Metuchen, NJ Pest Control Expert & Exterminator

A business owner in Metuchen, NJ contacted Cowleys after one of her workers came across a basket-ball sized hornets nest all the way up in the corner of the gutter, approximately 50 feet from the ground. We were sent out to tackle this pest problem. Once we arrived, we equipped our protective bee suit, grabbed our ladder, and took a closer look at the nest. That's when we identified them as bald-faced hornets.

Bald-faced hornets are social stinging insects that are a close relative to yellow jackets. The surface of their upper midsection almost looks triangular from the side, and they have white markings on their face. They're aggressive and will not hesitate to sting anything or anyone that invades their space. What makes them even scarier is they have smooth stingers, which means they can sting over and over again, can actually sense vibrations in the air, and remember their invader's face!

Using our extendable pole, we treated the nest with a knockdown aerosol application. We then waited a few moments and injected a knockdown dusting application into the nest. Both of these products will quickly exterminate the bald-faced hornets. After some time went by, we removed the nest, disposed of it, and applied a liquid non-repellant residual to the gutter. This will neutralize any bald-faced hornets that return to this area and prevent them, and any other stinging insect, from building a new nest on this area.

This customer in Metuchen, NJ, had a squirrel tear into his roof right above his gutters and infest his home! So he called Little Rascals for help and we were sent out. As we inspected the home, we noticed that drip edge was also damaged by the squirrel.

So we temporarily installed hardware cloth over drip-edge, left one area exposed, and installed a one-way device over it. The one-way is designed to let the squirrel leave the area safely, but prevent it from getting back in. We also set-up several baited devices nearby.

A short while later, we successfully retrieved the squirrel and took it to a new, safer location. The homeowner mentioned that he will now hire a roofer to come out and repair the damages to his roof. In the meantime, we installed Pest-Blok in place of the drip-edge. Pest-blok is sturdy, galvannealed material that will prevent all nuisance wildlife, and large pests from getting into the property. Also, because it is galvannealed, it will never rust or corrode. The Pest-Blok closes the gap between the fascia board and roof decking (also called a builders gap).

One morning, this homeowner in Metuchen, NJ, woke up and discovered a large amount of ants all over his daughters bedroom! Since he was a Home Protection Plan customer, he immediately called our office for help and we were sent out. 

As we inspected the bedroom, we noticed that the ants were coming from the closet. As we took a closer look, we discovered a small hole in the wall that lead outside. This was how the ants were able to get inside the home! For treatment, we applied a liquid non-repellant residual to all the cracks, baseboards, and crevices of the closet, the bedroom, and (at the owners request) the hallway. Afterward, we placed an ant gel bait along the ants trails.

Once we finished treating the inside of the home, we went outside and treated the entire exterior of the home with the liquid non-repellant and applied a granular bait to all the grassy areas surrounding the home. Once the worker ants come in contact with any of these applications, they're going to return to their nest and share the treatments with the other ants in their colony and their queen by feeding one another, grooming one another, or eating their own dead. In a short amount of time, the ants will be exterminated.

After her horses were stung several times by angry yellow jackets, this customer in Metuchen, NJ, called Cowleys for help. Yellow jackets are aggressive, territorial wasps, with distinctive yellow-and-black coloration, that are known for their propensity to sting anyone and anything that they perceive as a threat, such as those who venture too close to their nests or their food.

As we inspected the barn, we spotted the massive nest hiding behind a wooden wall in the corner of the barn! First, we injected a knockdown aerosol application. A few moments later, we injected a knockdown dusting application. Both of these products are going to rapidly exterminate the yellow jackets.

Once the yellow jackets were eliminated, the owner removed the wooden planks from the wall and we removed the large nest and disposed of it properly. 

As this homeowner in Metuchen, NJ, was cleaning out his gutters, he discovered an active hornets nest underneath his soffit! Since he was a Home Protection Plan customer, he called our office and we were sent out to inspect and remove the nest. Once we arrived and took a closer look at these stinging insects, we identified them as bald-faced hornets. 

Bald-faced hornets are social stinging insects that are a close relative to yellow jackets. The surface of their upper midsection almost looks triangular from the side, and they have white markings on their face. They build paper nests at least three or more feet off of the ground, usually in trees, shrubs, overhangs, houses, or other structures. One very important fact that you must know about bald-faced hornets is that they are EXTREMELY aggressive and will not hesitate to sting anything that invades their space.

