Month: January 2022

WHAT ARE COCKROACHES?

Cockroaches are ancient insects, seventy species of which live in the United States, with only a handful of those living near people. These adaptable insects can thrive in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments, and because they are prolific breeders, they can quickly take over any property.

Described below are the most common species of cockroaches to invade New York City structures:

• American cockroaches
  American cockroaches enjoy a more outdoor lifestyle but do make their way inside homes while foraging for food and shelter. They are the largest structure-invading cockroaches in the United States, growing to between 1-1/4 and 2 inches long. These cockroaches are a mahogany color with a yellowish pattern that resembles a figure-8 behind their heads. They fly short distances.
• German cockroaches
  German cockroaches are a major urban pest and prefer to live inside. They are problematic inside homes and businesses, especially restaurants or any other place there is food storage. These cockroaches are a light brown to tan color and have two horizontal dark stripes behind their heads. Though German cockroaches have wings, they do not fly. These cockroaches are fast movers and scurry out of sight when disturbed.
• Oriental cockroaches
  Oriental cockroaches – sometimes called “water bugs,” because they live around drains and sewers – do not fly. Adults have smooth, shiny, dark black bodies, and they produce an unpleasant, musty odor.

ARE COCKROACHES DANGEROUS?

Cockroaches are dangerous pests because they contaminate food, dishes, utensils, cabinets, and surfaces with viruses, bacteria, human pathogens, and parasites – spreading diseases that make people ill. Additionally, their shed skins and excrement trigger allergies and asthma attacks in people, mostly in young children and people with weakened immune systems. In the case of a large infestation, cockroaches may bite sleeping people, trying to feed on their dead skin cells. In addition to health risks, cockroaches damage personal property by staining and chewing fabric items, papers, and more.

WHY DO I HAVE A COCKROACH PROBLEM?

Cockroaches thrive in urban areas because there are plenty of indoor shelters that allow them to breed and feed year-round. Our homes and businesses provide cockroaches with plenty of food and water sources; they move in through openings in the foundation, spaces around air conditioners, drains, holes in screens, and open windows and doors.

People also unknowingly introduce cockroaches into their own homes or buildings. They hitchhike their way inside in delivery boxes, grocery deliveries, used appliances, or even on the bottom of our shoes! They also move into new locations through walls and under doors in apartment buildings. Cockroaches are hard to avoid – especially in urban areas, where they live in large, dense populations. A cockroach infestation can occur on any property at any time of year.

WHERE WILL I FIND COCKROACHES?

Cockroaches thrive in a variety of outdoor environments such as dumpsters, sewers, drains, and in parks, under mulch and behind tree bark. Inside, cockroaches live in damp, dark areas like basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Common hiding spots include drawers, under sinks, closets, wall voids, under floors, and behind appliances.

HOW DO I GET RID OF COCKROACHES?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of cockroaches from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. At Broadway Pest Services, we provide excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep cockroaches out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our cockroach control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT COCKROACHES IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Inside, store all food in the refrigerator or sealed glass or plastic containers.
• Place mesh covers over vents and drains leading into your home.
• Make sure dumpsters or trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
• Use dehumidifiers to keep basements dried out.
• Fix leaky pipes and fixtures.
• Install door sweeps on exterior doors.
• Keep outdoor eating areas are free of food debris.
• Vacuum floors, wipe down counters, and wash dishes daily.
• Seal spaces around air-conditioners and utilities entering your house.
• Eliminate entry points into your structure by sealing cracks in the foundation, exterior walls, and roofline.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

WHAT ARE STORED-PRODUCT PESTS?

Insects such as moths and beetles that feed on or breed in food (whole or processed grains), or items made of animal bi-products or natural fibers, are known as stored-product pests. You can find these insects in all stages of development in stored products, but it is the larval stage that does the most damage. Confused flour beetles, webbing clothes moths, and Indian meal moths are all examples of stored-product pests living throughout New York City.

