Pest Control A-Z

Signs of a bedbug problem:

Usually found in bedrooms
Are found in any dark area, not just beds
They feed at night when you are in bed
Can survive for months without a meal
An established infestation will also have an unpleasant smell, which I secreted by the bedbugs.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

Bedbug adults are about 3.5 mm in length and have a thin waist, large abdomen and long legs, making them look like a spider. They are flat, wingless and vary from a pale straw to brown colour depending on how long it is since they last ate. And can last up to 1 year without a blood meal.

REPRODUCTION

Mating takes place off the host, the female attaching up to 200 – 500 eggs to the structure.
The local temperature must remain above 10-13 degrees centigrade for the eggs to hatch.
They then take about 6-...

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 Pest Control A-Z

The grey squirrel lives throughout mainland England and Wales although it is still absent from much of Scotland. They live in woodland areas, in particular areas with conifers. It also lives in parks and gardens, wherever there are trees.

Signs of a Squirrel problem:

Grey squirrels are active in the daytime and are easily seen and identified
Feeding signs include pine cones from which the wings have been stripped to get to the core.
Split open nuts, tooth marks
Squirrels also strip bark, particularly from deciduous trees
Squirrel tracks are sometimes visible in mud and snow.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

Squirrels have a winter coat, which is grey above with a white underside. The summer coat is shorter, sleeker and brownish grey above...

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Ants are a very common problem in New Jersey households and businesses. The ants you see crawling across the floor are similar to little workers who are in search of food to bring back to their colony. As ants travel, they leave behind a scent for other worker ants to follow. These scavengers search for water as well as greasy and sweet substances to feed upon. They will find sources of food that may not be visible such as crumbs behind or underneath furniture, grease deposits in the kitchen or water condensation on the piping in the walls of the home. However, once they have discovered a source, one foraging ant can bring enough food back to the colony to feed over 100 other ants at a time.

Merlin’s Ant Removal And Exterminator

Carpenter Ants
In New Jersey, the Carpenter Ant is the most...

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Since mice are curious creatures, our mice killers use this to our advantage. We use innovative bait and trap techniques that encourage the mice to investigate the changes we make to their environment. Before long, the mice find and consume our specially formulated powder, which puts an end to the infestation.Read More

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If you notice items on your bookshelf have chewed-on page and bindings, silverfish are the culprits.
As the name suggests, silverfish are small, flattened insects that have a fish-like appearance
They have silver to bluish-grey coloration and are nocturnal creatures
Will venture out into the night in search of food and water, which is when they attack your bookshelf.
Do not actually eat paper, but rather enjoy eating the glue or paste that holds packaging and the bindings of books together
Also feed upon dust, debris, and other small insects during their travels
Silverfish Extermination

As the weather becomes hot and dry in New Jersey, silverfish start to become a nuisance for many homes and businesses...

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Cockroaches are filthy pests that are transported by people and often make their way into your home or office through visitors. Often times, a person can pick up and transport a cockroach unknowingly. Cockroaches can hide on fruit in a grocery store, on a bus, in packages, purses or luggage, and many other places. There are four kinds of cockroaches that can infest your home or business:

Cockroach Removal

• German cockroach
• Brownbanded cockroach
• American cockroach
• Oriental cockroach
• The German cockroach

Most common type of cockroach that’s found in New Jersey homes, apartments, hospitals, and offices. Prefer warm, humid areas and typically congregate near a source of water...

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The most common types of wasps found in the UK are the European and German wasps.

SIGNS OF A WASP PROBLEM

Wasps build a nest from a papery substance in the cavities of trees, attics, walls and other parts of buildings.

WHAT DO WASPS LOOK LIKE

Their bodies consist of black and yellow bands and they have a narrow waist in the middle of the body. The worker wasp is about 10-15mm in length and the queen is usually about 20mm in length. They have two pairs of wings. Only the females will sting and only when frightened or disturbed.