For treatment, we injected a knockdown dusting application directly into the opening of the nest. This treatment rapidly neutralizes the bald-faced hornets. After a few moments went by, we removed the nest, disposed of it, and applied a residual application to the area that'll prevent any future stinging insects from building another nest.

After getting a face full of spider webs while taking a walk on her front porch, this customer in Metuchen, NJ immediately called our office for help. Once we arrived and started inspecting the home, we found a large number of spiders and their webs all around the exterior of the home near the columns & gutters and underneath the front porch! We grabbed our spider broom and started to brush away all the spider webs. This eliminates their food source and, after a little while, the spiders will get annoyed and leave the area. Lastly, we applied an application that is specifically labeled to treat spiders directly to the infested areas. This treatment will rapidly exterminate the spiders.

When this customer in Metuchen, NJ arrived home after a long day of work, she had no idea that she parked her car right next to an active bald-faced hornets nest! Unfortunately, she was stung several times before she got inside her home. When she did get inside, she called us for help and we were immediately sent out. 

One very important fact that you must know about bald-faced hornets is that they are EXTREMELY aggressive and will not hesitate to sting anything that invades their space. Their stings carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch, and swell for about 24 hours. What makes them even scarier is they have smooth stingers, which means they can sting over and over again, can actually sense vibrations in the air, and remember their invader's face!

When we arrived, we spotted their nest and went right to work. First, we treated the nest with a knockdown aerosol application, waited a few moments, and then applied a knockdown liquid product. Both of these treatments rapidly exterminate the bald-faced hornets. Once they were eliminated, we removed the nest, and the branch it was attached to, and properly disposed of them.

A homeowner in Metuchen, NJ called our office after finding a large number of ants in his downstairs bathroom! When we arrived and started to inspect the area, we found the ants trailing from the bottom of the toilet, all the way up to a small crack in the bathroom window, and then to a nearby bush about 25 feet from the home. Turns out that the toilet was leaking and the homeowner knew about it but never got around to fixing the issue. We explained that this leak will not only cause pest problems but eventually mold and foundation issues. The homeowner quickly called a plumber to come out and fix it.

For treatment, we applied a liquid non-repellant to the cracks, baseboards, and crevices throughout the entire bathroom and (at the owner's request) along the hallway. We then went outside and treated the entire exterior perimeter of the home with the liquid treatment and then applied a granular bait to all the grassy areas and around the bush where the ants were found.

Once the ants come in contact with either of these products they'll return to their nest and share the treatments with one another. A short while later, the ant colony will be exterminated. Lastly, we sealed all the gaps in the bathroom window with a waterproof, premium adhesive. 

I was called out to a homeowner in Metuchen who had the unfortunate and startling experience of finding mice droppings in her kitchen. If you have a mice infestation, you’ll find pellet-shaped droppings are found where mice are most active —  near where they are exploring for food or nesting material and where they breed and nest. Mouse droppings are about 1/4” long and black or brown in color. A single house mouse can deposit 50 to 75 pellets daily! Mouse droppings can carry harmful pathogens, and serious chronic diseases can be contracted by touching or even inhaling particles of contaminated feces. Droppings should only be handled with personal protective equipment, and they must be carefully removed so the dried feces particles are not “kicked up” into the air. 

Upon arrival, I conducted an inspection of the kitchen to determine the points of entry of these small pesky rodents and where they might be nesting. I always start with the most likely “hotbeds” for mice activity — under the sink, behind the stove, and behind the refrigerator. Mice especially like to nest in areas that are warm and dark, so they are attracted to heat sources such as the warmth of a stove or the compression motor in a refrigerator. During my inspection, I observed that piping from the floor or wall was not properly sealed during construction of the kitchen, and this was the likely point of entry for the mice. And they don’t need much of a gap — mice can squeeze into a hole the size of a dime. 

While talking with the customer, she explained that her dog did not like eating out of a bowl, so she left dry dog food directly on the kitchen floor. Unfortunately, by doing so, she was feeding not only her dog, but a colony of hungry mice as well. The customer was surprised (and maybe a bit horrified) when I pulled out the oven drawer and showed her dry dog food that was inside the drawer where the mice were nesting, The mice had created their own secret stash of food with the dog kibbles! 

I performed an exclusion of the entry point by sealing up the gaps around the piping, With any rodent or other wildlife infestation, it is critical to find and seal the access points for a long-term resolution of the infestation. Also, the homeowner now understood that she could not simply leave out dog food on the kitchen floor. Any uneaten food had to be removed immediately or she would be potentially feeding other animals besides her own pet. Finally, I placed rodenticide bait boxes in the appropriate areas to control the rodent infestation.