ARE STORED-PRODUCT PESTS DANGEROUS?

Stored-product pests are not a danger to people, but they are a significant danger to our food and personal property, as infestations in our food make it inconsumable. Inside commercial properties such as food processing and storage facilities, stored-product pests can create a substantial economic loss. In our homes, they contaminate food and are tough to eliminate. Clothes webbing moths are problematic in places like museums, where there fabrics and items made from animal bi-products are stored.

WHY DO I HAVE A STORED-PRODUCT PEST PROBLEM?

Adult pantry pests often find their way into structures through open windows or doors, torn screens, or openings in exterior walls. Products purchased from the grocery store that are already contaminated with stored product pest eggs or larvae are another common way these destructive pests get inside buildings.

WHERE WILL I FIND STORED-PRODUCT PESTS?

You’ll find stored product pests wherever there are sources of food. Places like kitchens, pantries, closets, basements, and attics are common hideouts for stored product pests. Confused flour beetles and Indian meal moths have varied diets, feeding on such things as flour, cereals, dried pasta, crackers, chocolate, dried milk, dried fruits, dry pet food, and cake mixes. Webbing clothes moths feed on and damage things like carpets, furs, clothing, curtains, bedding, and upholstered furniture.

HOW DO I GET RID OF STORED-PRODUCT PESTS?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of stored-product pests from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. At Broadway Pest Services, we provide excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep stored product pests out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our pest control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT STORED PRODUCT PESTS IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Remove food from its original packaging and store it in airtight containers.
• Store any dry pet food in metal containers with a locking lid.
• Install weatherstripping around windows and doors.
• Avoid buying dry goods in bulk.
• Replace torn window or door screens.
• Repair any cracks in the exterior walls of your building.
• Do not purchase food from the store with holes or rips in the packaging.
• Store your bedding, clothes, and other fabric items in plastic containers with locking lids, not cardboard boxes.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

WHAT ARE RATS?

Rats are a dangerous, damaging, and problematic species of rodents that no home or business owner ever wants to deal with. Rats thrive in a variety of indoor and outdoor environments. They grow to be between 15 and 17 inches long, including their tails, and the fur covering their bodies is grey, brown, or black, with lighter-colored bellies. They have large heads and feet that are proportional to their body, and their long, scaly tails are void of hair.

ARE RATS DANGEROUS?

Yes, rats are dangerous. Rats are wild animals and, therefore, are unpredictable. Never corner or make a rat feel threatened, as they will defend themselves by biting or scratching. Rodents have large, sharp front incisors; to prevent them from overgrowing, they gnaw on anything they come across. Rats cause a lot of structural damage inside buildings – chewing through wires, pipes, drywall, and flooring. These chewing habits may also lead to fires. Rats also have poor eyesight, so to find their way back and forth from their nest to food sources, they travel along walls and furniture, leaving behind unsightly grease marks.

In addition to structural damage, rats spread disease, viruses, and pathogens such as murine typhus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever to both people and animals. They contaminate food, surfaces, dishes, utensils, and more with their shed fur and trails of excrement and urine. Additionally, their presence triggers allergy attacks in some.

WHY DO I HAVE A RAT PROBLEM?

Rats live in high populations in urban areas because we provide them with easy access to food, water, and shelter. These rodents have learned to rely on us for some of their food and shelter needs. Rats are difficult to keep out, moving into buildings through openings at ground level and found along the roofline; they only require a space the diameter of a quarter to squeeze through. They feed on a variety of things including grains, meats, fish, nuts, seeds, and some fruit. Open trash containers or dumpsters, pet food, outdoor eating areas, container gardens, and bird feeders all attract rats. Once comfortable foraging for food on your property, they will eventually make their way inside to seek shelter and forage for food.

WHERE WILL I FIND RATS?

