Wasps, bees, spiders, and mice don’t have to be inside your house to be annoying. Even having them in your yard can be a problem. Whether they’re indoors or out, if you’re dealing with an excess of pests, it’s time to call the professionals, Garrie Pest Control. But, with so many pest control services in Middletown, NY, it can be difficult to find the right company. With these tips, you’ll not only find the right service, but you’ll also be pest-free in no time!

ASK FOR REFERRALS

Chances are your friends and family members have dealt with the same pest control problems that you are. Ask them who they’ve used in the past. Referrals are the best way to find a quality company without having to do the legwork. Those around you have already done it for you. Not only are you learning more about great companies in the area, but you’re also learning who to avoid. Compile a list of the recommendations from your friends and look into each one.

CHECK ONLINE REVIEWS

On top of asking those closest to you for recommendations, check online to see what past customers have to say about prospective pest control companies. Reviews give you a glimpse into how companies conduct their business. Along with the best and the worst experiences of their customers, you’ll also see if the company has responded and dealt with the reviews appropriately. Steer clear of any pest control company that has overwhelmingly negative reviews. If their reputation isn’t positive, find a different service.

VERIFY CREDENTIALS

The company that you work with should be licensed, insured, and experienced. Before hiring a pest control company, ask about business licenses. They should have a valid business license from the state and city where they’re located. It’s also important that they’re insured. This ensures that if there’s an issue while they’re servicing your home, you aren’t left holding the bill. An experienced company understands how important these documents are and will readily supply them upon request.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

While your pest control company should rid your home of any unwanted pests, they should also consider the safety of the environment. Be wary of any company that uses harmful chemicals or pesticides. Not only will these harm the environment, but they could pose a risk to your children and animals too. Instead, look for companies that utilize extermination methods that are safe and secure for your family and the earth. Garrie Pest Control offers environmental I.P.M. Programs.

TRANSPARENCY

A good pest control company is upfront about its practice, procedures, and pricing. Before they treat your home, they’ll spend time explaining the cost associated with the process. Once the final bill arrives, there won’t be any surprises. Avoid companies that attach hidden fees to their treatments. Instead, look for services that are open, honest, and willing to answer any questions that you may have.

With summer in full swing, pests are beginning to appear in droves. If you’re dealing with unwanted bugs or rodents, pest control in Middletown, NY can help. The extermination experts at Garrie Pest Control can help to restore your home to order safely and effectively. Whether you’re dealing with mice or ants, schedule a consultation with one of the friendly members of the Garrie Pest Control team today!

It’s hard to imagine that something as seemingly insignificant as a beetle could do such damage, but that is the case when it comes to wood-boring beetles. You may not know it, but beetles can seriously undermine the structure of your home by laying eggs in wood. When those eggs hatch, the resulting larvae emerge and bring their voracious appetites to bear, gnawing through wood and hurting its structural integrity. If you discover wood-boring beetles or their larvae around your home, it’s important that you take steps to remediate the infestation. That includes contacting a pest control company in Middletown, NY, to treat your property thoroughly.

While wood-boring beetles are a beneficial species in the woods, they aren’t nearly as helpful in a residential environment. In the wild, they help break down and remove dead trees and restore their nutrients to the soil. In your home, they can bore extensive mazes in the home’s structural components consisting of tunnels that will make the wood weak and accelerate its natural degradation. As destructive as wood-boring beetles are, there are effective methods of pest control in Middletown, NY, that can be used to free your home from its grip. Read on to learn more about wood-boring beetles, the damage they can do, and how you can rid your home of them.

WHAT ARE WOOD-BORING BEETLES?

Wood-boring beetles aren’t a single species of beetle. Instead, the category is made up of many species that possess a common characteristic. All wood-boring beetles lay eggs in tiny cracks in the surface of the wood. Some of the most common species of wood-boring beetles in buildings and structures are the powderpost beetle, the false powderpost beetle, and the old house borer beetle. Powderpost beetles prefer hardwoods that are extremely low in moisture content, such as oak, walnut, and mahogany. False powderpost beetles aren’t nearly as selective, as they’ll dine on both hardwoods and softwoods, such as pine. Old house borer beetles prefer softer, high-moisture coniferous wood.

WHAT DAMAGE CAN THEY DO?

