Pests We Treat Before & After Photos

I was sent to a home in Cliffwood, NJ when the homeowner contacted Cowleys after finding a wasp nest above a window in a seldom used room. 

Upon arrival, I went to the room where there was a wasp nest. Based on the shape and construction of the nest, i immediately recognized it as a mud dauber nest. Mud daubers are solitary wasps that, unlike social wasps like yellow jackets and baldfaced hornets, do not live in colonies with a queen and hundreds of specialized workers. Instead, each female breeds and tends to her own. For the most part, solitary wasps like mud daubers are not territorial with regard to their nests. They  are not aggressive, and they seldom sting people. 

These wasps also known as dirt daubers or mud wasps, and for good reason. The female constructs small nests by carrying little mud balls to the nest site. She uses the nests to keep her eggs warm. The nests are built as cylindrical tubes that look like a pipe organ (the most common species in New Jersey is known as the organ pipe mud dauber).

I removed the active nest that already had several eggs and wasps in various stages in their life cycle. Homeowners can control mud dauber populations in their home by controlling spider populations since they live, for the most part, on a steady diet of spiders. By sealing cracks where spiders can live and regularly removing spider webs, you should not have a problem with mud daubers. However, if you do start seeing these strange little mud nests around your home, call a pest control technician to remove them. While these guys are not actively looking to sting, if you start trying to scrape away their nests as a weekend DIY project without the right equipment and products, you’re asking for trouble. 

We were sent out on a service call to a business in Toms River, NJ to treat for wasps that were attacking the shoppers as they made their way into the store! Once we arrived, we inspected the area more closely and discovered a baseball sized yellow jackets nest right above the entrance!

As we all know, yellow jackets are one of the most aggressive and territorial stinging insects out there! So extreme care is needed when treating them. So we equipped our protective bee suit, grabbed our extendable pole, attached a knockdown dusting application to it, and began liberally treating the nest. A few moments later, we treated the nest with a knockdown aerosol product. Both of these treatments quickly exterminate the yellow jackets.

After a few moments went by, we removed the nest, disposed of it, and then applied a residual liquid application to the area. This product will eliminate any yellow jackets that return to this area as well as prevent them, and all other stinging insects, from building another nest.

A new client in Toms River, NJ frantically called our office after finding a rat in her basement. So we were sent out to inspect and treat. During our inspection, we noticed a rather large gap where the water line was entering the structure through the foundation wall. As we took a closer look, we found several rat droppings right below it.

First, we carefully cleaned up the rodent droppings and installed several rodent bait stations throughout the basement and along the exterior of the home. Next, we stuffed the opening with chew-proof stainless steel mesh, which rodents hate chewing through. Afterward, we sealed the opening with a waterproof, premium adhesive. Lastly, we scheduled several follow-up visits to replenish the bait in the stations and monitor the rat activity. 

As I was performing a routine service for a Home Protection Plan customer in Keyport, NJ I noticed a viable entry point in the foundation of a house. Believe it or not, this opening is the perfect size for not just pests, but mice to enter the home. In fact mice can squeeze through an opening the size of a dime!

First, I stuff the opening with copper mesh. Copper mesh is an excellent way to exclude rodents from crawling into tights spaces because they are unable to chew through it. Next, I used black caulk to seal the opening. Afterwards I finished treating the home for their regular service. 

Recently, a was sent to a residence in Howell, NJ. The homeowner had contacted Cowleys after a surprise run-in with two mice in the kitchen the night before. Since mice are nocturnal, if these is a mouse sighting, it is usually at night when they are doing their foraging. Mice are experts at staying hidden and you’ll usually find signs of mouse activity like droppings, nesting materials, and relocated food well before observing the rodents themselves. Also, mice don’t travel far from their nest and they are not loners. Mice live in groups known as a horde or mischief of mice, so if you see one or two, it’s a safe bet that there are quite a few others hiding in the wall voids or behind your kitchen appliances. 

I first checked the basement. Often, mice first gain entry through gaps and cracks around the foundation. The perimeter of he home appeared well sealed with no obvious entry points. Asking the homeowner, where he saw the mice running to before he lost sight of them, and he said they had scampered from a closet to underneath the refrigerator. Mice commonly nest underneath refrigerators because the area is well hidden and warm from the motor. Here, I moved the fridge to look behind and there were no openings in the wall behind. Next, I checked out the closet, and found a hole in the wall along with mice droppings in the area. When these mice weren’t foraging for food in the kitchen their home was a wall void that they accessed in the closet. 

I temporarily sealed the hole with chew-proof copper mesh until the homeowner could permanently have the hole patched. I also placed rodent stations in the closet, and for good measure, also put two rodent stations in the basement. Upon a closer exterior perimeter inspection, I found one potential crack that could have ben used to gain entry into the home. I also sealed this opening with copper mesh and also set up another rodent station nearby.  With these internal and external holes closed, the mice infestation should resolve. I told the homeowner to contact us if he saw any new signs of mouse activity, and we would be out there again for a follow-up.