Category Archives: General Pest Control

5 Tips to Prepare for Fall Pests Before It’s Too Late

Defend your house against pests

Although it’s still August and technically summer, it’s never too early to start preparing for the next season of insects, rodents, and pests if you’re a homeowner. Fortunately, pest services Passaic County and in Bergen County are available, affordable, and convenient at any time of year.

Here are some tips for preventing fall pests common to our area from entering your home.

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Best Ways to Prevent Pests in Your Garden

Preventing Garden PestOne of the best things about having your own backyard is planting a garden with beautiful plants and fresh vegetables that you can use in the kitchen. But while we’re rooting for your garden to be healthy and successful, not everyone is.

Controlling pests are a huge part of maintaining a garden, especially during the hot and muggy summer months in New Jersey. Here’s what you need to know about keeping gardening pests at bay to enjoy lovely garden and bountiful harvest all summer long.

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DIY Mosquito Control to Address Zika Virus Concerns

DIY Mosquito Control Tips

Mosquitoes have always been a nuisance, but there are increasing concerns about how they spread disease because of Zika virus. Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus mostly bite during the daytime hours and are also known to spread other diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya viruses. Unfortunately, Zika, which is linked to severe birth defects, can be spread during sex, and there are currently no vaccines to prevent the spread of this disease.

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How Has the Pest Control Industry Evolved Throughout History?

Throughout human history, pests have been a nuisance, but how we handle that nuisance has changed greatly over time. Let’s take a look at how pest control originated and how it has evolved into the industry it is today.

Pest Management in Ancient Times

The pest control industry dates back to the beginnings of the agricultural industry, as humans have always needed to keep undesirable insects and animals away from human food supplies.

Around 2,500 B.C., ancient Sumerians used compounds of sulfur to control insects, and ancient Egyptians and Chinese farmers used oils and herbs for this purpose. Through research and trial and error, civilizations experimented with using citrus, tobacco infusions, soap, chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates and other substances as pesticides.

Rat Catchers and the Plague of Europe

The need for pest management became very evident during the Black Plague in Europe during the 14th century. This is a time when nearly one-third of the continent’s population died under mysterious circumstances, later determined to be due to a bacterial disease that was spread by fleas that fed off of diseased rats. If only rodents and fleas were controlled during that time, many people would not have lost their lives to what we now refer to as bubonic plague.

To curb the risk of spreading the disease and preventing damage to food supplies, a new profession emerged: the rat catcher. Dangerously, rat catchers often trapped rats by hand. Perhaps you recall the folklore story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a legendary rat catcher who lured rats away from town with a magic pipe and later retaliated against the townspeople by luring away their children in the same way when they refused payment. These days, rats and mice can still pose health risks, so if you notice a rat problem, contact a licensed rat control professional.

Ireland’s Potato Crop Infestation

Another pest-related catastrophe in history was the Great Irish Famine of 1845-1847. Ireland’s potato crops were destroyed by pests due to a plant disease known as late blight. Around a million Europeans starved to death because the potato crops were eliminated, which led to a mass migration of immigrants to the United States.

Modern Pest Control Businesses

Today’s pest control companies in New Jersey play an important role in keeping our homes safe and protecting human health. No longer is pest control guided by magic or trial and error; it is rooted in science and carefully regulate to protect the environment and everyone who lives in it. We have now entered an era of integrated pest management, which combines traditional pesticide use with eco-friendly approaches to ensure that devastating diseases and famines like those our history books never happen again.

5 Tips for a Pest-Free Picnic

With the dreary days of winter finally behind us, now is the perfect time for a picnic!

There’s just something endearingly nostalgic about packing a picnic lunch for your family or friends and enjoying a meal together in the beauty of nature. But on occasion, a few uninvited guests may find their way to your picnic too and threaten to spoil an otherwise perfect day.

Ants, mosquitoes, bees, and wasps are the most common “picnic crashers.” Ants are naturally attracted to your delicious picnic food, and stinging insects love the smell of sweet foods and drinks you’ve packed in your basket. Meanwhile, mosquitoes are especially problematic in marshy or swampy areas and are notorious for being disease-carriers.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways that you can plan ahead and prepare for pests. Here are five tips for a pest-free picnic this spring!

Scout Out a Pest-Free Area

Picking out the perfect picnic spot is half the battle when you and your crew show up at the park. Before settling down under the first shade tree you see, take a walk around the park to scope out the area and pick the most pest-free spot.

For example, to avoid mosquitoes, don’t sit right next to the pond or lake. To avoid bees and wasps, don’t set up next to large flowering plants and bushes. Make sure that you’re not setting up your picnic blanket right on top of an ant colony and that there are no insect nests hovering above you in the trees.

Keep Food Covered and Sealed

When you pack your picnic basket, make sure that all foods are put into sealed containers with lids. After you are done, re-seal those containers and don’t allow leftovers to sit out and attract pests.

And speaking of keeping things covered, it’s also not a bad idea to wear loose-fitting pants and sleeves to protect your skin from insect bites and the sun’s UV rays!

Avoid Super-Sweet Foods

Ants, bees, and wasps are attracted to sweet foods, so try to eliminate sugary foods from your picnic basket as much as possible. Unfortunately, this means sugary sodas, lemonade, pies, and cakes. Not only is this a healthy choice for your body, but you’ll also be fighting less pests during your picnic.

