This Week at Princeton Landing

Property manager Sal Pirrera tells us that FVCSA now has an annual pest control contract with JRG Termite & Pest Control. The Board of Directors approved the agreement at its January 27, 2009, meeting. Because the Association will now pay an annual fee rather than a price per service call, the new contract will enable FVCSA to provide the community with a comparable level of service at significantly lower cost. There will be some changes in how FVCSA will schedule service under the terms of the contract in order to achieve these savings.

During the months of April through October there will be a technician at Princeton Landing on a weekly basis on Thursdays. During November through March the technician will be here on a monthly basis on the 3rd Thursday of the month. The services that will be provided are protective exterior perimeter service against pests such as pavement ants, rodents, silverfish, spiders, earwigs, millipedes, centipedes, mites, crickets, boxelder beetles, exterior carpenter ants and carpenter bees. They will also treat any visible accessible nests of bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets that are attached to the buildings. JRG's weekly visits will not include services to deal with the following: all wood-destroying insects such as powderpost beetles, termites, honeybee nests, digger wasps, cicada killer infestations, insect and rodent infestation and clean-outs, bed bugs, free-flying insects (such as gnats, mosquitoes and foraging bee activity) and all wildlife control.

JRG is now offering Princeton Landing residents a discounted rate on interior services that homeowners may wish to purchase at their own expense. Contact JRG at 888-447-3574 or 609-208-1024 for more information about these services.

Nature Guide: Eastern Gray Squirrel

When you're walking or driving around the Loop Road, the wildlife you're likely to see most often is the Eastern Gray Squirrel. These creatures like Princeton Landing so much that some of them have been uninvited guests in our homes. Those of us who've had them join us may not enjoy them nearly as much as our Nature Guide Jon Latimer, who tells us more about the Eastern Gray Squirrel. Jon writes:

"Eastern Gray Squirrels are native to the eastern and midwestern United States and the southern parts of Canada's eastern provinces. They are very prolific and have adapted well to living with humans. True to their name, they have predominantly gray fur, sometimes with touches of rusty red, a white underside, and a large busy tail. An adult squirrel's body is 8 to 10 inches long and its tail can be double its length. We also have an all-black variety of gray squirrel (known as a melanistic color phase) which seems to be increasing in numbers.

"Eastern Gray Squirrels eat various seeds, acorns, walnuts, and other nuts, and the inner layer of bark of some trees. They also bury food in the ground for later use. It is estimated that each squirrel digs several thousand holes for food each season. You may have noticed a squirrel pressing its nose onto the pavement of a road or parking area and wondered what it was doing. It was licking minerals (especially salt) from the cement or asphalt. Often a squirrel will wait to the very last moment to flee an oncoming car, which can be costly.

"Eastern Gray Squirrels nest in holes in trees or build nests out of dry leaves and twigs in the forks of branches, usually more than 20 feet above the ground. They do not hibernate in winter. In fact, one of its two yearly breeding periods takes place between December and February. (The other occurs in May and June.) After a gestation period of 44 days, 3 to 5 young are born. They leave the nest about 10 weeks later. If you listen, you may hear squirrel communication. They have a variety of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to a mouse, a short bark, a chatter, and a raspy mehr mehr mehr which sounds almost bird-like. They also communicate by flicking their tail."

Click the Comments link to share your squirrel stories. We know you have them!

Annual Brunch

Save the Date!

Annual Princeton Landing Brunch

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The Smith House

Invitation and details to follow