Pests We Treat Before & After Photos

Recently, I was called out to an apartment unit in Asbury Park, NJ after the tenants had complained that mice were observed scampering about the living room. Upon arrival, I placed four RTU (“ready-to-use”) bait stations in the corners of the living room so that I could figure out where the mice were coming from based on whether and how much of the bait was taken.These bait stations fit flush against a wall or corner where mice travel and a curious mouse can’t resist entering and exploring. Once inside, the interior baffles lead them to the bait. These bait stations are the safest way to keep mouse-killing product in residential locations away from children and pets.  

On my follow-up visit, I observed that two of the four stations had activity. For those two stations, the bait was pretty much gone. So, doing some more investigating for the access points into the apartment, I found a hole under the slats of a radiator behind the hot water pipe. I sealed the hole with a chew-proof copper mesh and rebated the RTUs. Once the mice hiding inside are eliminated, with their entry point closed, this troublesome mouse infestation should be completely resolved in a  short amount of time.

This homeowner in Titusville, NJ, had mice infesting his crawl space. After a thorough inspection, we determined that the mice were able to enter the home through the tiny gaps that were around the utility pipes.

First, we carefully cleaned up all the rodent droppings and then installed several rodent bait stations throughout the crawl space and around the exterior of the home. Afterward, we stuffed each opening with chew-proof Xcluder® Fill Fabric. This material will form a firm and tight barrier to keep the mice out. Afterward, we sealed the Xcluder® Fill Fabric in place with a premium, waterproof adhesive. Once we finished, we scheduled several follow up visits to continue to monitor the bait stations and replenish the bait in the bait stations as needed.

This customer purchased a new property in Neshanic Station, NJ and was planning on renovating it. After returning to the home several weeks after the closing, he was shocked to discover a large yellow jackets nest on one of the living room windows! He had previously used Cowleys for one of his other properties, so he knew exactly who to call for help.

Once we arrived, we equipped our protective bee suit and inspected the area. During our inspection we discovered a crack in the framing of the window, which the yellow jackets used to enter the home. We told the owner and suggested that he replace the window once we're done treating, to which he agreed.

For treatment, we injected a knockdown aerosol application, waited several moments, and then injected a knockdown dusting product. Both of these treatments will exterminate the yellow jackets almost immediately. Once they were eliminated, we removed the nest, disposed of it, cleaned the area, and (as a temporary solution) sealed the crack in the window frame with a premium waterproof adhesive. 

As this customer in Montgomery, NJ was cleaning off his back porch he got attacked by yellow jackets! Luckily he wasn't allergic to them. Since he is a Home Protection Plan customer, he called us up to come out and get rid of these territorial pests.

The first thing we did was inspect the back porch to find out exactly where the yellow jackets were coming from. Minutes into our investigation, we found it! The yellow jackets were emerging from a small opening underneath the deck where the wood meets the siding. We showed the owner and he mentioned that he will close off that opening on his own once we exterminate the yellow jackets.

So we injected a knockdown aerosol product directly into that opening. Shortly after, we then applied a knockdown dusting application. These treatments will quickly eliminate the yellow jackets. Some time later, we removed the nest, disposed of it, and applied a liquid residual to the area. This treatment is going to eliminate any yellow jackets that return to this opening and prevent them from building another nest.

Recently, I was sent to a homeowner in Princeton, NJ who was having a problem with yellow jackets. It’s bad enough when you see these nasty stinging insects flying around outside your home, but here, it was even worse. They had made their way inside one of the downstairs rooms.  

I needed to determine how they were gaining access inside the home, and start with an exterior perimeter inspection. I observed yellow jackets flying in and out of an opening in the siding. Yellow jackets are ground-nesters. They usually build nests inside cavities. Often, we find them in hidden locations such as rodent burrows, behind bark, or in hollowed-out  stumps. They also make use of man-made structures and will build their nests attached to eaves, or like here, behind siding. Yellow jackets are strong, hardy insects that are powerful enough to chew through drywall and even plaster, so they can make their way from wall voids into the living areas of home, a frightening experience for any homeowner, to say the least. These yellow jackets were likely nesting up in a ceiling or in a wall void, and a mature nest can grow to be quite large with several thousand members.  The little bit of good news was that, according to the homeowner, no one in the household was allergic to wasp stings. Nevertheless, yellow jackets are aggressive, territorial wasps. They often sting without provocation, and their stings pack a wallop. It was important to have this infestation resolved quickly.

I treated the opening with a highly effective dust that will be carried back by the foraging wasps to the nest, spreading throughout. The residual dust will continue to work for months, killing any emerging wasps. This hidden nest should be completely neutralized within a day, and this family will no longer have to worry about these stinging insects.