On Long Island, we see a variety of common household pests…some, more than others. This year, there are three major pests we’re expecting to see a lot of in Long Island homes (along with the many others!): termites, rats, and mosquitoes.
Read on to learn how to identify these pests, what sort of risks they pose, and how to protect your home and family.
Termites 
Due to mild temperatures across Long Island, termite season is occurring earlier this year AND is expected to last longer than normal. A longer termite season allows termites more time to feed, reproduce, and potentially damage your home.
Health Risks
While termites are capable of biting and stinging, it’s unlikely, and they’re not known to transmit diseases to humans. In rare cases, some people experience allergic reactions and even asthma attacks from termite infestations, saliva, or droppings.
Property Risks
When it comes to termite risks, your home is far more at stake than your health, as termites cause billions of dollars in property damages to United States homes each year, and repairs are rarely covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Termites feed on the cellulose in wood and can go undetected for years, silently eating away at your home’s structure, causing costly property damage, and putting the structural integrity of your home at risk. It’s a common misconception that brick and stone homes are safe from termites; all homes are at risk of termite damage due to wooden structural supports and other building materials containing cellulose, termites’ favorite meal.
How to Protect Your Home
The most effective way to protect your home from termite damage is with year-round preventative termite control.
Long Island Termite Extermination
Rats 
Rats are anticipated to be another major pest Long Island homeowners deal with in 2022. Because of the city closures in 2020, urban neighborhoods are still experiencing an overall rise in rat activity.
Health Risks
Rats pose a number of health risks, including hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), tularemia, and salmonella.
Property Risks
Rats can also put your property at risk of damage. Not only can their underground burrowing weaken sidewalks, walkways, and your home’s foundation, but rats’ strong teeth and gnawing can damage drywall, stucco, sheetrock, insulation, and electrical wiring (which can increase the risk of a fire).
How to Protect Your Home
In addition to some basic pest proofing like sealing entry points to your home and reducing clutter and debris from your property (including your garage and basement), a regular pest control service and calling in professional backup when you need it is an effective way to help reduce the rat population in your area.
Mosquitoes
Due to milder temperatures and increased rainfall across Long Island, mosquitoes are another pest expected to have a longer season this year.
Health Risks
Mosquitoes are known to transmit a number of illnesses to people and pets, including West Nile virus, encephalitis, heartworms in animals, chikungunya, Zika virus, and dengue.
Property Risks
Though they pose many health risks to people and pets, mosquitoes won’t cause damage to your home.
How to Protect Your Home
Always use a mosquito repellent when outdoors and stay inside during peak mosquito times (dawn and dusk) when possible. When paired with a regular mosquito control program to reduce populations in and around your yard, and protecting your pets with a heartworm preventative, you can help combat your mosquito population.
Protect Your Home from Pests All Year Long
Suburban Exterminating’s Pest-Free Guarantee will make sure your home is protected from pests 24/7, 365 days of the year. Call or text (631/516) 864-6900 for your free estimate
