April 14, 2019May 10, 2019 Admin

How to keep Snakes away from your property

When the warmer months of spring and summer arrive, so do our calls for snake removals. We are often asked how to keep snakes away from your property. In this article, we will look at some ways to lower your chances of encountering a snake on your property.

Snake prevention in Pennsylvania

I should also note that we are located in Chester County Pennsylvania and will be discussing this location specifically. If you are curious about snakes in other parts of the United States, check out this link here.

Most common snakes we deal with in Chester County

There are thousands of species of snakes in the world but only a handful that we commonly deal with in Pennsylvania.

Most common snake species we encounter in Pennsylvania include:

Garter Snakes
Black Rat Snake
Timber Rattlesnake
Northern Copperhead
Milksnake

Venomous Snakes of Pennsylvania

There are only 3 species of venomous snakes that are found in Pennsylvania.

Timber Rattlesnake: found throughout Pennsylvania including Chester County
Northern Copperhead: found throughout Pennsylvania including Chester County
Eastern massasauga rattlesnake: found primarily in Western Pennsylvania

What are the snakes doing on your property?

Snakes, like most pests, require water, food, and habitat to survive. Whenever we are evaluating a property for snake prevention, we always try to eliminate some of these snake necessities.

Snakes in your yard or garden

Snakes are well versed in camouflage and can seemingly hide in plain sight. In fact, many a gardener has been surprised to find a snake hanging out in their garden.

Keeping the grass cut, and removing brush and debris from your yard can eliminate many snake hideouts. A cleaner yard will also help keep rodents and pests away which will also keep snakes away.

Sometimes there is a water source on the property that snakes and their food source are attracted to. If possible, eliminating a source of water can help reduce the chance that snakes will be on your property.

Making your yard less desirable to snakes is the best method for reducing the chances of having snakes in your yard!

Snake Repellents

Snake repellents can be used on the outside to try and repel snakes from coming onto your property. Most snake repellents are odor based granulars. Read the label on the package and follow it exactly.

I do not often use odor based repellents for a few reasons. The odor may be effective against snakes but it can also be smelled by you! Often the odor is very similar to moth balls. No one wants to enjoy their snake-free backyard and smell moth balls the whole time.

The other issue with odor based repellents is how long they last. Depending on the weather, the repellent may have to be re-applied pretty frequently. Rain will make the repellent last a very short amount of time.

Snakes under your porch

Snakes will utilize gaps, crevices, and holes around your property to make a home. What once was a vole hole under your porch can turn into a snake den!

Check around your porch or deck for holes, gaps, and crevices. Snakes will usually use what’s already there and not create holes. If you do find a hole under your porch (like seen above in the picture), you have some options.

What’s under my porch?

First, you need to determine what is living under your porch or if the den is active. I like to simply cover the opening with some leaves, soil, or mulch to determine whether something is in there or not. After a day or so, if the opening stays closed, then there is nothing there.

Using flour or other tracking substances can help determine what is living under the porch if the opening does re-open. If there are rodents living under the porch, treating for rodents and then closing the hole will help prevent snake infestations.

Trapping Snakes under your porch

If snakes are currently living under your structure, then capturing and removing the snakes are your best method. Trapping is usually performed by using special snake boards to capture the snake. Once captured, the snake can be transported to another location and released.

Once all wildlife has been evicted from under your property, close the openings and continue to monitor for activity. There are permanent exclusion techniques that can make sure no new animals move in.

Check out our section on wildlife exclusion here.

Snakes in the house!

Very few things in this world evoke fear like finding a snake in the house! In the picture above, we can see a snake skin found with some rodent droppings.

Snakes often follow their food source

Snakes will often follow their food source (rodents and mice) into the house. If you have a rodent infestation, you could also have a snake infestation!

A very common snake entrance into the home is where the air conditioner line comes into the house. If left unsealed, mice,rodents, and snakes can enter the home.

Check out our video on common rodent entrances to learn more.

Realtor Snake Story

I was once called to a home that was for sale that was having a snake issue. The realtor was showing the house to some perspective buyers when a snake came out from UNDER the kitchen cabinet and onto the kitchen floor.

Safe to say that those buyers left the house and never put an offer in. We captured the snake AND treated for a rodent infestation. Again, the snake was in the house because there were mice and rodents in the house.

How did the realtor end up selling the house? By stating that the home was “rodent free”

Snakes in the garage

Many homeowners, myself included, have a habit of leaving the garage door open for most of the day. Snakes, whether chasing prey or just being curious, can enter the garage.

