How Do Ants Get in Your House (and How to Get Them Out)

Ants live nearly everywhere all around the world – in distant lands, close to home, and right in our own backyards. Ants are an important part of the natural ecosystem, but of course, they belong outside in nature and not inside our homes.

Here are some answers to the question of “how do ants get in your house?” and solutions for what to do when you discover ants indoors.

Cracks in Walls

Even the most expertly crafted houses are prone to cracking over time. Ants are tiny creatures, so it should come as no surprise that they can squeeze through miniature cracks that go unnoticed by the human eye. Cracking often occurs around door and window frames, as well as where the walls meet the floors and ceilings.

Windows and Doors

Ants often access homes through windows and doors that are left open to allow some fresh air inside. Ants easily crawl through screens and can even sneak in quickly as you are entering and exiting your home.

The Floors

Regardless of whether you have hardwood floors, tile floors, or carpeting, ants can access a home through the flooring. Ants often live underground and come in through surfaces of a floor covering or by squeezing through the sub-flooring.

The Foundation

The foundation of your home is also a common entry point for ants because this part of the home is prone to gaps over time. Ants that enter a home through the foundation can cause major structural damage if nothing is done about the situation promptly.

Utility Lines

The various utilities that you pay for in your home – water, gas, electricity, and cable TV – can also help ants take up residence at your house. When utility lines are installed, intentional gaps are created to run the wiring. Ants can find their way through these gaps and start multiplying inside a home.

Carried Inside by Accident

Even if your house is in perfect condition, ants can still get inside if you accidently bring them in with you. Kids or pets carrying toys inside could be bringing ants along with them. Another common cause is plants that are brought from the outdoors to inside a home so that they don’t freeze during cold weather.

What to Do When You Find Ants in Your House

If you discover ants inside your home, it is a good idea to follow the trail of ants to see how they are coming in. For minor ant issues, you may try spraying the entry point and infested area with a commercial product or DIY recipe for ant control. But if you want to be sure that ants are out of your space and don’t come back, it is best to call a professional to assess the entry point situation and take care of all possible access areas.

Precise Termite & Pest Control offers free ant inspections to help you prevent ant problems and take care of existing infestations. We will determine the type of ants you’re dealing with, the extent of the infestation, and how to keep the ants away for good. If you don’t take action on an ant problem right away, you could risk contaminating the food in your house, putting the structural integrity of your home at risk, and having many sleepless nights just thinking about the creepy feeling of ants crawling all over you!

Contact us any time you suspect an ant issue in your home and we will get the situation handled quickly, efficiently, and affordably.

How to Tell If You Have Mice in Your Attic

Mice are resilient little rodents that seem to be able to take up residence nearly anywhere. But one of the most common places that you will find mice is the attic. Mice in this location can present a tricky situation because many homeowners don’t spend much time in their attics and don’t even realize mice are living there.

Here is some information about how to tell if you have mice in your attic and what to do about the rodent activity once you discover it.

How Mice Get in the Attic

Some people are surprised that mice are even able to access attics because of the height and minimal doors and windows for access. However, mice can find the tiniest cracks in a home and get up that high by climbing gutters or jumping from tree branches onto roofs. Attics are actually preferred habitats for mice because attics are typically warm, dark, dry, and free of human activity.

What to Listen for

Mice often make scratching and scurrying sounds, so these are things to listen for above your ceiling. You may hear the sounds of tiny running feet above you, which is a sure sign that mice are in the vicinity and could spread to other parts of your home too.

What to Look for

Even if you only use your attic for storage, it is important to inspect your attic regularly to ensure that no unwanted house guests are up here. Signs of what to look for are pools of mice urine, mouse fecal droppings, and grease marks along the walls. You may also see chew marks on wires in your attic, nesting materials (like paper and cloth) gathered together, and burrows through your attic insulation. Another sure sign that you have mice is if you see a live or dead mouse among your belongings. Mice rarely exist as individuals, so where you find one, you will likely find more later if you look closely.

Preventing Mice in the Attic

In addition to regularly visiting your attic to check for sounds and sights of mice, there are additional things that you can do to be proactive about rodent infestations. To start, keep your attic clean and free of unnecessary clutter. If you notice any cracks in the attic area, patch them up so that mice don’t have an easy access point.

