How to store items in your attic to keep them pest free!

Posted on July 28, 2010 with No Comments

Billy the Exterminator gives great tips to store items in your attic properly so pests won’t get in, check it out!

Tips From Billy

Sport arenas food vendors in NYC cited for health violations

Posted on July 27, 2010 with No Comments

Earlier today the NY Post published an article that talks about the vendors in sports areas and how they are not up to the health code.  ESPN surveyed 107 sports areas across the county and the results they found are disturbing.  The Version Center in Washington, DC topped the list.  100% of the vendors inside the arena were cited with health violations.  Madison Square Garden rated the worst among the New York stadiums with 61% of their vendors being cited.  Yankee Stadium and Citi Field rated above MGS, but not by much.  Yankee Stadium had 48% of their vendors cited and Citi Field had 45%. The health violations include inspectors finding mouse droppings and roaches in the area where food is being prepared. Many spectators were interviewed and most of them had the same response.  They are going to continue to go to the sporting events, just going to think twice about getting a hot dog.  The spectators are also angry at the fact that they pay good money to see the sporting event and feel the least that the stadium could do is provide them with a healthy food vendor.  If you have dropping or cockroaches in your home or business, JP McHale can help. We are a Pest Control Company in Westchester New York that serves the tri-state area.  Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook for an inspection!

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Stories from the Field: SPOTTED: A SCORPION!

Posted on July 1, 2010 with No Comments

Yesterday, one of our techs reported a story was that like nothing we had ever heard before.  A customer claimed they spotted a scorpion! A church that we serve called us and told a tech that she spotted a scorpion.  We asked her numerous times “Are you sure?” and she reassured us that she killed one, but threw it out.  She said she has seen another, so we brought out techs in.  We searched the church and found no scorpion, but they are nocturnal so it’s hard to spot them in the the light.  Scorpions live down South in warm, moist areas.  They are poisonous! As the techs were inspecting the building, they notices a lot of other pests that were living there, so it is very possible that a scorpion could live their with the moisture and food.  Our techs have to go back in a few nights so STAY TUNED!

Guest Post: Is it Flying Ants or Termite?

Posted on June 18, 2010 with 1 Comment

Here is a great article by Veronica Davis about the differences between Flying Ants and Termites.

Veronica Davis is a freelance copywriter for businesses online. She works extensively with a host of real estate related entities and Realtors, helping them with their website content, blogs, social media and marketing. She currently writes for a Long Beach pest control company and contributes to several sites. She has worked with a large range of clients over the years, from helping small site owners establish a profitable presence online to blogging for Planet Green.

Is it Flying Ants or Termites?

Getting rid of pests in and around your home can sometimes be quite the headache. Flying ants and termites can be difficult to differentiate. If you think you have termites or flying ants, here are some ways that you can make sure you know which of the two are actually invading your property.

Body Shape

If it’s termites that are giving you problems, they will have a body that seems to be one piece or segment. You won’t really be able to tell any hourglass shape or “waist” on a termite. Flying ants on the other hand, will have different segments that make up their body. You can clearly see where the shape curves in, forming a “waist”.

Wings

Both termites and flying ants have two sets of wings. If you look closer though, you will see that either all the wings are the same size or that one pair is larger than the other. Flying ants will have one pair of wings that is larger than the other and their wings are pretty much clear. The two sets of wings in termites are both the same size and they’re larger to closer match their body size. Their wings have more of a milky appearance and you will probably notice a lot of veins.

Antennae Differences

You can also tell if it’s flying ants or termites by looking at their antennas. Flying ants will have antennas that are bent in kind of an “L” shape. A termite’s antennae will poke straight out, with no curves or bends.

These are some of the differences that will help you determine just what kind of pest you’re dealing with. But these are pretty small details. So a magnifying glass will definitely come in handy. If not possible, then you can also take a photo and enlarge it. The last thing you can do is if you think you have termites, look for their pathway tubes. Look in your basement or down in any crawl space to look for brown/tab mud tubes. These are created by the termites for easy access to food from their nesting areas.

Curious about the stings that hurt the most?

Posted on June 18, 2010 with No Comments

Here is a YouTube video on insects whose sting hurts the most.  This is one mans opinion, but it is pretty accurate.

Fun Graph: Bug Location vs. Size

Posted on June 16, 2010 with No Comments

Here’s a fun graph I came upon from graphjam.com

JPMcHale is one of the leading pest control companies in Westchester, New York, we would love to help you with your pest problems!

Goldman Sachs’ image hurt again with suspected Bed Bugs

Posted on June 15, 2010 with No Comments

This morning, ABC News posted an article on the Goldman Sachs’ tower and how it could potentially be infested with bed bugs. Located in across the Hudson River in New Jersey, the 42-story building is claimed to be taking cautionary actions against bed bugs.  Sources say that employees are being relocated to different floors as the inspectors come through the building.  Dogs have been brought in and although Goldman Sachs has claimed they are doing this only as a precautionary, many people are beginning to think that the building has already been infested with bed bugs.  None of the employees are speaking up about this problem or making any comments.  Bed bug cases have been on the rise in recent year throughout New York City.  In 2004 there were 17 violations and in 2009 there was a reported 717.   Goldman Sachs’ image has been hurt in the previous years and this controversy will just bring it down more.  Bed bugs flourish wherever people are, so it is no surprise that bed bugs are now making their way into business offices.  If you have a bed bug issue, you have to treat it immediately so it does not spread.  JP McHale can conduct an inspection for your home or building, simply contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, facebook, or twitter.  Learn more about bed bugs here.

Picture source: Golden Sachs Tower

All About Cockroaches!

Posted on June 15, 2010 with No Comments

I recently found a great National Geographic video explaining all about cockroaches.   Cockroaches are about 5/8-inch long.   They are usually light to medium brown with two dark longitudinal streaks on the thorax.  From the way their body is shaped, cockroaches can get into the smallest of cracks.  The roaches only need three things to survive: food, water, and warmth.  A house has all three!  Cockroaches only need to eat once every month.  They have large, round eyes and their antenna detects where food and water is.  Once a cockroach is alarmed of a human, they dart at a rate of 11 inches per second!  Cockroaches reproduce in large amount numbers so if you have a cockroach problem, contact us immediately.  For more information or to solve a cockroach problem, contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, facebook, or twitter.

Butterflies and Caterpillars: Snakes in Disguise

Posted on June 15, 2010 with No Comments

Yesterday, the top story from the NY Times was about the study behind why caterpillars and butterflies disguise themselves as snakes.   From the sky and ground, when predators look at caterpillars, the first things they see are snake eyes glaring at them.  Since the predators are scared off most times, the camouflage is a great defense mechanism for caterpillars and butterflies.  It is reported that each day a bird will see tens to hundreds of caterpillars that they mistaken for snakes. A scientist, by the name of Dr. Janzen, studied specifically which caterpillars formed into which butterflies.  He studied in the rainforest in Costa Rice for 32 years to gather information.  In that time, he studied over 450,000 caterpillars! Still till this day there are researchers in Costa Rica and the findings they discover are remarkable.  Each caterpillar that they find is sampled to see the genetic coding and some caterpillars can have as many as 11 different ancestors!  Today, many researchers are still trying to perfect the answer to “Why does this small caterpillar look like a snake on one end?”

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Fire Ants are very good communicators and work together well!

Posted on June 11, 2010 with No Comments

Fire ants are known to sting when they bit. Would would of known they work so well together!