Pest Control in Fieldston, Bronx
Fieldston is a small, privately owned residential enclave in the northwest Bronx, tucked between Riverdale and Van Cortlandt Park just west of the Broadway corridor. Its curving streets, including Fieldston Road and Delafield Avenue, are owned and maintained by a property owners' association rather than the city, and they wind past substantial Tudor, Colonial and Mediterranean-style houses on generous lots shaded by old oaks and maples. Rock outcroppings, stone walls and hilly lawns give it the feel of a Westchester village. The Ethical Culture Fieldston School has its upper campus here, and Manhattan College is close by. Residents rely on cars, express buses and the 1 train at 238th and 242nd Streets.
Also known as: Fieldston Historic District.
About Fieldston
The land belonged to the Delafield family, who began developing it as a planned residential park around 1910. Street layouts followed the natural contours of the hills, and houses were built over the following decades by prominent architects in a range of revival styles, under deed restrictions that kept the area residential. The community's streets remained private, and in 2006 the city designated the Fieldston Historic District to protect its character.
Common Pest Problems in Fieldston
Fieldston's heavy tree canopy, rock outcrops and closeness to Van Cortlandt Park make it prime habitat for raccoons, gray squirrels and skunks. Raccoons often move into attics or chimneys through damaged vents, and squirrels chew into slate and tile roof edges, gutters and dormers of the older houses. Skunks dig under porches, sheds and stone steps, particularly in spring when they look for places to raise young. Bats occasionally roost in the attics and gable vents of these large houses as well.
Many Fieldston homes date from the 1910s through the 1930s and have extensive original woodwork, wooden porches and garages that can attract subterranean termites, especially where mulch and soil sit against sills. Mice commonly enter through garages, crawl spaces and gaps around old basement windows as the weather cools. Keeping these large, older houses sealed takes a careful exterior inspection of rooflines, vents and foundations at least once a year.