When the wood-boring beetle eggs hatch, the resulting larvae, also known as woodworms, then bore down into the wood. As they grow, they consume the wood, carving out tunnels as they go. Over the course of several years, these networks of tunnels can severely undermine the structural stability of wood, leaving it prone to rot and breakage. Powderpost beetles are more likely to damage dry wood inside and outside of the home, including structural supports, such as studs, wood flooring, soffits, and decking. In homes that include pine or cypress, these same locations may be targeted by false powderpost beetles. Because of their appreciation for moist wood, old house borer beetles may be more likely to strike areas outside of the home that isn’t climate-controlled, such as workshops, decks, and sheds.

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THEM?

Getting rid of wood-boring beetles can be difficult, but with the help of a company that offers pest control services, it is a straightforward task. First, check for infestations. Look for the telltale signs, such as the presence of exit holes in the external surfaces of wood or powdery sawdust-like frass left behind by the beetle larvae. If you see white powder clumped around wood, the infestation may still be active, and the wood must be removed or treated with a borate-based solution. If the powder is yellow and exit holes are present, the wood can remain but should be treated and sealed. Once the affected wood has been treated, the house should be treated with a pesticide to make sure no other adult beetles are lurking.

If you notice that you have a wood-boring beetle infestation, there are some immediate steps you should take to prevent damage to your property. If you think you may have wood-boring beetles, contact Garrie Pest Control or request an appointment online.

Pests in your home or business can be annoying, unhealthy, and destructive. Since pests damage your property and belongings and leave droppings and nesting materials behind, it’s hard to feel totally comfortable in your own space. Though many people call pest control professionals to deal with pest invasions, other home and business owners avoid pest control because of the toxic chemicals that are often used. Fortunately, there are other options.

In the past, spraying harsh and toxic chemicals was the norm for dealing with pests. Though these strategies were effective in killing bugs, the use of toxic chemicals can put your health and the health of others at risk. Public opinion and the need for sustainable approaches have pushed the industry to develop advancements in pest control that are environmentally friendly. If you’re dealing with an unwelcome invader in your home or business, ask professionals in pest control in Middletown, NY, about these advancements in green pest control.

BAITS

Trapping is an effective way of dealing with pests. In order to trap bugs, you first have to lure them to a specific location, usually with bait. If you have flies, sticker panels and fly lights are two effective and green options for eliminating the problem. Both come in a variety of styles and therefore are able to blend into any existing décor. If you have rodents in your home, tamper-proof bait stations outside the home can effectively keep pests from getting into your property. Similarly, to deal with a cockroach infestation, nonvolatile baits like pucks or gels are great options that have no chance of becoming airborne.

REPEL

Some new techniques in pest control are organic repellents that take down the pest problem without the side effects of non-organic and toxic solutions. These approaches are not harmful to mammals, are effective in small amounts, and incredibly affordable. In addition, using natural repellents means there’s no concern that the pests will adapt to tolerate the repellent and eventually become resistant.

HEATING

Inspired by an old Australian technique of getting rid of pests, modern approaches to ridding homes and businesses of cockroaches and ants include the use of heat. This technology attacks the insects by heating their internal temperature to a point of dehydration. Without needing too high of a temperature, heat treatment can terminate the bug, no matter their stage in life.

PREVENTION

Perhaps the most effective and environmentally friendly way to combat a pest issue is through prevention. Sealing all potential entry points for bugs and rodents can block them from invading your property. Weatherstripping, plugging holes, and caulking cracks on the outside of the building are all effective approaches.

Another effective way to prevent the invasion of pests into your home or business is by eliminating odors, clutter, and debris that commonly attract unwanted bugs and rodents. Clean out your gutters, use natural odor neutralizers in trash and dumpsters, and eliminate any debris, litter, or fallen fruit around your property.

If you want to prevent pest intrusion of your home, or need to eliminate an existing pest problem, contact a local and trustworthy pest control company in Middletown, NY, today and ask them about their environmentally friendly approaches.

Winter can make pests just as problematic as they are in summer. Pests will try to escape the chilly outdoor weather by sneaking into your home, where warm air, dry conditions, and an abundance of free food and water are available to them.

Pests can fit through surprisingly small gaps in order to enter your home. You’ll need to fill these gaps to keep pests out. However, they may also enter through areas that you can’t possibly close off.

Pest control companies want you to know about the importance of identifying and protecting–or repairing–possible pest entryways. Read on for important pest prevention info that every homeowner needs to know.

