Alliance Pest Blog - New Jersey's Reliable Pest Resource

There is always time in the year when overwintering insects are very determined to enter the home. These are pests people contend with especially when the weather changes. The significant overwintering pest threats include multicolored Asian ladybugs, boxelder bugs, western conifer seed bugs and cluster flies. The term “overwintering” is frequently used to indicate how insects or other animals spend their time over the winter. Also, it is commonly used to refer to the act of keeping or staying alive throughout winter. This has to do with the way animals spend the winter by taking up residence in a particular place. In a bid to protect themselves from the harsh winter elements, pests often end up in homes and other available structures during their search for shelter. These damaging organisms often go unnoticed when they enter homes to overwinter. However, they reveal larger problems when the remerge and become active. ...

Maintaining your home or business can be difficult and even the most well-kept structure can experience pest problems and infestations that are challenging to deal with. These nuisances can cause severe torment if they are not handled in a timely manner and unless you are willing to take the proper steps, these minor problems can cause major damage over the long haul. Even those who maintain clean homes experience pest problems, but there are many who are blissfully unaware of the most common signs that they have a pest problem developing. The most well placed efforts can be for naught and by paying attention to the following warning signs, you will know exactly when you need to contact an exterminator. 1. Increased Chill in The Air For most of us, the winter chill is taken as a sign that we need to spend more time indoors and unfortunately, all the...

When animals start roaming around the neighborhood, it's time to call wild life removal services. They will catch invading squirrels, birds, foxes, and other animals before they become a problem for homeowners. A typical animal can live in the structure of the home. This includes the roof and space underneath the house. There are several signs that an animal is living in your home including noises and smells. If you see animals running around the yard at regular intervals, they may be nesting in the house. Another sign of wild life infestation is damaged plants, missing crops, damaged roofing or siding, and droppings. Here's a list of common animals that invade neighborhoods and the damage they cause to the house. Squirrel  Squirrels are cute, but they are considered medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, chipmunks, flying squirrels, prairie dogs, and woodchucks (also known as marmots). Squirrels mate once...

A lot of people work for long hours on a daily basis with the hope of having a great holiday, but a few unwelcome guests can ruin the whole experience. Ensure that all your guests and family have a great holiday by following few of this tips to ensure that no pests ruin your holiday. Problems with Pests A couple of people out there believe that there are fewer pests in the colder months. While there is some truth to this belief, you should not forget that houses are generally warm and a welcoming abode for many invaders. Many of these pests constitute just a minor nuisance, but some can constitute serious health problems to humans. They can also cause serious structural damage to buildings and houses. Some holiday pests include: Cockroaches The spread of loose packed imported foods is the major cause of an influx of cockroaches in various...

Bed Bugs are small, blackish brown, oval insects that suck blood from humans or animals leaving bites in their wake. These insects are common in homes, hotels, and pretty much anywhere that you have upholstered furniture. They like to hide in cracks in furniture, especially wood furniture, but beds are their favorite hiding spot whether its mattresses, box springs, or bed frames. Bed bugs are nocturnal so they are more active at night, and this is when the bites can and will occur.   Identifying bed bug bites can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for or you’ve never had a run in with the little blood suckers. Sometimes it can take days for you to notice that something is off, and by then they’ve made themselves pretty comfortable in your home. Unlike mosquito bites, which can be anywhere and flea bites that happen more around the...

As the atmosphere gets cooler many homes are an easy target for rodent infestations. This vermin can cause a lot of damages to homes, contaminate your food and spread diseases. Homeowners find themselves year after year trying to bait and trap rodents of all sizes in a never ending cycle. Rodents are known to be sneaky and cunning, so they can make their way into your home despite your best efforts to keep them away. This usually happens because you might be relying on getting rid of a rat or mouse infestation, instead of preventing them. The good news is that they don't stay hidden for long. So if you ever notice any of the following signs in your home, know that you have those unwanted guests, get rid of them fast and protect against them for good. Look Out for Rodent Grease Marks Rodents can go through small entrances...

People tend to stay inside more when it gets cold. Insect and animal invaders as well as bacteria also move inside during the winter months to escape the cold and find food. The types of winter pests that can prove to be a problem depend on where you live. A home or apartment owner needs to be observant about pest invaders as soon as the weather starts turning cold. The sooner that you find a pest and deal with it the less likely you are to sustain financial loss, damage to your home, and the potential for catching a disease. The home owner must look in every nook and cranny to be certain that the common winter pests have not taken up residence in the home. The majority of winter pests are small. Some winter pests are microscopic. The attic, paper stored in the attic, crawl spaces, kitchen cabinets, the...