Rats nest outdoors in a variety of locations. Depending on the species, they will burrow in piles of garbage, in dense vegetation, and under concrete slabs and foundations. Others prefer to nest above ground in trees or rooflines. If rats make their way inside a home or other building to nest, they choose dark, quiet areas like basements, attics, the backs of cabinets or closets, and behind walls voids. They also frequent parks, docks, the edges of riverbanks, and anywhere there is trash.

HOW DO I GET RID OF RATS?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of rodents from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. At Broadway Pest Services, we provide excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep rats out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our rat control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT RATS IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Seal up the spaces around air-conditioners and utilities entering your house.
• Make sure dumpsters or trash cans have tight-fitting lids on them.
• Place mesh covers over vents and drains leading into your home.
• Keep storage areas inside your home organized.
• Make sure outdoor eating areas are free of food debris.
• Cut back overgrown vegetation from the exterior of your building.
• Clear the overgrown vegetation and piles of debris from your yard.
• Eliminate entry points into your structure by sealing cracks in the foundation, exterior walls, and roofline.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

Mice are small, adaptable rodents that do well in rural, suburban, and urban areas. They have learned to take advantage of the food and shelter we unintentionally offer them; large cities are home to large populations of mice because they provide them with places to live and forage for food. House mice have oval-shaped bodies and pointed snouts. Their bodies grow to between 2-1/2 and 3-1/2 inches long and have light brown or gray fur; their tails are covered in a light layer of velvety fur and are 2-1/2 to 4 inches long.

ARE MICE DANGEROUS?

House mice are rodents, and all rodents have continuously growing front incisors. To prevent their teeth from overgrowing, they chew on anything they come across. When living inside a home or business, house mice and their enthusiastic gnawing cause a lot of structural damage. They chew through wires, pipes, drywall, cables, and flooring.

Mice are also problematic because they contaminate food, surfaces, and insulation with their urine and excrement. They transmit a variety of bacteria, pathogens, and parasites that make people ill. House mice are dangerous pests and should never be allowed to stay in any residential or commercial property.

WHY DO I HAVE A MOUSE PROBLEM?

House mice are relentless in their search for food and shelter. They find their way into buildings by scaling walls, traveling across wires, and moving through sewers and drains, and entering through any small hole they find. House mice are especially attracted to properties where there is easy access to food. Things like dumpsters, pet food, as well as our pantries and kitchens, are an open invitation to them. Easy access to food sources encourage mice to stay and nest within the walls of our homes.

WHERE WILL I FIND MICE?

House mice living outside create nests in places like parks, along riverbanks, and in areas of overgrown vegetation. Those that have made their way inside structures place their nests in dark, quiet spaces. House mice make their dome-shaped nests within 30 feet to their food sources, in areas such as behind large appliances, in wall voids, in attics, drawers, cabinets, and basements.

HOW DO I GET RID OF MICE?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of rodents from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. At Broadway Pest Services, we provide excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep house mice out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our mouse control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT MICE IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Keep storage areas inside your home organized to provide fewer hiding spots for mice.
• Clean up overgrown vegetation and piles of debris from your yard.
• Make sure dumpsters or trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
• Make sure outdoor eating areas are free of food debris.
• Place mesh covers over vents and drains leading into your home.
• Seal off spaces around air conditioners and utilities entering your house.
• Eliminate entry points into your structure by sealing cracks in the foundation, exterior walls, and roofline.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

WHAT ARE FLIES?

Flies are pests that are a common problem in New York City homes and businesses. Most flies are scavengers and out in nature help to speed up the process of breaking down decaying matter. However, when flies are living near people, these scavengers become unwanted pests.

Described below are the most common species of flies to invade New York City structures:

• Bottle flies
  Bottle flies are large, robust insects. They have a metallic appearance and come in various colors including blue, green, gold, and shiny black. Bottle flies lay their eggs in excrement and carrion.
• Drain flies
  Drain flies are gray, and they have fuzzy hairs on their bodies. They are tiny and only grow to about 1/8th of an inch long. You can identify them by their frenzied flight patterns. These flies feed and breed inside drains.
• Fruit flies
  Fruit flies are a small species that have large, red compound eyes. Their bodies are yellowish-brown to brownish-black, and they have translucent wings. They breed and feed in decaying fruits and vegetables.
• House flies
  House flies grow up to 1/4 of an inch in length. They are gray and have two velvety stripes on their head and thorax. These flies also have four narrow stripes that run down their bodies. They are common invaders in homes and other structures.

