Archive for the Pest Control Co Category
Posted on June 25, 2010 with No Comments
Yesterday, Fox 5 News did a report about a Long Island landscaper in their evening segment, Shame on You. This landscaper had lost his license two years ago but continued doing business with customers. It was reported that over 30 customers were getting ripped off and not getting the service they had paid for. 
The landscaper will now face charges from the district attorney for fraud. When you contact JP McHale you can be assured that we are current with our licensing and all state requirements. JP McHale is licensed in pest management and plant health care. All of our products are environmentally sensitive and approved by the EPA. When researching a prospective contractor, you should go on your state/county’s website to try and find a list of licensed professionals as well as fraudulent ones. JP McHale is a Westchester Pest Control company. We would love to help you with your pest or lawn problem! Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook.
Posted on November 9, 2009 with 1 Comment
The BBB wrote an article recently outlining the questions you should ask a pest control company before hiring them. Click here to the BBB’s article. Here at JP McHale we answered all of the questions that the BBB tell consumers to. Here we go:
Is your company licensed? Local regulations vary so check with your BBB or local health agency.
JP McHale is a licensed business in New York (Business Reg Number 08690), New Jersey (Business Reg Number 98083A) and Connecticut (Business Reg Number B-1086)
What are the qualifications of your technicians?
All of our technicians are extensively trained and are overseen by our Cornell graduate entomologist.
Will you provide a written inspection report, with an itemization of charges if a pest treatment is recommended?
Yes, after we inspect your home we will provide you with our recommended treatment plans. All of the pricing will be explained to you and will be provided in writing. (Termite inspections are free for Home Pest Prevention customers, and there is a small fee if you are not a current customer to receive a Wood Destroying Insect report. )
Do you guarantee your work? If not, be skeptical. Know in advance what steps you need to take to keep the service agreement in force.
All of our work is guaranteed, the time that we guarantee depends on what service agreement you choose with us.
Do you have references from local customers?
Check out our customer love letters!
Do you belong to a professional pest control industry association?
We are a member of the National Pest Management Association.
Do you have insurance?
Yes, please contact us for more information regarding our insurance.
If you ever have any questions about our business or our services please never hesitate to contact us, email us or call us at (800) 479-2284.
Posted on August 24, 2009 with 1 Comment
Last week we launched out new website (www.NoPests.com). We changed the design to make it easier for visitors to contact us, and added a TON of information about our service programs for general pest control, commercial and industrial pest control termite mitigation, tree and turf care, bed bug elimination, and mosquito and tick abatement.
Also check out our massive pest identification center with over 35 pests!
In addition to the new home page, we launched Tell JPMcHale where customers can tell us how their service has been with us. Once feedback is received, we will send them a free gift.
Please check it out and let us know in the comments of this post what you think of it. We home this can help our current customer and potential clients with further understanding services that we offer.
Posted on August 24, 2009 with No Comments
This gust post was written by Brittani over at Eden Pest Technologies located in Washington, thanks again Brittani!
With all the attention being paid to building green – it seems that green services should be given more credit. After all, how much good does building green offer if the services provided do not support the green objectives originally intended?
Eden (Integrated Pest Management) is a perfect example. If a house was built to minimize volatile gases then pesticides should not be regularly applied to the structure. Therefore, a green program for pest management is what should be provided.
When considering a green option for pest management, three areas are critical for consideration: method, materials and motive.
- Method of application is the most important of the three. The core of Eden’s IPM method is our four levels of control: Physical exclusion of the pest from the structure, habitat modification by removal of pest conducive conditions, mechanical controls like traps, nets, etc.; and minimal use of pesticides.
- Materials, even those considered safe or natural, could be used in a manner that will harm the environment and the people in it if not applied correctly. Eden’s green option, the Natural Choice Program, offers materials that are EPA Exempt and Organic; designed to work with nature… not against it.
