Rats have long been considered deadly pests. The Center for Disease Control lists nearly a dozen diseases directly linked to rats. Most urban areas battle rat infestations. Rats in New York City are famous for their size and prevalence. If you find signs of an infestation, contact us promptly. We will be able to confirm the species and recommend a course of rodent control treatment.

Rats can serve as zoonotic vectors for certain pathogens and thus spread disease, such as bubonic plague, Lassa fever, leptospirosis, and Hantavirus infection. One New York City resident died in 2017 from Leptospirosis, a disease spread by rat urine. They are also associated with human dermatitis because they are frequently infested with blood feeding rodent mites such as the tropical rat mite (Ornithonyssus bacoti) and spiny rat mite (Laelaps echidnina), which will opportunistically bite and feed on humans, where the condition is known as rat mite dermatitis.

If you do find signs of an infestation, contact us promptly. A rodent exterminator will be able to inspect your home, confirm the species and recommend a course of rodent control treatment.

Cockroaches are some of the most resilient pests in the world. They exhibit unique survival tactics, including the ability to live for a week without their head. This makes getting rid of cockroaches a difficult task for homeowners to do themselves. Experience has taught us how to deal with heavy cockroach infestations and several treatments of well-placed bait will bring this pest under control with time. That, along with proper sanitation will have a long-lasting effect.

If a cockroach infestation is suspected, contact us for advice on cockroach control and prevention. We will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment plan to control cockroaches and help prevent a future problem.

Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed exclusively on blood. Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug, is the best known as it prefers to feed on human blood. The name bed bug derives from their preferred habitat: warm houses and especially near or inside beds and bedding or other sleep areas.

Bed bugs are usually active at night, but are not exclusively nocturnal. They generally feed on their hosts without being noticed, causing a slew of adverse health effects including skin rashes, allergic symptoms and psychological effects.

Bed bugs have been known as human parasites for thousands of years. At one point in the early 1940s, they were mostly eradicated in the developed world, but in the last twenty years pest management professionals have noticed an increase in bed-bug-related complaints, thought to be due to governmental bans on effective pesticides, and an increase in international travel.

Bed bugs can cause a number of health effects including skin rashes, psychological effects, and allergic symptoms. No study has clearly found that the insect is able to transmit disease to a human being. Bed bug bites may range from no visible effects to prominent blisters. Treatment involves the elimination of the insect but is otherwise symptomatic.

Bed bugs are extremely elusive creatures so professional help should be sought out when dealing with an infestation. Bed bugs are a very difficult pest to treat. In fact, 76 percent of pest professionals say they are the hardest bug to eradicate according to a recent NPMA survey. If you suspect or discover an infestation, contact us to address the issue…we have a Certified Bedbug Specialist on staff.

Finding a few bedbugs is not a reason to immediately dispose of your mattress. Chances are it is treatable. Call us to inspect. Bringing home a mattress from the street or discarded furniture, is unfortunately a common source of introducing bedbugs into a home and not worth the risk even if you don’t see anything on it. Also, the bedbugs may not only be in your mattress and throwing it away may give you a false sense of relief that you rid yourself of the problem.

For your protection and peace of mind, we can provide “mattress covers” which prevent bedbugs from nesting in your mattress. If you had a bedbug problem you’d be wise to get one – and for the box spring if you have one. Reach out to us for information. We can help.

Fleas – Siphonaptera – are small, flightless parasites that feed on the blood of various warm-blooded animals, depending on the species, and can transmit diseases to their host. Although most people think of fleas as a problem only the family pet has to deal with, they can also bite humans and are the most common transmitter of the rare bubonic plague. While pet owners are primarily at risk for flea infestations, these biting pests can also be brought onto a property via wild animals like raccoons or skunks and then make their way into a home. The most common species is the cat flea, which often feasts on cats, dogs and humans. If you suspect you may have an infestation, we highly recommend hiring a professional for flea extermination.

Flea control is an ongoing battle. Due to the flea lifecycle, it could take weeks or months to finally end the infestation. If you’re concerned you have a flea issue, it is important to quickly treat any pets who may have become a host. Comb your pets to remove fleas and then bathe them with effective flea treatments. It may be necessary to take your pet to a veterinarian if symptoms persist. To prevent any further infestations, keep dogs on a leash when outside, and be sure to regularly bathe and groom pets.

Prevent household infestations from taking hold by cleaning and vacuuming frequently to help remove flea populations and prevent the laying of eggs. Additionally, be sure to regularly wash bed linens. For serious infestations, you may need to apply heat with a steam cleaner to kill off eggs, or hire a flea exterminator.

Outdoors, make sure the lawn is well-groomed since fleas prefer to hide in tall grass. Since fleas typically travel via rodents, be sure to eliminate any rodent harborage sites on property such as overgrown trees or shrubs. If you suspect a flea infestation, contact us to help with proper and effective flea control.

The house fly is the most common fly found in and around homes. It has a worldwide distribution and is prominent in the United States. House flies are not only nuisance pests while buzzing around homes, but they are potential disease carriers. House flies have short lifespans, but they can quickly reproduce in large numbers, leading to large house fly populations if not identified and effectively controlled.

House flies take advantage of structural issues, such as damaged weather stripping or torn screens, in order to enter a household. These pests are attracted to buildings by air currents and odors. Due to the fact that their preferred temperature is 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius), house flies are attracted to warm air currents coming from buildings on cooler days and vice versa on warmer days.

Anything less than perfect sanitation may lead to ant infestations. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor and trash not frequently emptied provide food sources for ants. What starts with a few foragers entering a home can become a major problem if ants establish colonies in walls, lawns, or under home foundations.

Ants leave an invisible chemical-trail which contains pheromones for other ants to follow once they locate a food source. Soon, many more ants will be present.

Most “do it yourself” ant treatments kill only the ants you see. Some truly effective treatments can penetrate and destroy nests to help prevent ants from returning. Many home-remedies don’t account for the fact that different species of ants require different treatments.

Larger ants look much like termites, and the two are often confused – especially by nervous homeowners. However, ants have a narrow “waist” between the abdomen and thorax, which termites do not. Ants also have large heads, elbowed antennae, and powerful jaws.