Welcome to our first issue of the ByeByePests Newsletter. We will be keeping you up to date on various aspects of our industry including the newest pest threats, pest management practices, industry standards, etc.  Please feel free to take a peek at our new website www.byebyepests.com, where you can learn more about our company, pay a bill online, research an insect,.....or just check out the pictures to see what we all look like! Many changes are taking place within our firm as we continue to grow and expand. You have probably noticed our new logo....the Black Widow Spider and her web surrounding F & F. Our Service Technicians are all wearing new uniforms this year, which coordinate with our trucks. Currently, we are putting together Service Program Packages, which will provide big savings and innovative services. For instance, our new “Pest Winterization Inspection Service” is a great preventative maintenance option, which will be provided annually under the “complete pest program plan.” See our Website for more details, or feel free to call our offices. We hope you all had a great summer, as we work our way into the Fall and the appearance of the House Mouse!

New Disease Spread by House Mouse

The common house mouse has spread a new disease. Currently still considered rare, Lymphocylic choriomeningitis (LCM). Infection occurs when a human encounters the rodent’s urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting material. Little or no symptoms result in those with normal immune systems. Those with weaker immune systems (i.e. the very old, the very young, etc), will initially have flu-like symptoms. It can then progress to the symptoms of meningitis or encephalitis. Most people do fully recover. Studies have shown that about 5% of urban populations are infected. Other rodents, such as hampsters and guinea pigs can become infected if exposed to the virus in pet stores or homes. It is not known to transfer from human to human contact. Take precautions, and follow the Center for Disease Control’s advice: If you have mice in your home, do not touch or stirrup the droppings. Wearing rubber gloves, wet them and the contaminated area with a disinfectant solution solution. Spray dead rodents with disinfectant and double-bag rodents, nest material, and cleaning materials for disposal. Wash hands thoroughly after handling pet rodents and call a professional to assist in the control of mice.

Bed Bugs Are Here!!!!!!!

For months we have been hearing the cry of experts in the pest control industry telling us that the Bed Bugs were coming. Why should you be concerned you ask? Well I can give you a number of reasons, including your family vacation. Yes, these pests like to lay low during the day and hide in the bedding of your favorite hotel, motel, auto-train, or cruise ship. They then find your luggage and hitch a ride home with you where they infest your bed! They are blood feeders that can be found anywhere people live. They like to get inside of cracks &crevices of walls, furniture, under, wallpaper, carpeting, etc. Being nocturnal, they usually only feed at night. Adult females can lay 4-5 eggs per day, and between 100 & 500 eggs over a lifetime. Eggs can hatch in 6-20 days in warmer temperatures and up to 30 days in cooler temperatures. Humans are the preferred host, but they will also feed on dogs, cats, and mice. Inspections, along with total cooperation from all involved parties, is a necessity. Control is difficult, but not impossible. Call F&F Termite and Pest Control, Inc., to help you eliminate these pests.

Brown-Banded Cockroach In the Home

These roaches are around ½ inch in length, and are light brown to brown, with two light yellow-brown bands that run across their body. The roaches can lay 14 egg capsules during there lifetime, each of which holds about 14 to 18 eggs! The female will carry the capsule for around 24-26 hours and then she attaches it to a protected area (for instances under furniture, in corners of ceilings, under shelving, etc.) Since they prefer warm and dry climates, they are not nearly as common in homes as the German roach. However when they do infest structures, control can be a challenge because they are found through-out the building not just in the normal harborage areas commonly used by other cockroaches. They may be found hiding in places up toward the ceiling, behind molding, pictures, and window treatments, inside of furniture, appliances, televisions or even computers! It is necessary to reduce clutter, as they like to hide out in boxes stored paper & cardboard. A good sanitation program must be maintained, along with appropriate use of chemicals and baits by your professional pest control company.

Tips: Do not save brown bags, or cardboard boxes when you come home from the food store. Empty your groceries, and throw these items away in the outside trash receptacles. Caulk cracks and crevices in your home, and reduce household clutter to eliminate harborage areas.

Fast Facts

A human may weigh up to ten million times as much as an ant, yet the combined weight of all the ants in the is about equal to the weight of all humans.

Did you know???????? NJ State Law mandates that all pest control companies, planning to perform any type of services that penetrate soil, report the pending treatment to the “NJ 1 Call System” within 10 business days of commencing excavation. This allows all utility suppliers the opportunity to mark off lines in order to protect your home and family.