Pest Control in Whitestone, Queens
Whitestone is a quiet, suburban-feeling neighborhood on the north shore of Queens, facing the East River and the Bronx across the water. The Bronx-Whitestone Bridge rises at its western edge, and Francis Lewis Park beneath it offers views and a small beach. Most of the housing is detached single-family homes with driveways and yards, from modest Cape Cods and brick colonials to large waterfront houses in the gated enclave of Malba. Commercial activity centers on 150th Street and on the retail strip along the Whitestone Expressway service road. The neighborhood is home to longtime Italian, Greek and Irish families along with growing Chinese and Korean communities. Buses and cars are the main ways to get around.
Also known as: Malba.
About Whitestone
Whitestone is named for a large white limestone boulder that once sat at the shoreline and served as a landmark for sailors. Francis Lewis, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived here, and his estate was burned by British troops during the Revolution. The area developed as a small village and later a summer retreat. Construction of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge in 1939 and postwar highway building accelerated suburban housing growth.
Common Pest Problems in Whitestone
With its detached houses, big trees and waterfront edges, Whitestone sees a lot of wildlife. Raccoons move along the shoreline and through wooded pockets and backyards, often denning in attics, garages and under decks. Squirrels are abundant in the mature trees and frequently chew into roof overhangs and attic vents. Rats are less intense than in denser neighborhoods but still appear around waterfront parks, commercial strips and backyards with compost or pet food left outside.
Many Whitestone homes are wood-frame or have wooden porches, decks and fences, making subterranean termites a real concern, especially in older houses and those with damp basements near the water. Mice are a steady fall and winter problem in houses with aging windows and foundations. Pavement ants and carpenter-type ants show up around patios, driveways and landscaped beds each spring, sometimes trailing indoors along foundation cracks. Waterfront homes in Malba and along the shore are especially worth watching.