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 Research has shown and NJ pest control experts agree that the pharaoh ant is by far the most difficult household ant to control. The size of the colony can vary, but it is not uncommon to find massive colonies with up to several hundred thousand individuals.
Don’t let their tiny size fool you. They may be little (only about 1/16thof an inch long), but when they come, they come in mass, and multiply very quickly! Part of the success of the pharaoh ant colony is their “splitting” or “budding” capability. Because there are many queens in the colony, a team consisting of at least five worker ants, a queen, and ten pre-adults will consistently break away from the colony to set up a new colony in the same building, thus expanding the existing colony.
Pharaoh ants are considered to be a major pest because of their ability to survive inside of structures. They thrive in areas that are well protected and hide in many locations throughout a structure. A pharaoh ant colony relies on artificial heat for their survival. Their massive nests tend to exist in areas that remain dark and undisturbed. Wall voids, behind baseboards, folded clothing, stacks of paper, closets, and even the insulation of refrigerators have been known to harbor these pesky creatures.
Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.
 We’ve all heard of bed bugs infesting movie theaters, retail stores, hospitals, hotels, motels, doctors’ offices, trains, taxis, buses, courthouses, and popping up at our places of business. Apparently we are not even safe from these nasty bloodsuckers when we fly anymore! It’s sad but true, bed bugs like to travel too, and airline passengers must be on high alert for the little vampires, lest they be the next in line in the bed bug buffet!
There are not any statistics being kept, but rest assured, passengers have complained of bed bug attacks on a variety of US and International airlines. Bed bugs are hitchhikers that spread easily when people are in close proximity to each other. Hotels are hot spots for bed bugs because of their constant turn-over of guests. Airlines face the same dilemma, quite possibly even worse than hotels. Not only do you have people in close proximity via the airline seats and the uggage in the cabins, you also have the luggage that is stored in the cargo bay of the airplane and at the airport. Bed bugs have been known to climb from one piece of luggage to another during airline travel as passenger belongings are forced to stay untouched for extended periods of time.
You can help limit your exposure to bed bugs while traveling on an airplane by checking for the bloodsuckers under the fabric on the seat, between the seat cushions, and especially under the head rest area. Also bring your own small pillow and blanket for additional protection as well. If you are unfortunate and happen to bring bed bugs home with you while traveling, contact a licensed NJ pest control professional such as Heritage Pest Control.
Like termites, at certain times of the year, when an ant nest has reached maturity, ants will produce winged individuals which are known as “swarmer’s.” Also like termites, these winged ants leave the nest and fly off into the wind in search of another winged ant to mate with so that they can establish a new colony.
Sometimes winged swarmer’s emerge from indoor walls and are often mistaken for a termite infestation. These ants that are indoors have little chance for survival as they need another ant from another colony for survival. The best course of action is to vacuum up all of the winged ants as they emerge, which will often take up to a week. To tell the difference between winged termites and winged ants, look for a pinched waist on the ants (such as you will find on a wasp) and elbowed antennae. Winged termites are basically the same throughout their entire body length.
Heritage Pest Control uses the most up-to-date solutions for extermination and control. Our knowledgeable pest control technicians will be able to identify your invasive ant’s point of entry and provide the best alternative for complete elimination. Contact Heritage Pest Control for expert services for homes and businesses in Bergen County, NJ; Essex County, NJ; Hudson County, NJ; Morris County, NJ; Passaic County, NJ; and all points in between.
 The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the most widely spread termite in the United States. It is commonly found in New Jersey. This hungry wood destroying pest encompasses all of the eastern United States and as far south as Texas and as far west as Utah. The Eastern Subterranean Termite colony will consume about seven pounds of wood each year (often dead wood, but not always), in comparison to the Formosan termite colony which will mow through 1000’s of pounds of timber each year. Despite consuming less wood per colony, the Eastern Subterranean Termite is still a formidable pest report NJ pest control experts.
If a termite colony is discovered, NJ pest control experts say that it should not be disturbed. Termites are secretive creatures that are protective of their nesting area and their young. Once unearthed, all termites will scatter to various locations. Their scattering enables them to set up many different satellite colonies which in turn will allow the colony to expand. In order for a colony to be eliminated, it is crucial to eliminate the queen or she will continue to lay the 2000 eggs per day that is needed to grow the colony.
Like some other types of pests, termites are a difficult pest to eradicate. They require help from a licensed NJ pest control professional that has experience in termite elimination.
 The Cuyahoga County Council has recently passed restrictions on the use of pesticides and lawn chemicals. Sixty six county owned buildings and open space areas will be affected by the lack of pesticide usage. According to Cleveland.com on April 10, 2012, Rich Kozlovich of Pest Management Inc. protested the legislation. He said “While it is true that pesticides are toxic, that is the purpose behind pesticides, whether they are from organic sources or produced in a lab, to kill vermin and pests, and if used properly present no hazard to society or the environment.”
You may read the article here.
Every state has strict licensing procedures that pest management professionals must undergo that ensure that the public remains safe during pest control applications. Certain pests, such as mosquitos (West Nile Virus), black legged ticks (Lyme disease), and cockroaches (Dysentery, Typhoid, and Salmonella) are known carriers of dangerous pathogens that can be transmitted to humans.
The National Pest Management Association suggests using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) when fighting all types of pests. Proper IPM methods are used to control pests with the lease hazard to humans, property, and the environment. This widely used practice by pest control companies throughout the United States have kept citizen safe, while still being able to use pesticides when necessary.
For safe and reliable NJ pest control services, contact Heritage Pest Control Services.
