At Viking Pest Control, we are often asked about bees. It is impossible to overstate the importance of bees to our world: bees play a critical role in the world’s ecology and are responsible for fertilizing the majority of the world’s food crops. However, bees are in jeopardy; the world bee population has been in continuous decline, which actively threatens our food crops. Furthermore, bees generally do not present a hazard to people and, whenever possible, bee infestations or hives should be moved or relocated rather than eradicated because of the declining bee population. That said, there are two particular instances where the risk from bee sting is unacceptably high.
Africanized honey bees.
Africanized honey bees are a hybrid between African honey bees and several types of European honey bees. Intentionally introduced in Brazil in an effort to boost honey production, these bees have steadily migrated north and are present in many parts of North America, including the United States. They are far more aggressive than other types of honey bees, and tend to attack in swarms. Over 1,000 humans have been killed by these types of bees, who have also been implicated in the deaths of livestock. While these “killer bees" are frightening and are now present throughout the American southwest, they are not a problem in New Jersey or the tri-state area. In fact, while they have been able to out-compete European honeybees in tropical climates, it is not believed that they can out-compete European honeybees in colder climates, so they are not expected to become a large problem in the Northeast, though one may see isolated groups of these bees as they continue to migrate north.
While European honeybees, which are prevalent in New Jersey and the surrounding states, do not present a health hazard to most people, their stings can be dangerous. First, bee stings can be seriously harmful and even fatal to infants, the elderly, the immune compromised, and to any person who receives multiple stings at the same time. However, the most at-risk group is composed of people with known or suspected allergies to bee stings. In bee-allergic people, a simple bee sting can be enough to bring on anaphylactic shock, which results in constricted airways and can lead to death by suffocation. Anyone with a suspected bee allergy should consult with a doctor and carry an Epinephrine injection pen with them at all times.
Yellow Jackets
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
Fall pests in Gardens and Homes - Yellowjackets
It’s that time of year when yellowjackets (Vespula germanica), those black and yellow wasps that seem to increase in numbers in the early fall months of September and October besiege our homes and gardens. The reason for the increase in numbers is because the colony begins to produce males for mating purposes. The males of this species are produced to mate with females and then the males die. Females overwinter as fertilized females. After overwintering and when the weather turns warm, they start their life cycle and make colonies for the upcoming spring. Many of you will experience them this fall when you attend outdoor sporting events such as soccer and other fall sports. The good news is that while irritating, they are welcome visitors in the garden.
Yellowjackets: Fall pests in Gardens and Homes!
Yellow jackets wasps feed their young liquefied insects, with caterpillars, flies and spiders comprising the largest food groups in the yellow jacket diet during most of the summer. In late summer, yellow jackets start looking for flower nectar and other sources of sugar, which are necessary nutrients for the next season’s queens. At this point yellow jackets become an obnoxious presence outdoors, whether they are trying to steal your sandwich or swarming over apple cores in your compost. Preferred food for yellow jackets are, honeydew, and other sweet substances. If your garden (or your plants and shrubbery around your home) has a lot of aphids, leafhoppers, treehoppers, scale insects and other plant juice feeders that product honeydew; yellowjackets and other wasps will be close by to dine on this sweet substance. The queen of a vigorous yellowjacket colony may lay 25,000–30,000 eggs during her lifetime.
The same cell may be used two or three times for rearing larvae. Development time to complete the larval and pupal stage is about30days. For species that have large colonies, the queen maintains control of the colony with a queen pheromone. Yellowjackets do not store honey as do bees and some other vespids. They feed their larvae malaxated portions of arthropods, especially insects, and also nectar and honeydew. Adults feed on nectar, liquid from the larval food, and larval secretions. The first workers to emerge in the colony assume all duties of maintenance and food gathering; the queen confines her activity to laying eggs and remains with the nest. There are three castes in each colony: the queen; males, which are produced from unfertilized eggs; and workers, which are infertile females. Late in the season, workers build large reproductive cells in which males and queens are produced.
During this period workers are more aggressive and likely to sting, even when away from the nest. When new queens and males emerge they leave the nest and mate. Males die after mating, and fertilized queens enter a period of reproductive diapause, and in cold climates they overwinter. They hibernate in protected locations, such as under loose bark of trees, under boards and debris around buildings, and in other peridomestic locations. Nest construction materials include plant fibers from decayed or weathered wood, the cortex of dead plants, and domestic debris, such as newspaper, cardboard, and paper bags. Nest building is continuous until the colony declines.
They do little damage to agricultural crops, except for the cases where their presence disrupts or prevents harvesting. Yellowjacket stings result in intense pain to most people, and can result in death from anaphylaxis in sensitive individuals. Ground nests of Dolichovespula and Paravespula create problems when they occur in peridomestic habitats or recreational areas. Below-ground nests are usually unnoticed until people and pets come near or into direct contact with them. Simply allowing selected nests to remain in place is all you must do to receive free pest control service from yellow jackets. Coexisting peacefully with yellow jackets is another issue, especially if you grow tree fruits. Yellow jackets eagerly feed on fallen apples, pears and other fruits, so wear a light glove when cleaning up the orchard. Bury fruit waste beneath 2 inches of soil, or establish a fruit waste compost pile far from your house, where the yellow jackets can eat their fill.
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.