BED BUGS!!! Just the name of these little blood sucking parasites is enough to have me running down a hallway faster then I realized I could. Unfortunately, I have had the pleasure of sharing my life with bed bugs in a professional and personal setting. The smart sensible part of my brain has come to accept that bed bugs are a part of life; they are very common in any environment where travel and sleeping occur. The emotional irrational part of my brain causes me to itch the minute I hear the word. So yes, as I write this blog about my experience with bed bugs I am itching and scratching.  I have worked in hospitality for most of my professional career, and over 20 years ago although the cases I encountered with bed bugs were rare, it did occur but it was not a regular daily complaint from the...

To the untrained eye, it might be hard to distinguish rats and mice when dealing with pests, as these can look like similar animals. These do, however, have quite a few differences that you can identify in order to know what you’re dealing with, and what to tell the pest control company when they’re rushing in to help you deal with the problem.  The first thing one can notice is that these two rodents look a little difference. They have physical differences, but we aren’t going to focus on these, as people might get a little freaked out whenever they see rodents in their house and, as such, they won’t really be trying to look for physical traits in the animals. We’re going to focus on their behavior, food choices, and other factors.  The main difference between rats and mice we need to count on is that they behave in...

Most homeowners use fireplaces as supplementary heat supply which involves burning firewood. Pests (including insects and other arthropods) can be brought into a home through firewood as most of these creatures feed on and live in wood. This article addresses what to watch out for when trying to detect these pests and how to manage the situation.  How to Detect the Common Firewood Pests Firewood pests belong to two main groups namely those that feed actively on wood and those who infest wood for shelter only. Shelter Pests  Many insects seek shelter under loose bark or hollow trees during the winter period. Some of them include the different types of beetles, overwintering wasp and wood cockroaches. Spider egg sacks and moth cocoons are also part of them. These creatures become active after they warm up indoors. They can be discarded as they appear and cannot survive for long periods indoors....

Rodents such as rats and mice do indeed cause terrible and serious types of damage to commercial buildings if they gain access to these properties. They damage such facilities as warehouses, far and feed storage buildings, food processing buildings, manufacturing facilities, retail business, office complexes, hotels, public utility operations and more.  When buildings are in an urban area, rodents tend to cause more damage in buildings that are older and that are poorly maintained, needing serious repairs. Also, note that when there are plants, refuse, wood piles and food that are near locations where rats are already living, then the rats and mice tend to like to take over these areas as well. The truth is that there are many sorts of water, air and land transportations systems and their various respective infrastructures that also deal with serious problems regarding infestations by rodents. There seem to be concerns particularly regarding...

Although there are many creatures that fall under the general term "rodents," the rodents that usually concern us are common house mice and rats. Living quiet lives and not often seen by humans, mice and rats are very common, even in urban areas. It was once said that in Manhattan, New York, there was at least one rat for every human on the island. Although hungry rats can and do create a danger in the home by actually attacking infants and other defenseless creatures, they also create a great deal of damage in general to food supplies, as do mice.  Mice, in themselves, are cute little creatures and seeing one, it's easy to dismiss it as harmless. Many dislike having to kill any living creature. Most persons don't go out of their way to kill wild creatures outside the home, even common houseflies. But having pests inside the home is...

One of the major fear in most neighborhoods, especially for those that live near the woods, is the fear of wildlife animals in their homes. Wildlife animals are typically wild and can put your home at great risk. They vary in size and species and some of them could be very deadly, while the some are just plain destructive. In most cases, the smell or activities in your home is what attracts them, while at other times they can stray away from their homes lost, or from people who are trying to domesticate them and end up in your home. This article will give you more insight into some of the damage that wildlife can cause indoor and ways the different methods of stopping them from entering your home. What attracts wildlife to the home? There are several homeowners who are faced with the unwanted visits and permanent residence of...

When cracks and holes are found in the floors, walls, and foundations of a home, rodents are more likely to find their way into the home through them. Usually, these holes are not often discovered on time by most homeowners until some signs of infestation begin to manifest. Rodents are very capable of fitting through holes that appear to be much smaller than their size. Rodents like mice and rats can also gain access into the home through gaps in ceilings or windows and even through sewer lines, as the case may be. Homes with improperly sealed drainage pipes may find rodents entering through bathtub drains or sinks. Also, these small animals can find their way into your home via entry holes around plumbing and oven gas lines.  Naturally, there is usually an increase in the population of rodents especially rats and mice during the summer months. This is because...