 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claim that Lyme disease continues to climb throughout the United States. Reports are that in the mid 1990’s, there were around 15,000 cases of reported Lyme disease. Fast forward to 2011 and the amount of reported cases has jumped to approximately 30,000 to 40,000. It is hard to imagine that number being higher, but according to the Huffington Post on April 5, 2012 the CDC “admits that it could be as much as 12 times higher.”
Scientists believe that the climate changes in the United States will have an impact on tick borne infectious diseases in 2012. “Because insects are cold-blooded, they are highly sensitive to outside conditions: A few degrees or inches of rain can significantly enhance or hamper their ability to survive, reproduce and effectively pass on a parasite.” You may read the article here.
Studies have shown that the longer a black legged tick feeds upon a human or an animal, the more chances that Lyme disease will be contracted. Other diseases that ticks transmit could take longer or shorter periods of time. If an attached tick is still flat, it has not been feeding for long or it has been recently attached. If it is engorged, then it is likely that it has been attached for 24 hours.
It is now recommended that all attached ticks be kept for potential testing for a period of three months after they are found. Experts recommend placing the intact tick in a sealed plastic bowl in the refrigerator for storage. This ensures that the specimen is well preserved in case testing is required to determine a dangerous disease.
 New Jersey pest control professionals can attest to the fact that squirrels are a problem in urban areas throughout the state. Outdoors, squirrels rip up garden areas as they are always on the hunt for a tasty treat. It is quite common for squirrels to eat bites of fruits or vegetables grown in a backyard garden. They are also known to dig up expensive flower bulbs often nibbling and abandoning, or relocating the bulbs to another area of the yard.
Squirrels usually will build their nests high up in the tree-top to avoid predators. The real trouble with squirrels comes when they decide that your attic would make a good nesting spot. Squirrels can be very aggressive in their efforts to gain access to your home. They will use their strong incisors to chew a hole directly through wood shingles or a composite roof. Once they have made entry, or have decided that your attic is available, they will chew on electrical wires which will put your family at risk of having a fire.
Squirrels are not typically known to transfer diseases to humans, but the fleas on their body can, so you must still be careful when dealing with live or dead squirrels that have invaded your home. Like with all rodents, feces is problematic as it carries a host of dangerous parasites.
Call Heritage Pest Control for immediate squirrel eradication and expert damage repair services.
New Jersey pest control experts warn that bed bugs continue to be a problem throughout most areas of the United States. Spring break and summer travelers should be wary of hotels, motels and even visiting friends and family this year as bed bug populations continue to be on the rise.
Jeffrey White, of BedBug Central, was quoted in PRWeb on March 28, 2012, that despite the warmer than average winter that the Northeast has experienced this winter,
“Most companies we spoke to are not reporting an increase this winter in bed bug calls in residential homes compared to last winter,” said White. “That being said this does not conclude that the warmer than average winter temperatures will not affect summer bed bugs. Unfortunately we won’t gain additional insight until the summer is behind us.” You may read the article here.
The summer season is notorious for bed bug calls throughout the nation. Be it warmer temperatures, the increase in vacation travel opportunities, or the lack of education by the general public, historically pest control professionals have experienced a significant increase in bed bug related calls during this time period.
Consumers who are steadfast in checking for bed bugs while they travel, and who follow the proper protocol of washing all clothing in hot water upon their return home from a trip will be less likely to transport the little vampires into their home. Any signs of NJ bed bugs should immediately be reported to a licensed NJ pest control expert for fast eradication!
 NJ pest control professionals report that there are many different types of ant species that plague the homes and businesses of New Jersey residents. Ants make the transformation from egg to fully-developed adult ants in two months or less which is why ant colonies can be difficult to eradicate as a single colony can number into the millions. Many ant colonies have more than one queen which allows the colony to expand extremely fast.
Like in the termite world, once an ant colony reaches maturity, winged male and female reproductives are produced. These ants take flight and mate while in mid-air. In the ant world, it’s good to be a female, as the male dies soon after the mating ritual ends and females can live up to 20 years. Females land, bite their wings off, and find safe ground to lay their eggs for her new colony.
Any time you see termites or ants swarming, it is an indication that a NJ pest control professional should be called because a large ant or termite colony is nearby. A NJ pest control expert can help you identify the gaps and cracks in exterior walls that need to be sealed to keep ants from invading your home. Our technician will also be able to properly identify what type of ant species is invading your structure so that proper extermination procedures can be decided.
 If you step on them, you’ll know that they are there. If you sneak up on them, you’ll know that they are there. If they hit you, you’ll know that they are there. If they scare each other (I think that’s the problem), you’ll know that they are there. What could it be you ask? Stink bugs are emerging from the cracks and crevices of your home. They are hungry, thirsty, and ready to make stink bug babies. They went to great efforts to find their way indoors to overwinter for the chilly months, now they are desperate to get outdoors.
The mating cycle of the brown marmorated stink bug begins soon after its reemergence. From late April until August, females will deposit their eggs on the underside of leaves. When the eggs hatch, stink bugs look a bit like lady bugs for a short period of time but will quickly morph into the prehistoric hard shelled dimwitted creature that we all despise.
Stink bugs have become more than just a nuisance pest as they are now a serious agricultural threat. Being found in 33 states so far, the stink bug is expected to continue to spread. In 2011, the invasive stink bug decimated 80% of fruit crops in farms in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and West Virginia causing a loss of $37 million to farmers.
Let a NJ pest control professional help keep your stink bug population down. Call Heritage Pest Control today.
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