- Motive builds loyalty and trust. Eden is proud to offer sustainable solutions to clients’ pest concerns. Solving problems through our proven IPM method is what motivates and moves this company forward. We strive to be successful in all we do. Making sure our customers are completely satisfied is Eden’s number one goal.
Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, embraces best practices and methods that include careful inspection and monitoring, incorporating long term and non-material tactics with careful pesticide use – and evaluating those tactics for improvement.
It’s important to find the pest management professional that truly understands the importance of your environment and can not only help you create it but displays similar values in their business approach.
Posted on August 7, 2009 with 1 Comment
Today in the office we interviewed an employee here in our office. We hope you find it interesting!
I’m a tree hugger! I’ve worked at JP McHale Pest Management Inc for about 6 years now, the last 4 have been helping run the Tree & Turf Division. I’m crazy about trees and the environment. Did you know that Every two seconds a forest the size of a football field is destroyed-all for things like paper towels?? I’m within inches of becoming a Certified Arborist, and another few yards of being able to balance work and home life with 3 kids under the age of 10. I’m a mom, I know what its like to have the pressure of wanting to keep your family safe, away from pesticides and yet away from vector carrying insects like the Deer Tick, and Mosquitos that carry the West Nile Virus. But one thing I’ve learned working here at JP McHales is that you do have choice. As a company we always implement forms of IPM, but as commercial applicators we do have the choice when choosing our products, and we always choose the most environmentally friendly ones. I’ve also learned here that knowledge is power, and with that power we can help you make the right decisions to protecting your home and your family. I’ve always given honest opinions so if you ever need one, feel free to contact me.
-Margaret G, Manager, JP McHale Pest Management Inc.
Posted on August 3, 2009 with No Comments
When we all think of California the first thing that comes to mind is sand, surf and movie stars, but what about California’s wildlife? We have our share of wildlife, from Bears to even tarantulas.
The California Tarantula (Aphonopelma sp.) can be found throughout California in areas such as the California desert, the Central Valley, many state and regional parks including Mount Diablo State Park. As most tarantula’s they are docile, and only if provoked they may rear up in an aggressive posture to give you a warning. Now by no means would I recommend trying to handle one in the wild, attempting to handle one could result in a bit or you injuring the tarantula. Always keep in mind they are afraid of us just as much as we are to them.
The Aphonopelma sp. Can be seen in hordes, love struck male tarantulas searching for their mate, that forms the annual “tarantula migration” hikers, park goers and even those driving in vehicles witness this migration across paths, paved roads and trails each and every year in September and October.
California Tarantulas are terrestrial, meaning they burrow and make their homes under ground, a tell tale sign of a tarantula burrow is webbing on the ground outside of their hole. Tarantulas are very fragile, sure they are big, but… if a tarantula falls from 6 inches it could be severely injured and a fall from a foot it will most likely be fatal.
Just as most tarantulas, the California Aphonopelma sp. Is not poisonous. If bitten swelling will appear, it will be painful for several hours, reactions vary from person to person, and some have harsher reactions than others. In any event if bitten while out adventuring I would recommend seeing a doctor.
If you are ever faced with a tarantula in your home, before smashing it you may want to try and trap it then release it back into the wild, they are not out to get us they just get lost sometimes! I hope this has given you a little bit of insight on the tarantula.
This was a guest post written by Clark Pest Control, located in California. JP McHale Pest Management thanks them for writing a great post for us!
Picture Source
Posted on July 28, 2009 with 1 Comment
Earlier today Caleb from Arizona Pest Control wrote a guest post on our blog about scorpions. In exchange we wrote an article about carpenter ants for his company’s blog. Please check out both posts, and I hope to do something like this again in the future.
Posted on July 28, 2009 with 2 Comments
Hello New York!
My name is Caleb Tennenbaum and I work for a company called Arizona Pest Control Co.(www.azpest.com) located in the dry desert of beautiful Tucson, Arizona. I am writing about one of the more common pests in our Sonora desert landscape, the Desert Hairy Scorpion.
