Q1400 I recently found small ants by
our computer. The kids had left a small ice cream rapper beside it and
therewas approx. 20 ants they are no bigger then a poppy seed. I have no
camera at present time but if you could tell me where I could get some ant
species pictures on the web site so I may identify these little guys.
Thanx for your time. Devlen.
You may be able to identify them by comparing
with the ant pictures or by using the identification keys on our web page:
Ants |
Q1399 How long would you have to
maintain a temperature of 39 degrees centigrade to kill bedbugs? Linda.
Vancouver, BC.
There have been a number of studies
done using heat to kill bed bugs. The problem seems to be getting
sufficient heat to penetrate into locations where the bedbugs have laid
eggs. One study involved heating a room to 60 degrees centigrade for
3 hours to kill most of the adult bugs, larva and eggs. Lower
temperatures and shorter time periods did not provide enough control to
prevent a re-population.
We hope to have more information on
this subject after attending another bedbug seminar
later this week.
Updates will be published on these web pages:
Bed Bugs,
Getting rid of bedbugs |
Q1398 What are the ultrasonic sound
wave frequency range which causes irritation in pests and repel them?
please specify the name of the pest and its frequency limit..
Based on scientific evidence we have been
able to gather and the opinions of numerous entomologists and
rodentologists, we have concluded that electronic pest control devices
have very little or no effect on pests. Manufacturers of these
devices provide very little information and specifications.
Read more about electronic pest
control devices. |
Q1397 What is the most effective way
to kill rats and mice without harming my dog. I would love to poison
the rodents but am afraid my dogs will pick them up after they pass away
and become sick herself...PLEASE HELP. Brendon.
Northumberland.
Rodent poisonous bait should be placed in tamper
proof bait stations that are not accessible to other animals or children.
It is not likely your dog will find a dead rodent and if she does, she
will not likely eat the whole thing. She would have to eat the entire
carcass of many rats to be affected by the poison.
Follow the label directions carefully. |
Q1396 What do you have for spray
wands for spraying bees nests. Doug
We do not sell pest control supplies.
Contact one of the suppliers listed on these web pages:
Pest control supplies
for consumers
for
professionals |
Q1395 We have a terrible odor in our
garage that will not go away. Do you have the capability to know what the
odor is? Donna, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Sorry Donna. We can't smell it from here. It
could be a dead rodent or other animal that died in the walls or ceiling,
decaying vegetable matter or a bag of garbage that got misplaced
accidentally. |
Q1394 We just came home from holidays
and are finding very small black oval shaped bugs all over the house. They
are the size of a poppy seed and have 6 legs and a long nose with antenaes
off the side of the nose. They are crawling all over, in the bathtub and
toilet, in the dogs water, on the floor but mostly on the walls. They are
also in the finished basement. What are they? Where are they coming from?
Can we exterminate? Why did they all of a sudden appear and in numbers? I
don't know if I am saying this right but somebody mentioned "Strawberry
root weasle" and said they are very hard to get rid of. Please help...
Terri. Thunder Bay, Ontario
It can be very
difficult to identify insects from a written or verbal description.
If you send a photo we will put it on this page for identification:
"What is this pest".
Have a look. You might find a photo of your bug has been posted by
someone else. Once identified, the
proper treatment can be determined. |
Q1393 Last night I heard what sounded
like Jacobs ladder coming from my kitchen in my small apartment. I peeked
around the corner and saw a huge bug flying around the light. It scared me
so I ran to the bathroom and shut the door. I soon heard the buzzing
outside the door. Yikes! I figured it was a locust or cicada. when i
peeked out the door again i saw it laying in the hallway about four feet
away. I threw a towel over it and a small rug for good measure. I didn't
hear anymore noises so I left it there for my boyfriend to come and take
it outside. A few hours later he uncovered the rug and the sucker flew
off. He went right into my recliner, and I think he is still there. My
friend gave me the recliner and it she's had it forever. I think that is
how he got in my apartment, because no windows are open and i didn't have
the door open so he could sneak in. Earlier that night i was messing with
the cushions because I had lost the remote to my tv. what shall i do to
get this creature out of my house. I don't want to be relaxing in the
chair and have a huge fright when he shoots out. thanks! Abbey.
