Marlboro, NJ Pest, Wildlife & Bird Control Experts

This homeowner in Marlboro, NJ, had a heavy infestation of mice throughout her crawl space. There was a ton of mice droppings throughout the crawl space and the insulation was soaked with mice urine! As we inspected the exterior of the home, we discovered that almost every single utility pipe had a gap around it. All a mouse needs to infest the inside of a home or business is an opening the width of a pencil!

First, we carefully cleaned up all the mice droppings throughout the crawl space. Afterward, we installed several rodent bait stations throughout the crawl space and along the exterior of the home. Next, we stuffed all the openings around the utility pipes with chew-proof, stainless steel mesh and then sealed them with a waterproof, premium adhesive. Lastly, we scheduled several follow up visits to monitor the mice activity and to replenish the bait in the rodent bait stations as needed. 

Once the mice are gone, the owner is going to have our Crawl Space division come in, disinfect her crawl space, and remove & replace all the contaminated insulation.

During a routine pest control service for a Home Protection Plan customer in Marlboro, NJ, we noticed a number of yellow jackets going in and out of a small hole in the ground that was located near the garden. Since the owner is highly allergic to bee stings, we need to eliminate these aggressive insects ASAP. 

For treatment, we injected a knockdown dusting application directly into the burrow. This product will exterminate the yellow jackets almost immediately. A short while later, we dug up the nest, disposed of it, and then filled in the burrow.

After being away for over a month for work, when this homeowner in Marlboro, NJ returned home, her entire kitchen was infested with flies! After spending some time searching for a reputable and local pest control company, she found Cowleys, gave us a call, and we were sent out to inspect and treat.

During our inspection, we determined that these flying insects were actually Indian meal moths. Also known as pantry pests, Indian meal moths are the most common pests to infest pantries and food storage facilities. These troublesome insects cost food processing businesses thousands of dollars in discarded products yearly. Indian meal moths are attracted to light and feed on dried fruits, grains, seeds, nuts, chocolate, candies, birdseed, dog food, and powdered milk. Continuing our inspection, we examined the pantries and noticed that there were several bagged food items that were open and full of Indian meal moth larvae. We informed the owner that this is what attracted the Indian meal moths and also mentioned some helpful tips to prevent any future infestations. 

First, with the owners permission, we disposed of all contaminated products in the food pantries and cleaned the area. Afterward, we treated all the cracks and crevices throughout the infested areas with an aerosol application. This treatment rapidly exterminates the Indian meal moths. Next, we installed several pheromone traps to catch the adult Indian meal moths that were flying around. These devices have a unique pheromone in them that lures the Indian meal moths to their demise. Lastly, we scheduled several follow-up visits to monitor the infestation and replace the devices until the Indian meal moths are exterminated.

Recently, I was sent to deal with some stinging insects that nested in the utility closet of an apartment building in Marlboro, NJ serviced by Cowleys. A technician from the electric company was there to change a meter, came across a nest, and contacted the property manager. The information relayed to me was that it was a carpenter bee nest. Something didn’t sound right to me. Carpenter bees are solitary bees, and the females bore out galleries in wood to deposit their larvae. These bees seek out untreated, often soft, water-damaged wood. Carpenter bees don’t build nests like social bees and wasps. I was anxious to find out what insect was causing all the trouble. 

Upon arrival, I had my answer. These weren’t carpenter bees — they were bumblebees! It’s easy to confuse the two. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll see that bumblebees are a bit smaller and are fuzzy while the larger carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen. After thoroughly inspecting the area, I noticed that they were entering the utility closet from in between two doors (see photo 1). I came across some nesting material on the ground. After waiting a few minutes, I noticed the bees coming in and out of an entry point. 

Bumblebees aren’t particularly aggressive insects like many wasps and hornets. However, they ae certainly capable of stinging and they will sting if they perceive that their nest is being threatened. Here, after treating their entry point into the closet and moving a bit of debris off the nest, the bees became extremely aggressive. So, if you ever encounter a stinging insect nest (such as the one in photo 2), remove yourself from the area with as little commotion as possible.  

After treating the nest and observed no more activity, I safely removed the nest off the premises. The electric company technician could get back to work and replace the meter. Photo 3 shows the larvae space, which were hard to the touch. Bumblebee larvae feels almost like wood encasing the eggs. These guys are well protected!

Recently, I was sent to a church in Matawan, NJ for a termite inspection. For termites, no building is off-limits — even a church! Here, there was extensive termite activity around the framing of a Termites seen here were having a go at the framing of a small flight of stairs leading to a stage in the church’s gymnasium. There is a common misconception that termite damage can occur only around the perimeter of a building. While perimeter damage is common, termites will find gaps in the foundation anywhere to reach wooden building materials. With these steps, the closest exterior wall was more than 100 feet away. I took some photos of some termites in action showing workers gathering food for the colony and a soldier termite tasked with protecting them. 

An expedited termite treatment has been scheduled.

Most of my days are filled with dealing with nuisance wildlife problems. I find the best solution to capture and relocate the animals, clean up whatever damage they have made, and close up the entry points into the home to prevent a re-infestation. I love my work and dealing with animals. Many forget that us wildlife technicians are all animal lovers at heart, or we couldn’t be in this type of work. Our job is a win-win. We help homeowners resolve wildlife infestations, but we also help wildlife by relocating the animals to an area that is better suited for them. We have a responsibility to treat animals humanely and with compassion, especially as we continue to take over more and more of their natural habitat. As our living spaces expand, the inevitable consequence is more human-wildlife encounters. My job is to resolve those animal interactions that have become too close for comfort and pose a threat to a family, we can never forget that animals have a basic right to live on this planet too.

Every so often, I have a special day at work that leaves me with great memories and some interesting stores to share. This was one of them. I was assigned a routine job of trapping some raccoons that had taken up residence in a homeowner’s attic. Even though I’m often around wildlife, I witnessed something pretty unusual. This homeowner was himself an admirer of wildlife, and had been feeding deer in the area. He has been doing so with enough frequency that some deer recognized him as a friend, someone non-threatening. It reminded me of the same initial interaction from which wolves slowly became domesticated as dogs; those less aggressive wolves realized that they could have a pretty good life hanging around humans for food and protection. You can call it survival of the friendliest. In this case, over time, deer actually approached the homeowner. If I did not see it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it. A doe and her two fawns were literally eating food out of his hand! According to the homeowner, this little family would leave the nearby woods and stand by his side door, every day at the same time, waiting for some treats. He said that they were so consistent you could almost set your clock to when they would arrive. They loved apples, of course, but, surprisingly, they also liked bird seed. Most of my days are spent separating nuisance wildlife from human habitats for the benefit of both species. On special days like this, however, it was a wonderful change of pace to see people and animals getting along. It’s a great reminder that we all live together on this planet, and our connection with wildlife can be a positive one. For the rest of that day, as the saying goes, I had a smile on my face that nobody could wipe off.