This species is twice as large as the bark scorpion at maturity (up to 5 inches long). They are often found in low sandy areas throughout the state. Desert hairy scorpions generally eat insects, spiders, centipedes, small vertebrates and other scorpions.
We recommend taking the following steps to reduce your risk of an infestation:
- Remove all harborages such as: trash, logs, boards, stones, bricks and other objects from around the building.
- Keep grass closely mowed near the home. Prune bushes and overhanging tree branches away from the structure. Tree branches can provide a path to the roof for scorpions. Minimize low growing ground cover vegetation.
- Store garbage containers in a frame that allows them to rest above ground level.
- Never bring firewood inside the building unless it is placed directly on the fire.
- Install weather-stripping around loose fitting doors and windows.
- Plug weep holes in brick veneer with steel wool, pieces of nylon scouring pad or small squares of screen wire.
- Caulk around roof eaves, pipes and any other cracks into the building.
- Keep window screens in good repair. Make sure they fit tightly in the window frame.
- By managing the scorpion food source, you will manage the scorpion population.
Scorpions glow under ultra-violate light so they are easy to find with the aid of a black light during the night. I know that growing up here in Tucson scorpion hunting with my friends was always a favorite hobby of mine. I can recall one night we captured over 15 scorpions and kept them in a aquarium for a few days until I could re locate the creatures away from my house.
Thank you to Brian Hanly and JP McHale Pest Management for giving me this opportunity to share my knowledge about scorpions! If you liked what you read check out our blog at www.azpest.com/blog for more desert pest information. Have a great day!
Posted on July 22, 2009 with 1 Comment
From spiders to rodents, there are so many pests that could call your property home. Pests are everywhere, lawns, foundations, in homes, under the ground, and flying around. This can make pest identification tricky. The basic pests, such as paper wasps and carpenter ants can easily be identified by their appearance and how the act. More complicated pests such as stored product pests or various ground beetles may need a microscope and an entomologist to identify. These pests get very small, and as a homeowner it might not be possible to identify them yourself.
Pest control companies usually have an entomologist on staff, or someone that can identify the pests that are brought into the office. Here at JP McHale we see bugs getting identified daily under a microscope by one of our managers.
Internet identification can also help a homeowner understand what kind of pests they have, and how these pests behave. All of the pests that pass through our office were gathered by potential customer or current clients.
JP McHale wants to assist homeowners and extend our knowledge of these pests out to the pubic. With our new company web page (NoPests.com) and the [coming soon] Bug ID center (BugID.net) we will accept any pictures or descriptions of bugs from around the country, and identify them, and post our results. We will not only identify these pests, we will give a full bio about everything range from their appearance to what they feed on.
If you have any pests wandering around your home, inside or out, take a picture, and email it to us at bhanly@nopests.com. We will identify it and let you and the entire internet know about it.
A Florida newspaper wrote about why it is important to ensure you have the correct identification of a pest before you start treating for it.
Posted on July 21, 2009 with 3 Comments
In 2007 SmartMoney.com came out with an article listing the 10 things your exterminator won’t tell you. We would like the opportunity to describe our company’s stance on each of the issues that were pointed out in their article. The term “exterminator” is old, and is being phased out in the pest industry. No longer does a pest control technician “bomb” homes or go in and kill everything they see. The industry has taken a move toward a cleaner environment, with Integrated Pest Management. IPM is a set of methods that should be carried out on a property to ensure pest management without the use of treatment. If a pest issue is spotted, targeted treatment will be done to ensure the minimal use of pesticides.