REPRODUCTION

The queen hibernates over the winter and then creates a wasps nest in the spring in which to lay her eggs.
She feeds her young on dead insects until they grow into sterile worker wasps...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Cluster flies are common in the UK. They hibernate and cluster in numbers within walls, attics and around window frames. They re-appear early Autumn year after year if left untreated.

SIGNS OF A CLUSTER FLY PROBLEM:

• Hundreds of flies clusted together within window frame
• During the winter these flies cluster in vast amounts in roof spaces and lofts, with several thousand flies clustered together.
• If woken up early from their hibernation, they can be lazy and cause problems.
• You may get two generations a year and sometimes up to 4 if the climate is really warm.
• They are attracted to light and some will find their way into living areas.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

Cluster flies are about 9mm long and slightly bigger than the house fly...

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Even though you may realize that you should call your local pest control company whenever you see rodents and pests invading your private property, you may not realize the health risks these critters pose. Squirrels and other rodents may carry parasites such as fleas and ticks that can bring health problems to you and your beloved pets. Since often your pets may wander in and out of your home, you should recognize the serious threats these fleas and ticks can bring.

Ticks

Ticks are small insects that often live in wood-rich areas. They feed off of the blood of both animals and humans by attaching themselves to the skin. After feeding on the blood, they inject toxins. These toxins could cause irritation or an allergic reaction without proper removal...

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Merlin’s offers cricket extermination services for the two basic types of crickets that are bothersome to residents in New Jersey, Field Crickets and Camel Crickets. Our team of pest control specialists has developed an innovative process to eliminate these pests from your home or office.

Dark brown to black with rounded wings that almost cover their bodies. Some would say they look like jumbo shrimp with legs
Primarily found outdoors in fields, pastures, and yards where they feed on a variety of plants
Known for singing or chirping during the night. What you’re hearing is the male Field Cricket trying to attract a mate. As the chirping becomes louder and more frequent, these crickets become a nuisance both inside and outside the home

Merlin’s Pest Control Bugs Cricket Removal Services

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 Pest Control A-Z

In the United States, there are 12,000 different types of beetles, some of which are known to be beneficial to the environment while others are considered harmful. Some species of beetles get rid of garbage and dead trees, while others cause damage to crops, plants and property.

The most common types of beetles are:

Beetles
Carpet Beetles
Japanese Beetles
Lady Beetles, also known as, Lady Bugs
While there are thousands of different Carpet Beetles, Black Carpet Beetles are common pests in New Jersey. As with many beetles, Carpet Beetles:

Choose to live close to a source of food

Invade the home or property in search of protein, which can be found in hair, dander and other small particles of food
They can enter your home or business through cracks and crevices or find entrances under roof ove...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Fleas are the worst and most hated of infestations in our homes and workplaces. They are parasites that attach themselves to a host. They live on the host and feed on skin, feathers etc. The most common species in the UK is the Cat Flea, which bites humans.

Signs of fleas in your cats bedding.

Cats bedding can support a population of 8000 immature and 2000 adult fleas.
Signs of larvae in carpets or bedding.
Signs of itching spots on the skin, with a single puncture in the centre.
They are blind and avoid sunlight.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

The adult flea is about 2-3mm in length and of a shiny brown appearance. They have a thin flat body and large hind legs that allow them to jump.

REPRODUCTION

Flea eggs are about 0.5mm long, oval, pearly white in colour.
They are laid in the fur or feathers ...

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Since rats become frightened when their environment is invaded, our rat exterminators have numerous options to choose from when considering the best way to exterminate and will select the best option according to your rat situation.

Merlin’s Rat Exterminator

A problem for all types of establishments in New Jersey, including homes, office buildings, hospitals, and restaurants
Can live in a variety of conditions and are typically found around homes, farms, gardens, and open fields
Extremely unsanitary, as they are known to transmit many parasites and diseases to humans and animals
Rats can be very destructive and will cause serious damage to structures and property in a short amount of time
Can create baseball size holes as they chew into houses and commonly end up living in the attics, cr...