Most flying insects that we
seen inside buildings got there by accident. In general, insects are
not predators of humans (except things like fleas, bedbugs and
mosquitoes). We seldom need to fear most insects indoors. The best
way to deal with one or two bugs is suck them up with the vacuum cleaner.
This will probably work well on your chair. |
Q1392 I did a lot of research on the
internet and have hired a pest control company to help me get rid of
bedbug. I had 3 treatments. There is a discrepancy from my research
and from the professionals I am using on how often do I vacuum my home
after treatment. Also--am I to start vacuuming 24 hours after treatment? I
am burnt out from the stress and losing some furniture. Please reply soon.
I found out that Vancouver's downtown core is getting a lot worse with
these bugs. Thanks. Cindy
Thank you for the question. The
bed bug problem is certainly one that has been growing quickly over
the past few years. I'm not surprised at the number of treatments you have
had. It is quite common for this problem to require repeat treatments
because bed bugs can go dormant for lengthy periods after they have fed.
Another reason is that very few chemicals kill the eggs.
You did not mention the type of treatment you had done,
so I will assume it was a chemical treatment. It is common to use a
variety of chemicals (in conjunction with other activities, such as
vacuuming, caulking, etc.) for this problem and a trained professional
would certainly be the best judge of what can & should be used where &
when. For example, there are not many pesticides registered for use on the
mattress; dusts may be used in some areas because its efficacy is long;
liquids or wettable powders may be used in areas where the bed bugs are
traveling or harbouring. Steam may be used as a non-chemical treatment
method however its effectiveness may be limited unless it comes within a
very short distance of the pest (depending on the pressure & temperature
of the steam.)
As for your vacuuming concerns, it varies on the type
of treatment here too. If a dust was used, then the vacuum would
suck up the chemical; if it was a liquid treatment, then it should be fine
to vacuum once the chemical is dry.
Frequent vacuuming is a very good control method, especially in the areas
where bed bugs are active or harbour.
I am pleased you are validating the information you read on the internet.
Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency is very
conservative when it comes to registering pesticides and as a result,
Canada has a much smaller assortment to work with making some pest
situations very difficult to control or eliminate. The internet does,
however, provide very good information on non chemical control measures
for bed bugs. I recommend
www.pestworld.org
which is the website for the National Pest Management Association or the
bug ID section of this web site.
The pest control professional you used should be a member of
the Structural Pest Management Association of BC (SPMABC), who is working
closely with the regional health departments and the Ministry of
Environment to ensure pest control technicians are trained and kept up to
date on this pest problem. To check if your company is a member of the
SPMABC, you can email me at
spambc@hotmail.com I hope
this information is of benefit to you.
SPMA-BC President, Wayne Page,
CANADIAN PEST
CONTROL LTD. |
Q1391 I just came back from Cuba and I'm
not sure whether or not we had bed bugs in one of our rooms. Do bed bugs
fly? At night, these beetle looking bugs would fly and then drop. They
were black and had a hard shell. Our luggage is in our garage and I took
out our clothes and immediately put them to wash but I'm fearful about
bringing them inside. Thank you in advance for your reply.
If the insects were flying, they were
not bedbugs. They do not develop wings large enough to enable flight.
Read more about bedbugs. |
Q1390 Does anyone know of a good home
remedy for fleas. My dog (a poodle terrier mix) has never been bothered
with fleas, however after a trip to California he came home infested. HELP
Frances
The real breakthrough in flea control
came when pest management professionals and veterinarians began using
IGR's (Insect Growth Regulators) along with an adulticide.