FOUNDATION CRACKS

Small cracks can form in your home’s foundation as it settles, or as moisture changes the ground underneath the concrete. Cracks are fairly common. However, you do need to repair them. Fill them with extra concrete to keep pests out. Cracks in your foundation and walls can carry small pests like ants and roaches from the ground outside your home to the interior of your home. Pest control experts recommend inspections for new cracks in the spring and fall. Semiannual inspections and repairs can drastically cut down on your risk of pests entering your house through the foundation.

WINDOWS AND DOORS

Don’t leave doors and windows wide open without an approved bug screen acting as an effective barrier. If you’re hosting guests in your backyard, make sure everyone closes the door after themselves as they go in and out. This can prevent pests from walking or flying right in after you.

But even if you have a bug screen, some small pests can fit through unsealed cracks in windows and doors. These gaps, as tiny as they are, can accommodate tiny pests like ants and fleas, as well as other annoying pests. Check the caulking around your windows and doors for gaps, and replace the caulking as necessary.

WALL PASSAGES

Cable lines, electrical outlets, pipes, and dryer vents provide useful amenities to your home. However, pest control services also refer to these areas as wall passages. As they pass from the outside to the inside of your home, insects can walk right through them and indoors. In fact, many people find pests like spiders nesting around outlets because they’re so easy for pests to traverse.

Check all wall passages for proper sealing, and if certain areas keep hosting pests, you may want to close them. Place outlet safety covers over troublesome outlets, close bathtub drains, and keep pests out.

Pest control experts can also help you find exterior issues, like holes in outdoor air conditioner tubing, that pests can use to enter your house.

PROTECTION FIRST

Unfortunately, there are some areas that you can’t seal up, even if they’re troublesome. Attic ventilation, crawl spaces, and dryer vents can’t be sealed airtight, so your next solution is to hire a pest control company to protect these areas.

Pest control treatment in Middletown, NY, also includes preventative treatments, including sprays that deter bugs from ever getting indoors. Contact Garrie Pest Control today to learn more about repairing pest entryways and applying pesticides that safely prevent infestations.

Some people fear rats like others fear spiders and snakes. Due to their bad reputation, they can seem frightening. However, rats are interesting creatures and when you consider their abilities, you might gain a greater appreciation for them. That doesn’t mean you want a bunch of wild rats in your house. If you see one, call a pest control company in Middletown, NY, and protect your family from an infestation.

BIOLOGICALLY SPEAKING

Rats use their tails to regulate their body temperature. The blood vessels in the tail can expand or contract depending on the rat’s needs. Rat teeth grow continually and can grow as much as five inches a year. They are also strong enough to bite through lead, aluminum sheets, and cinder blocks. Rats reach reproductive maturity three to four months after birth. A female can reproduce every three weeks and has six to ten baby rats (pups) per litter.

RAT PROBLEMS

Rats are known to spread over 35 different types of diseases and illnesses throughout the world. Direct contact with an infected rat could result in hantavirus, hemorrhagic fevers, the plague, and salmonellosis. Indirectly, rats can help transmit diseases like Colorado tick fever, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and West Nile virus.

CONTROLLING RATS

The best way to get rid of rats is to not have them. Eliminate their food source and close off the entry places to your home, and rats won’t be able to get in or have a reason to. Keep birdseed, bulk foods, and pet food in metal cans. Close off any holes larger than a quarter inch. Rat traps are effective for most small infestations if enough traps are used and baited correctly. If the problem is severe enough to require poison, it’s best to call an exterminator.

Aside from the potential for spreading disease, rats can cause structural damage in the home. Keeping a rat as a pet might be a good idea; they are smart and fun. However, dealing with rats that come in from the cold is something you should avoid. Getting rid of wild rats will help keep you and your family safe. If you think you have rats in the home call Garrie Pest Control for pest control treatment in Middletown, NY.

They’re some of the most feared and dangerous pests you can encounter: rats. Larger, smarter, and craftier than mice, rats are hated worldwide for their ability to sneak into homes without much effort.

But they say that knowing your enemy is important to defeating them, so if you want to prevent or eliminate rats, the more you know, the better. Experts of high population pests like bees also know how to eliminate rat infestations. Rats and bees pest control in Middletown, NY, depends on knowing the habits, features, and unique qualities of these resilient pests. Here are a few important facts that every homeowner should know about rats.

