Cowleys Pest Services Before & After Photos

Several technicians from of our Bird Solutions Division were sent out to a condominium association in Hightstown, NJ to remove some starlings that had infested a number of units. Starlings have a reputation of being the most annoying and common home-invading birds in the US. Starlings are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. They nest in holes and cavities and often use holes in buildings — primarily dryer or exhaust vents.

Sure enough, when we inspected the exterior of the building, we discovered that the starlings were invading the units by squeezing through a number of damaged and weathered exhaust vents. In order to safely remove them from the property, we disinfected several of the exhaust vents and installed a DryerWallVent® over all of them except for the most active one. Over that one we installed a customized one-way over it and temporarily enclosed the area off with hardware cloth. This will allow the starlings to leave the area safely but prevent them from getting back in. After a short period of time, all of the starlings had been removed from the condo unit. We then disinfected that exhaust vent and installed a DryerWallVent® over it.

The DryerWallVent® is made out of heavy-duty galvanized steel and its large opening and angled damper provide maximum airflow efficiency for safe venting. Integrated magnets keep the damper closed when not in use - preventing birds, pests, bats, and all nuisance wildlife from infesting the condo units.

After seeing the amount of damage that woodpeckers were doing to his home, this customer in Dunellen, NJ called Bird Solutions by Cowleys for help and we were sent out. The cost of repairing woodpecker damage can be high and most homeowners' insurance doesn't cover it, since it is considered to be preventable!

First, we focused on the damaged areas and stuffed each one of the holes made by the woodpeckers with stainless steel mesh and then sealed them with waterproof adhesive. Once we that was done we installed sturdy metal flashing over the damaged areas. Lastly, since the homeowner had some leftover paint, we painted over each piece of metal flashing so that it blends in with the color of the home.

Now we need to make sure that the woodpeckers don't come back! In order to accomplish that, we installed an Intimidator in several locations around the entire exterior of the home. The Intimidator reflects the suns rays as the wind spins it around and gives off Ultra Violet "flashes" (ultra violet is a color that birds can see but humans can not). The woodpeckers will relate the UV flashes as a danger and stay away. This is a humane and effective visual deterrent to keep the woodpeckers away from the property as well as prevent them from causing any further damage to the home.

For years this homeowner in Dayton, NJ has been dealing with carpenter bees drilling into her fascia board and never paid much attention to them. It wasn't until her youngest son noticed some extensive damage to the area and informed her about it. After seeing us treat her neighbors home, she decided to give us a call and we were sent out to inspect and treat. As we inspected the area, we noticed that the fascia board wasn't just damaged, it was almost destroyed by the carpenter bees! There were multiple gaps across the fascia board and, if they aren't repaired or treated ASAP, this will lead to a potential squirrel problem!

Like carpenter ants, carpenter bees can cause significant property damage, as the female bees drill perfectly circular ½-inch diameter holes into fascia boards, porches, decks, siding, sheds, and other wooden structures. While the female creates a tunnel to nest, the male acts as a sentry protecting the female and nest. Those are the ones that dive bomb at you, but can't really do anything since they have no stinger. The females can sting but only does so if threatened. 

For treatment, we injected a residual dusting product into each gallery. This treatment rapidly exterminates the carpenter bees and leaves behind a residual that will eliminate any eggs inside their gallery as well as any returning carpenter bees. Once all the carpenter bees were eliminated, we returned and installed sturdy, metal flashing over the fascia board to prevent squirrels, bats, or any type of wildlife infesting the home. 

As this client in Cream Ridge, NJ, was heading to his car, he spotted several birds going in and out of a small gap in his soffit! He searched for a reputable bird removing company on Google, found Bird Solutions by Cowleys, and we were sent out.

As we inspected the property, we determined that the birds were infesting the home via the soffit-return. We even found a ton of nesting debris inside the soffit! First, we carefully removed all the nesting debris out of the soffit. Next, we disinfected the soffit with a solution that targets bird mites. Bird mites are parasites that feed on the blood of birds. When birds leave their nests, the mites are left behind without a suitable host for their next blood meal. They will make their way into a home, and once inside they will take over, climbing all over your walls, ceilings, and beddings. To make matters worse, bird mites are tiny and semi-transparent, so they are extremely difficult to detect. Bird mites are the main reason why extreme care is needed when removing a nest.

To prevent the birds from reinfesting the area we installed Ridge Vent under the soffit-return and then installed sturdy metal flashing over the soffit and the soffit return.

As we were servicing this property in Cream Ridge, NJ, we noticed a few European hornets swarming around the barbecue grill. As we got closer and opened the grill, we found a HUGE European hornets nest inside of it. The European hornets were actually nesting inside of the grill!

European hornets, also called giant hornets, received their name from its introduction from Europe into the New York area in the 1800s. They are much larger than yellow jackets and, unlike most stinging insects, can be active at night. Their bodies are brown with yellow stripes on their abdomens and have pale faces. European hornets have long bodies and antennae and have two pairs of wings and six legs. European hornets have smooth stingers, so they can sting over and over again. Their sting also carry venom that makes the stings hurt, itch, or swell for about 24 hours.

First, we injected a knockdown aerosol application into the nest. We then waited a few moments, and then injected a knockdown liquid application. Both treatments rapidly exterminate the European hornets. A short while later, we removed the nest and disposed of it properly. The homeowner mentioned that he will dispose of the grill at a later date.