The IGR stops the eggs and larvae from developing into reproductive adult
fleas. (like birth control) Most home remedies will probably not be
successful and will result in a huge growth in population, much suffering
by your dog and frustration for you. Hiring a professional
will save you a lot of grief and probably some money. |
Q1389
I have wasps flying
in and out under my cedar roofs, I can just about to reach it from the
window, but I cannot see where they are going once they are under the
cedar shake. I was thinking of putting one of those electronic fly swapper
on there entrance, so that once they try to fly in or out they will be
zapped. Do you think this will work? Paul
At our cottage we had 2 wasp
nests, I sat , thought and finally put one of those house fly sticky
things that stretch out of a cardboard round small container. So what i
did was unravel one, used a long pole as the nest wason the underside of
the porch roof, wedged the pole and fly stick (which can be bought
anywhere cheap. So as the wasp came to enter the nest it had to wait in
line so it rested on the fly stick that it could not get off. It got
help from the other wasps trying to pull it off they tired and landed on
the sticky stuff to rest. Well in 1 hour all the wasps were stuck. I
lowered my boom and chucked it the next day. Cheap wasp catcher/ killer.
It only has to be near the place where the wasps go in. Voila. John |
Q1388 I have worked at a business now
for 8 1/2 years and during this time we have become infested with bats.
The droppings are so bad they are everywhere. The droppings are seeping
through the sides of the walls around the ceiling. I have no ventilation
in my upstairs office and once I get to work at 8:30 AM I do not leave the
office until I get off which is anywhere between 5:00PM to 6:30PM. I have
over the last couple of years been getting sicker and having some severe
health problems. When I get a cold it seems to always turn into pneumonia
and I have also recently been diagnosed with fibromyalga and have severe
back and leg pains and reoccurring headaches. Can any of my problems or
those of my coworkers be contributed to the bat infestation which we know
is severe. Deborah
You do have a serious problem at your place of work and it
could be a health risk. We do not try to analyze medical symptoms or
give medical advice on this web site but it is a fact that bat feces can
cause respiratory problems.
Histoplasmosis is an airborne disease caused
by a microscopic fungus that occurs in soil and in the nitrogen-rich
droppings of birds and bats. More
information on bats. |
Q1387 I live in a mobile home park
that provides a compost trailer for the residents to deposit garden
debris, from grass cuttings, dead plants, branches and possibly fruit or
vegetable discards. Since I live adjacent to this trailer I am extremely
concerned that the trailer could at some point attract rats. The trailer
is only moved and emptied once a week. It doesn't matter if it has rained
continuously or we have had a heat wave. Thus, an odor does develop (ripe)
after only a couple of days. Is this a concern. If so, who should I be
contacting in the Victoria area?
Thanks-- Ursula. Victoria, B.C.
Compost is a common cause of rat problems. If the
park management does not take remedial action when rodents are attracted,
you could call the Capital Regional Health Officer. |
Q1386 We have recently caught three
bats in our home. How do we determine where they are coming from (within
the home or how they are getting in)? Melanie. Kitchener, ON.
There is some good information on our
Bats web page.
Be careful. Sick bats are easier to catch than healthy
bats. They could be a health risk for you. |
Q1385 I need to know how to rid my
house of carpet beetles, and their larva, my house seems to be infested
and its getting out of control, as well as disgusting. Thank you.
Donna. Calgary, Alberta
Thorough vacuuming may eliminate most of the adult carpet
beetles but eliminating the eggs and larva will be more difficult.
The larva is what causes damage. They can infest your food, pet food
and clothing.
More
information on carpet beetles. |
Q1384 This summer I was infested with
Larder Beetles. Thanks to your website, I am absolutely certain that these
are Larder beetles. I have dogs, and would leave dishes of dog food out
for them for long periods of time. I have stopped doing that, and now keep
my dog food in sealed containers. I have used Raid and shampooed my
carpets. I also vacuum regularly because one of our dogs sheds a lot. I
seem to be making a lot of progress. I know that the Raid will kill the
beetles and the larva (when I say larva, I am referring to the worms), but
what about their eggs? Does raid kill the eggs? Also, can the eggs be
vacuumed up, or do they adhere to whatever they are laid on? Please help.