Do not store food in your attic, or if you must store food here, make sure it is secured in sealed containers that mice cannot chew through. Also, take a walk around your property and take note if any tree branches or bushes are very close to your home that would enable a mouse to jump on top of your roof and get into the attic.

Who to Call for Mice in the Attic

For over 30 years, Precise Termite & Pest Control has been keeping Northern New Jersey protected from attic mice. We understand the risks involved in exterminating mice and the best tactics for keeping them away from local homes. When you call us for a free inspection, we can determine if there are signs of mice in your attic, where the mice entry points are, and the best course of action for getting mice out of this space. We’ll also come up with a plan to keep mice out of your attic so that you only need to schedule an annual, preventative inspection rather than dealing with an emergency infestation situation in the future.

Call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online today to learn more!

How to Prepare for an Exterminator for Mice in Your Home

So, you have a mouse problem and have made the smart decision to call an exterminator to come handle the situation. Great!

Now, the next step is to get ready for your exterminator to come so that this trip out to your home is as effective and efficient as possible. Here are some tips for how to prepare for an exterminator for mice so that you are ready for the day that Precise Pest Control comes to your home.

What to Clean Up Before the Exterminator Comes

To help exterminators do their job, clear household items away from areas with rodent activity before they arrive. This may involve taking items out from beneath sinks, inside closets, or around the refrigerator. Some people wonder if they should leave mouse droppings where they are found until the exterminator arrives. The answer to this question is no, because you’ll want to clean up any droppings as soon as you notice them for the health and safety of everyone in your household.

Prior to your exterminator’s visit, patch up any noticeable holes that you can find around your house, such as in the walls, around doors, or by the baseboards. If you live in an apartment, tell your landlord or management company about gaps, cracks, and holes so that they can be fixed promptly. Another tip for how to prepare for an exterminator is to properly store away food in containers that mice can’t chew through them and to place storage items, such as documents and clothing, into mice-proof boxes instead of cardboard ones.

Preparing for Your Exterminator’s Questions

When your Precise Pest Control exterminator arrives, he or she will ask questions about where mice activity has been noticed and how severe the problem has been. Before your pest control appointment, you may want to jot down notes about when you last saw live or dead mice, along with their location. You should also be prepared to answer an exterminator’s questions about the types of treatments that you are comfortable with if you have kids or pets in the house and what precautions you have already taken to keep mice out of your home.

Questions to Ask Your Exterminator

It’s also a good idea to have a list of your own questions as you prepare for an exterminator to come. First, you’ll want to hire a pest control company that has substantial experience, good reviews, and is licensed, and insured. Precise Pest Control has all of those things and much more to offer!

You may also want to ask your exterminator about why the chosen method of pest control is best, how safe the treatment is for kids and pets, and how to keep mice away for good. Other good questions to ask are what the cost of extermination services will be and if you need to leave your house during the extermination process.

Call for Your Free Estimate Today!

At Precise Pest Control, we specialize in mice control and have been in this business for over 30 years. We offer free inspections and are here to answer all of your questions to make the extermination process quick, effective, and affordable. Contact us today at 866-971-2847 to learn more!

Understanding Bee Swarms and How to Deal with Them

Bees are known for doing lots of different things, such as flying, buzzing, and pollinating flowers. But something else that bees do is swarm, which is how bee colonies continue to survive and create new colonies. Swarming is a natural and essential part of a bee’s life, but seeing a swarm of bees can be very concerning for an unsuspecting homeowner.

Here is what you should know about bee swarms and what to do when you see swarms of bees around your house.

What Are Bee Swarms?

A bee swarm looks like a mass of bees moving together through the air. Bees swarm for a few different reasons. For example, swarming occurs when a bee hive gets too crowded and some of the bees must move on to a different location. Also, all of the bees in a colony might leave an existing hive because of lack and food or water, a human disturbance, or other issues that put the bees at risk.