During many residential pest control services, the use of glue boards to track and monitor pests is a common practice. Oftentimes, these glue boards are placed on each side of the garage door. Their purpose is to capture pests that come into the garage and allow the pest control professional to gain some insight into the pest pressures around the home.

I have seen and removed many snakes from these glue boards. Many times, the homeowner is thrilled that a snake was captured BEFORE it could make its home in their home!

Releasing a snake from a glue board

If you have a snake captured on a glue board and would like to release the snake somewhere else, simply apply some cooking oil and the glue should release.

Snake Removal Chester County

If you live or work in Chester County and have a snake issue, Prudential Pest Solutions can help.

Give us a call or send us a message to get snake free today!

April 7, 2019March 30, 2020 Admin

Church Pest Control

Churches of any faith and denomination can benefit from a pest control program. With people constantly coming and going from a place of worship there is always a chance that pests could be introduced.

By having a church pest control program, you can protect your place of worship from pests, rodents, and wildlife.

Why does a Church need exterminator services?

Any place where people gather, there is a possibility that insects, pests, and rodents will be there too.

Think about how many people come and go from the church on a weekly basis. Cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, lice, and other pests can easily be spread between worshipers.

Other pests and rodents enjoy the great food that is served in the church kitchen. Oftentimes the church kitchen is located in the basement of the church. Since the kitchen is only in operation 1 day a week, pests have 6 days during the week to feed and go unnoticed.

By having a regular pest control and exterminator service, the church can be better protected against pest infestations.

Special Events that should be pest free

Churches are often the gathering places for big life events. The attendees expect a clean and pest-free church to gather for the big occasions in life.

Weddings
Funerals
Baptisms
Communions
Confirmations
Picnics
Meetings and Parties

The attendees of these ceremonies want to be focused on the ceremony and NOT on pests and rodents!

Churches can have wildlife issues

Depending on the age and condition of the church, wildlife issues can be very common. Bats in the belfry comes to mind!

Since most churches are very tall structures, there are plenty of spaces where birds, bats, squirrels, raccoons, and opossum can find their way in. Don’t let your church become a home for these nuisance wildlife.

Church Preschool and Sunday School

Kids are notoriously messy with their snacks, drinks, and food. With kids in the church, there is an increased possibility of having pest issues due to the increase in crumbs.

Of course the method of pest control and exterminator processes when children are involved are vastly different than in other facilities.

Whenever a school, daycare, or Sunday school are having a pest issue, certain care must be taken in the treatment process to ensure their safety.

Having a pest control and exterminating company that is experienced in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is critical in resolving a pest issue.

You can learn more about our IPM Program here

How often does the Church need Pest Control?

The frequency of pest control services will depend on many factors. Some of the common factors include:

Current Pest Issues
Condition of the Church
Location of the Church
How active the Kitchen is
Presence of a Sunday School and/or Preschool program

For some churches, a quarterly service is all that is needed. Quarterly services for churches include a scheduled pest control service every 3 months.

Other churches, may required monthly services. Monthly services are when the pest control and extermination company is scheduled to service every month.

A thorough pest control inspection done by a reputable exterminator will tell you what type of pest control service is needed for your church.

Remember, it is ALWAYS easier to prevent an infestation than to treat for an infestation!

Where do we protect churches from pests?

We service and protect churches from pests in South East and South Central Pennsylvania including:

How to contact church pest exterminator experts!

Give us a call or text us at (484) 401-4361 to speak with a church pest exterminator expert!

Additional Information

March 31, 2019March 20, 2019 Admin

Wedding Pest Control

You’ve been planning your wedding for some time now. The flowers are picked out and the venue is booked. Maybe you’re hoping for some good weather and no rain on your big day. What about pests causing problems on your wedding day?

Wedding Pest Control Treatments

A preventative treatment a few days before your BIG day can give you the pest-free wedding you were hoping for. Whether your wedding is indoors, outdoors, or both, we have a treatment that can stop pests from bothering your guests.

Having a wedding in or near Chester County, give us a call or send us a message to schedule a treatment!

Prevent Insects on your Wedding Day

Here in Chester County PA, we have several pests that can cause problems on your wedding day. Some of these pests include:

Mosquitoes
Flies
Spotted Lanternfly
Ants
Fleas
Bees/Wasps

Blood Feeding Insects at your Wedding!

Nothing is worse at a wedding than that feeling of an insect biting you. Whether it’s mosquitoes or fleas, no one wants the unpleasant feeling of an insect bite.

Mosquitoes are not invited to your wedding

To help knockdown those troublesome mosquitoes, we can perform a mosquito treatment before your event. Less mosquitoes mean less bother to your guests!

