Pest Prevention

5 Tips for Preventing Firewood Pests

November 23, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

Nothing says “cozy season” like settling down for an evening in front of the fireplace. The sound of a crackling fire on a cold night might even create a core memory, but nothing kills the vibe before it begins like grabbing a log to throw on the fire and finding out it’s full of bugs.

Improperly stored wood can attract a wide variety of pests… from relatively harmless beetles, millipedes, and centipedes to dangerous or destructive ones like wasps, spiders, termites, carpenter ants, mice, and rats. Once these pests are in your woodpile, your home is at risk of having them coming inside.

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Early Warning Signs of Bed Bugs

June 15, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

When it comes to pest control, it’s wise to be proactive and nip a potential infestation in the bud. But what happens when you don’t realize you have pests until the problem has already spread throughout your home?

One pest that may be multiplying stealthily while you remain blissfully unaware is the bed bug. June 4-10 is Bed Bug Awareness Week and, to mark this observance, we will share some tips on recognizing the early warning signs of bed bugs.

What Are the Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation?

Some early warning signs of bed bugs include:

Live bed bugs are the surest sign of a budding infestation. Learn how to recognize them so you can take action before they spread.
Bites on your arms, legs, or other areas of exposed skin may be due to bed bugs.
Bloodstains on bedding or furniture that have no other explanation may be due to bed bug bites or crushed bed bugs.
Bed bug casings, droppings, or eggs are easily identifiable and are signs that live bed bugs are present (even if you haven’t seen any yet).
A musty odor that smells vaguely berry-like may be due to bed bugs. Once you can smell them, they have already infested your home.

Can You See Bed Bugs in the Early Stages?

In the early stages of a bed bug infestation, it may be easy to explain away the signs.

A rusty spot on your sheets could be blood from a blemish or small cut, small brown specks could be dirt tracked in by a pet, or itchy spots on your legs could be an allergic reaction to something you brushed against in the yard. If you know the signs and look closely though, bed bugs and their handiwork are visible – even before a full infestation occurs.

How Can You Tell If a Bed Bug is on You?

Adult bed bugs are small, but they’re visible to the naked eye. They are flat and oval-shaped, approximately 4 to 5 millimeters long. Bed bugs are brownish in color and turn reddish-brown after consuming a blood meal. They are wingless and can neither fly nor jump. Instead, they crawl from place to place and – if there is a bed bug on you – you should be able to feel it moving around.

Bed bug bites occur in groups, typically in a crooked line. They are red and itchy and may cause additional skin irritation in the area of the bites. Bites are typically found on the legs, arms, or any other area of exposed skin.

How Long Can You Have Bed Bugs Without Realizing It?

Because bed bugs are quite small (and don’t multiply rapidly at first), it’s possible to go several months without noticing their presence. If you see any signs of bed bugs or if you think you may have bed bugs in your home, there are some things you can do to confirm your suspicions.

How to check for bed bugs:

Examine beds and bedding (including all crevices) for live bugs, casings, droppings, or eggs.
Check other soft furnishings like couches, fabric chairs, and pet beds. Bed bugs seek warmth and will gravitate toward areas where you spend the most time.
Check for evidence of bed bugs around baseboards and the perimeter of all rooms.
If you want to be absolutely sure whether you have bed bugs, contact a professional exterminator. We are trained in bed bug detection and remediation… and can stop an infestation in its tracks and restore your peace of mind.

Call Twin Forks Pest Control® for Bed Bug Remediation

Twin Forks Pest Control® offers state-of-the-art bed bug detection and remediation. If you see signs of bed bugs in your home, contact us online for an estimate or to schedule a service appointment. You may also reach out by phone: in Southampton, call (631) 287-9020; in Easthampton, call (631) 324-9020, or in Southold, call (631) 298-0500.

What to Know About Lyme Disease on Long Island

May 11, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

Tick season has arrived on Long Island, and with it comes the risk of contracting a tick-borne illness. The most common – and possibly most dreaded – of these is Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted through tick bites. Characterized by flu-like symptoms and a distinctive bullseye rash, Lyme disease can cause debilitating long-term health effects.

Is There Lyme Disease on Long Island?

A Columbia University study estimates that 56 percent of ticks on Long Island are carrying Lyme disease. The Suffolk County Department of Health Services believes those percentages may be even higher in eastern Suffolk County, particularly along the north and south shores where Lyme-carrying black legged ticks (also known as deer ticks) are plentiful.

How Common Is Lyme Disease in NY?

Because many people with mild cases of Lyme disease are either unaware that they have been exposed or don’t seek medical treatment, it’s difficult to get exact figures of how prevalent Lyme disease is in the state. Suffolk County alone reports approximately 500 confirmed cases each year. Estimates of unreported cases are significantly higher.

Regardless, if you have been bitten by a tick then the chances are greater than 50/50 that it carries Lyme. After any tick bite, it’s important to identify the species that bit you and to watch for signs you may have been exposed.

How Serious Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease infections vary in severity. If treated early, they are typically cured with a two-to-four-week course of oral antibiotics. However, some individuals experience symptoms that linger for months after the initial infection.

Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome is when pain, fatigue, and brain fog last for six months or more after treatment for a Lyme disease infection. The consequences may be even more serious for those whose initial infection goes untreated. These individuals may develop late-stage Lyme disease that leads to permanent neurological damage and lifelong health issues.

What Are the Early Signs of Lyme Disease?

Early signs of Lyme disease typically include swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, joint and muscle pain, fever and chills, and a red bump at the site of the bite. Many people develop a bullseye-shaped rash around the bite.

What Are the Stages of Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease has three stages:

Stage one is localized Lyme disease, where the bacteria remain near the bite and hasn’t spread throughout the body.
Stage two is called early disseminated Lyme disease, when bacteria has begun to spread.
Stage three, or late disseminated Lyme disease, occurs when the bacteria has spread throughout the body.

Most cases of stage one Lyme disease resolve within weeks when treated promptly with antibiotics. Outcomes become progressively worse further into stage two or three, and may take months or years to clear, often leaving permanent damage. This is why prompt, early intervention is important.

If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to Lyme disease, consult your doctor immediately.

Twin Forks Pest Control® Offers Comprehensive Pest Management

Twin Forks Pest Control® is your Long Island pest management expert, keeping your home and property pest free since 1997. We offer comprehensive pest management packages to keep your home and property pest free year-round. Contact us online for a free estimate, or call us at (631) 287-9020 in the Southampton area, (631) 324-9020 near East Hampton, or (631) 298-0500 in the Southold area. We look forward to hearing from you!

The Importance of Professional Pest Management in Society

April 27, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

When you engage the services of a professional pest management company, it’s almost certainly because you want to protect your home and family from bugs and rodents. But are you aware that keeping your property pest free with professional pest management helps your neighbors, your community, and the ecosystem as well? Proper use of pest management techniques on the individual level actually has benefits to society in general!

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Happy Spring! Is Your Property Ready?

March 30, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

Keeping pests away from your home and yard is a year-round endeavor, but springtime truly is “go time” for preventing bug and rodent invasions. This is when overwintering pests emerge from hibernation and eggs laid in the fall hatch… creating hordes of hungry pests that are ready to invade your property for sustenance, mates, and a comfy place to live.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make your home less attractive to pests – inside and out – and to increase the effectiveness of professional pest control treatments.

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Are Squirrels Territorial?

January 12, 2023 by TwinForksPestControl

With their bushy tails and the way they seem to dash about playfully (they actually run in erratic patterns to avoid predators), squirrels look adorable. Underneath that playful exterior, could squirrels be hiding territorial or aggressive tendencies? As with most wild creatures, it’s a bit complicated.

Certain species, such as the American red squirrel and the northern flying squirrel, are very territorial. Both types of squirrels keep interlopers away and use their urine to mark their territory.

Also, remember that female squirrels, regardless of their species, can behave territorial or aggressively when protecting their young. That’s also true of most females of any species, squirrel or not.

Squirrel communication is also rather complicated. They can aggressively chitter and wag their tails to send a “stay away” warning signal. Some untrained observers can also mistake their more normal chittering vocalizations as a warning.

Are Eastern Gray Squirrels Territorial?

Remember when we said, “it’s complicated”? Eastern gray squirrels are the perfect example because someone watching their activities and behavior could easily think they’re territorial, but they actually aren’t. The confusion is because eastern gray squirrels have hierarchies and use dominance to establish and maintain their place in that hierarchy. As such, they’ll chase each other, not to drive a squirrel away from their territory but to exert its dominance over the other one. It can look the same to those who aren’t trained wildlife experts.

Other traits that lead people to think eastern gray squirrels are territorial involve courtship and training. When trying to attract mates in the spring, male eastern gray squirrels will chase females, but in a far less aggressive manner than they do in the dominance games. It’s a courtship ritual they engage in to evaluate each other as mates. Young squirrels, much like puppies and kittens, will chase and playfully “fight” each other as a way of learning how to do it for real.

Are Squirrels Aggressive to Humans?

Generally, no, squirrels aren’t dangerously aggressive to humans. However, a lot of C.W. Postgraduates can tell stories about the squirrels on campus chittering at them with attitude and body language that makes it clear they should keep their distance.

Squirrels can be aggressive to each other under certain circumstances, regardless of the species. For example, wildlife experts have found that male squirrels will kill young squirrels belonging to their rivals and not just in times when food is scarce. They’ll also do it when food is abundant.

Are Squirrels Loners?

Whether a squirrel is a loner depends upon several factors. Certain types of squirrels live in extended groups or colonies called a dray or a scurry. Other types, such as tree squirrels, will live alone or in small family groups. However, even squirrels that are natural loners will come together in extreme weather to huddle together to stay warm and survive.

Let Twin Forks Pest Control® Solve Your Squirrel Problems

Squirrels are cute to watch from a distance but difficult to remove if they’ve gotten inside your attic, chimney, or walls. At Twin Forks Pest Control®, we have more than 20 years of experience humanely removing squirrels. If you think squirrels have gotten into your home, give us a call at (631) 287-9020 if you’re in Southampton, (631) 324-9020 if you’re in Easthampton, or (631) 298-0500 if you’re in Southold.