The bugs are bad enough, but the little maggot type creatures are just a
little more than I can handle. Every time I go a few weeks without seeing
any, and think I have it licked, I see another Larder beetle, and then
more of the little worms. I see that the lifecycle of a larder beetle can
be from 4 to 36 months. How long should I go without seeing any to know if
I have the problem licked? At what point should I call an exterminator
when I have done everything I should do (remove food source, vacuum, spray
Raid)? PS.... without going into anymore lengthy detail, I am 99.9%
certain that the dog food was the main food source for the Beetles. So, to
recap my questions: Does Raid kill the eggs as well as the bugs and Larva?
Do, the eggs adhere to whatever they are laid on? How long should you go
without seeing any beetles or larva to know you have the problem licked?
At what point should an exterminator be called in? Any help you can
give me will be greatly appreciated. Thank You, Robin.
It sounds like you have gone through most of the steps to
eliminate the problem. Thorough cleaning and elimination of food
sources are essential. Most insecticides available at retail stores
do not have sufficient residual effect to kill newly hatched larva
from the eggs that are hidden in cracks and crevices. You may have to call
a professional to do a crack and crevice spray with a good residual
product. You may also be re-infesting your home with items you bring
in from the grocery store. Check all dry foods carefully or change
stores for a while. NEVER bring wild bird seed into your home.
Read more about
stored food pests. |
Q1383 We have recently discovered
insects in a bag of bird seed (no corn). I believe from the pictures they
are a type of weevil with pincers out of their head. Very small and appear
to be able to fly. they seem to be everywhere even though we have removed
the source. They do not appear to have much energy and they appear dead
when touched. Will they just go away now that we have removed the bag of
bird seed and do they bite? What is the life cycle after you remove the
source Thank you. Ada, Halifax, N.S.
Check other foods in your home that these
pests may have migrated to. Bird seed is a common source of food
infesting pests because it is not treated for human consumption.
See the next question for more information.
|
Q1382 There are moths and their worms
in the cereal, pancake mix, dried beans and peas, ect. Please help. What
can I use to get rid of them? Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon,
like yesterday. Cindie, Simi Valley, CA USA
Sounds like Indian Meal Moths.
You will have to get rid of all the dry foods that may be infected, even
those in sealed packages. Thoroughly wash the cupboards, especially
the cracks around shelves. You will likely have to use a residual
insecticide to control any larva that hatch from eggs that were not washed
away. A pest professional may solve the problem and save you a
lot of money on groceries in the future. For detailed control
information see this web page:
Indian Meal Moths |
Q1381 I have squirrels eating every
bit of ripe produce out of my garden, including tomatoes which they
previously ignored. I would like to repel them without the use of poisons
and have tried black pepper with no effect. In fact, I left the can of
pepper outside and they ran off with it and tried to chew it open. I
cannot use mothballs as my very near neighbor objects to the smell. They
have gotten in through fencing and are digging holes under the plants. Any
suggestions? Mary. Scranton Pa
Animal repellants are usually only
effective for a short time if they work at all. The best solution for squirrel problems
is trapping and re-location. |
Q1380 I was bitten by rodent mites. I
was wondering if each bite is made by a separate mite or is it just a few
mites making all these bite marks? I was also wondering how long they stay
on a human since we are not their food source. And do they burrow, or just
bite and move on? Sorry for all the questions but I can't find the answers
anywhere. Thanks,
Michelle.
Rodent and bird mites may bite people when their
hosts die or abandon their nests. Three types of rodent mites readily bite
humans: the house mouse mite , spiny rat mite and tropical rat
mite. The house mouse mite prefers to suck the blood of mice, but also
will bite rats and people, often causing a rash around the bite. They
prefer warm places (e.g., around pipes and furnaces) where rodents live.