Why Swarms of Bees Are a Problem

Bee swarms can be very unsettling to see around your home, but swarming time is actually when bees are most docile. At this time, the bees are primarily concerned with relocating rather than defending themselves. After a swarm of bees find its new home, they will return to defensive mode in full force to protect the queen as she lays eggs and as they start building wax comb.

Yet bee swarms can be problematic for homeowners because of the fear they cause people, especially kids and anyone who is allergic to bees. Pest control companies like Precise Termite & Pest Control, often receive panicked phone calls from residents about bee swarms. But it’s important to remember that bees are essential to our ecosystem, that swarming bees are typically less dangerous than non-swarming bees, and that we are just a phone call away (866-971-2847) whenever you need help.

When and How Long Bee Swarms Happen

Bee swarms are most common during the spring, but they can happen any time between spring and fall. The most common months for bee swarms are April, May, and June.

Bees are most likely to swarm on days with pleasant weather and between the hours of 10am and 2pm. Swarming may last between 24 and 36 hours. The swarm may linger in your yard for just a few hours up to a couple days before moving on.

What You Should Do If You See Swarms of Bees

Although it might be difficult in the moment, the first thing to do when you see a swarm of bees is to react calmly and not panic. For your own safety, do not attention to corral the swarm, spray it, catch it, or disturb it in any way. Dealing with bees requires protective gear and training in beekeeping.

Swarms of bees are actually quite beautiful to watch, so you might even want to grab your phone and take a video – from a safe distance away, of course. If the swarm becomes problematic, you can contact your local beekeeper association to have a beekeeper come out to your property and catch the swarm and transfer them to a backyard apiary. You can also contact Precise Termite & Pest Control for professional bee elimination services. We are committed to serving the counties of Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex, and Sussex.

Tips for How to Get Rid of Mice in Your Basement

Mice are resilient little rodents who to take up residence nearly anywhere in a home or yard. However, one of the most common places for mice to live in a home is the basement. There are a few different ways that mice get into basements, and this can cause a variety of problems for homeowners.

Fortunately, Precise Termite & Pest Control is here to help get rid of mice in your basement and keep them out of this area of your home.

Why Mice Live in Basements

There are various things that attract mice to basement areas, such as storage boxes and piles of clutter. These are prime places for mice to build nests, so it is best to use plastic storage containers instead of cardboard boxes and to place them away from walls to eliminate hiding spaces. There are lots of excellent hiding places in basements, so keep the area free of clutter to deter mice.

Mice may choose to live in a basement if there is food stored there or exposed insulation lying around to provide an attractive nesting spot. Basements are also preferred by mice because they tend to be dark, cool, and have less human activity than other parts of a home.

How Mice Get Into Basements

Mice often get into basements through holes and cracks that aren’t properly sealed up. Mice only need a tiny amount of space to squeeze through, so you might not even notice miniature gaps around plumbing, wiring, floors, and where the foundation meets the ground.

One of the first steps in mouse control is finding the entry point that mice use to get inside and sealing any openings that exist. Signs that you have mice in the basement are tracks on the floor, gnaw marks, a musky smell, and fecal droppings. Even a single mouse in a basement can be an issue because of the risk of spreading diseases, such as salmonellosis and leptospirosis, through their excrement. Another with mice risk is the spread of parasites, including mites, fleas, and ticks. Mice can also cause a lot of damage in a basement if they chew through electrical wiring and create dangerous fire hazards.

We Can Help Get Rid of Mice in Basements

At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we regularly help New Jersey residents get rid of mice in their basements by determining how they are accessing the space and by deploying various rodent control tactics based on the situation. Our extermination professionals know the safest and most effective ways to deal with basement mice.

To prevent mice from coming back into your basement, we will develop a strategy with you that may include removing food sources in the basement, sealing up trash, fixing water leaks, and sealing the home’s foundation. It may also help to put weather stripping around the basement door to prevent mice in the basement from traveling to other parts of the house as well.

We offer same-day service for customers in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex, and Sussex counties to get your mice problem resolved right away. Contact us at 866-971-2847 for more information about how we get rid of mice in basements and for a free inspection of your basement and other areas of your home.

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes in the House

Most mosquito problems take place in the outdoors, whether its in the backyard, in parks, or along hiking trails in the woods. But mosquitos can make their way indoors too, which causes an additional set of headaches for families in the summertime.