SmartMoney’s 10 Things Your Exterminator Won’t tell You,
1.”I Love Global Warming”
Our Response: Global warming is a worldwide issue, and we understand that. SmartMoney mentions that it is a great business opportunity to get into because of the rising population of pests are rising because of the warmer weather. JP McHale Pest Management started pest control in the 1970’s. Global warming was not a widely know issue at the time. Over the course of the next 40 years JP McHale grew into one of the top 50 largest pest control companies in the US. Here in the northeast we have cold winters and hot summers. This creates many different living conditions for many different pests. In the summer its carpenter ants and in the winter it is mice. The rising heat and increased travel will bring our more pests, no doubt about it. If you would like to consider this a growing business, I would say, yes it is. So are many other businesses as weather gets warmer. Air conditioner sales and electricity bills be increasing in order to keep homes at an acceptable temperature.
Final word: Pest control is a growing industry, so are other lines of work.
2.”Bedbugs are back –and I have no idea how to treat them”
Our Response: Bed bugs are back, once thought eradicated in the 1950s, we have seen a rapid increase in the amount of calls received from possible bed bug infestations. New York City is the hot spot for the spread of these bugs because of increased international travel. Bed bugs can be contracted by staying just one night in an infested room. JP McHale has been eradicating bed bugs since we can remember. We have inspectors who have been in the business for many years and can find bed bugs if you have them. If by chance they miss them, a K-9 bed bug inspection dog is an option. We are proud to say that we guarantee all of the bed bugs jobs we do, because we know that we will get rid of them. Bed bugs elimination is not cheap, because of the amount of work evolved to treat an entire house. Pricing is done by the amount of rooms that need to be treated, and the level of infestations of the rooms. Some companies will offer very low prices to get rid of the bed bugs, however this is done without a guarantee or follow up treatments. If you have bed bugs read into how to find the pest company, we will fit and exceeded all the standards. We will provide you with the proper preparation tips to make this a team effort to rid your home of these critters.
Final word: Bed bugs are back, and we are pros at getting rid of them
3. “You cant sue me – my contract’s ironclad”
Our Response: The last thing any one ever wants is a lawsuit. It is time and money consuming. Termites are a very serious issue and most homeowners do not know the implications that come with an active termite infestation. We will never offer a lifetime guarantee. It simply is not practical or possible to guarantee that. If you find an active termite infestation we will work with you on a day to day basis to rid your property of these wood destroying insects. Home inspections can be tricked and nothing is perfect. What is going on behind a wall cannot be seen, and could always be possible termite activity.
Final word: We will work with you to eliminate termites PERIOD, we will not make guarantees we cannot keep.
4.”Either I’m not using enough juice for the job…”
Our Response: The way SmartMoney talks about this issue are a bit outdated. JP McHale services three states, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. All three of these states have strict regulations with the applications of pesticides. Every time that a customer signs a service agreement with us, we are required to provide them a list of every product we could possibly use on their property. After every service, a ticket is left at the home with exactly what product we used, where we applied it, how we applied at, and the mixture rate it was mixed at. We will never under-or over mix a product unless is it allowed by the label, and we deem it necessary to mix at that rate. Potential clients will be asked a series of questions ranging from if they have pets to any allergies they have. All of these factors are taken into account and we base the treatment methods off the results.
Final word: We will always apply products at the discretion of the label, and tell you every product we would apply on your property.
5. “…or else I’m using too much”
Our Response: This question relates to the previous one quite well. We will never over apply a product to control a pest. If a certain treatment is not working on your pest issue, we will try a different approach, using different products. Nearly every pest issue can be solved with time. That is why nearly all of our customers are on a year plan with us. If you pest issue doesn’t go away, we will keep coming out until it is solved. No change for follow-ups, or if you run into a different pest issue.
Final word: Every pest issue can be solved, weather it be with different kinds or type of treatments.
6. “If you neighbors don’t hire me too, this treatment is worthless”
Our response: This is a half and half question. Pests originate outside. As SmartMoney says, pests can travel far distances. In an apartment complex, to control pests, it is necessary that you have your neighbor’s assistance in eradicating the problem. Cockroaches, ants, mice, etc can easily access all apartments once inside the building from the pipes and wires. Treating just one apartment might kill a majority of them; however the pests will relocate, probably to your neighbor’s apartment. Freestanding homes wont run into this problem as much as apartment complexes. Homes can be eradicated on any pests inside your home, most likely with no effect of your neighbor. When it comes to pests that are outdoors, such as carpenter ants, ticks, and lawn related issues. It is easy to spread to your neighbor’s property depending on the layout of your neighbor’s property and yours. Most of the time, neighbors are willing to help you eradicate the pest issue you may have outside because they don’t want it spreading to their property.