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,h2Merlin’s Flea & Tick Removal

Small, reddish brown insects that live and breed on common household pets such as dogs and cats
Feed on blood and while they do not have wings, they use their long legs to jump from mammal to mammal
Fleas usually find shelter and lay their eggs in carpets, mattresses, sofas, and other upholstered furniture
In order to lay eggs, a female flea first has a blood meal and within 48 hours, a batch of eggs is produced
The eggs or pupate can take anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks to hatch and release a new set of fleas
Flea extermination is a meticulous process that only professional exterminators can handle. Merlin’s flea exterminators perform a thorough treatment on every square inch of your home to uncover flea infestations...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Signs of a House Mouse problem:

Scratching noises, particularly under the floor or in the attic as they move around.
House mice are most active at night but maybe seen during the day, looking for food.
House mice leave dark droppings about 3mm long.
mouse_dropings

They dribble urine onto surfaces and as a result have a charactaristicaly strong odour
House mice gnaw on almost anything, e.g., electric cables, carpet, soap, insulation etc. They do this to keep their teeth sharp.
You may find nibbled food packaging with teeth marks, especially cereal packets, although they will eat almost everything.
They build nests in warm, hidden places using shredded material such as newspaper and fabric and near a food source, generally within about 3-7M from their nest.
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

House mice...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Oriental cockroaches are found worldwide, and occurs commonly in the United Kingdom, mostly indoors in heated buildings. It is frequently found indoors, in restaurants, hospitals, prisons, hotel and other institutions. The German cockroach is found all over Europe. Adult cockroaches can live up to 26 weeks.

Signs of a Cockroach problem:

1. They hide during the day, so you may only see them at night. They hide in small cracks and crevices.
2. Their deposits have a distinct sour smell
3. They tend to be found around drains, dustbins and rubbish tips.
4. They do need water to survive and will eat almost anything.
5. They defecate and regurgitate onto surfaces.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

They males are approximately 25mm in length and the females about 32 mm. They are shiny and very dark brown, nearly black.

R...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Ants are not known to cause or carry any diseases, however most people usually discard food that has been fed on by ants. HOW DO WE GET RID OF ANTS We will follow the trails of worker ants back to the nest(s) and if the nest can be exposed and it is safe to do so, the nest can be treated with insecticide.Read More

 Pest Control A-Z

Silverfish

Silverfish are found worldwide. They are common throughout the UK. They are active particularly at night in bathrooms, kitchens and pantries where they become trapped in sinks, baths, glass and pottery. By day they hide beneath loose floor coverings, behind wallpaper, skirting boards, bath panels and similar places. There are no specific differences between male and females.

Signs of a Silverfish problem:

Evidence of damage to papers, books , leather, textiles
They may also invade packets of dried foods, especially in damp cupboards.

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE

Silverfish have a carrot shaped body and a silvery scaled body and are up to 20mm in length.

REPRODUCTION

The eggs are carefully laid in crevices, in food stuffs or nearby food stuffs.
The female lays up to 100 eggs in total,...

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 Pest Control A-Z

Rabbits

Rabbits are found across almost all of Western Europe. They live in colonies, underground in warrens (also known as setts or burrows)

Signs of a Rabbit problem:

Signs of tunnels and rabbit holes
Rabbit pellets
Damage to crops, plants and small trees.

Rabbits can be distinguished from a Hare by size. The Hare is bigger and has characteristic black tips on it’s ears. Rabbits have a small white tail when running, smaller hind legs.

REPRODUCTION

Rabbits breed all year round.
They reach sexual maturity in 2-3 months and have a gestation period of just 28 days.
They can produce up to 5 litters a year, average size is about 5.

IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING RABBITS

Rabbits eat most things which are green, young shoots are a favourite, thus causing extreme damage to crops, gardens, lawns and f...

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As soon as you spot evidence of termites in your home you should call a termite and ant extermination company to come and get rid of them. Unless you take action against them, the problem will only get worse. The cost of hiring a pest control company for an afternoon is a small fraction of what it would cost to fix the foundation of your home. Get rid of termites before they cause too much damage.Read More