Fleas biting at your guests

Fleas living outside can easily bite your guests. No one wants to be bitten or to bring home one of these biting bugs! Our treatments can prevent fleas from being part of your big day!

You can learn more about our flea control here.

Bees and Wasps at the Wedding

Bees and wasps can cause great discomfort for your guests at your wedding. From trying to swat at these stinging insects to actually getting stung, don’t subject your guests to fighting these stinging insects.

Our bee and wasp treatments can help lessen the amount of bees and wasps around your big event.

Additional Information on our bee and wasps treatments

Fly Control and Fly Prevention

Nothing ruins a delicious looking plate of wedding food like seeing flies on it. These disease carrying insects can make even the best wedding food look unappealing.

A good fly treatment before your wedding can lower the fly population for your big day!

Spotted Lanternfly on your wedding day

The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species to Chester County PA. Even though the SLF won’t hurt any of your guests by biting or stinging, the SLF can be a HUGE nuisance to your guests.

Spotted Lanternfly Treatments Chester County — Spotted Lanternfly Treatments

The Spotted Lanternfly in its adult form in late summer and fall, can accumulate in great numbers. Just seeing how many of these insects are at your wedding can make your guests very uneasy.

The good news is that we can successfully treat for the spotted lanternfly making your wedding bug-free!

Ants and General Pests

After all of the pests that we just mentioned, we left the ants and other general pests for last. These pests are more of a nuisance than a problem for a wedding.

Don’t worry though, we have treatments that can still prevent these ants and other general pests from overstaying their welcome at your wedding!

Chester County Pest-Free Weddings!

We provide pest control and exterminating services to ensure that weddings and other outdoor events are pest-free!

From weddings to picnics we can ensure that your guests are focused on the fun of the event and NOT focused on pests!

Give us a call or send us a message make your wedding pest-free!

March 24, 2019March 20, 2019 Admin

Office Pest Control

Office pest control is the process of providing employees, product, and customers with a pest free environment. For some industries, a pest control program is required to maintain certifications. For other industries, a pest control program is simply to provide a work space that is free from pests

Why do offices need pest services?

When we think of commercial pest control services, we tend to think of restaurants and hotels. Restaurants and hotels are often required to have and maintain a pest control program. This is mostly due to the fact that they are providing food service or hospitality service.

Offices, like restaurants and hotels, have people coming and going throughout the day and week. These people may be customers, employees, delivery people, repair people, etc. With a lot of people coming and going, there is an increase in the likelihood that a pest will enter the office.

Offices that have more people coming and going throughout the day are at an increased threat of having a pest infestation. In the sections below, we will look at some specific pests that can cause issues for an office.

Types of offices with pest issues

There are many different reasons why a office would want and need pest control services. Depending on the location of the office, pest infestations could be likely. The type of office building and the condition of the building also play a role. Let’s look at some pests we typically find in office settings.

Common Pests found in offices

Just like your home, there are many pests that can infest an office. Depending on where the building is located, the condition of the building, what industry the office is in, the amount of employees, the amount of customers, and many other factors determine what types of pests an office may have.

General Office Pests

General office pests are nuisance pests that include ants, spiders, flies etc. Although not hazardous to humans, these types of pests are nuisances. The only time where general pests can become a problem is when the quality of the product or the comfort of the employees starts to suffer.

For offices that have customers that come to the office, spider webs, ants and other pests can demonstrate a lack of housekeeping in the office. This type of perception can lead to the customer believing that your office doesn’t much care to clean up or take care of the office space. Would you want to do business with a company that had ants and spiders all over their office

Rodents in the office

We have serviced many offices that have had rodent issues. The mouse in your office should be connected to a computer! From the reception area to the break room, rodents can and will make your office their home. Some of the employees even found rodents in the drawers of their desks!

Treating rodents in an office area can be tricky. You must be able to secure the rodent treatment in such a way that the employees and the public won’t have access to it. The rodent treatment should also be out of sight so that the customers don’t see that there is a rodent treatment in progress.

Rodent in the office can be successfully treated and eliminated. I prefer an exclusion method combined with exterior rodent control bait stations. By preventing the rodents from entering the structure, we can prevent rodent infestations inside of the office. The exterior rodent control stations can reduce the rodent population on the outside of the office and lessen the chance a that rodent can enter the office.

Additional Rodent Information

Termites in the office

Termites don’t just limit themselves to damaging homes. Termite damage can be found in office buildings as well. Unlike the nuisance pests above, termites can and do cause structural damage to an office.

Exterminator Downingtown — Prudential Pest Solutions

I have found termite activity in many offices. Termite treatments in offices are very similar to termite treatments in a home. Eliminating sources of moisture will aid in preventing future termite infestations.

