Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Employee Spotlight: Joanna

My name’s Joanna, and I’ve been with Suburban Exterminating for two years now. I started as a receptionist in high school, and now I come back on breaks to help out in the reception department as well as public relations. I’m about to enter my second year of college at the University of Tampa, studying Writing.


I was working in reception one Saturday afternoon, calmly talking to my coworker, Alyssa, when all of a sudden we heard this loud buzzing sound. The leaves of the plant on the window sill began to shake. I jumped up so fast, and Alyssa was already across the room. A huge bug, larger than the pad of my thumb, started crawling slowly down the flowerpot. I saw wings on its back, and though it was walking, I didn’t want to charge and have it just fly in my face.

We stood away from the window (and away from our phones, forcing one of us to be brave every time it rang), watching it crawl up the walls and window. When Ben, one of our managers, walked it, it was hiding. We told him we saw a bug, and he laughed because we were so scared. “Big?” he asked, “Round? Brown?” Yes. “It’s a stinkbug. It smells nasty when you crush it. Also, it can sting you, so you have to be careful.” He laughed, grabbed a cup, captured it (even though Alyssa was worried it would stab him through the cup) and brought it outside.

 For pest identification and pest control, Long Islanders can call Suburban Exterminating 864-6900.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Future Scientists: Learn what it takes to become an Entomologist

Has your child ever picked up a bug to examine it? Have you ever jumped when seeing a spider, but your child crouched down for a closer look? Do they step around ant hills or study ants? If the fascinating world of insects interests your child, they’ll love the library event that Suburban Exterminating Co., Inc. is hosting this summer.

If you would like to open up your child to the amazing and intricate world of insects, Suburban Exterminating Co., Inc. (879 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, NY 11787 [516] or [631] 864-6900 http://www.suburbanexterminating.com/ is hosting a library tour, teaching children just how insects survive. They will learn different insect characteristics and survival techniques from real, certified entomologists. There will even be live insects – a tarantula and Madagascar roaches – which the children can study.

If interested, register your child at one of these library branches. We’ll be hosting these events at

• THE PORT JEFFERSON FREE LIBRARY (100 THOMPSON STREET, PORT JEFFERSON, NY) on Wednesday, July 27th, at 6:30

• THE HAUPPAUGE PUBLIC LIBRARY (601 VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY, HAUPPAUGE, NY) on Tuesday, August 2nd , at 2:00

• THE NORTHPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY (151 LAUREL AVENUE, NORTHPORT, NY) on Wednesday, August 10th, at 10:30.

• SOUTH HUNTINGTON LIBRARY (145 PIDGEON HILL ROAD, HUNTINGTON STATION, NY) on Wednesday, September 21st, at 4:00

Each program will run for 45 minutes to an hour, and is open to children grades 3-5.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Tick Control in Your Lawn

The nymphs of the deer ticks or blacklegged ticks are largely responsible for the transmission of Lyme’s disease. Lyme’s disease is the most significant tick-borne disease in the United States.

Deer Tick Facts


tick control long island

Size:  about the size of an apple seed 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long 








Color: Orange-brown body and dark reddish-brown head shield

Activity/Behavior: The larvae and adults commonly infest white-footed deer mice and deer. However, the nymphs have a much wider range of hosts including humans.

Where They Live: Deer ticks or Black-legged ticks climb grass and shrubs and wait for host animals. They are usually found at shoulder height. Typically, they live in areas between fields and lower grassy vegetation, along animal trails, and in animal nests and dens like woodpiles, burrows in the ground, stumps, logs, old rat and bird nests, and crawlspaces.
How Suburban Exterminating Can Help:  Suburban Exterminating will inspect your property and make suggestions on the control of ticks.
Suburban Exterminating follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure your health and safety. We use only products which are registered with the EPA. Our technicians are registered and licensed with NY State. Our technicians participate in a continuing education program. 

Call (631) 864-6900 or (516) 864-6900 for a free estimate.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Top 10 Bedbug Myths

We’ve had a lot of people come into SuburbanExterminating with small bugs and a panicked look, thinking they have bed bugs. They probably get this idea because of all their media coverage recently. While caution is good when dealing with bed bugs (you can never be too careful), it’s important to stay calm. It’s time to quash some bed bug myths:
1 –Bed bugs CAN be killed by the cold – the problem is that it has to be extreme temperatures for a substantial amount of time. 3 hours at 70°C should kill roughly 78% of bed bugs, but they can also adapt to these temperatures, so this course of action isn’t necessarily advised.
2 – You CAN see bed bugs. They’re only 3 mm – 5 mm long, but they can be spotted. 
3 – Throwing out your bed will NOT necessarily fix the problem. Bed bugs can occupy every crack or crevice of the room.
4 – Bed bugs can infest everyone; you do NOT have to be “dirty.”
5 – Bed bugs CAN infest every country, every state, and every town.
6 – Bed bugs CAN travel from house to house, so if your neighbor has them, be careful and inspect your home. They are much more likely to travel across flat terrain.
7 – You do NOT have to have gone on vacation to bring bed bugs back into your home. More often, people are finding bed bugs on public transit networks, workplaces, movie theaters, etc.
8 – Just because one person in the bed is getting bitten and the other isn’t does NOT mean that bed bugs aren’t the problem. People have different reactions to bites, so one person’s reaction might just be different than the other. Make sure you check for bed bugs if even one person is experiencing any type of signs.
9 Sleeping with the lights on will NOT keep bed bugs away.
10 – – Bed bugs CAN survive a plane ride, so it is possible to bring them back from vacation in your luggage or on you.