• Rats are remarkable because of their short, flat front teeth. These teeth are capable of growing up to 5 inches a year. However, rats gnaw on objects almost constantly because they prefer to keep their teeth short.
• Rats will gnaw through virtually everything they come across, including lead, wood, cement, and even small animals.
• Their alarming rate of reproduction is well-known. Like bed bug pest control, rat pest control requires eliminating both adults and their young, lest the young re-develop a huge colony.
• A female rate can mate up to 500 times in a 6-hour period.
• A young rat reaches sexual maturity very early: at around 3 or 4 months.
• The average rat will live up to 3 years and will reproduce as much as possible during that short lifespan.
• Hardy and tough, rats can resist very rough conditions, including flooding and severe temperatures.
• Rats have been known to enter homes through their plumbing system.
• There’s approximately one rat for every human in the US.
• While rats are thought to reside in human homes, only a small segment of the rat population resides near humans. Most live in remote habitats, like swamps and rainforests. However, rat pest control is similar to mosquito pest control in that rats will take advantage of humans nearby, if possible.
• There are actually over 65 species of rats, some of which are endangered. Brown rats are the city dwellers that are by no means threatened.
• Like wasp pest control, eliminating rats is of direct benefit to your health. Rats have been known to carry some of the most devastating diseases across human populations.
• Rats have favorite foods, including corn, eggs, and cheesy foods. They have been known to gorge themselves on junk food like chips and candy from time to time.
• However, rats will eat virtually anything in order to survive, being omnivores like humans. Rats will even eat their own feces.
• Don’t try to starve a rat. They can live on very small, scant diets for a long time if they have to. Contact a local exterminator who specializes in rats and bees pest control in Middletown, NY

While professional pest inspection services go a long way toward keeping your home pest-free, there are also many things you can do to keep ants, rodents, water bugs, and termites away from your property. The following tips go a long way toward keeping your home secure and free of annoying pests:

• Fill cracks around the foundation, windows, and doors
• Seal doors with new weather stripping
• Check for openings in your home to keep rodents out
• Get rid of moisture and fix any water damage from plumbing or foundation problems
• Keep wood stacks away from the home to prevent termites from getting into the home
• Put pet food away after pets are done eating
• Take the trash out regularly

Unfortunately, sometimes no matter what precautions you take, you still get pests in the home. If you have a pest problem, let professional pest control specialists help. At Garrie Pest Control, we offer pest control services to homes and businesses in New York and Connecticut. Our team has years of pest control management and delivers high-quality services to keep homes free of bed bugs, carpenter ants, ticks, roaches, mice, rats, and other pests. We also offer bird management, debris removal, and crawl space cleaning services. Don’t let pests get the better of you this fall, and don’t let them invade your home. Contact Garrie Pest Control and put those pests to rest!

 

Termites are a nuisance that no homeowner ever wants to deal with. If an infestation occurs within the walls of your home, the structural integrity of the entire building could be compromised, leaving your property vulnerable to disaster.

Luckily, although termites work behind the scenes inside your wood and walls, they don’t work quietly. Termites will leave signs that alert you to their presence, and it’s up to you to recognize the signs and alert one of the reputable pest control companies in Middletown, NY, to get the help you need. Here are a few things you need to know.

LOOK FOR WINGS

Termites often shed their wings as they grow and feed, and they’ll leave their wings in a visible place. Considering that most insects don’t leave their wings behind, the presence of dry and dusty wings is a sure sign that termites are likely about in your home. Termite wings resemble fish scales and they’re fairly small, so if what you’re seeing fits those characteristics, it’s time to call for help.

HOLLOW WALLS

As the wood gets removed from a structure, it starts to sound hollow at the sound of a knock. The same is true of drywall, as a simple tap will get a sound in a wall that’s been attacked by termites. At a minimum, a hollow wall is a sign of problems with your home’s structure that needs to be addressed in a hurry. Most likely, those problems are a sign of some insects working to feed their appetites and bring down your home.

DON’T DO IT YOURSELF

Killing termites isn’t a DIY job for one simple reason: eastern termites tend to scatter. Termites are excellent at recognizing when they’re threatened, and if they feel like they’re under attack, they’re going to quickly move to another part of the wall where you won’t easily catch their presence. Unless you’re ready to take out the nest and you have the skills and know-how to get the job done, don’t go after the termites when you spot the signs of their presence.

Calling in one of the top pest control companies in Middletown, NY, is the best way to treat a termite infestation before it gets out of hand. Termites need to be taken out the right way the first time, and by bringing in the pros, you’ll make sure not to alert the colony that you know they’re there. By the time they figure it out, it’ll be too late for them, and you’ll be able to get back to enjoying your home as it’s meant to be!