Final word: All depends on the circumstances. We will inform you if you should consult your neighbors about assisting with the pest control.
7.”We’ll spray even when you don’t need it”
Our Response: JP McHale has yearly programs for customers. This program offers 3 yearly visits that we automatically come out and assess your property for exterior pest activity and treat accordingly. If you spot pest activity anytime between these three visits we are on call. You simply call us, and let us know your issue and we will have some on out there at no charge. You can call us as many times as needed to ensure your home is a pest free environment. Preventative treatment can be done if a known problem was known to exist.
Final word: If treatment isn’t necessary we won’t treat, if it is, we will. Simple as that.
8. “I’ll bungle your home inspection – but you’ll pay for it”
Our response: Termite inspectors are certified by the state. We are very familiar with people buying and selling homes, and call wanting a Wood Destroying Organism report on their property. Depending on the service program you have with us, we will monitor for termites and let you know when activity is found. We offer inspections and will give you a report of our findings to give to the bank or buyer of the home. Inspections are never perfect, as we never know what is going on behind sheetrock walls or underground foundations
Final word: We will give you an honest licensed inspection of your home, tell you what’s wrong and give you a quote. It’s always up to you to decide weather or not to move forward with the service.
9. “I’m not above preying on your vulnerability”
Our response: Do your research. We have no problem talking to you about the pests you have, how they live, reproduce, and how we will go upon treating for them. We encourage you to ask us questions. All of our technicians are under the supervision of the field managers who are certified, and capable of identifying pests if one cannot be identified in the field. Our owner, James P McHale is a certified entomologist and the Tree & Turf department is over seen by our plant pathologist, Doug McHale. We are ready for your pest problem, and we know that we are qualified enough to take care of it.
Final word: We wont intimidate customers, we will inform. People should do their research and pick a company accordingly. Read about the bugs you see online and ask us questions about them.
10. “You don’t need to call me for every bug you see”
Our response: You are right. The methods to prevent small nuisance pests are simple sanitation, part of Integrate Pest Management techniques. Keep your home clean, food is always in sealed containers, etc. We don’t try to hid these simple tips from the consumer. As customers are covered under these pests, I am sure that they would like some small do it yourself tips on preventing the invaders.
Final word: You don’t need us for every pest, but we want to let you know we are here. We will also tell you how to prevent common household pests when we come out for you.
There you have it, our side of the 10 things your exterminator (we) wouldn’t tell you. JP McHale is a family run trustworthy company. We hate to be compared to other people in the industry that do not provide quality work. For some it is simply having a low price, not caring about quality, and we want to let consumers know that its not always about the price, it is the quality of service.
If you ever have any pest related questions, please do no hesitate to contact us at (800) 479-2284, email us, live chat us, twitter us or join us on Facebook!
Tags: Bed Bugs, Bugs, exterminator, home inspections, pest company, trustworthy company
Category: Commercial Pest Control, Do It Yourself, Integrated Pest Management, NY Pest Control, Pest Control Co, Pest Control Industry, Reader Request/ Question, Termites
The landscaper will now face charges from the district attorney for fraud. When you contact JP McHale you can be assured that we are current with our licensing and all state requirements. JP McHale is licensed in pest management and plant health care. All of our products are environmentally sensitive and approved by the EPA. When researching a prospective contractor, you should go on your state/county’s website to try and find a list of licensed professionals as well as fraudulent ones. JP McHale is a Westchester Pest Control company. We would love to help you with your pest or lawn problem! Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook.
