Dial Environmental Blog

Recently, a woman in Brooklyn had been complaining that the U.S. Post Office wasn’t delivering her mail. She had been getting late notices for bills she never received. It turns out the postal worker tossed the mail onto the woman’s porch each day, but before she retrieved it, a rat was dragging some of it off into its nearby burrow to use as nesting material. The pest management professional who discovered what was happening found between 30 and 40 pieces of mail, shredded by the rat, in the nest. If you have rodents stealing your mail or simply disturbing peace in your home, contact Dial Environmental today!

A recent study showed that bed bugs emit substantial amounts of histamine that persists even after the bed bugs are eliminated. The study found that histamine levels in bed bug-infested homes were at least 20 times higher than homes with no history of bed bugs. High levels of histamine are in bed bug feces—they use the substance to mark good places to aggregate, near where sleeping humans are, their preferred food. In humans, histamine is part of our natural immune system. But it can cause inflammation and respiratory problems, and allergies when inhaled, plus rashes when it contacts our skin. Histamine persists a long time; the researchers discovered high levels of histamine in homes even three months after the bed bugs had been eliminated. In future tests they will look at if histamine levels decrease after both the bed bugs are eliminated, and rigorous cleaning that removes household dust. Bed bugs...

An established population of a tick never before seen in the U.S. was discovered last summer in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) is native to Asia, but has been found in places like New Zealand and Australia on sheep. It is primarily a pest of livestock, but will feed on humans as well. Health officials have no idea how the tick got here. The ticks were so numerous that they crawled up the pant legs of the people walking on the property. The ticks were controlled, but researchers will return to the property this spring to determine if there are still populations, and set traps for wild animals to see if they are infested and may have spread the infestation. Any such case of a new tick is alarming because they can carry and transmit diseases. It has also been found that birds can become infested with many...

Termites are found in every state with the exception of Alaska. Research by the National Pest Management Association indicates that these voracious eaters cause approximately $5 billion in damage to homes and other buildings each year. Statistics show that your home is more likely to be attacked by termites than to experience a fire. Even buildings constructed from brick, stone or concrete are at risk because termites can attack the frames of windows and doors as well as plaster, baseboards and insulation. Because the insects set up their colonies behind walls or underneath floors, termite damage is often difficult to detect in the early stages. As a result, you should inspect your home for the telltale signs of an infestation, including damaged wood and their frass. What is Frass? Termite droppings are called frass, a term derived from the German word fressen, which means to feed the way an animal would....

Many pests can be kept out of a home or office with our professional perimeter treatments. Fewer pests is great for many reasons, but one benefit often overlooked is that it means you have a naturally cleaner home. It saves you time and work cleaning up dead insect bodies, spider webs, insect excrement, and other messes and damage that pests leave behind. After all, you have enough cleaning to do! You shouldn’t have to clean up after uninvited and unwanted pest “guests,” too! By reducing pests coming indoors, our perimeter treatments also make your home a healthier place to live. The treatments decrease the number of disease-causing organisms pests spread, and reduces the chances of being bitten or stung by bugs. Plus, pests, their bodies, cast off skins, and droppings, can unfortunately cause allergic responses in some people. These are some of the reasons our perimeter treatments are so popular and...

Look at your trees and shrubs close to your home, and prune back any branches that have grown within 6 feet of your walls or roof. This helps prevent Norway rats, mice, squirrels, and raccoons from gaining entry to your roof area. These pets often find or create openings, and build nests inside attics and other areas.

Every year, we hear stories about huge numbers of ants invading buildings. As ant experts, we are never surprised by these stories. The fact is, ants are a problem year-round, but during the months ahead ant colonies will start growing larger as each week passes. Ant problems continue to be the #1 pest problem in the country and in Northern Jersey, with more households complaining about them than any other pest. They are almost a universal problem, partly because there are so many different kinds of ants. While some species nest outdoors, many others will bring their entire colony indoors. They are quite adept at finding a way inside! Ants coming inside may have already established an indoor nest, or they are looking for food or moisture. Scout ants quickly alert the colony when they have found a good food source. Ants have definite food preferences. Some are sweet-eating ants, others...

Do-it-yourself pest control sounds like a good idea. It seems like it will be cheaper and less to worry about. After all, you don't have to pay a professional to come into your home and you don't have to think about which pest program works best. You only have to buy the products and watch the pests go away. Unfortunately, DIY pest control sounds a lot better than it is. It's not very safe. Pest control products contain chemicals that may harm people, pets and wildlife if they're applied incorrectly. You might spray too much and create a toxic environment outside of your home, killing beneficial insects such as honeybees and ladybugs. If you apply chemical products in your home without the proper training, you may put your family and guests at risk of exposure. It's not very practical. It's easy to spend a lot of money on pest control products....