Additional Office Termite Information

Bed Bugs in the office

Bed Bug Treatments West Chester — Bed Bug Treatment Chester County

Any time you have a group of people, you have a chance of coming in contact with bed bugs. Bed bugs feed on human blood. No matter how clean your office is, wherever there are people, there is a chance for bed bugs.

Even offices as sterile as a doctor’s office can have bed bugs. With so many people coming and going out of a waiting room, there is always a chance that a bed bug could be introduced.

I have serviced office building that have had bed bugs. One office that we serviced was full of office cubicles. This was the type of office where the employees stayed stationary at there cubicle for most of the day. A bed bug was brought in and it made its home in the upholstered chairs of the employees.

Bed bugs are mostly nocturnal, but since their primary food source (the employees) were there during the day, the bed bugs were active during the day. Imagine trying to perform your work and feeling bed bugs crawling on you!

Additional Bed Bug Information

Wildlife Infestations

Offices sometimes have to deal with wildlife infestations. From squirrels and bats, to raccoons and skunks, we have dealt with many wildlife issues in and near offices.

Bats in the office

Bats, like rodents, can enter an office through very small openings. Sometimes an office will call and think they have rodents when they actually have a bat.

Evicting bats from an office is very much like evicting bats from a home. The process involves finding any and all of the entrance points and sealing them up. This, of course, can only happen once the bats have left the structure.

Additional Bat Information

Squirrels in the office

From running through an open door to setting up a nest in the office, squirrels can and do cause issues for offices. Just like with squirrels in the home, squirrels in the office must be captured and removed. The opening, if not caused by an open door, needs to be found and sealed shut.

Another issue that squirrels can cause to an office is damage to employee vehicles. I once did a squirrel trapping operation in a huge office building parking lot because the squirrels were damaging employee vehicles.

Just like other rodents, squirrels have to chew. They sometimes will get under cars and chew at the wiring. With how electronic cars are today, the damage can be substantial.

Seeing a lot of squirrels around the office building can be cause for some concern. Whether the squirrels get into the office or damage cars, too many squirrels can be a problem.

Oftentimes simply trapping and removing some of the squirrels once or twice a year is enough to prevent squirrel problems.

Groundhog in the office

I once got a call from an auto parts store that they had a groundhog trapped in the back warehouse. The groundhog ran in through an open door and became trapped inside. Although not very common, groundhogs, like any animal can enter the office if there is a door open.

Most often we handle groundhog issues because they are digging on the outside of the office. When groundhogs dig at the foundation of the building, they can cause tremendous damage.

Groundhogs create den holes that are quite large in diameter. When rain and other water is able to enter the hole they created, it can cause substantial damage to the foundation of the office.

Groundhogs, like any rodent issue at an office, need to be dealt with to prevent damage and employee danger. Trapping is the most effective way to capture and remove a nuisance groundhog. The safety of the public and the employees should always be the first priority when trapping the groundhog.

Depending on where the groundhog was creating its den, exclusion can be used to prevent future infestation. Since these are digging animals, the exclusion material usually must be buried to a depth of at least 12-18 inches.

Skunks around the office

Just like groundhogs, skunks are digging animals that can cause damage to the structure and foundation. Skunks have the added problem of when startled or threatened, emitting a strong and powerful odor.

No one, and this includes the employees at the office, wants to be sprayed by a skunk. Trapping and removal is the best method for eliminating a skunk issue. Exclusion can also be used if the skunk den is under a structure or patio

Raccoons around the office

Every year a company would call and say that the raccoons were back. This company had a large barn style building that stored their building materials. Every year, like clockwork, the pregnant raccoons would climb into the open roof soffit areas and have their litter.

This would result in having to capture and remove the adult and young raccoons every year. Exclusion wasn’t really a viable option since the structure was so open to the outside.

Just like with the other wildlife mentioned above, capturing and removing the nuisance raccoons is the best method for eliminating the raccoon issue.

Office Pest Control Service Plans

The type of office and their current pest issues, will determine their need for a office pest control service plan.

For some offices, a monthly service plan is the best choice. For other offices, a quarterly service is all that is needed.

No matter what type of office it is, an office can enroll in a pest control service plan.

Why should offices have a pest service plan?

Office pest control service plans can keep the office pest-free year-round. This is important for the employees that work in the office and for the customers who come to the office. A pest-free office is a clean office.

Pest control service plans can also provide a more detailed inspection of the premises. Small pest issues can be prevented from becoming full on infestations by having a pest control plan in place.

A good exterminator will be checking for signs of pests at every service. We are often able to eliminate small pest issues before they become infestations.

