About Island Applicators
What does Island Applicators do?
Island Applicators provides residential tick and mosquito control, residential and commercial weed control, and aquatic vegetation management on Long Island, New York. Full site services are available for properties that need more than one. The company has been in business for more than 10 years.
What areas do you serve?
We are based in Wading River and serve all of Suffolk and Nassau counties, the five boroughs of New York City, and Connecticut communities within about 45 minutes of the Bridgeport ferry. Call 631-886-1895 to confirm service at your address.
Are you licensed?
New York requires businesses that apply pesticides commercially to register with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and applications must be made by or under the supervision of a certified applicator. Island Applicators is licensed for pesticide application in both New York and Connecticut. New York registration: [DEC REG. NO.]. Connecticut registration: [CT REG. NO.]. [INSURANCE DETAILS]
How much does service cost?
Price depends on the size of the property, the service and how many visits the plan needs. Estimates are free, and you get a clear price before any work starts. Request an estimate.
Do I need to be home for the visit?
[YOUR ACCESS POLICY]. In either case we need gates unlocked and pets inside so we can reach the areas being treated.
Ticks and mosquitoes
When is tick season on Long Island?
Ticks can be active any time the temperature is above freezing. Risk is highest from late spring through early summer, when tiny nymph stage ticks are feeding, and again in fall when adults are active. Most yard programs start in spring and run through fall.
Will treatment get rid of every tick and mosquito?
No, and any company that promises that is overselling. Treatment reduces the population in the treated area. It works best combined with yard steps such as clearing leaf litter and standing water, and with personal protection such as repellent and tick checks.
How often does a yard need to be treated?
No single application lasts all season, so programs use repeat visits. The schedule depends on the property and the pest pressure. [YOUR TYPICAL TREATMENT INTERVAL]
What can I do between visits?
Empty anything that holds water at least once a week, clean gutters, keep grass cut, clear leaf litter from the edges of the lawn and keep play areas away from the wood line. See our guides on tick control and mosquito control.
Weed control
What is the difference between pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control?
A pre-emergent is applied before weed seeds sprout and stops them from establishing. It is the main tool for crabgrass. A post-emergent is applied to weeds that are already growing. Most properties need both at different times of year.
Can you treat driveways, pavers and fence lines?
Yes. Hard surfaces, gravel areas, fence lines and property edges are a regular part of both residential and commercial weed control.
Do you handle commercial properties?
Yes. We provide vegetation management for parking lots, sidewalks, storage yards, HOAs, retail centers and industrial sites, with scheduled visits through the season.
Can you control invasive plants like phragmites and knotweed?
Yes. Invasive plants usually need a multi-year plan because they regrow from roots. If the plants are in or near a wetland or water body, permits may apply and we review that first. Read more in invasive plant control on Long Island.
Deer and rodent repellent
Do deer repellent sprays work?
Repellents reduce deer browsing by making plants taste and smell unappealing. They do not stop every deer, and they wear off with weather and new growth, which is why we apply winter sprays for the high-pressure months and monthly applications the rest of the year.
When should winter deer spraying start?
Before deer settle into a winter feeding pattern, usually in late fall. Evergreens such as arborvitae, yew, rhododendron and holly are the most common targets once other food is scarce.
Ponds and aquatic services
Do I need a permit to treat a pond in New York?
Often, yes. New York regulates the use of aquatic pesticides, and many applications to ponds and lakes require a permit from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Work in or next to regulated wetlands can require separate approval. We check what applies to your site before recommending treatment.
Why does my pond keep filling with weeds and algae?
Usually nutrients. Fertilizer runoff, leaves, grass clippings, goose droppings and septic influence feed plant and algae growth, especially in shallow, sunny water. Lasting control means reducing nutrients as well as treating the growth. See pond weed and algae management.
Do you maintain drainage basins and retention ponds?
Yes. Overgrown basins lose capacity, and stagnant ones breed mosquitoes. We manage vegetation in and around basins as part of commercial and HOA programs. See surface water management.