Bees are Good in the Garden but Trouble around your Home

Let us make no mistake bees are one of the most beneficial insects on the planet. Bee species pollinate around 80% of the fruits vegetables and flowers on the planet. We must consider this before eradicating them.

Honey Bees (see top right) handle the majority of the pollinating work but a hive within the wall of your home (see right) can be destructive and physically dangerous. If possible a Bee Keeper should be called for safe removal

Carpenter Bees are large and aggressive but hardly ever bite. People commonly mistake them for Bumble Bees. The shiny dark abdomen of the Carpenter Bee makes it easy to identify.

Carpenter Bees bore into wood and raise their family within the chambers. Sawdust or frass is often visible and mistaken for Termite or Carpenter Ants.

Stains (see image) are a dead giveaway of a Carpenter Bee infestation. As they enter the hole to the nest they release excrement.

Bold Face Hornets are bigger than Yellow Jackets and mostly black. They like to set up their hive under eaves to protect it from rain. As they hive and population grow they can become very aggressive.

Paper Wasps are very similar to Yellow Jackets. They set up little hanging hives from window frames and roof eaves allowing them to access our homes easily.

Yellow Jackets are one of the biggest nuisances at backyard parties. In the spring they feed on sweets but in the late summer and fall they feed on protein like my hot dog on the BBQ Grill.

Mud Daubers set up a little mud nest on just about any type of structural wall.

Magic's three (3) Entomologist have trained our Technicians to identify and eradicate them.

Make sure to check out our upcoming TV show Rat Busters NYC on Animal Planet.

Here an Ant there an Ant everywhere Ants

It looks like Ants are going to be very active this year. Everyone I talk to is complaining about the buggers and asking what needs to be done.

There are many different types of ants that invade our homes Carpenter Ants, Pavement Ants, Odorous House Ants, Acrobat Ants, Little Black Ants, and Pharaoh Ants. Treatment for these various ants share similar methods to help suppress them but require specific treatment methods to eradicate them.

First, all Ant infestation begin outside the home. Growing Ant colonies forage and explore continuously in search of food, water and nesting areas. Ants are three dimensional and can travel over tree limbs, power, phone & cable wires, up walls and barriers made of any material. They are also small and can exploit any openings or cracks in the foundation and poorly sealed door & window frames. Tree limbs must be cut back off roofs and bushes must be trimmed back away from the foundation. The foundation must be checked for cracks, holes around water spigot and utility service entry points and sealed with cement or appropriate patching material. Door and window frames must be properly caulked with silicon.

Next, an exterior treatment around the entire foundation of the home is required. This will halt foraging ants from wondering into your home in the future.

The last phase of the treatment will be varied depending on the type of Ant and the severity of the infestation. Many of these Ants set up colonies within our homes these colonies can grow rapidly and divide into multiple colonies. Treatment can be as simple as applying baits, topical spray or as complicated as deep treatment into wall voids.

Magic's three (3) Entomologist can easily identify the type of Ant and prescribe a treatment plan to eradicate them.