Spring is Here and so are those Troublesome Pests

As we enter spring and the weather grows warmer many of the most common pests become active. Magic believes in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and offers Green Shield Certified Services which are preventative in nature. Our technicians inspect the exterior and/or interior of your property looking for conducive conditions and report them to you. Let's take a look at some of the common pests of the season.

Subterranean Termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damage each year, that is more damage than caused by fire and windstorm combined. They live underground and build tunnels, referred to as mud tubes, to reach food sources.

Subterranean termites swarm in the spring. The swarmers, hundreds of them, emerge from the ground or are forced into homes through cracks and crevices in the foundation. This is a sign that your home is under attack. Termite swarmers are easy to identify, they body is norrow with two (2) segments, about 3/8 of an inch in lenght, with four wings of equal lenght.

Magic utilizes the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System. Sentricon is the only termite system proven to eliminate termite colonies. It is also the winner of the Presidential Green Chemical Award do to the reduced amount and focused use of the control agent.

Carpenter Ants are another pest that attack your home. They excavate chambers inside the wood beams of your house were the colony nests.

They also swarm in the spring. Once again, if there are a large amount of swarmers within your home it is a bad sign and you may have a nest within the structure. Carpenter Ants range from 3/8 to 1/2 inch in size, they body has three (3) segments and the wings are of unequal lenght.

Carpenter Bees resemble bumblebees in both size and appearance, but are not social insects. They construct their nests in trees or in frame buildings. Most of the top of the abdomen of carpenter bees is without hairs and is shiny black in color. By contrast, the abdomen of bumblebees is fully clothed with hairs, many of them yellow in color. If you see a number of large bees hovering near the eaves of the house or drilling in wood, you have carpenter bees.

Carpenter bees begin their nest by drilling a nearly perfectly round entrance hole (about 1/2 inch diameter) into the wood and bore chambers were they deposit eggs. They hibernate in the tunnels during the winter, emerging in the spring to mate and enlarge the old tunnels creating more brood chambers for their young.

City will Required Restuarants to Post Cleanliness Grades

When I was living in California, Los Angeles implemented a similar rating system. I remember how seeing an "A" or "B" in a restaurant window I was try for the first time made taking the risk much easier. I also remember driving right on by restaurants with a "C" in the window.

Magic Pest Management has been servicing the New York Restaurant Industry since 1960. We have staff members trained by the American Institute of Baking that can help you.

Sanitation is pest control. When trying to control and prevent infestations of rodents, cockroaches, ants and flies it is imperative. During a typical service our technician inspects and reports on any sanitation problems allowing you to become proactive in your approach avoiding severe Heath Department inspections.

We also provide Green Shield Certified Services which show your concern for your patrons, workers and the environment.

Magic can only be a success if we keep your restaurant success. Call for a free inspection and estimate today and let us help you post an "A" grade

For more information see the NY Times article here

New York Department of Health Press Release

Dow Announces New Sentricon Termite Bait

Dow AgroSciences has announced their latest innovation to the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System — Recruit™ HD termite bait. This bait is a cartridge that allows for the removal of the wood insert and contains a much more durable bait that can last up to one year.

The product is scheduled to be available in New York in 2011.

For more information watch this video

Going Green in Queens 2010

Come see Magic at the Going Green in Queens 2010 Conference. We will have information about Green Pest Control and be able to answer questions about Bed Bugs, Rodents, Roaches, Termites and most other common pests.

Saturday March 27, 2010
9:30am to 3:30pm
Al Oerter Recreational Center
Flushing, NY 11355

Free Admission, Worshops, Giveaways, Food & Fun

More Info Contact Herr281761@aol.com

More Info at IOBY.COM

Magic joins NYPD Project Nexus

The New York City Police Department’s Operation Nexus is a nationwide network of businesses and enterprises joined in an effort to prevent another terrorist attack against our citizens. Our detectives have conducted over 25,000 visits to firms that have joined us in this mutual effort. Members of Operation Nexus are committed to reporting suspicious business encounters that they believe may have possible links to terrorism.