In this article, we explore how mosquitoes get into houses, how long they can live indoors, and ways to get rid of mosquitoes that have entered your home.

How Are Mosquitoes Getting in My House?

Mosquitoes prefer to live near stagnant water and wet areas, which you may have around the inside of your home. Interior water features, pet water bowls, and houseplants are favorite places among mosquitoes. Mosquitos may also live around gutters that aren’t draining properly, toilets, utility sinks, laundry rooms, air coolers, and places that have become damp due to plumbing leaks.

These insects enter homes through gaps in doors and windows, which is a good reason to fix your screens and seal up gaps. Repair screens with a patch kit, place a door strip under doors where you can see light coming through, or pick up some weather stripping materials to make repairs. You can prevent mosquitoes from breeding inside your home by eliminating pooled water around your air conditioning unit and by making sure that drains are cleaned regularly and covered when possible.

How Long Do Mosquitoes Live Indoors?

In an indoor environment, mosquitoes can live for quite a while, typically about four to 30 days. The average lifespan of a mosquito is approximately two to three weeks. But a larger concern is if a female mosquito lays eggs and gives birth to baby mosquitos to cause a full-blown infestation.

Ways to Get Rid of Indoor Mosquitoes

While many homeowners use pest control sprays in the outdoors to handle mosquito problems, some people are more hesitant to use certain products indoors because of the close exposure to humans and pets. Therefore, it may be worth trying one or more natural ways to repel mosquitoes inside your home, such as citronella, lemon eucalyptus oil, lavender, cinnamon, or Greek catnip oil.

It may also help to place mosquito-repellent plants inside your home, such as marigolds, mint, or lemongrass. Other home remedies to try for interior mosquito problems include putting sliced lemons and cloves around your home and laying out a dish of soapy water to attract and kill mosquitoes. For a DIY approach, there are also mosquito zappers that are suitable for indoor use and that are typically smaller and quieter than the loud and bright devices that are used in outdoor spaces.

How Our Exterminators Can Help

However, the best way to prevent interior mosquitoes is to control them outside before they even have a chance to come indoors. Precise Termite & Pest Control offers Bergen County, Passaic County, Morris County, Sussex County, and Essex County mosquito control services and can get your outside mosquito problem under control so that you don’t even have to worry about these insects being inside your house. We can help you determine the source of your mosquito issue, safely exterminate them, and take precautions to ensure that they don’t come back again.

For a free mosquito inspection, contact Precise Termite & Pest Control at 866-971-2847 or fill out our online form. We look forward to helping you get mosquitoes off of your property and out of your life for good.

Why Do Ants Keep Coming Back and How to Keep Them Away

If you have ever had an ant problem around your home, then you understand what a relief it is to finally have them gone. But what happens if the ants keep coming back after spraying? This situation is more common than you might think, but there are effective ways to stop the cycle of infestation and live an ant-free lifestyle for good.

Here is some information about why ants keep coming back to your home and ant extermination strategies that work for the long-term.

The Original Colony Still Exists

One possible reason why ants keep coming back is that you didn’t kill all of them from your last infestation. Ants live in large groups, so if you only addressed them in one part of your home, they might still be thriving in a different area.

For example, if you only sprayed ants when you happened to see them, the rest of the colony might be staying more hidden and working on reproducing. The best way to tackle a colony of ants is often to place bait in numerous ant-prone area because ants will consume the bait and then take it back to the nest, where they will poison other ants living there too.

Attractive Spaces Are Still Around

If you didn’t follow the preventative instructions from your exterminator after the last time you had an ant problem, they might come back again. Ants look for food, water, and shelter to survive, so a new colony of ants could take up residence at your home if you are still providing those basic necessities.

To prevent the same type of ant problem from happening again, store food in airtight containers, clean up spills and crumbs regularly, and eliminate standing water from all areas of your home and yard. Things that commonly attract ants inside a home are moisture, clutter, food scraps, garbage, nature debris, and holes and cracks as entry points.