With health care all across the country, including Northern Jersey, getting more expensive, complicated and time consuming, it really pays to take steps to protect your family, pets and yourself. One important cause of health issues is pests. By eliminating or greatly reducing pests indoors, people are bitten less by spiders, ants, fleas, and other biting and sting pests, and they also get sick less often. Pests transmit diseases to us in different ways. Creatures like flies and cockroaches carry may different kinds of disease-causing organisms in and on their bodies. They spread these when they crawl across a surface, and in their droppings. Flies also regurgitate their food, then drink it again. Flies typically carry a load of 500,000 disease organisms on the surface of their bodies – and many more than that inside their bodies! Many insects transmit diseases directly into our blood stream when they suck out our...

When you hear about bed bugs, you might think about hotel rooms and unclean homes. While these environments are where these pests are the most common, there are a few other places where you can find them. You've also probably heard of a few myths that aren't true about these small bugs that could change your outlook on them. Bed bugs were once an insect that you didn't hear much about. Now, the bugs are known in every state. The resistance to pesticides is getting worse, which means larger outbreaks. Some people think that the reason bed bugs spread so fast is that they can fly. They don't have wings. They crawl around and hitch rides whenever possible on everything from luggage to pillows so that they can spread to other locations. It might seem like bed bugs multiply like rabbits, but they are among the slowest insects to reproduce. A...

Every year, termites cause at least $5 billion in damage to over 600,000 homes in the United States alone. The sad reality is that much of that property damage is easily avoidable with a little prevention. There are at least seven sure-fire ways to reduce the risk of termite damage to your property. Eliminate Outdoor Termite Refuges Termites are more likely to find their way into your home if there's an enticing environment surrounding the building. Clean up the yard on a regular basis and get rid of tree limbs and leaves lying on the ground. Keep woodpiles at least 20 feet from the house. Ensure Adequate Ground Drainage The kinds of termites that attack the lower portions of a home prefer damp environments. To reduce the odds of an infestation, it's important to keep water away from the foundation. Use a combination of gutters and gravel on the ground to divert rainwater away...

One season ends, and another begins. Summer has come and gone, leaving the winter to take its place. As the colder weather makes its way through the area, it sends pests looking for warmer places to live. Your home is the best option for pests as it provides them with consistent temperatures and food. 5 Common Winter Pests Rodents Whether it's squirrels or mice and rats, rodents invade homes regardless of the season. However, wintertime drives them indoors where it's warm and they can raid pantries and cupboards. These pests spread diseases and leave behind feces as they invade your living areas, making them a threat to your family and home. Cockroaches Cockroaches stay active year-round and contaminate your personal belongings as they scurry across countertops, beds and other surfaces. They breed and increase their numbers throughout the winter, giving rise to a massive infestation in just a few months. If...

As Thanksgiving arrives, families everywhere will gather together and feast on pounds of turkey, dressing and other delicious foods. If you don't watch out, you'll get a few uninvited guests to the meal. Pest insects and rodents also need to eat and would like nothing more than to show up at the dinner table. Dial Environmental wants to help you have a pest-free Thanksgiving with a few tips to ward off those pesky invaders. 5 Tips for a Pest-Free Thanksgiving Clean up after cooking and eating. A clean house doesn't necessarily mean a pest-free house. However, cleaning up after cooking and eating will reduce the risk of pest infestations. Wipe down counters, sweep up crumbs and clean the dishes to put a halt on unwelcome guests this Thanksgiving. Take out the trash right away. If you let the trash pile up, you're putting your home at risk of developing fly and...

With how warm the climate in Spring Hill, Florida, is throughout the year, it's no surprise there are plenty of pests that love to call the Sunshine State home. While most of those creepy critters are relatively harmless to humans, there are some that can pose a threat to your health and safety. Here are three of the most dangerous pests in Spring Hill. Be Careful of the Bees and Wasps Bees and wasps are social insects that live in colonies and can cause serious problems around your home. If you bother their nests, they will aggressively defend them by stinging you. In most cases, the sting injects venom that acts as a nerve agent. Although getting stung by a bee or a wasp usually only involves pain and redness, it can cause death in people who are allergic. Two of Florida's most widespread bees and wasps include the bumble...

When the warm weather of summer dissipates, pests will search for a place to call home for the winter, and you could be their next target. In addition to looking for shelter from the cold, pests will also want a source of food and water, so you shouldn’t be surprised if you notice uninvited guests making their way into your home. If you want to keep pests outside so that you won’t need to worry about them, you are likely wondering what you can do to reach your goal. Understanding common pests and securing your home from the threat will get you moving in the right direction. Ants Learning about ants and how to stop them from entering your home is a good place from which to start when your No. 1 mission is to keep pests where they belong. When an ant colony needs a new source of food, it...

Home maintenance requires a lot of forethought and planning. Ensuring that your home has curb appeal also includes the responsibility of having your lawn treated periodically. However, there are specific parts of the year when it is best to have these lawn services performed. When is the best time to have your lawn treated? What treatments should you have performed to ensure your lawn is lush and beautiful? We will answer these important questions below. Spring During early spring, it's ideal to begin your preparations for the upcoming growing season of your lawn. This is the ideal time to sharpen or replace your lawn mower blade, purchase gas for your lawn mower, and have any worn out parts replaced. As spring fully arrives, your grass will be in its peak growth period. You will likely notice during this time that you need to mow a minimum of once per week. Spring...