The NYPD believes terrorists may portray themselves as legitimate customers in order to purchase or lease certain materials or equipment, or to undergo certain formalized training to acquire important skills or licenses. There is also a concern that these individuals may simply steal certain types of vehicles, equipment or materials from the inventory of legitimate businesses. Whatever the method, once appropriated these items could then be used to facilitate a terrorist plot.

Through Operation Nexus, the NYPD actively encourages business owners, operators and their employees to apply their particular business and industry knowledge and experience against each customer transaction or encounter to discern anything unusual or suspicious and to report such instances to authorities.

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Magic Builds Heat Chamber to Combat Bed Bugs by Angel Avila

Well let me begin by saying, for those who do not know Peter and myself are the carpenters for the company as well as licensed exterminator with full knowledge and hands on experience in both professions. Magic realizes that carpentry and pest control work hand in hand and they are aware of the talent out there among there employees.

OK a few months ago me and Peter were approach by management (Anthony, Mike, Ralph and Jimmy) to build a heat chamber for green exterminating. Our first reaction was this is great! We have another opportunity to show our capabilities. It was a challenge set before us which was a opportunity to stimulate the mind. So we started off with the question to management what should the dimension be and its height as well as the size of the door opening (Jim T had a great idea as to what type of door should be built) and what would be place inside the chamber so we can determine the size.

These question and the answer to them were very important because we had to make shore that we had the space to build the Heat Chamber in the work space that was available, after careful inspection and a few measurements we told management that there idea was tangible.

  

The Purpose of the Heat Camber: Management believes the industry should work towards going green in every thing they do, as well as looking for a better way to kill Bed Bugs and wood destroying insects in furniture and other house hold items, the Heat Chamber made a lot of sense.

Why? First) it’s safe and it’s an all natural why to destroy these pest without the use of chemicals Second) air is able to penetrate cracks and craves a lot better then chemical or dust in a safe and no staining manner Third) the objective is to have the air heat up to the temperature of 120 degrees for several hours and circulate in the chamber to kill all types of insects and bugs by drying there bodies out. It has been proven this is the temperature needed to accomplishment this goal.

Managements Idea Brought Into Fruition Although the room was fairly square and had no real complicated angels or measurements there were still many questing that needed to be answer while we were building, like how do we protect it from water damage, from fire damage and the surrounding areas adjacent to it. Questing also arose were should the door be place to the right or left of the chamber, this would determine how long and large a piece of furniture could be place in the chamber to far to the right the objects would hit other structures to far to the left and you could not place a long piece of furniture into the chamber as we went back and forth with management ( Mr. DeVito and his team ) all the question were finally answer so me and Peter now had the clarity to proceeded forward .

One of the key factor of the project was to have the right insulation, insulation was put in the wall, ceiling and floor (type R-19/R-30 used) (left)

Water issue addressed before construction the walls and floor were seal with a special tar to prevent condensation on the inside of the wall and floor. (right)

With the understanding that heavy object would be place into the Chamber the floor was brace to the ground. (left)

Inside the chamber are 5/8 fire sheet rock walls and insulated heat absorbing wall panels with all corner sealed with a heat resistant tape. (right)

Materials: 72 # 2x4 22# piece of sheet rock 4# piece of ¾ plywood 9# rolls of insulation 2# box of 2 ½ crews 88” feet of track 15# piece of insulated heat panels 2# rolls of heat resident type 1# can of tar.

74th Purdue Pest Management Conference

Anthony DeVito ACE, General Manager of Magic attended the 74th Purdue Pest Management Conference.

The event has been ongoing since 1936 and has grown into an international event. "It is imperative for a pest control company to attend events like this, " stated Anthony DeVito "Information is the key to success in any business, the science of pest management is moving faster and faster, Magic has been able to deliver superior service and develop programs to eliminate resilient pests like Bed Bugs, Rodents and Cockroaches by continuing to seek out the newest information, techniques, products and implement them into our pest control programs.

Conference organizers are committed each year to providing the information needed for the urban and industrial pest management profession to move forward. Outstanding speakers and industry leaders give training seminars, research and regulatory updates, product development, marketing and management hints, and additional information vital to promoting innovative and environmentally sensitive approaches to pest management. This four day conference held on the Purdue University campus is a great opportunity for pest management professionals to gain certification credits and to keep abreast of changes in technology.