that you keep pests out of it.  However, if you have ever found yourself head-to-head with a wily pest, you may realize that securing food sources is easier said than done. For small or moderate-sized pests, securing food is a relatively easy accomplishment.  Any food storage area, whether designated for humans, pets, or livestock, should have food that is stored in airtight containers.  All food should be in these containers; no food should be accessible to pests; garbage should be removed frequently; and any spills or drops should be cleaned up immediately.  While adhering to these standards may reflect a lifestyle change for some people, the steps are neither complicated nor exceptionally difficult to execute. However, dealing with a larger pest, such as Norway rats, raccoons, or squirrels can make protecting food sources much more difficult.  First, many people store pet food in airtight plastic containers or store livestock food in large plastic storage bins or containers.  These containers are usually sufficient to deter small pests.  However, larger pests are known to eat through plastic to get to the food inside the storage container.  If you must store pet food outside, consider using metal garbage cans as storage units; their slick sides make it difficult for rodents to climb them, and the metal is much less susceptible to destruction.  Of course, you have to make sure you can fasten the lid; raccoons are notoriously able to knock off trash can lids to get to the contents inside.

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!

Pests of Fall: Pest-Proofing

Viking's Guide to Preventing Autumn Pests From Entering Your Home

When fall comes, animals begin to prepare for the winter.

They look for a warm place to live with easy access to food and water. As you can imagine, your home looks more appealing to most pests than of the areas surrounding it, which is why many people see a dramatic increase in pest populations as summer turns into autumn. It is also why fall is an ideal time to pest-proof your home. Because pests are generally seeking warmth, the first step in pest-prevention is preventing them from getting inside of your home, in the first place. To do this, you need to find potential pest entrances and close them up so that pests cannot enter through them. What is a pest entrance? Well, it is any break in your home’s exterior that would permit a pest to enter. Given how tiny many bugs are, the break does not have to be large. So, you want to inspect the entire exterior of your home. Weather-strip or caulk around doors and windows; caulk between trim and siding; clean and seal off soffit gaps; and secure your dryer vent so that pests cannot enter through it. In addition to warmth, pests are looking for water. Water is essential to life and a home without a ready water source for pests is going to be much less appealing than another location. However, even tiny water leaks can give pests the water they need to survive. Inspect all plumbing for leaks and fix them, especially under sinks where the dark, dank surroundings are a perfect breeding ground for pests. Water pipes and their openings can also provide a perfect way for pests to move in and out of buildings or between rooms; use caulk to close up any gaps and help prevent pests from using those areas for movement. Larger pests can easily chew though caulk, so if an opening is larger, use copper wire mesh to secure the hole prior to caulking. Some pests, like spiders, rely on humidity in the air. Use a dehumidifier in damp areas, like basements, to discourage those pests. Finally, pests need food. Secure all food in air-tight food containers, keep pet food out of reach and in sealed containers when the pets are not eating, and remove clutter on the floor, which can hide pests as they migrate towards food sources.   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!

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!

Yellow Jackets… They’ll Be Ready, Will You?

Story from a few years back: It’s a typical fall Saturday and I’m coaching my daughter’s soccer team. The lineup is done, the kids are ready and the referee is ready to start the game. Life could not be better right? All of a sudden I take a drink from my coffee cup and a sharp piercing pain hits the top sensitive area of my lip. Not knowing what it was, I grab for my lip and low and behold, I’m holding a yellow jacket. SHE is mad as “you know what” and stings me again on my fingers. By now I know what’s going on and I just crush this poor insect with my bare hand. As you know, the skin and tissue around our lips is quite sensitive and I just got a lesson from Mother Nature on just how sensitive my lips are and just how aggressive yellow jackets are! I try to think of something else to try and reduce the pain, but nothing is working. I flash back to my grandfather showing off by grabbing wasps and squeezing them to show us grandchildren how strong his skin was and that he was not afraid of them. My grandfather was a painter and had lots of experience with yellow jackets, especially in the fall months. Back to the soccer game and now I have a small crowd watching me “dancing” with this aggressive yellow jacket and within no time at all, my lip is swollen up and hurting a lot. We don’t have any anti-histamine in the first aid kit, so I know I’m just going to have to tough it out. I’ve been stung a lot over the years by stinging insects, but I have to tell you this sting on my lip caused me the most pain I had experienced in quite a while. Of course the kids on my soccer team know I work in Pest Control and deal with issues like this all the time, so I have to toughen up and not let them know how much pain I’m in. Soon a parent comes over with some ice and in a few minutes I’m feeling a lot better. I didn’t spill my coffee and after removing the lid and taking a quick look to make sure no more yellow jackets are in my coffee, I finish my brew. We were playing a tough team and we did win the game. September starts the fall season (Thursday September 22nd 2016 is the first day of fall this year) and it’s that time of year when yellow jacket populations explode and everyone especially fall sport teams will see a dramatic increase in populations of yellow jackets. Here’s why. The nests of hymenoptera are mostly females during the summer months. Most all wasps, hornets and yellow jackets start off the season as fertilized females that have overwintered; usually beneath the frost line. While most all of these are social insects, the females would rather make their nest, find food and care for their young, which are larvae. They really don’t care much about humans, but when you get in their way or disturb them, they go into the “defense mode” and will sting at will. Once the first one stings and gives off the defense pheromone, look out. The rest of the females will come and start stinging, over and over till you run away. The increase in numbers in the fall is because the males are produced late in the year basically to mate with females that will overwinter. Males basically mate and die and the fertilized females will start the process again next year. There are studies that suggest cool and wet months like we had in April and May this year could reduce the numbers of yellow jackets. Like most hymenoptera, yellow jackets are beneficial and should be left alone. Be careful in the month of September as yellow jackets, especially the ground nesting German yellow jacket will be more noticeable due to the increase in numbers. Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is a Board Certified Entomologist for Viking® Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Entomology with a minor in Ecology from the University of Delaware. Bill is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens. He can be reached at 800-618-2847 or visit preview0.dev1.snyderpreview.com