ARE FLIES DANGEROUS?

Flies are very dangerous pests because of the diseases and bacteria they can spread, which can make people ill. These pests also spread human pathogens, parasites, and viruses as they lay their eggs and scavenge for suitable food sources. Their presence contaminates food and other surfaces inside the homes and businesses they invade.

WHY DO I HAVE A FLY PROBLEM?

You’ll find flies around your home or business because there are suitable places for them to feed and lay their eggs. Most species feed on a variety of decaying vegetation, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, carrion, excrement, debris in drains, and fermenting liquids. Things like open containers of trash, compost bins, clogged drains, dirty dishes, and food sitting on counters attract flies. Fruit flies are often accidentally introduced into homes inside produce purchased from the store infested with their eggs or larvae.

WHERE WILL I FIND FLIES?

In general, compost, gardens, clogged gutters, garbage bins, dumpsters, fence lines, drains, and sewers are places you will find flies. Flies can become a problem in a variety of areas, including the following:

• Homes
• Restaurants
• Food processing facilities
• Grocery stores
• Food storage facilities

HOW DO I GET RID OF FLIES?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of flies from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. At Broadway Pest Services, we provide excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep flies out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our fly control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT FLIES IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Make sure trash cans and dumpsters have tight-fitting lids on them.
• Make sure all screens are intact and free of rips and holes.
• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.
• Wash dirty dishes daily.
• Clean food and other debris out of drains
• Store food in the fridge or containers with airtight lids.
• Inspect the exterior of your house, sealing up any openings.
• Keep kitchen counters and floors clean and free of spilled liquid and food debris.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

WHAT ARE BIRDS?

The most common and problematic birds for home and business owners in New York City is the pigeon. Pigeons, also called rock doves, grow to between 11 and 15 inches in length, and they have light gray bodies with grayish-pink beaks; depending on the exact species, some may have rust or metallic colored feathers going across their breast, neck, and head. Adult pigeons also have two dark bars going across their wings and another going across their tail. Cities provide pigeons with ample sources of food, and buildings and other structures mimic rocky outdoor areas where they live in the wild.

ARE BIRDS DANGEROUS?

Pest birds like pigeons are dangerous pests. Pigeons live together in groups and can cause a lot of damage to roof eaves, gutters, and ventilation systems with their nests, corrosive feces, and feathers. Their droppings build upon the ground and are not only unsightly but slippery and may cause slip and fall accidents.

Pigeons carry and transmit a variety of dangerous diseases to people through their feces, including salmonella and toxoplasmosis. Some pigeons have a type of fungus growing in their feces, which causes histoplasmosis. They also introduce parasites onto your property like fleas, ticks, and mites, which can spread other significant diseases. Additionally, some species of pest birds can even become aggressive towards people.

WHY DO I HAVE A BIRD PROBLEM?

Pigeons and other pest birds that live in urban environments have come to rely on the easy access to food, water, and shelter that we provide them. While pigeons prefer to feed on seeds, they are scavengers and feed on anything they come across. Outdoor eating areas, parks, trash cans, gardens, and bird feeders attract pigeons. They nest and roost on top of our buildings, and they have their water needs met from clogged gutters, birdbaths, and leaky outdoor fixtures.

WHERE WILL I FIND BIRDS?