Picnic in the Afternoon

Insects tend to be most active right around dusk, so if possible, plan your picnic for earlier in the day. An outdoor meal around noon or sometime in the afternoon should do the trick and set your picnic up for success. If you’re not hard-set on breaking out your favorite picnic blanket, opt for seating at an elevated picnic table or inside a pavilion for fewer bugs.

Use Bug Spray, Not Perfume

Strongly scented perfumes and lotions might be pleasing to those around you, but keep in mind they tend to attract insects too. Instead, apply bug spray to all exposed areas of skin to help repel flying insects. Alternatively, you can light a citronella candle at your picnic to discourage pests from joining you.

And as spring turns into summer, keep these tips in mind for pest-free summertime barbecues too! These are helpful tips for eating outside in peace and comfort at any time of the year.

Whether you’re looking for Bergen County mosquito control services, Bergen County ant control services, or bee removal in New Jersey, keep Precise Termite & Pest Control’s contact information handy to enjoy this beautiful spring season in the great outdoors.

How to Keep Household Pests Away This Spring

The spring season is a time to smell blooming flowers, listen to chirping birds, and finally trade in that parka for a light jacket. But unfortunately, springtime also signals the return of many common household pests.

No one likes to see bugs and rodents wandering around the house, so it’s important to refresh your memory about pest prevention strategies and know who to call if it becomes difficult to manage.

Troublesome Pests That Come Out in Spring

Some pests are more likely to strike your home in the months of March, April, and May. Certain pest species remain dormant during the cold weather months and are reawakened at this time of year in search of food and shelter.

These are some of the troublesome pests that often find their way indoors in the springtime.

  • Carpenter Ants
  • Termites
  • Cockroaches
  • Asian beetles
  • Fleas
  • Mosquitos
  • Bees
  • Wasps
  • Spiders

How to Prevent Springtime Pests

Fortunately, there are a lot of things that you can do right now to prevent pests from entering your home and having to deal with an infestation situation later. The first pests that many people see in the spring are ants, and there are several varieties of them, including sugar ants, carpenter ants, winged ants, and large and small black ants. Bees and wasps are also prevalent around this time of year because of all of the newly planted gardens, plants, and wildflowers in bloom.

Here are some prevention tips to work on this spring for a pest-free home:

  • Take a walk around the exterior of your home to look for cracks in your foundation and seal them up
  • Keep an eye out for bee and wasp nests, and call Precise Pest Control if you see one
  • Keep bushes and trees away from the house
  • Don’t leave opened food packages lying around the house
  • Ensure that trash can lids are secured
  • Never store firewood next to your home
  • Destroy cobwebs you find around the house
  • Repair water leaks to reduce standing moisture

A Problem for Homeowners, Landlords, and Tenants

Pests present problems for everyone, regardless of whether you’re a homeowner, a landlord, or renting an apartment as a tenant. If you’re looking for high-quality pest control Bergen County NJ is home to some great strategies and prevention techniques for household pests.

Precise Pest Control has been keeping Northern New Jersey pest-free for over 25 years, and we’re experts in eliminating all of these springtime pests and many more. Bergen County pest control has never been easier, more affordable, or more convenient!

5 Fall Pests to Look Out for This Season

People might think that the end of pests will come with the end of summer but that is not always the case. As the season of hot weather ends, the cool fall invites many more pests into your house, ready to cause property damage and infestations. Takin the necessary precautions and speaking to a knowledgeable New Jersey pest control company can alleviate any future headaches. The following are 5 fall pests that create a lot of havoc in the fall season:

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Roaches: A Health Hazard Hidden in Your Home

It is a scenario that strikes dread into the heart of anyone. You head into the kitchen for a drink of water, flip on the light and see roaches scuttling for cover. Or even worse, you wake up to discover something crawling on you. Most people feel a primordial revulsion at the very thought of a cockroach. They slither around at night, leaving behind a fetid odor, feces, and egg cases. But that’s not the worst of it. Roaches are actually dangerous to your health. Contact Precise Pest Control to regain control of your home.

Dangers from Cockroaches

Roaches can carry bacteria from one place to another. They actively seek out sewage and decaying matter to feed on, and their hooked legs collect bacteria. The roaches then track it across anything they walk on. Studies have shown that roaches can transmit all sorts of disease germs, including salmonella, pneumonia, staphylococcus, streptococcus, diphtheria and even yellow fever. Some outbreaks of disease in crowded buildings are attributed to roach transmission. While this certainly sounds alarming, the chances of a person in New Jersey being infected with one of these illnesses are pretty small.

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Choosing the Right Pest Control Company in New Jersey

There are a number of pests that are common in the state of New Jersey, especially at certain times of the year. For example, the changing months of fall and spring tend to be popular times for insect problems in residential areas. Furthermore, the cooler months of winter are a common time for rat, mouse, and even raccoon problems. Regardless what kind of pest the homeowner may be dealing with, what remains most important is that they contact professional pest control services to have the situation addressed and taken care of as soon as possible.

Getting Rid of Your Pest Infestation

The first step is always figuring out what kind of pest is infesting your home. Precise Termite and Pest Control are experts in their field and have been offering homeowners in the New Jersey area pest control services for over 25 years.

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