Pest Control in Westerleigh, Staten Island
Westerleigh is a tidy residential neighborhood in the north-central part of Staten Island, centered on Westerleigh Park, a green oval surrounded by houses where concerts and community events are held in summer. Jewett Avenue and Watchogue Road are the main streets, and Victory Boulevard runs along the southern edge with shops and bus connections. Houses range from turn-of-the-century Victorians with wraparound porches to postwar capes and ranches on modest lots. Many families have lived in the area for generations, and the neighborhood has a strong civic identity, with an active community association and well-tended gardens.
Also known as: Prohibition Park.
About Westerleigh
In 1887 the National Prohibition Park Company bought land here and created Prohibition Park, a planned community for temperance supporters where alcohol was banned. Streets were named for dry states and prominent prohibitionists, and a large auditorium hosted lectures and gatherings. The temperance theme faded in the early twentieth century and the area was renamed Westerleigh, but many of the original street names and Victorian houses remain.
Common Pest Problems in Westerleigh
Westerleigh's housing is largely wood frame, much of it well over a century old, and that makes subterranean termites one of the most important issues for local homeowners. Porches, steps and wooden lattice built close to the soil create easy entry points, and many of the older homes have had additions and renovations that introduced new wood without a proper barrier. Spring swarms around basement windows and porch posts are a telltale sign of an active colony.
Mature trees, shaded yards and Westerleigh Park bring gray squirrels and raccoons close to houses year-round. Both animals take advantage of rotted fascia, open chimney flues and gaps where porch roofs meet the main wall, and they can do real damage to insulation and wiring in attics. Mice are a seasonal problem in autumn, slipping into older homes through loose foundation mortar and gaps around doors that have settled over the decades, while carpenter ants seek out porch wood softened by moisture.