About The Author

Zack DeAngelis Author Image For Pest Pointers
Zackary DeAngelis – CEO/Founder of Pest Pointers LLC

Why I Started Pest Pointers

Hi, I’m Zack DeAngelis – the CEO/Founder of Pest Pointers. I’m from a small town in Upstate, NY where I’ve lived most of my life. Growing up in a rural area definitely has both it’s perks and disadvantages. It can be EXTREMELY boring at times, and there’s really not much around to do.

Luckily for me, I grew up on 50+ acres of land, where my family and I are able to take pleasure in living around nature. Really, living in a place surrounded by woods, swamps, and animals gave me a TON of experience in dealing with the outdoors.

I ended up founding Pest Pointers in the summer of 2019 due to my love of the outdoors and my vast experience dealing with wildlife! I’ve been blessed to be running Pest Pointers full-time, and have since started my sister brand, Tree Journey, where I share my dual experience/knowledge on what it’s been like cutting and growing trees for the majority of my life with my dad (its a fun family activity.)

Where I’ve Been Reference In

Since starting Pest Pointers, I’ve been referenced in a wide variety of outlets such as…

A Bit More About Me…

Now, for a bit more of my backstory and where some more of my passion comes from. For my first string of jobs, I worked across several fruit farms for 4+ years. My grandfather owned his own fruit farm when he was younger, so this seemed like a natural beginner step.

Farming taught me so much about the lengths required to maintaining and protecting a successful crop. One of the main things that can ruin a potential harvest? Pests and wildlife.

The reason farmers spray pesticides is to keep their crop protected from insects and wildlife. These insecticides also protect crops against certain issues as well, but without taking preventative measures to protect the crop, farmers would lose their ENTIRE harvest each year.

I took the farming methodology and applied it to our home – how can we maintain our woodland property, keep ourselves and animals safe, AND keep our home in the best shape possible? Prevention.

If we have a nature or wildlife issue, we decided that we would first need to fix the issue and second, make sure to prevent it from happening again.

Overview of Pond from Deck

Each Summer, my father and I work to maintain our 1.5-acre long bass pond. Along the way, we deal with some common wildlife occurrences – all the way from having geese land near the water to finding muskrats making their home in the outer edges of the pond.

Really, I LOVE nature and animals – but there is absolutely nothing worse than walking outside and seeing a flock of 50+ geese making your pond their personal bathroom.

My father and I cut and stacked wood my entire life, and we ran into quite a bit of issues with trees outside of the annual beaver dams out in our back woods. Here’s a few recent images of some Emerald Ash Borer damage that did huge number on a lot of old trees in one section of our property. Unfortunately, a lot of these trees had to be taken down but take a look at the craziness of the damage!

Emerald ash borer damage on standing tree

This was one of the trees we had yet to take down. Basically, the Emerald Ash Borers do a HECK of a number on the inside of the trees, and then woodpeckers come along and try to make an easy meal out of the tree. Since these pests are so prevelant in ash trees, you basically get a 2 for 1 with Emerald Ash Borer damage on the outside of the tree and then wood pecker damage on the inside of the tree.

Here’s a look at the inside of one of the trees we took down.

emerald ash borers causes trees to be cut down

Oh, and speaking of those beaver dams…

In one of our wooded areas out back behind our house, we have had a MAJOR issue with beavers coming in, building dams, and swamping our land. This leads to flooding and overwatering of a lot of trees and native wildlife that live in the woods.

On a personal note

I now live in the suburbs of Rochester, NY, USA and have perhaps the best goldendoodle puppy ever where I now work on Pest Pointers full-time.

Heck, the new home I recently moved into already came with a mouse infestation in the basement, American Oil Beetles in the yard, and deer around constantly. So, my hands are full!

Here’s a picture of those American Oil Beetles incase you were wondering what the heck I was talking about:

American Oil Beetles In Yard

Throughout my years, I’ve dealt with the problem after problem, and have found solution after solution in order to bring back peace to our little land of nature, whether it be my childhood home or new one.

The main solution I’ve found?

Preventing a problem is the best way to solve it.

My purpose for starting this blog is to help YOU figure out some simple tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way when it comes to dealing with frustrating wildlife and pest problems.

While I LUCKILY have not had a need for every single thing that I write about on Pest Pointers these are the things that I’ve thought through and would use the MOMENT the situation arrived.

Remember, we want to solve the pest and wildlife problem then make sure it doesn’t happen again.

I truly hope this writing helps you in every way possible.