Pigeons leave their nests to feed in the morning and late afternoon. They stay in their nests throughout the night. You will see pigeons together in flocks walking around parking lots, sidewalks, and parks searching for food. They nest or roost in a variety of locations, including the following:

• Church steeples
• Rafters of warehouses
• Under bridges
• Roofs of buildings
• Building ledges

HOW DO I GET RID OF BIRDS?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of birds from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. Broadway Pest Services provides excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep birds out using inspection, treatment, and exclusion measures.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and dangers they create. If you would like to learn more about our bird control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT BIRDS IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Never purposely feed pigeons or other pest birds.
• Keep outdoor eating areas free of food debris.
• Keep gutters free of debris.
• Keep locking lids on trash cans and dumpsters.
• Remove bird feeders and baths from your property.

Categories: 

• Pest Library

WHAT ARE BED BUGS?

The bed bug is a type of insect that feeds only on the blood of warm-blooded mammals, with people being their favorite hosts; if people are not available, they may feed on other animals, including our pets. Bed bugs are prolific pests worldwide and found in every state across the U.S. They are especially problematic in New York city and other urban areas where large numbers of people come and go and are in close contact with each other daily.

Bed bugs are nocturnal creatures that hide during the day and emerge at night to feed on their sleeping hosts. Bed bugs find human hosts through our body heat and the carbon dioxide we produce as we breathe. These oval-shaped insects lack wings and move from location to location by hitchhiking.

ARE BED BUGS DANGEROUS?

Bed bugs bite in order to feed, producing raised, itchy welts that may lead to a secondary infection with excessive itching that requires medical attention. They are not known for spreading diseases but can harbor some disease-causing pathogens. In addition to posing health risks, bed bugs are prolific breeders and quickly establish large populations wherever they end up. Their excrement and feeding habits cause staining on walls, floors, fabrics, and upholstery, and a strong, musty odor may develop wherever there are large numbers of bed bugs.

WHY DO I HAVE A BED BUG PROBLEM?

Bed bugs, like other animals, prefer to live near their food sources, and coming into contact with bed bugs occurs in a variety of public places, where they will crawl onto clothing or personal belongings and then hitchhike their way to a new destination. They also move into homes inside used box springs, mattresses, and upholstered furniture.

WHERE WILL I FIND BED BUGS?

Bed bugs live and hide in airports, bus stations, hotels, museums, movie theaters, libraries, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, and any other public place. Inside, you’ll find bed bugs hiding around sleeping areas; as the infestation grows, they move through walls and floors, infesting multiple rooms – or, in apartment complexes, from unit to unit.

Other common hiding spots include the following:

• Floors
• Baseboards
• Wall voids behind electrical outlets
• Keyboards
• Electronics
• Under dirty laundry
• Behind wall hangings, pictures, and clocks

HOW DO I GET RID OF BED BUGS?

Partnering with Broadway Pest Services is the best way to get rid of bed bugs from your New York City property. Our pest management technicians are highly trained and use the latest advancements in technology and science to effectively eliminate pests from residential and commercial properties. Broadway Pest Services provides excellent customer service and the pest control services needed to get and keep bed bugs out using inspection, treatment, and guaranteed services.

At Broadway Pest Services, we know the pests that find their way into New York City structures and how to protect people and property from the damage and danger they create. If you would like to learn more about our bed bug control solutions, reach out and speak to one of our helpful and friendly professionals today!

HOW CAN I PREVENT BED BUGS IN THE FUTURE?

In addition to our residential pest control and commercial pest control service offerings, our professionals recommend the following tips:

• Change and wash bedding weekly and inspect mattresses and box springs for signs of bed bugs.
• Always inspect your hotel room for signs of bed bugs before bringing luggage inside.
• Immediately wash and dry any new clothes on a high heat cycle.
• Keep your home free of clutter where bed bugs like to hide.
• Vacuum your floors regularly.
• Place bed bug-proof covers on all mattresses and box springs.
• Do not purchase used mattresses, box springs, and furniture for your home.
• After traveling, wash your clothing on the highest heat settings the fabrics can handle.
• When out in public, or at work or school, keep personal belongings away from other people’s belongings and up off of the ground.