What is finding a bed bug issue BEFORE the office is infested worth to you?

Office Pest Control Chester County

We provide office pest control and exterminating services to Chester County PA. No matter the size or number of employees, we can tailor fit a pest control program for your office.

Prudential Pest Office Pest Control

We can provide the following services for your office:

Inspections
Treatments
Employee Training
Preventative Plans
and much more!

Chester County Office Pest Control

If you work in Chester County, we have a pest solution for your office. Give us a call or send us a message to get you office pest free!

Additional Information

March 20, 2019March 28, 2019 Admin

Groundhog Control Chester County

Wildlife and Groundhog removal and trapping services

We provide groundhog control and removal services for Chester County. Groundhogs, also called woodchucks, are large burrowing rodents that can cause extensive damage in Pennsylvania.

Ready to have your groundhogs trapped and removed, click here?

Groundhog Trapping and Removal

Trapping and Removing Groundhogs is the best method for groundhog control. By physically removing the nuisance animal, we can be sure that the groundhog issue is resolved.

We are fully licensed and insured to trap, handle, and remove groundhogs in Chester County. All wildlife is handled in a humane and effective manner.

You can rest easy knowing that when you trust Prudential Pest Solutions with your wildlife issue, it WILL be resolved.

Want to schedule a trapping program? Contact us here.

Groundhog Exclusion and Prevention

Groundhogs and Woodchucks are burrowing animals. Their underground dens can be located under sheds, porches, decks, against building foundations, or simply out in the ground.

We can prevent groundhogs and other burrowing animals from creating dens under your shed, porch, and deck. Even if you currently have a groundhog under your porch, we can trap and remove the groundhog and then provide exclusion services so that no new groundhogs can move in.

Groundhog Exterminator Chester County

Prudential Pest Solutions can trap and remove your groundhogs in a safe and humane manner. Our experienced wildlife technicians are licensed and insured to perform wildlife control work.

With permits from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, you can trust that we can resolve your groundhog issue.

Give us a call, or send us a message and we will send those groundhogs packing!

Additional Information

March 17, 2019March 30, 2020 Admin

How often should the exterminator come to my house?

How often should the exterminator come to my house is a very common question that we get asked. There are many factors that go into how frequent you may need pest control services.

Below we will explore some the factors that determine how often you may need an exterminator at your home

What type of pest problem are you having?

The type of pest problem that you are experiencing is a big factor in how often you will need pest control services

General Household Pests

I consider general household pests to be ants, spiders, centipedes, and other common insects we find in homes. Sometimes a one-time treatment will resolve these types of pest issues. Below we discuss one-time treatments.

For most household pest issues, the frequency of service will be determined by the homeowner. If the homeowner just wants a one-time treatment, then we can treat and they will see LESS pests.

Many clients that have general household pest issues enroll in a year-round pest plan. We discuss this option below

Rodent Issues

Rodent issues and infestations usually fall into 2 categories. The rodent issue is either infrequent or it is a yearly problem.

For rodent issues that occur on a yearly basis, the strategy is to reduce the rodent population around the home. This is best accomplished by installing exterior rodent control stations around the home.

Depending on the severity of the infestation, these stations should be checked, cleaned out, and re-filled 2-3 weeks after the initial service. The activity level after the follow-up visit will determine the frequency of pest control visits.

Prudential Pest Solutions’ Rodent Approach

Our goal with rodent treatments is to eliminate the rodents inside of the home and then reduce the rodent population outside around the home. After our initial visit, we will perform a follow-up service 2-4 weeks later.

If we find that rodent activity on the outside of the home remains during the follow-up visit, then we schedule another follow-up treatment 4 weeks later. The goal is to reduce the rodent population so that we need to service every 3 months, or 4 times a year.

Of course the best method for rodent treatment is prevention and exclusion. In addition to us checking and maintaining the exterior rodent control stations, we are also inspecting and sealing and potential rodent entrances around the home.

Additional Rodent Information

Roach Problems

Cockroach problems are typically an on-going issue. This means that after the initial service, a follow-up service is usually scheduled for 3-4 weeks later. After the initial and follow-up services, the roach activity is evaluated and further treatments may be recommended.

It is very common to need monthly treatments for an on-going roach problem. This is especially true in multi-family housing and apartment situations. With pipes and electrical lines running between units, it is very easy for roaches to travel between units.

Many apartment complexes and multi-family housing contract regular pest control services. The frequency of pest control service depends on the number of units, the frequency of pest issues, and the tenant turnover rate.

Commonly in Pennsylvania, a monthly service for roaches is what is needed. Sometimes the roach issue is resolved and the treatment frequency can be reduced to 3-4 times a year.