As we approach mosquito season, you might be wondering, “How can I prevent mosquitoes in my yard?”. There are many, simple do it yourself ways you can help stop mosquitoes from biting you this summer at your home. From removing stagnant water sources, adding mosquito repelling plants, to cleaning gutters, there’s a lot you can do to help make your backyard an unfriendly yard to mosquitoes! Please see the graphic below for more info on preventing mosquitoes at home! Need more help with mosquitoes? Check out our Yard Guard service and let us protect your property!  

Preventing Mosquitos at Home

You can take several steps to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Avoid and exclude mosquitoes.  Limit exposure to mosquitoes by:

• Avoiding outdoor activities when they're most active, dusk to dawn
• Repairing any tears in the screens on your windows, doors and camping gear
• Using mosquito netting over strollers and cribs or when sleeping outdoors

Use insect repellent.  The most effective insect repellents in the United States include one of three active ingredients:

• DEET Test after test shows DEET at 20% and higher a.i. is the most effective at repelling mosquitoes (Source Center for Disease Control)>
• Icaridin (also called picaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (a plant-based compound)

These repellents temporarily repel mosquitoes and ticks. DEET may offer longer lasting protection. Whichever product you choose, read the label before you apply it. If you're using a spray repellent, apply it outdoors and away from food. If you're also using sunscreen, put it on first, about 20 minutes before applying the repellent. Avoid products that combine sunscreen and repellent, because you'll likely need to reapply sunscreen more often than repellent. And it's better to use only as much repellent as you need. Used according to package directions, these products are generally safe for children and adults, with a few exceptions:

• Don't use DEET-containing products on infants younger than 2 months.
• Don't let young children get DEET or icaridin-containing products on their hands or faces.
• Don't use oil of lemon eucalyptus on children under age 3 years.
• Don't apply repellent under clothing.
• Don't apply repellent over sunburns, cuts, wounds or rashes.
• When you go indoors, wash with soap and water to remove any remaining repellent.

Treat clothing and outdoor gear.  Consult our physician before applying permethrin to children’s clothing.  Permethrin is an insecticide and insect repellent used for additional protection. This product is applied to clothing and outdoor gear, not skin. Check the product label for specific application instructions. Some sporting goods stores sell clothing pretreated with permethrin. Use protective clothing and gear.  Weather permitting, wear:

• Long sleeves
• Socks and closed-toe shoes
• Long pants, possibly tucked into the tops of your socks
• Light colors
• A hat that protects your ears and neck or one with mosquito netting that covers your face

Take preventive medication.  Consult your physician first.  If you tend to have large or severe reactions to mosquito bites (skeeter syndrome), consider taking a nondrowsy, nonprescription antihistamine when you know you'll be exposed to mosquitoes. Reduce mosquitoes around your home. Eliminate standing water, which mosquitoes need to breed. To keep your house and yard free of mosquito pools:

• Unclog roof gutters.
• Empty children's wading pools at least once a week, and preferably more often.
• Change water in birdbaths at least weekly.
• Get rid of old tires in your yard.
• Empty outdoor flower pots regularly or store them upside down so that they can't collect water.
• Drain your fire pit if water collects there.

Don’t Let Mosquitoes Chase You Indoors!

 Bill Kolbe, Viking’s Board Certified Entomologist, has done personal research on air currents and flying insects. Twenty inch box fans placed strategically and pointed toward you will create enough air movement to keep mosquitoes off you while dining or enjoying your deck.  Keep in mind, hungry mosquitoes may try and overcome the air currents.  If they do just put the fans on high and they will move to other areas.  Often you will see pedestal fans that oscillate and when connected to your garden hose will produce a mist.  The combination of air currents and misting water will repel mosquitoes and other flying insects.  These fans have low, medium and high settings for different comfort levels.  Flying insects spend a lot of energy using their flight muscles.  Most do not fly during rain and windy days.  These fans provide relief during those hot summer days.   Remember the two species of mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus are day time feeders.  