Cold Weather and Pests - What to Look Out For Pests are generally undesirable in the home (or anywhere else for that matter) for more reasons than one, they are eyesores and they create one. They bring in their wake, diseases, destruction of different scales and we always look for ways to get rid of them. As the seasons change, different situations begin to play themselves out and pests are one of these situations. Typically, during cold weather, people usually intend to spend more time indoors than outdoors so they are pretty much increasing their exposure time to these pests. Due to their nature, most macroscopic pests find it hard to thrive properly during cold weather and as such they either go into hibernation while the season lasts and some of them do not even survive it. While it is true that pests tend to die off when exposed to...

How to Avoid Bringing Bed Bugs Back Home When Traveling We all love a good vacation, but few things are more annoying than returning home, only to find out that you have brought some unwanted guests home with you. When you are traveling, it is easy to forget certain helpful tips and when we forget these tips, bed bugs are able to latch onto our luggage and receive a free ride home. If you would like to make sure that your next trip out of town or overseas is bed bug free, it is time to follow these useful steps. Bed bugs are typically invisible to the naked eye and those who do not follow these easy tips for avoiding bed bugs are doomed to experience all of the annoyances that they have been known to provide. Read on to learn more. Inspect Your Hotel Room There is no law...

Insects You Can Expect to Meet in New Jersey Insects are some of the most annoying and difficult pests to control. They fly, crawl, bite, sting, chew, cut, pollute, deface and much more. I’d there was, insects would belong to Class A among pests.  Insect populations vary with location all around the world. Some species thrive better is some areas than they do in others. This occurs due to differences in climate, terrain, lifestyle and so much more across the places worldwide. New Jersey is not left out.  There are insect populations who choose this area as their location of choice to settle and breed – and like every other insect population, humans continually seek to control them.  This is a guide to insects peculiar to New Jersey, since it is easier to fight what you know, this should make it easier to combat them.  Bees The only good thing...

Stink Bugs and Their Need to Migrate Stink bugs are what is known as an agricultural pest. They are typically found on the exterior of the home and do not typically make their way indoors. When they first arrive on your property, stink bugs take refuge in your gardens, farms and orchards, waiting for the moment when they will migrate to another area of your residence. Stink bugs will also make their home in residential neighborhoods, where they live in local parks and landscaping. They are commonly found in most areas of the United States, especially in warmer climates. When they find a warm climate to reside in, stink bugs will continuously reproduce throughout the year.  Adult stink bugs spend the colder months of the year hiding in secluded areas, forever in search of warmth. Stink bugs hide in your weeds, underneath stones and boards and anywhere that provides ground...

Ant Infestation, Damage and Health Risk to Homeowners One of the Earth's most efficacious species, the ants have populated nearly every part of the world, adjusting to thrive in all environments except the Antarctica's ice fields. Out of over 12,500 identified species identified, the ants account for about 15% to 25% of the Earth's entire animal biomass. This makes them a part of the Earth's most productive species. Evolving from the ancient wasps over 120 million years ago, researchers attribute the ants' success to their exceedingly developed social organization, extraordinary adaptability as well as their highly-honed survival instincts. Like other insects, the ants play a significant role in nature. The creatures pollinate plants, ventilate the soil, eat other insects and recycle deceased organic material. It is when the ants overrun our homes that they are problematic. Human habitats give ants everything they need to survive including shelter, food, and water,...

Signs That Show You May Have a Flea Infestation Fleas have become a cause for concern in many homes today especially households that have pets. They are tiny insects that feed on both pets and humans. Spotting a flea infestation can be simple, but eradicating the insects can prove difficult. This article addresses ways to identify and eradicate fleas from your home.  Identifying Fleas  Fleas are 2.5 mm in length and have flat bodies without wings. They have six legs that allows them to jump great distances. Siting fleas on your pet’s fur doesn't reveal the real extent of the infestation. Larvae, eggs, and pupae can also thrive in your home as they are difficult to see.  If your pet scratches excessively, try to check his or her fur. Animals that infested usually have reddened skin and can lose hair (the head and neck of cats and the hind quarters...