You can learn more about roach control here.

Bed Bugs

Just like roaches, bed bug treatment frequency will depend on many factors. How bad is the infestation? Where do you think you picked up bed bugs?

When we are evaluating bed bug infestations, we must account for these questions, as well as many more.

On average, it will take 2-4 treatments to get a bed bug issue under control. These treatments will usually be scheduled every 2-4 weeks after the initial services.

Additional Bed Bug Information

Seasonal Invaders

Seasonal invaders are pests that are an issue only during certain times of the year. We have many seasonal invaders in Pennsylvania.

Sometimes these pest issues can be resolved with an one-time treatment. For other pests, you may need a few treatments to get the issue under control.

Spotted Lanternfly Treatments

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species in Chester County Pennsylvania. Since the spotted lanternfly goes through different life cycles, treatments and treatment times will vary.

We offer spotted lanternfly treatments to our Chester County clients. Usually you will need 3 treatments if we are doing a topical application. Systemic treatments may only require 1 treatment to have the desired outcome

Additional Spotted Lanternfly Information

Where do you live?

Where you live in the world and the USA will play a heavy part in how often you may require exterminator services.

Different Climates mean different pest pressures

If you live in the southern USA, the mild winters and hot summers lead to much more pest activity than the northern USA.

Here in Chester County Pennsylvania, we have fairly cold winters, and hot, humid summers. Although the winter brings relief from pests outside, the insects are adapted to the cold and return in the spring.

Many adult insects die off in the winter, leaving their eggs or larva to survive until spring. Although you may not think of needing an exterminator in the winter, there are many pest species that are active in the cold months.

Additional Information on Winter Pest Control

What type of pest treatment would you like?

The type of treatment that you are expecting will also play a role in how often the pest control services will be.

Regular Pest Service

A regular pest service involves the use of chemical insecticides to control and treat for their listed pests. Chemical insecticides have longer residual times than their natural counterparts. This means that the chemical insecticides will last longer than the natural pesticides.

I would say on average, a liquid spray of a chemical insecticide will last approximately 30-45 days. This is impacted by temperature, light, and moisture.

For insecticide dusts, the residual time can be anywhere from 6 months to 10 years! Again, these ranges are varied by temperature, light exposure, and moisture.

For a regular pest service, a treatment frequency of every 3-4 months is pretty common in Pennsylvania. This would allow the pest control company to service 3-4 times per year.

Natural Pest Service

Natural pest control products do not utilize man-made chemicals to control pests. They rely on natural compounds such as diatomaceous earth, natural oils, and boric acid.

While these products can certainly be effective in preventing certain pests, they will NOT last as long as their chemical counterparts.

For liquid applications of natural products, the residual time may be as short as a day or two. This is far shorter than the chemical based insecticides which can last for well over a month.

The dust forms of the natural compounds will last longer than the liquid forms. Some may even last as long as their chemical equivalents.

If you wish to pursue a natural pest control program, you can expect the frequency of your pest control services to be much greater. Depending on the treatment and pest issue, this could mean scheduling services every other week to ever month.

Just like with chemical insecticides, natural products are affected by light, temperature, and moisture.

Additional Information on Natural Pest Control

Types of Pest Control Plans

Every pest control company offers some type of pest control plan. We offer a variety of pest plans that can keep our clients pest free.

Year-round Pest Protection

Year-round pest protection involves performing preventative pest control services so that infestations are stopped BEFORE they begin.

We offer many year-round pest protection plans. Our most common, and the most common in the pest control industry, is quarterly service plan. This plan includes a treatment every 3 months, year-round.

Pest Control Service Agreements

Exterior Only Treatments

Some of our clients only prefer an exterior treatment. For these types of treatment plans, a service every 2-3 months is necessary. Usually the services can be spread out throughout the warm, insect heavy months.

One-Time Treatments

One-time pest treatments are when a service is performed one-time for a specific problem. Sometimes a one-time treatment will be for general pest maintenance, although this is not the best pest maintenance strategy.

I tell folks that a one-time treatment will result in you seeing less insects. As we discussed above, the chemical or natural approach have residual times of a few months AT BEST.

This means that the one-time treatment will knock-down the pest issue but will not be a long term strategy

Pest Control and Exterminator Experts

Give us a call or text us at (484) 401-4361 to speak with a pest control and exterminator expert!

Additional Reading

March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 Admin

Sealing out Pests

Seal out the pests so they can’t enter your home!

Check your home for pest entrances

When checking your home for potential pest entrances it is very easy to focus on BIG openings. Big openings for rodents and wildlife are generally more noticeable than insect entrances

In the video, we were at a home that did NOT currently have a pest issue. By performing a thorough pest inspection, we identified a gap where some flashing met with the brick wall.

