Category Archives: Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants, Termites

How to Tell the Difference between Termites and Carpenter Ants

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This is swarming season for termites and carpenter ants in New York and New Jersey. If you see what look like puddles of white or gray-winged flying ants milling around in the garden or lawn of your business, you most likely have a problem on your property. Insects close to the building foundation or discarded wings on window sills or near doorways typically mean insects have actively invaded the structure.

Once the ground warms in the spring, both termites and carpenter ants produce winged reproductives. These specialized insects crawl from their underground nests to the surface where they pair up and fly off to mate and establish new colonies. Poor flyers, the females frequently land on the same or nearby properties. Biting off her wings, the female tunnels into the ground to establish a new nest. It takes about 5 years for a termite colony to reach maturity which means that considerable damage may already have occurred by the time winged reproductives are observed.

In their reproductive phase, both carpenter ants and termites look like winged ants. Both have 4 wings, 2 on each side; however, termite wings are all equal length and longer than their bodies while carpenter ants have longer forewings than hindwings.

If you see winged ants on your property call the termite specialists at Stern Environmental for a positive identification and prompt extermination.

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Exterminators Should Always Be Licensed Part II Of II

Continuing from Thursday…

Not only is Josimar Ferreira accused of operating a Massachusetts extermination company without being certified, but it has been reported that he has also allegedly maintained pest control companies in New Jersey and New York as well.  Both New Jersey and New York have cited Ferreira for operating an unlicensed pesticide business.  It makes you wonder how he is able to obtain toxic pesticides, without being properly licensed.  Clearly there was a breakdown…in three states!

Stern Environmental Group has been providing expert bed bug and pest control services in New Jersey and New York for over ten years.  We pride ourselves on providing our customers with the safest pesticide application available, and offer a wide variety of services and products to meet many different types of needs.  We offer professional services to both residential and business customers alike.  Whether you are looking for help with bed bugs, rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons, groundhogs, ants, spiders, cockroaches, or bee control, Stern Environmental Group’s licensed pest control applicators are here to lend a helping hand!

Ants, Carpenter Ants, Commercial Services, Insect Control, Pest Eradication, Residential Services

Ants Starting to Invade NJ and NY Kitchens

For most people, spring in New York and New Jersey means ants in the kitchen. Beneficial in their natural outdoor environment, when ants invade homes, ants can become a serious problem for home and business owners. Ants live in huge colonies that can number in the millions. While most species dwell outdoors in underground nests, ants often enter homes while foraging for food and may build satellite nests indoors in places such as wall voids, under cabinets or in attic insulation. A long trail of ants leading into a trashcan or food left on a counter is a frequent indication of ant infestation.  

While most ants are classified as nuisance pests, carpenter ants damage buildings, pharaoh ants spread bacteria, and many species contaminate food supplies. By virtue of their tremendous numbers and persistent behavior, even nuisance ants can become an overwhelming problem. If ants invade your home or business, call a pest control professional. Home treatment and garden sprays will just cause ant colonies to split or relocate making extermination more difficult. Ant extermination requires expert identification and pest control treatment.

Carpenter Ants, Insect Control

When Carpenter Ants Attack

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Do you hear a rustling sound, something akin to crinkling cellophane when standing near a wall in your home? Do you find that you keep killing ants, only to have them return again and again? If so, you may have carpenter ants. These industrious insects hollow out walls and can cause structural damage to your home if the problem is not corrected swiftly.

Carpenter ants are large, black ants that prefer to build their nests in moist wood. They often settle in kitchen and bathrooms. Some homeowners find that they can spray to no avail: the ants keep coming back. This is because the only effective way to rid your home of carpenter ants is to destroy their nests. Then you must correct moisture problems to avoid their return.

Carpenter ant communities operate through a system of parent and satellite colonies, with nests inside and outside of a home. So it is essential to find the nests because even if you are able to kill the ants you see, others continue to reproduce.

It is possible to bait the ants yourself using sugar or honey. Instead of killing them, you can feed them and follow them to their nest. Afterwards, the nest must be destroyed. This method takes patience and time. Late nights are prime time for worker ant activity, so you could find yourself sacrificing sleep to do some of this detective work.

If you find that trailing ants is not for you, or if your efforts to find and destroy nests are unsuccessful, then it is time to call in the professionals. Bear in mind that it may take more than one visit to complete the task, but it will be well worth it. Your walls will stop talking and you’ll sleep a lot easier.

Carpenter Ants, Cockroaches, Commercial Services

The Rat Wrap-Up

Dead rat we found while on our rat safari.
Dead rat we found while on our rat safari.

Rats  are not only considered a nuisance because they are messy and leave disgusting droppings everywhere they go. They feast of the waste that we humans leave behind.  They multiply at lightning fast speed and a small infestation can turn into a major head-ache before you know it.

Rats also harbor diseases that are dangerous to humans.  People have been known to become extremely ill and even die just by cleaning up rat droppings, urine or encountering rat saliva.  The rat droppings disintegrate into dust very quickly and are easily breathed in or ingested by humans, which will then cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS).  Because of this, it is always wise to hire a pest control expert who is trained in the removal of rats and their droppings.

Stern Environmental Group provides expert rat services to the commercial and hospitality industry.  Our services include: Pro-Active Rat, Mouse, and Rodent Prevention Treatment, Rodent Extermination Treatment, Baits, Traps, and Poison Treatments in Safety Containers, and Quick Rodent Eradication Services.  We can also treat for cockroaches, ants, spiders, bed bugs, and other insect pests. 

Protect your reputation; give Stern Environmental Group a call today!