Category Archives: Pest Information

Grain Weevil Treatment

Grain Weevil Treatment and Tips: Protecting Your Home

Grain weevils might be tiny in size, but the havoc they can wreak upon your home is anything but small. These pesky pests are a common nuisance for homeowners — especially in regions with a bustling grain culture, like Lancaster and York County. If you’ve discovered these unwelcome guests in your pantry, read on to learn some effective grain weevil treatment methods.

Continue reading
How to Get Rid of Grain Beetles

How to Get Rid of Grain Beetles

Are you tired of finding grain beetles crawling around in your pantry or flying around in your kitchen? Also referred to as “grain bugs,” these tiny reddish-brown pests are a common nuisance for many homeowners — but luckily, there are ways to get rid of them. In this guide, we’ll discuss the best methods for eliminating grain beetles and keeping your home pest-free.

Continue reading

Exterminators Winning the Race to Eradicate Spotted Lanternflies

Spotted lanternflies:  They are more colorful and attractive than most pests, so why are they so bad?

First, they are an invasive pest that feeds on a large variety of plant species, including those in the agricultural, timber, and ornamental industries, as well as backyard plants.

While they may not actually kill the trees they feed on, they are considered to be a plant stressor and may contribute to long-term weakening of established plants and trees.  When combined with other stressors such as other insects, diseases, or weather, they can cause significant damage.  They especially settle in grapevines and maple or black walnut saplings or trees. 

As for their appearance, they belong to the insect family Fulgoridae, or planthoppers.  This group of insects was named after “Fulgora,” the Roman goddess of lightning, because they were thought to be luminescent like lightning bugs.  However, they are not!

Battling the spotted lanternfly in South Central Pennsylvania

The lanternfly eggs are laid in the fall of the year (September to November) and hatch in the spring (late April to June).  In south central Pennsylvania, the adult flies begin to emerge in July and remain active as adults until they are killed by hard freezes later in the fall.  The adult flies are large, about 1 inch in length, have black bodies, and are very mobile. Their forewings are gray with black spots, and the tops are black with gray veins, while their hind wings are red, black, and white. 

Spotted lanternfly life cycle.  Illustration by Emily Damstra. –Penn State Extension
Continue reading

How Long Can Bed Bugs Live In An Empty House?

When bed bugs infest your one and only home where you live, there is clearly an urgent need to get them removed right away. But what if they infest a property you own that you’re not living in? Tempted to let the bed bugs die off on their own, you might be wondering, “how long can bed bugs live in an empty house?”

Continue reading

How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs & Keep Them Away?

Most people want to eradicate bed bugs from their house the moment they find out there’s an infestation. In addition to the inconvenience of dealing with the repercussions of bed bugs, it is also difficult to resume a normal social life until these pests are eliminated since they spread so easily. So if you’re currently dealing with a bed bug infestation and you’re eager to get over it, you may be wondering, “How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?” In short, the answer is:

Continue reading

Spotted Lanternflies Have Been Spotted! Here’s What to Do

You may have heard in recent news that the Spotted Lanternfly has landed in Pennsylvania. This is true! An invasive species native to China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, Spotted Lanternflies have made their way to 14 unsuspecting Pennsylvania counties, including Berks, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Dauphin, Montgomery, Monroe, and Lehigh counties.

We know what you’re thinking: it’s just another bug! Kill it and move on! With these little buggers, not the case. The PA Department of Agriculture has labeled spotted lanternflies as a dangerous invasive species and any sightings should be reported online or via phone at 1-888-4BADFLY. Continue reading

CBS21 TV Bed Bug Interview

Jenni Joyce from CBS21 interviewed Dominion’s Christopher Komarow (correct spelling) in an exclusive Bed Bug story. Unfortunately the link has expired, but we’ve included the transcript from CBS21.

Bed bug infestations up 500 percent in Lancaster County

“Bed bugs are taking over several major cities and now they’ve made their way to Lancaster County. Lancaster city’s health officer said she got a couple more cases Thursday. Looking at the big picture, though, the city was free of bed bugs in 2007. Now, they’re continuing to multiply. Two dead bed bugs were dropped off to Dominion Pest Control on Thursday, by homeowners extremely concerned about their discovery. However, these pests are nothing new for senior technician Christopher Kamarow. “It seems like as soon as I finish up with one job another one comes in,” said Kamarow. Lancaster County has become an increasingly popular destination for the insects during the last three years. Kamarow said their presence has increased by 500 percent, and people in the area are at a real disadvantage when it comes to stopping the trend.

“Most people are simply not aware of the fact that bed bugs are a real insect and how they tend to hitch rides from one place to another on us and our belongings … from hotel stays to international transit or even just public transit, intermingling luggage with other people,” said Kamarow. Lancaster city’s health officer admits there’s a growing problem in city homes. Kamarow said the bugs can crawl their way from one row-home to the next. Bed bugs like to travel. They’re not picky about their food source or their destination. “Rich, poor, clean or dirty, everyone is susceptible to bed bug infestation,” said Kamarow. Kamarow also said a watchful eye is the best line of defense. “You’ve got to be careful and conscious of your surroundings. And after a while, every dot or speck will be a bed bug.”

To see an interview with Chris and Dominion’s owner, Gregory Pettis, click on the Bed Bug Information Video.

Solitary Wasps

If you are seeing wasp-like insects hovering over a lawn area, they may be Solitary Wasps.  These wasps are hunters, looking for insect prey.  There are different species of Solitary Wasps, but all of them are hunting other insects.  Some are looking for spiders,  grasshoppers and crickets.  Still others, will hunt ants, flies, bees, butterflies and moths.  Most Solitary Wasps are not harmful to people, and will in fact, fly away to avoid human contact when approached.

When a Solitary Wasp catches it’s prey, it paralyzes it, and carries it back to its nest, which many species will have in ground burrows.  After carrying them into their nest, they lay eggs on them.  The prey will live until the larvae emerge to eat the prey.   Most species never see their parents, since  they move on after giving their offspring all they will need to survive.

Pest Control for Spiders

There are dozens of spider species found in Pennsylvania, and eventually a few wind up in the home. At Dominion Pest Control we can help you prevent all kinds of pests from entering or invading your home or business, including spiders.

When it comes to pest control products for spiders, we use micro-encapsulated products such as Demand CS.  It has a long-lasting residual and works great. To purchase Demand CS or to treat your home or office, give us a call today!