At one point in time, the caulk that filled this gap was tight and sealed. Now, however, the caulk has deteriorated to a point that a gap is formed. Crawling insects such as ants and spiders LOVE to enter a home through gaps like these.

Other Areas to Check

When inspecting a home for pest entrances, you will want to focus on a few key areas. These are areas where brick or stone meets with flashing, siding, fascia boards, and trim. These areas often have gaps where caulk was once installed, or no caulk ever was used.

Insects for the most part will enter the home through a gap that is already there as opposed to causing damage to enter the home. Obviously there are exceptions to this but for the most part if the home is sealed up, then the likelihood of a pest infestation is decreased.

Treating BEFORE Sealing

If there is a current insect infestation, then sealing up the gap should happen AFTER the infestation has been resolved. Had there been an active infestation or pests actively using the gap in the video, we would have treated and then sealed up the gap at a later time. This would allow the treatment to be most effective for the insects inside and outside of the home.

What to treat with?

In the video, we use a silica insecticide dust called Cimexa. Cimexa is an AWESOME product for a few different reasons. I really like Cimexa because of its low toxicity and long residual time. When left undisturbed, the dust can last 10 years!

There are many different types of insecticide dust that could be applied to the gap before sealing shut. ALWAYS read the label and ONLY apply the dust in manner that is allowed by the label.

I would not recommend using a liquid spray into the gap area. Sprays, which are liquid based, can lead to excess moisture in an area that will have no airflow once sealed up. Sprays also do not have the long residual times that dusts have.

By using Cimexa, the area behind the gap will have lasting protection against future insects. In fact, the dust will still probably be active even after the new caulk has broken down!

Insects that like to invade these areas

In the video we mention that ants, spiders, and many other crawling insects will enter the home through the gaps shown. I have also seen yellow jackets and other wasps enter through these gaps as well. The yellow jackets or wasps will make their nest in a wall void inside of the home after entering through the crack.

By applying a dust and sealing up the crack and gap, we can prevent insect infestations in these areas

March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 Admin

Yellow Jacket Nest in Basement

We were performing an initial service for a new client that had just enrolled in one of our pest plans. When I opened a ceiling tile in the basement, I came face to face with this yellow jacket nest!

Since our service was taking place in early March, there was no danger of the nest being active. Had this been found in the summertime, it would have been much more interesting.

Yellow Jacket Removal Chester County

We provide yellow jacket removal services in Chester County. Our yellow jacket treatments will eradicate the nest and leave your home safer and pest free!

Pest Plans Chester County

Our residential pest plans can get your home pest and rodent free. Our affordable, professional, and effective treatments and preventative methods will keep your home pest free!

Give us a call or send us a message to get pest free today!

Additional Yellow Jacket Information

March 4, 2019March 1, 2020 Admin

Life of a Carpenter Bee

I found an interesting article in the 1962 edition of Annals of the Entomological Society of America on the Life of a Carpenter Bee. Although written almost 60 years ago, the author provides some great insight into the daily and yearly habits of the carpenter bee

The carpenter bees used in the study are Xylocpa Virginica. This species is found in Chester County and throughout all of Pennsylvania and all of the Eastern coast of the U.S.

Carpenter Bee Identification

Carpenter bees are large bees that resemble bumble bees. You will most likely encounter them hovering around wooden structures where they have created nests.

Carpenter Bee Life Cycle

Carpenter bees are mostly active during the warm summer months. We start to receive calls about carpenter bee treatments in May and continue through August.

Carpenter Bee Mating and Breeding

In the study, Balduf describes the mating and breeding habits of the carpenter bee. The carpenter bees emerge from their nests when the weather warms up in mid to late spring. Once they emerge, they will begin to search for nectar and a mate.

From mid spring through mid summer, it is very common to see carpenter bees “swirling” together in the air. This is part of their mating habit. It is very common to see more than 2 bees together in their circling mating habit. I have seen multiple bees together crash into the ground, separate, and then fly off together.

There is strong evidence that the actual mating takes place inside of the nest itself. This is supported by the observation of male bees that will hover near the openings of female nests.

Carpenter Bee Eggs and Larva

Female carpenter bees can lay up to 6 eggs total. The female will deposit the egg onto a “bread” that they create out of pollen and nectar. The egg and food are then sealed into a chamber of the nest.

The sealed eggs are placed in sequence with the oldest and first laid egg in the very back. This first laid egg will develop first and must chew its way past the other eggs and larva.

