New England Pest Control
Encyclopedia
New England Pest Control is an extermination
business located in Providence
, Rhode Island
that services southeastern New England
. The company is best known for its mascot, Nibbles Woodaway (also known as the Big Blue Bug
), a giant blue termite
that stands atop its office next to I-95
in Providence. The company provides pest control services to both residential and commercial properties, and is known for using ecologically safe, pet-friendly products, and has been recognized for promoting the use of integrated pest management
in schools to protect student safety. It is also known for aiding Providence during the city's rat epidemic, and was an early adopter of converting trucks to run on natural gas. New England Pest Control also sponsors numerous Little League
baseball teams throughout Rhode Island
.
Historically, having an insect infestation
was considered shameful, and pest control
companies generally advertised that their exterminators would arrive in unmarked vehicles so as to ensure that neighbors would not realize that a residence had a pest problem. New England Pest Control was one of the first companies (by some accounts the outright first) to mark all of its vehicles and attempt to remove the stigma from having a pest problem. Today, nearly all exterminators use marked (rather than unmarked) vehicles.
Due to the celebrity of the Big Blue Bug and the building's location at a high-traffic portion of the highway (near Thurbers Avenue Curve), many organizations request to have their banners hung in front of the Bug. New England Pest Control will let non-profit organizations hang their banners on a first-come, first-serve basis (generally, groups need to file a request at least two years in advance). Some of the many organizations that have placed banners in front of the Bug include: Make-A-Wish Foundation
, Special Olympics
, American Heart Association
, and Girl Scouts of the USA
.
, during which he answers listener questions about pest control, although the show occasionally delves into other topics, such as baseball
. (DeJesus is a renowned expert on the New York Yankees
.)
Clarence Cornell and Darryll – Clarence was the official handler of Darryll, a dog trained to detect termites and other insects. The pair were covered by a wide variety of media outlets, and were noted for their perfect record of pest detection. Upon turning 8, Darryll retired to live as Clarence's pet.
Pest control
Pest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.-History:...
business located in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
that services southeastern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The company is best known for its mascot, Nibbles Woodaway (also known as the Big Blue Bug
Big Blue Bug
The Big Blue Bug, also known as Nibbles Woodaway, is the giant termite mascot of New England Pest Control, located along I-95 in Providence, Rhode Island. The Bug is 928 times the size of an actual termite, standing at 9 feet tall and 58 feet long, and weighing 4,000 pounds...
), a giant blue termite
Termite
Termites are a group of eusocial insects that, until recently, were classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera , but are now accepted as the epifamily Termitoidae, of the cockroach order Blattodea...
that stands atop its office next to I-95
Interstate 95 in Rhode Island
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, runs generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and to the Massachusetts state line...
in Providence. The company provides pest control services to both residential and commercial properties, and is known for using ecologically safe, pet-friendly products, and has been recognized for promoting the use of integrated pest management
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management is an ecological approach to agricultural pest control that integrates pesticides/herbicides into a management system incorporating a range of practices for economic control of a pest...
in schools to protect student safety. It is also known for aiding Providence during the city's rat epidemic, and was an early adopter of converting trucks to run on natural gas. New England Pest Control also sponsors numerous Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
baseball teams throughout Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
Historically, having an insect infestation
Infestation
Infestation refers to the state of being invaded or overrun by pests or parasites. It can also refer to the actual organisms living on or within a host.-Terminology:...
was considered shameful, and pest control
Pest control
Pest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.-History:...
companies generally advertised that their exterminators would arrive in unmarked vehicles so as to ensure that neighbors would not realize that a residence had a pest problem. New England Pest Control was one of the first companies (by some accounts the outright first) to mark all of its vehicles and attempt to remove the stigma from having a pest problem. Today, nearly all exterminators use marked (rather than unmarked) vehicles.
Due to the celebrity of the Big Blue Bug and the building's location at a high-traffic portion of the highway (near Thurbers Avenue Curve), many organizations request to have their banners hung in front of the Bug. New England Pest Control will let non-profit organizations hang their banners on a first-come, first-serve basis (generally, groups need to file a request at least two years in advance). Some of the many organizations that have placed banners in front of the Bug include: Make-A-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
, Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
, American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
, and Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
.
Notable Employees
Tony DeJesus began his career at New England Pest Control twenty-nine years ago as a service technician, and subsequently worked his way up to his current position of Service Manager. He is a nationally recognized expert in the field of structural pest management. DeJesus has been a keynote presenter at numerous pest control conferences throughout the United States, and conducts his own training program for the Rhode Island Department of Health and Division of Agriculture. Every Saturday morning at 7am, DeJesus hosts The New England Pest Control Show on News/Talk 630 WPROWPRO (AM)
WPRO is a radio station located in Providence, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, and airs a talk format. WPRO's studio and transmitter are located in East Providence, at the Salty Brine Broadcast Center, named after WPRO's longtime morning host...
, during which he answers listener questions about pest control, although the show occasionally delves into other topics, such as baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. (DeJesus is a renowned expert on the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.)
Clarence Cornell and Darryll – Clarence was the official handler of Darryll, a dog trained to detect termites and other insects. The pair were covered by a wide variety of media outlets, and were noted for their perfect record of pest detection. Upon turning 8, Darryll retired to live as Clarence's pet.