Zika virus is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, especially the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and the Asian tiger mosquito (A. albopictus). These mosquitoes are found in the United States but their range is limited to the southern, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic regions. To date, there have not been any locally acquired cases of Zika virus in the United States, though there have been in U.S. territories like Puerto Rico. Public health experts do not know whether Zika virus will be transmitted in the continental United States but the risk is present. People that travel to regions where Zika is prevalent can get the virus and when they return home, local mosquitoes can potentially transmit it to another person.

Here is what is currently known about Zika virus:

• Zika virus has not been confirmed to be transmitted in the continental U.S., but the number of reported travel-related cases continue to increase. Visit www.CDC.gov for the latest information.
• Anyone traveling outside of the country, especially to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, should be aware of travel advisories currently in effect. If you fall ill upon returning home, seek medical attention.
• Zika virus causes mild flu-like symptoms in about 20% of infected people and about 80% of people have no symptoms at all. The major concern is the link between the virus and microcephaly, a birth defect associated with underdevelopment of the head and brain of newborns. There is currently no vaccine to prevent, or medicine to treat, Zika virus.
• Aedes mosquitoes breed in containers so eliminate areas of standing water such as empty bottles and cans, tires, buckets, flower pots, cups, and bowls, whenever possible. Any place that can hold water half of an inch deep is enough to allow mosquitoes to breed.
• The mosquitoes that can transmit Zika virus are aggressive daytime biters so take preventative measures whenever you will be spending time outdoors. - Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and closed-toes shoes. - Protect your skin by applying an EPA-registered insect repellent containing at least 20% DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon-eucalyptus. - Keep doors and windows closed whenever possible and cover any gaps with mesh screens.

Check out the Zika Virus Information Sheet  

Many of our gardeners are also avid fisherman and many may use insects as bait. Most often hand-made “flies” are used and customized by the savy fisherman. We’re going to dedicate this article about aquatic insects and arthropods... especially the Mayfly. April showers and warm days in May will show the arrival of Mayflies. Mayflies are in the Order Ephemeroptera. Ephemeros is Greek for a day or short-lived. Pteron means wing. A mayfly’s life cycle starts with the males forming a swarm above the water and the females flying into the swarm to mate. The male grabs a passing female with its elongated front legs and the pair mate in flight. After copulation, the male releases the female, which then descends to the surface of the water where she lays her eggs. Once mated she will fall, spent, onto the water surface to lie motionless, with her wings flat on the surface, where fish pick them off at their leisure. The male fly rarely returns to the water but instead he goes off to die on the nearby land. The eggs fall to the bottom of the water where they stick to plants and stones. Flies of the Mayfly family Baetidae pull themselves under the water to attach their eggs directly to the bed before being drowned by the current. The Nymphs (naiiads) take anything between a few days to a number of weeks to hatch depending on water conditions and the species, and the resultant Nymphs (naiiads) will spend various lengths of time, up to two years, foraging on the bottom before emerging as an adult fly. When it is time to emerge, the Nymphs (naiiads) make their way to the surface where they pull themselves free of their nymphal shuck and emerge as a sub-imago. While they rest here to dry their newly exposed wings, they are at their most vulnerable to attack from fish. The nymphal stage of this long-tail fly spends 364 days either dormant (winter time) underneath the muddy lake or stream bottom. Adults appear in large numbers in May. Trout, Bass and Bluegills will be waiting at the surface to feed on falling adult Mayflies or Nymphs (naiiads) coming to the surface to become adults. Some of their common names are spinners (adult mayfly), the winged pre-adult (subimago) is called a dun and many species have common names. If you want to see Mayfly Madness, check out this you tube click on a massive swarm of Mayflies. https://youtu.be/1r1wxLKhE2o Mayflies have a double life. For most of it, they live inconspicuously on the water bottom. Then, in a spectacular display, they get wings, fly out of the water in what can be a colossal swarm. Adult mayflies are attracted to light, so their numbers are especially high near streetlights. That means they accumulate on the roads at intersections, and combined with the squishing afforded by passing vehicles, they can form greasy slicks. Picture smears of gray lard dotted with little wings. Or perhaps it’s better not to picture that. In some areas of the country they can be a driving hazard. “When people try to stop, there are so many mayflies on the road that cars have slid into one another,” Try explaining that fender bender to your insurance company. The total number of mayflies in this hatch are estimated to be around 18 trillion – more than 3,000 times the number of people on earth. In New Jersey these insects are considered relatively harmless but endlessly annoying. An annual May and June pest in areas near open water, hundreds of mayflies can be found hovering near ponds, streams, lakes, golf course water features and subdivision retention ponds. These spindly flying insects can become an intolerable nuisance near restaurants and outdoor dining areas. When swarming, hundreds of these insects may descend and cling to street lights, windows, signs, tables — nearly any surface. To all you fisherman out there , good luck this year and pay attention to where Mayflies are abundant to help bring the fish to you!! Our Denville Garden is right next to the Rockaway River.. I’ll be looking for Mayflies this year.     Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is a Board Certified Entomologist for Viking Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Entomology with a minor in Ecology from the University of Delaware. He is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens. He can be reached at 800-618-2847 or visit preview0.dev1.snyderpreview.com