Critter Culprit: Raccoons: Biggest Home Invader

Raccoons are the number one invaders of homes and buildings. They can tear open garbage cans to scrounge for food. They can rip open vents and window screens looking for an entry into attics and basements. Raccoons can build large nests in chimneys. They are strong, agile creatures, able to crawl into small spaces, setting up a home for the winter in your home.

There are a dozen other methods in which a raccoon will find entry into your home, and the end result is usually the same: damage, destruction and danger. Raccoons are similar to bears; they have bad attitudes and won’t stop in their search for food and shelter. It is best to never provoke a raccoon. If you suspect raccoons in your home or business, call a professional right away! Some of the best methods of prevention are the simplest:

• Keep a tight lid on trash cans. Store them indoors or in special containers until they need to go out in the morning.
• Keep pet food indoors at all times.
• Cap all chimneys.
• Secure air vents and replace any broken screens.
• Replace weather stripping on garage doors and keep them closed when not in use.
• Trim back any tree branches that hang over the roof.

The presence of raccoons in a home or business is visible through the destruction and damage. Raccoons will rip apart insulation, roofing and attic floor boards to create a den. The droppings and urine will not only stain ceilings and walls, but obviously create a health hazard. Nassau County recently began a rabies vaccine “baiting” program to get rid of rabies in area raccoons. There are several other parasites and diseases that can be transmitted by raccoons, such as, fleas, ticks, lice, round-worms, tapeworms, distemper, tuberculosis, and mange. It is important to keep pets away from raccoons, not only for their protection, but to prevent provoking the raccoons to attack.

All of Suburban’s pest control services come with a guarantee that, from start to finish, a solution will be found. Protect your home and business this winter from a raccoon invasion. Call (631) or (516) 864-6900 for a free estimate or read about all our services at www.suburbanexterminating.com.

Vote for Suburban Exterminating for Best Exterminator

Once again, Suburban Exterminating has been nominated for The Long Island Press’s annual “Best of Long Island” series for Best Exterminator. The results are based of customer votes. The poles remain open until December 15, 2011. You can vote several times from several locations. Get out there and show us how much you appreciate Suburban Exterminating by voting for Suburban as Best Exterminator! So, what are you waiting for; show us your love with votes!

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ctions for Voting for SUBURBAN EXTERMINATING as Best Exterminator in Long Island Press “Best of Long Island 2012”:

1. Go to
   http://vote.longislandpress.com/engine/YourSubmission.aspx?contestid=40968
2. Scroll down to EXTERMINATOR category
3. Click SUBURBAN EXTERMINATING –Smithtown
4. At bottom of the page, click AGREE and ENTER NOW

Thanks for voting for Suburban Exterminating!

The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Exterminating

Many people have taken it upon themselves to try “at home” extermination remedies, but the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found there was a rise in accidental poisonings. A national report detailed 111 toxic exposures between 2003 and 2011 when dealing with bed bugs. Eighty nine of these cases were in New York. In January, The Wall Street Journal reported that bed bugs are developing enzymes to protect themselves against pesticides.“In New York City, bedbugs now are 250 times more resistant to the standard pesticide than bedbugs in Florida, due to changes in a gene controlling the resilience of the nerve cells targeted by the insecticide, researchers at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst recently reported.” Lab tests show that bed bugs can survive 1,000 times the lethal dose of pesticides from 10 years ago.

The dangers of overdoing it in at-home extermination do not lie simply with bed bugs. There are many other pest controls that can cause toxic exposure if not handled by the professionals. Additionally, many pest’s waste will cause damage to your home and could be detrimental to you health. In June 2011, a Montauk man died from overexposure to toxic mice droppings. Hantavirus is a lung infection caused by materials found in rodent droppings, urine and saliva that are breathed in. While this recent case is very rare, avoid the risk of exposure by calling professional exterminators.

There are a few ways to avoid toxic exposure to at-home pesticides, but the safest bet is to call the professionals if you suspect an infestation.

• Don’t over apply insecticides.
• Always wash treated bedding/areas.
• Wear gloves and a mask when treating areas of suspected rodent infestation. Wash your hands thoroughly after using any “over the counter” pesticide.
• If you experience any nausea, vomiting, dizziness or respiratory irritation after applying insecticides, seek the advice of a professional.
• Call Suburban Exterminating for a free estimate if you suspect you have bed bugs. (631) or (516) 864-6900.

Call a professional to avoid all fears of do-it-yourself extermination!

Craig Byer Elected to the AAS Board

We, at Suburban, extend our warmest congratulations to Craig Byer for his recent election to the AAS board. This is a prestigious honor and we know that he will continue to excel at his career! For a detailed account of Craig’s work and passion with honeybees, check out www.longislandhoneybees.com. This site has great information about the life, work habits and social interaction of honeybees, as well as fun facts! There have been many famous beekeepers over the years, including Aristotle, Ben Franklin and Brigham Young. We’d like to add Craig’s name to these great beekeepers!

Bed Bugs: A Rise in Population in College Dorms

One large area of the population dealing with bed bugs is college dorms. These insects are not a sign of uncleanliness. They do not pose any major medical dangers from their bites and aren’t known to transmit diseases, but their bites can be extremely itchy. Only about half of people dealing with bed bug issues report a reaction to the bites, but just because your roommate in nonreactive, does not mean that you don’t have bed bugs and that they won’t come after you next!

Bed bugs are best described as hitchhikers. They, and their eggs, stick to any surface to travel to new hosts and wreak new havoc. They can travel on clothes and can stick to small cracks and crevices.

Top Ways to Prevent the Spread of Bed Bugs:

1. Thoroughly check everything you bring into your room.
2. Picking up furniture left out for disposal is no bargain. Though it may look clean or near new, it could be teeming with bed bugs or their eggs!
3. Hang up clothes, back packs, purses and jackets on hooks or in the closet. Bed bugs cling to cloth best and can travel quickly from the pile of clothes on the floor/chair/bed.
4. Buy a zippered mattress encasement. If the mattress is infested they can’t get out and eventually die.
5. Look for them! Bed bugs are tiny, reddish-brown in color, flat, apple-seed-shaped bugs. You may not be able to notice them until you are bitten, which will cause itching, like mosquitoes. You may also notice small blood stains on your sheets, mattress or clothes. Their waste will also be visible around the edges of a mattress as a sticky red/brown paste.
6. Skip the sprays! In the case of dorm infestation, call an RA or those in charge. And, keep calling until you get the response you need!

Your best defense in dealing with bed bugs is to call professional help. Suburban Exterminating has been in business since 1960 and are experts in all phases of pest control. If you even have to question whether or not you have bed bugs, call for a free evaluation and estimate. (631) 864-6900 or (516) 864-6900.

Giant Alien Snails Found in Miami Area

October 4, 2011 -- The Wall Street Journal ran a story this morning on “giant alien snails” that have invaded the Miami area.  They are said to have originated in Africa and may have been smuggled into the States for religious rituals.  The snails can grow up to eight inches long and can lay up 1,200 eggs in a year.  They are extremely dangerous due to their ability to chew through plants, plaster and stucco and can sometimes carry a parasite linked to nonlethal meningitis in humans.  As many New Yorkers prepare to head south for the winter, be aware of these snails, don’t keep them as pets and if you have any doubts in how to handle them, call the authorities.  Any damages that may occur to your home should be handled by the professionals.

Source: Wall Street Journal