While the main goal of residential pest control is to form a protective barrier around the perimeter of your home in order to stop pests from gaining entry inside, interior services will sometimes be necessary. Should a technician need to enter your home for treatment, he or she will follow certain safety protocols for both your and their safety.
Commercial Pest Control
If you’re looking for the kind of professional help that you can count on for your West Chester business, then look no further. Our highly trained pest technicians are experts in the latest commercial pest control methods. Our 30 years of industry experience allow us to stand behind our pest-free guarantee with confidence.
You’ve probably heard the term “sugar ants” thrown around, but in Pennsylvania, this label is used to describe a number of small ant species that invade your home and look for sugary sweets.
Spiders
You've probably noticed that spiders make webs on the exterior of your home. What you might not know is that webs can have eggs sacs with hundreds of eggs in them. Remove webs and you reduce spiders. This will reduce indoor spider sightings.
Termites
Other pests like termites pose an obvious threat to the integrity of your home. Across the US, these insects can wrack up millions of dollars in damage.
Bed Bugs
Carpet beetles are attracted to the oils in people's hair and on their bodies; as the bristly larvae crawl over a person, they often cause an itchy rash. A carpet beetle infestation is often confused for a bed bug infestation.
Fleas
Most people think of dogs and cats when they think of fleas, but these pests can affect humans as well. Flea bites are extremely itchy for both people and pets, and a flea infestation in the home is a serious problem.
Cockroaches
While West Chester residents have plenty of different pests to worry about, they’ve especially got to watch out for cockroaches. Roaches are a common invader of local homes and businesses, especially these species...
Silverfish
Silverfish have a carrot-shaped body, are covered in silvery "scales," and have a three-pronged appendage coming off their hind end.
Bees
Carpenter bees often create holes where you can't see them. A good place to look is under your deck. If you have carpenter bees, you'll see perfectly round holes.
Wasps
The first step in pest control for your home is to do an inspection. This can alert you to issues and, in some cases, you can quickly correct the issues. A good example of this is finding a little starter nest being created by paper wasps. During the day, when the queen is away, you can use a broom to get rid of these tiny, umbrella-shaped nests.
Ticks
Hiking and outdoor adventures are everyday activities for those living in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The Ridley Creek State Park, ChesLen Preserve, or Chester Valley trail are a few of the many options residents have to enjoy the nature West Chester offers. Nothing can ruin a fun day like getting home and realizing that a tick has bitten you. You have probably heard that ticks can transmit some harmful diseases, but what should you do if a tick bites you?
Crickets
Like clover mites, crickets don’t pose any health risks to us. However, they have been known to destroy household fabrics by feeding on them.
Earwigs
Some occasional invaders like fleas can also find their way inside by hitchhiking on us or our pets. Others like earwigs, stink bugs, and centipedes will hitchhike inside things like boxes, potted plants, and other items that were originally outside.
Mosquitoes
We don't have to tell you that mosquitoes bite, or that mosquitoes can create itchy welts on your skin. You know mosquitoes are irritating pests. If this was the only reason to invest in mosquito control, it would be enough. The mosquitoes in West Chester can be super annoying.
Flies
Flies often get into homes when doors open. If you don't have flies near entryways, you can prevent this from happening. One suggestion is to keep exterior trash receptacles well away from exterior doors.
Female powderpost beetles lay their eggs on the surface or just under the surface of the wood they choose. Flooring, structural timbers, antique furniture, and wood trim is regularly invaded and damaged by powderpost beetles.
Scorpions
Spiders are arachnids, not insects. They are closely related to scorpions, ticks, and mites, not ants. Ants and other insects have three body parts, six legs, and many have wings. In contrast, spiders are always wingless, only have two body parts, and have eight legs. Other physical features that make a spider a spider include having spinnerets (silk-spinning organs), many eyes, fangs, and specialized mouthparts called chelicerae.
Hornets
European hornets are the only true hornet found in Pennsylvania. They are large and will aggressively defend their nests. They can nest inside wall cavities, attics, hollow trees, and sometimes in the ground. It is best to have a professional pest control company handle these if you find them near your home.
Yellow Jackets
Yellow jackets will often nest either in the ground or within structural voids of a house. Ground nests can be found in the lawn, near walkways, and around concrete slabs or fence posts. Structural nests are sometimes found by hearing a crackling sound in the wall or seeing a wet spot on the drywall. In this case, use caution as they can break through into the living room if not treated.
Moths
Indian meal moths have elongated, oval-shaped bodies and gray and brown wings growing less than an inch long. At first glance, many homeowners can identify an Indian meal moth, or pantry moth, by the distinct zig-zag pattern that they like to fly in.
Stink Bugs
Pantry Pests
Stinging Insects
Stinging insects can inject venom from a stinger at the end of their abdomen into their prey, which helps capture them. Their predatory behaviors are important because they help to reduce populations of nuisance insects. Stinging insects also help to pollinate some plants.
Mites
Although not dangerous, clover mites often invade in exceedingly large numbers (some infestations reach into the hundreds of thousands). These small red pests can stain furniture, carpets, and other fabrics in a home.
Springtails
Aphids
Many ants eat honeydew. When aphids get into your landscaping, they can invite ant problems. Taking steps to prevent aphids can stop ant problems before they begin.
American cockroach: Also called palmetto bugs and water bugs, American cockroaches can grow up to three inches long, and are the largest house-infesting roach.
Fleas can also be introduced by wild animals that wander onto your property; raccoons, skunks, and rodents are all known to carry fleas. Once fleas are on your property, they may jump onto you or your pet and be carried into your home. Once the fleas are inside, it can be difficult to get rid of them, and you will likely need professional flea control.
While many rodents in West Chester prefer to live outside, there are four types of rodents in the area that invade our homes.
Mice
House Mice: Dusty grey with a cream-colored underbelly, six to eight inches in length, and has body features including round ears, round body, black or red eyes, long thinly haired tail, and pointy nose.
Rats
Roof Rats: Brown with intermixed black hairs and a black, white, or grey underside. Typically sixteen inches long with body features including small round ears, long scaly tail, large black eyes, long thin body, and a semi-pointed nose.
Squirrels
Some of the more problematic pests that may infest your attics, basements, or kitchens are rodents. We’re not just talking about your standard house mouse or roof rat, either. Squirrels can actually be a fairly common occurrence in attics during the winter. Keeping rodents out can be difficult to do alone, especially if you don’t know how they’re getting in. This is where a home and pest inspection might come in handy for determining where pests are squeezing through the cracks.