Your DIY Treatment Wasn’t Effective

Many people choose to take a DIY approach to ant control, which may be attractive as an affordable option but is often not effective in the long run. Different types of ants may require different types of treatment, which you might not realize unless you have been trained in professional extermination practices.

Meanwhile, Precise Termite & Pest Control offers expert solutions for ant issues that take into account the type of ants on your property, the extent of their presence, and what is attracting them the most. Killing ants upon contact simply isn’t good enough, but we can help you devise a better strategy for keeping them from coming back.

How to Keep Ants from Coming Back

At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we are dedicated to keep preventing from coming back by deploying the best extermination and prevention methods in the industry. We are your local ant extermination experts who understand the types of ants that cause problems in Bergen County and long-term strategies needed to keep them out in nature where they belong rather than around your house and yard.

To learn more about our ant control methods and for a free ant inspection, contact us today at 866-971-2847. Keeping ants away in Northern New Jersey is definitely possible with Precise Termite & Pest Control on your side.

Ants vs. Humans: Understanding the Relationship Between Us

Ants and humans have always coexisted in the world since the beginning of time, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with them when you have an infestation in your home. This article explores the relationship of ants vs. humans so that you can take control of the situation and live safely and happily in an ant-free zone.

Why Ants Enter Our Homes

Ants, like all creatures on our planet, need food to eat and a comfortable place to live. Ants are no exception to this rule and often find their way into human homes in search of nourishment and habitat. They are resilient insects that can survive in a wide range of conditions. Yet ants will take the easy way out if given the opportunity, which means even a tiny amount of pet food left out or crumbs left behind can draw in hundreds of ants very quickly.

Out in the yard, ants are especially active around utility boxes, yard debris, and dirt mounds. They are most commonly seen during the summer months in New Jersey but stay in our environment all throughout the year, even when they become less active to conserve energy in the winter.

How Ants Affect Humans

Although ants are tiny, their effect on humans can be quite great. When ants get into our personal spaces, they can contaminate our food supply and make us need to throw away grocery items or risk getting sick. Some ants have been known to bite humans when they come into close contact, which can cause pain and discomfort even though the bites are not usually very severe.

Some people are allergic to the venom of ant stings, which can cause swelling, itchiness, and even difficulty breathing. Having an ant infestation can also affect people’s mental health by making them feel paranoid about bugs crawling on them or embarrassed about inviting guests over to the house.

Ants can cause damage to a home by creating nests in wood that is moist and in hollow areas inside and around a home. Carpenter ants, in particular, are skilled at tunning through wood and causing damage to household structures and furniture. Ants can also be a source of food for other insects, which means that by simply having ants around your home, you could be drawing in other pests as well to further complicate matters.

Dangers of an Ant Infestation

Something else to know about ants is that they can multiply quickly, so just a few ants in your home could turn into a full-blown infestation in no time at all. There are DIY methods that you can try to deal with an ant problem, such as powdered chalk, lemon peels, peppermint, and red pepper. But if these strategies aren’t getting the job done, it is time to call Precise Termite & Pest Control for professional help.

We have been keeping Northern New Jersey free of ants for over 30 years and know how to target the types of ants that are common to our region. We deliver prompt and affordable pest control solutions so that you can rest easy and go about your days without worrying about ants.

To ask any questions about our ant control processes or to schedule your free inspection, please contact us online or call us at 866-971-2847.

When Are Ants the Most Active in Our Area?

Here in Northern New Jersey, you’ve probably seen ants crawling around at pretty much all times of day and most times of the year as well. But for ant control purposes and to prevent ant infestations, you may have wondered when ants are out and about the most with regard to times of day and seasons of the year.

In this article, we answer common ant questions, such as “Are ants nocturnal?” and “When are ants most active?” so that you can feel confident in your pest control solutions.

Are Ants Nocturnal?

There is no simple answer to this question because some types of ants are more active during the day, some at night, and some at both day and night. When ants are most active largely depends upon the climate they live in, how readily available food sources are, and where their nests are located. Ants that live in cold climates are more likely during the day because it is warmer and more comfortable then. In hot climates, ants tend to come out more at night when the temperatures aren’t so scorching hot.