Carpenter Bees throughout the year

New bees will develop and emerge from the nest around August/September every year. The new bees will forage for some resources and then hibernate for the winter.

The adult carpenter bees that you have been swatting at all summer will typically not survive to winter. This means that next generation of carpenter bees usually has no contact with the previous generation.

Carpenter Bees Hibernate

During the winter months, the carpenter bees were seen in a hibernation pattern. This involves the bees hibernating front to back in a single chamber of the nest. The formation will face away from the main nest opening.

When the weather begins to warm in the spring, the carpenter bees will emerge and begin the process again

Carpenter Bee Nests

Now that we’ve described the life cycle of the carpenter bee, let’s look at where and how they live.

The above diagram was documented in Baldruf’s study. It shows a cross section view of 3 different nests. In the study, Baldruf describes how many live carpenter bees were found in each nest.

Each of these nests, when cut open, was discovered to have between 6-10 adult carpenter bees. The nests ranged in length from 10-14 inches.

The bottom nest, #3, is shown to have brood cells. In section C of nest #3, we can see the segments of the brood cells. The segments are the different sealed egg chambers described above. We can see that there are 5 separate chambers with the first laid one being to the far right.

Carpenter Bee Nest Locations

Carpenter Bee nests are fairly easy to spot. They prefer unpainted and untreated wood. Carpenter bees will drill a 1/2″ sized entrance hole perpendicular to the wood grain. Once they have drilled in approximately 1/2″, they will drill with the grain of the wood to create their galleries seen in the diagram above.

Carpenter bees nests will have piles of sawdust under them from their drilling process. The nest may also have what looks like yellow/brown splash marks on the opposite wall. This is from their excrement from drilling into the wood and then expelling it as they exit the nest.

Carpenter Bee Nest Damage

When we thing about wood damaging and destroying insects, we think of termites, wood beetles, and carpenter ants. Carpenter Bees are also in this category of wood destroyers. Although their damage is more cosmetic than structural, carpenter bees can still cause tremendous damage.

Carpenter Bees are Pollinators

In addition to being wood destroying insects, carpenter bees are also pollinators. They use the nectar to provide nourishment for themselves and their brood.

Unlike honey bees and bumble bees, there are FAR less carpenter bees around. This means that carpenter bees are not important pollinators.

Carpenter Bee Treatments

Since carpenter bees create their nests in wood, that is where the treatment should be located. The application of an insecticide dust into each nest opening is a very effective treatment for carpenter bees.

If you would like to learn more about carpenter bee treatments, check out our page on carpenter bees here

Carpenter Bee Recap

Carpenter bees large, nuisance bees that can be safely and effectively treated. For most situations, simply having all of the wood painted will be enough to deter most carpenter bees.

Since one female carpenter bee can create up to six carpenter bees come fall, it is important to not delay treatment. Over the course of a few years, your seemingly small carpenter bee problem can escalate rather quickly.

Carpenter Bee Treatments Chester County

We provide carpenter bee treatments in Chester County PA. If you live or work in Chester County and would like to schedule a carpenter bee treatment, give us a call or send us a message!

Pest Control West Chester — Prudential Pest Solutions

Additional Information

Citations

W. V. Balduf; Life of the Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa virginica (Linn.) (Xylocopidae, Hymenoptera), Annals of the Entomological Society of America, Volume 55, Issue 3, 1 May 1962, Pages 263–271, https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/55.3.263

February 27, 2019February 2, 2020 Admin

Real Estate Inspections

The home buying process can be a stressful time. For most people, a home purchase will be the largest purchase of their lives. We provide termite inspection and wood destroying insect inspections to inform potential buyers of insect activity on the property.

Termite Inspections WDI

We provide termite inspection reports for real estate transactions. As part of the home buying process, many lenders will require a wood destroying insect (WDI) report as part of the real estate inspection.

In addition to termites, the WDI inspector is looking for any and all signs and evidence of wood destroying insects.

Some common species of wood destroying insects found in Chester County include:

Cost of Termite Inspection and Report

We can perform the WDI inspection and send the report for a cost of $85 for our Chester County clients.

What happens if termites are found?

If the inspection finds that there is wood destroying insect activity, we will note that on the report. If a treatment is recommended, it will state so on the report as well.

Once a treatment is recommended, the buyer and seller of the house will agree on the treatment cost and process.

We provide treatments for any wood destroying insect noted on the report.

Most termite treatments will come with a warranty that will extend to the home buyer. This warranty can put the home buyer at ease about purchasing a home that has been recently treated.

Termite Inspections and WDI

We provide termite inspections and WDI reports for all of Chester County.

Give us a call or send us a message to schedule your inspection!