Podcast Episode Summary: "How to Break Up With Your Pest Friend"

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Koosha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Jim Fredricks, Entomologist & SVP, National Pest Management Association
Date: June 24, 2024

Overview

This episode tackles a universal city dweller’s problem: how to say goodbye to the “pest friends” that invade our homes—mice, roaches, fruit flies, and more. With summer bringing increased pest activity, host Koosha Navadar invites listeners and expert entomologist Jim Fredricks to share stories, provide prevention tips, and debunk pest myths. Listeners call in with their own experiences—ranging from creative fruit fly traps to the eternal debate about cats as rodent control—making for an informative, practical, and at times humorous look at managing unwanted houseguests.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Most Common Urban Pests & Why They Love NYC

• Year-Round Roommates: Many pests thrive indoors regardless of season since “we give them food, shelter, and water…there’s no reason for them to leave.” (Jim, 04:33)

  • House mouse: Most common indoor rodent
  • German cockroach: Ubiquitous in cities worldwide
  • Bedbugs: Associate with travel and hotels, but can also become a household issue

• Seasonal Shifts: “About 20 million homes are invaded each year as the weather goes from warm to cool in the fall…rodents seek shelter indoors to overwinter.” (Jim, 05:45)

  • Outdoor summer threats: mosquitoes, ticks

2. Recognizing When You Have a Problem

• When to Worry: “An infestation is when the population begins to multiply… But if you see one or two [roaches], you probably ought to reach out to a professional.” (Jim, 07:06)
  • Infestation vs. isolated incident: populations, reproduction, visible increase in pests

3. Pest-Specific Tips & Prevention

• Carpenter Bees:
  • “Painting the wood is usually enough of a deterrent… seal up any holes where these bees might be entering from outside.” (Jim, 09:00)
• Black Flies vs. Gnats:
  • “Pest identification is key... it’s really hard to tell exactly what species we’re talking about.” (Jim, 10:44)

4. Fruit Flies and Gnats: Two-Pronged Approach

• Larissa (Caller, Chicago) on Fruit Fly Battle:

  • Adults: Trap with red wine + dish soap (“gnats are kind of luscious like that, like myself”—Larissa, 12:14)
  • Larvae: Remove/replace top layer of soil

• Zoe (Caller, Long Island City): Freeze compostable waste to avoid attracting flies: “I put the garbage directly into the freezer. And when the bag is full, I take it out.” (Zoe, 14:14)

• Expert Confirmation: “These are great tips...Finding the source of any fly infestation is key...Fruit flies are attracted to decaying fruit or vegetable matter.” (Jim, 15:04)

5. Rodents: Distinguishing and Dealing with Rats vs. Mice

• Rats vs. Mice:

  • “A rat...16 inches from nose to tail, weigh about 1 pound... House mouse… only needs a hole about the size of a dime to squeeze its body through.” (Jim, 18:05; 19:35)

• Essential Prevention Tactics:

  • Seal food in airtight containers (“Even the tiniest crumb is going to be a feast for a mouse”)
  • Inspect and seal holes: mice need only a dime-sized hole; rats need a quarter-sized
  • Droppings often reveal activity
  • “Call a pro in, because mice can reproduce quickly—20 offspring a year.” (Jim, 19:35)

• Neighbor’s Problem Becoming Yours:

  • “As the population increases, they will spread out. There won’t be an overabundance in one location...look underneath kitchen cabinets where the pipes come through.” (Jim, 20:54)

6. Cats, Dogs, and the Pest Control Myth

• Justina (Caller, Manhattan/Queens): “Cats have been my best protectors...” and plugs city rescue (21:41)

  • Expert’s Reality Check: “Cats are great, but not always the best protector. They might displace [rodents], but not eliminate...as soon as the cats left, the rats returned.” (Jim, 22:51)

• Roaches/Water Bugs/Palmetto Bugs:

  • “All the same thing—different species. Approach for control is the same.” (Jim, 24:16)

7. Home Remedies, Humane Trapping, and Supplies

• Steel Wool:

  • “Find those holes and stuff them with steel wool. Rodents… can’t chew through it.” (Eileen, 24:52)

• Humane Mouse Traps:

  • How far to relocate? “Home range for a house mouse...6 to 30 feet…Take it pretty far just to be on the safe side.” (Jim, 26:44)

• Essential Pest-Prevention Supplies:

  • Steel wool
  • Expanding foam
  • Caulk
  • Garage door seals/door sweeps (“If you can fit a pencil underneath the gap in your door, a mouse can squeeze its way through.” — Jim, 27:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you see one [roach], there’s going to be others close behind you.”
  — Jim Fredricks [07:06]

• “Give them some wine and some dish soap. Suck them into a party.”
  — Koosha Navadar, paraphrasing Larissa’s fruit fly trap [14:01]

• “A mouse only needs a hole about the size of a dime to squeeze its body through. A rat needs to hold [a hole] about the size of a quarter.”
  — Jim Fredricks [19:35]

• “Cats are great, but not always the best protector, even from rodents...”
  — Jim Fredricks [22:51]

• “All the same thing—different species... In the south, they call those American cockroaches palmetto bugs.”
  — Jim Fredricks [24:16]

• “If you can fit a pencil underneath the gap in your door, a mouse can squeeze its way through.”
  — Jim Fredricks [27:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:37] Show introduction and episode preview
• [04:04] Jim Fredricks joins; most common NYC pests
• [07:06] When to act on a pest sighting/infestation
• [08:31] Listener Peter’s carpenter bee dilemma
• [12:09] Larissa (Chicago) shares fruit fly/gnat plant strategy
• [14:14] Zoe (LIC) describes freezing compost; other tips
• [18:05] The big rat vs. little mouse conundrum
• [19:35] How to prevent and deal with rodents
• [21:39] Justina signals the “cat protector” solution
• [24:44] Roaches vs. water bugs explained
• [24:52] Steel wool for mice prevention (Eileen, Bernardsville)
• [26:07] Humane mouse trap questions (Jack, East Orange)
• [27:57] Must-have supplies for a pest-free apartment
• [29:11] Episode wrap-up

Takeaways for Listeners

• Prevention is key: seal every gap, clean thoroughly, and keep food sealed.
• Identification matters: not all “bugs” are the same, so proper ID leads to proper control.
• DIY remedies can help, but infestations often require professional intervention.
• Pets may help, but are not a guaranteed solution for pests.
• For humane removal, distance is important—relocate far to avoid repeat visits.

Final Tip: "If you can fit a pencil underneath the gap in your door, a mouse can squeeze its way through." (Jim, 27:57)

Guest info:
Jim Fredricks, Entomologist and Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, National Pest Management Association

Host:
Koosha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)

This summary distills the lively discussion on urban pest management with expert insights, hands-on tips from real listeners, and actionable advice for a pest-free summer.