Certain species of ants are also more prone to night activity vs. day activity. Carpenter ants, which are common in New Jersey, are a nocturnal ant species that typically leave their nests while humans are sleeping to go gather food. Yet many other ants that we have in our area are considered to be diurnal and are frequently seen throughout the day collecting food and defending themselves from predators.

Places Where Ants Are Especially Active

The place where you live and where you look may also impact your perception of ant activity on your property. Ants build nests both indoors and outdoors, and they are very skilled at finding entry points to access food and shelter. Common places for outdoor ant activity are piles of firewood, dirt mounds in yards, underneath yard debris, and around utility boxes.

Something else to be aware of is that ants have circadian rhythms just like humans do. But unlike humans, ants’ sleep patterns are not typically regulated by how much daylight they are exposed to each day. It is very likely that ants do not see any light for days because they are living underground in their tunnels. This is where ants spend most of their time, so they are quite comfortable with dark environments – whether that is the hours between sunset and sunrise or in those dark cracks and crevices in the corners of your home.

Times of Year for Increased Activity

In general, ants are most commonly seen during the summer months in New Jersey. During our long and cold winters, many ants will go into somewhat of a “hibernation mode” to conserve energy and resources. During the winter, ants are not actually sleeping all day. But they slow down their activity levels and are less likely to be seen by humans.

Take Control Over Your Ant Situation

No matter what time of day it is or what season it is, Precise Termite & Pest Control can help with your ant problem. Ant control and removal in Bergen County is one of our top specialties and something that we help so many residents with each and every year.

We know all the best strategies for getting rid of ants and know the best times to target them for safe, efficient, and humane removal. To learn more about how we can help with your ant infestation and to schedule your free inspection, contact us at 866-971-2847.

How Threatening Is a Termite Infestation in Your Home?

If you have noticed termite damage around your house lately, you might be wondering just how big of a deal that really is and if it’s absolutely essential that you take action right away. After all, termites are just small insects and so common here in New Jersey, right?

Unfortunately, a termite infestation is a very serious matter and something that really requires prompt attention. Here is an explanation of why an active termite infestation is so problematic and what you can do to resolve the issue.

Home Damage Caused by Termites

Termites are incredibly destructive insects that survive by chewing through the wood of your home. They create significant structural damage by chewing through support beams and ceiling joints. Beyond just wood, termites will also chew through metal siding, insulation, and other materials that keep your house safe and inhabitable. Once the insects get inside your home, they will even chew through furniture that you love and have spent hard-earned money to decorate your home with.

Health Issues Termites Can Cause

Unlike many other pests, such as rodents, termites are not known to carry diseases that can be passed on to humans. However, your health could still be at risk if you have termites on your property.

It is possible to be bitten or stung by a termite, and although these injuries are not toxic, they can be painful and cause irritation for a couple days. Some people have allergies to termite saliva and droppings, and you just don’t know if such allergens affect you until you’re already suffering.

Termites can cause damage to heating and ventilation systems, which contribute to more dust and allergens in the air and trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions as well. Your mental health can also be affected by termites because of how unsettling it feels to have bugs in your home, which might affect how you sleep at night and make you feel insecure about inviting guests over to your home.

The Potential of Termites Spreading and Multiplying

Another big issue with termites is how quickly they can spread within a home and even between homes in the same neighborhood. These are social insects that live in groups and that reproduce at a fast rate.

Female queen termites can lay between six and 12 eggs just a few days after they mate. But over time, females will lay more and more eggs as they mature and as their abdomens enlarge to increase birthing capacity. It is common for termite queens to lay thousands of eggs per year and cause full-blown infestations in no time at all.

We Can Stop Your Termite Infestation

But before you start worrying that your termite infestation is out of control or a lost cause, contact Precise Termite & Pest Control for help. We have been keeping Northern New Jersey termite-free for over three decades and know exactly where to look for these insects, how to exterminate them safely and efficiently, and how to prevent them from coming back to your home.

However, time is of the essence when you notice the first signs of termite damage but the problem won’t fix itself on its own. We need you to let us know about the issue right away so we can take over and prevent property damage, health issues, and termites spreading quickly and in the best ways possible.

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