Category Archives: Pest Control

Animal Control, Disease Carrying Pests, Insect Control, Mice, News, Pest Animal Removal, Pest Control, Pest Management, Pest News, Rats, Residential Services, Roaches, Rodent Control, Squirrels, Stinging Insects, Yellow Jackets

October Pests for New Jersey – What to Know

October Pests for New Jersey - What to Know
October Pests for New Jersey – What to Know

Fall brings comfortable temperatures and beautiful colors to the northeast region. But NJ pest control experts know there’s a downside to this seasonal shift. With the cooler weather comes an increase in pest problems as the animal kingdom seeks the perfect residence to hole-up for the winter season. Which pests should you be on the lookout for this fall?

Scary Stingers

Bees, wasps and yellow jackets become more active in the winter as they seek out additional food stores and nesting places. Prevent injury with fast stinging insect removal from the pros at Stern.

Funky Flyers

Germ-carrying flies are out in force during the fall season, as are smelly stink bugs, which infiltrate every crack and crevice of your home and automobile.

Creepy Crawlers

As the coming winter chill presses forward, ants, cockroaches, box elders, ladybugs and more seek out the warmth of your home and easy access to food. These pests are notorious for infiltrating even the smallest entry points to your home.

Rascally Rodents

Rats, mice, and squirrels who are already an annoying presence will try your patience to the limit in the fall season, going out of their way to find a way inside your home to hibernate for the winter or nest with their babies.

Don’t feel like snuggling up with pests this fall and winter? Seal them out with the help of our NJ pest control team at Stern Environmental today. 

Commercial Services, Green Pest Control, News, Pest Control, Pest Eradication, Pest Management

Asian Lady Beetles Proliferate in the Fall

Asian Lady Beetles

Colorful and harmless ladybugs serve a purpose in the food chain and many cultures consider them signs of good luck. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for their cousins, Asian lady beetles. Our NJ pest control technicians explain why you should be on the lookout for this fall invader.

Difference Between Lady Asian Beetles and Ladybugs

Ladybugs are more accurately known as lady beetles, and their colors and markings are similar to their Asian counterparts. The latter can be distinguished by a white spot behind the head along with a M-shaped black mark.

Why Asian Lady Beetles Are Not Welcome Visitors

As temperatures cool down in fall months, Asian lady beetles join other insects seeking shelter inside warm homes. Once inside, they’re not gracious house guests.

• Unlike the less aggressive native species, Asian lady beetles will bite. While not painful, their bite can result in allergic reactions such as hives, coughing and conjunctivitis, better known as pink eye.

• All lady beetles secrete a yellowish, foul-smelling fluid that can stain walls, furniture and carpeting.

• In rare instances, Asian lady beetles have been eaten by dogs who then developed ulcers in the mouth and esophagus.

Rely on Stern Environmental for Year-Round NJ Pest Control

Our NJ pest control technicians can safely and effectively handle unwanted insect and wildlife visitors from bed bugs and mice to raccoons and squirrels. Contact Stern Environmental to learn more.

News, Nuisance Wildlife Control, Pest Control, Rodent Control

Learn About the Gray Squirrel’s Breeding Habits Not to Protect Your Attic from Invasion

Removal of Rodents Can Be Complicated, But We Have You Covered
Removal of Rodents Can Be Complicated, But We Have You Covered

Squirrels are the second most watched wildlife in North America after birds. Lively and brave, they don’t mind getting too close to humans if it means a bite to eat and a warm place to stay. But sometimes these furry marauders get too close for comfort, putting you in need of NJ squirrel removal services.

Tips for Protecting Your Attic from Squirrel Invasion

To keep urban wildlife such as gray squirrels away from your home, pay attention to their breeding habits. What do you need to know to curtail the effects of squirrel courtship complications in your home?

• Gray Squirrels Don’t Hibernate

Gray squirrels are active year-round, raising families and hoarding food for the winter.

• Gray Squirrels Have 2 Breeding Seasons

Gray squirrels mate in January, then again in the late spring or early summer. You’ll know its courtship time when they start chasing each other up and down your trees.

• Gray Squirrels Nest in High Places

Though males don’t raise young, they will build nests at the tops of trees, in birdhouses, and in the attic spaces of homes and outbuildings that look like ‘leaf balls.’ Once established, they return to these same nests year after year.

Gray squirrels may be cute, but they don’t make for great houseguests. Remove them humanely with the help of the  NJ squirrel removal services of Stern Environmental today.

Insect Control, News, Pest Control, Pest News, Stinging Insects, Wasps, Yellow Jackets

Hornet or Yellow Jacket – How to Tell the Difference

Hornet or Yellow Jacket - How to Tell the Difference
Hornet or Yellow Jacket – How to Tell the Difference

Stinging pests are a serious problem for a lot of New Jersey homeowners. But most of the time, they’re not really sure what type of pest they’re dealing with. Hornets and yellow jackets are two of the pests that get confused the most.

Before contacting NJ yellow jacket control or hornet control, here’s how you can identify which pest is in your yard.

The Similarities Between Yellow Jackets and Hornets

Both yellow jackets and hornets are types of wasps. But people often refer to them as bees, which is incorrect. The stings of both are quite painful, but that’s where their similarities end.

The Differences Between Hornets and Yellow Jackets

In most cases, you can tell the difference by just looking at them closely. Yellow jackets have distinct black and yellow markings, like their names suggest. Hornets also have yellow marks but with a reddish-brown color instead of black.

Both pests can sting repeatedly, but the yellow jacket’s stinger has barbs and sometimes gets lodged in its victim. Like a bee’s stinger, if it gets left behind then the insect dies. Hornets, however, don’t lose their stinger and their stings tend to be more painful.

Contact a NJ Yellow Jacket Control Specialist for Help

Whether you’re dealing with hornets or yellow jackets, both are a menace this time of year. Stern Environmental has the expertise to rid you of them. Contact us today to learn more.

Animal Control, Groundhogs, News, Nuisance Wildlife Control, Pest Animal Removal, Pest Control

National Geographic Uncovers the Secret Life of Groundhogs

National Geographic Uncovers the Secret Life of Groundhogs
National Geographic Uncovers the Secret Life of Groundhogs

Have you ever wondered what groundhogs are up to when they’re running around your yard? Most people don’t know that these animals can cause a lot of damage. It often takes an NJ groundhog control specialist to remove them humanely. Still, their lives are fascinating, and National Geographic has given us an inside look.

All About the Groundhog

The groundhog is sometimes referred to as a woodchuck. It’s a marmot, and also a member of the squirrel family. They grow to weigh about 18 pounds, and from head to tail their length ranges from 24 to 35 inches.

During the warmer months of the year, groundhogs spend their time eating as much food as they can. They’re herbivores, so your garden is one of their favorite places to dine. After the first frost of the year, they hide away and snooze until springtime. Their fat helps to sustain them through the colder months of winter.

When to Call a NJ Groundhog Control Specialist

Groundhogs might be cute, furry and fun to watch, but they can also cause big problems. Given the right circumstances, they have been known to chew through underground wires. So even though they’re fun to watch, it’s best to find a professional who can help you remove them without causing harm.

At Stern Environmental, we’re eager to help you if you have a groundhog problem at your home. Contact us today.