The spiny rat mite feeds on rats at night and hides by day in cracks and
crevices around rat nests and resting places. The tropical rat mite’s bite
is painful and causes skin irritation and itching. |
Q1379 What level of ozone and for
what duration would I need to kill bedbugs? Albert, Buffalo, NY
To the best of our knowledge, the use of
Ozone is not registered as a control method for pests. The following news
item may explain why.
A
department of the California Environmental Protection Agency has delivered
strong criticism of ozone-generating indoor air purifiers that purport to
clean the air in homes. In a two-page press release dated Jan. 20, the
California Air Resources Board recommended that “the public avoid using
these devices” due to “unrecognized danger” caused by their release of
unacceptably high levels of ozone. “These machines are insidious,” ARB’s
acting chairperson Barbara Riordan commented in the press release.
“Marketed as a strong defense against indoor air pollution, they emit
ozone, the same chemical that the ARB and the [U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency] have been trying to eliminate from our air for decades.
More chilling is that some people susceptible to the ill effects of ozone
will eagerly bring these Trojan horses home.”
There is no
EASY solution to controlling bed bugs. Read more on this web page:
Getting rid of bed bugs |
Q1378 I have discovered i have house
mice living in my home. There is absolutely no evidence other than the
fact i caught one in a humane trap. It is now in a cage whilst i discover
if there are anymore. I am having problems as my flat is over a 100 years
old and above a shop( there are 5 shops in a row). I caught this mouse
last night and now am having guilt about what to do with it. If i let it
go it may be a death sentence, i cant use snap traps as it would be too
awful, but i have no desire to keep them either. Lorraine. United Kingdom
We do not support live trapping rodents in
living quarters for a number of reasons: They are cannibals and
could eat each other if you catch more than one. They carry numerous
diseases and parasites that can spread throughout your home if they are
not remove quickly after being caught. The stress of being
trapped may result in their death after release. Releasing them
outside their normal territory could result in starvation. |
Q1377 A groundhog has made a home
under our deck, how can we get rid of it? Eve, Greely, Ontario
They are not too difficult to trap. A pest
professional in your area may be able to sell or rent you a trap, or
do the job for you.
Ontario pest professionals
directory. |
Q1376 What type of bug will eat a
small dime size hole through sheetrock in apartment homes? Tiffany.
Houston.
Mice? Carpenter ants? Wasps? Put a
glue trap near the hole and try to catch the critter. |
Q1375 what is the concoction that
gets rid of termites? I know it involves cat food and jelly. Curtis,
middletown,ohio usa.
We have heard about hundreds of home remedies that
may or may not work to control pests. If you are trying to save
money I suggest you consider the cost of repairing termite damage if your
home remedy does not work. Legal Pest control products for sale must
be approved by EPA in the U.S. and PMRA in Canada. The approval
process includes proof that the products are effective and they are safe
to use when the label directions are followed. If the potential damage
is serious, you should consider hiring a professional. Why gamble?
Your home is your greatest investment. |
Q1374 Today i was dividing and
repotting two rabbits foot ferns which have been out on the patio. when i
dumped the old pots, the soil inside was crawling with tiny, red ants.
both pots! really crawling, like they're living in there. should i
toss the ferns or is there something i can do to get rid of the little ant
monsters. i have three larger ferns nearby (different sorts) that I'll be
bringing in the house as the weather cools. i shudder to think they might
be ant cities as well. help! Stacey
Not all things that crawl are pests.
In fact some ants are considered beneficial because they prey on insects
that damage your garden and their tunneling provides aeration in the soil.
There are many species of "tiny red ants". Have the ant identified by a
local pest professional or a good garden shop to determine whether it is
friend or foe. If you have to get rid of them try methods that do
not require pesticides. (e.g.: microwave the soil) |
Q1373
Hey Larry, Are there any critters that look like bed bugs, but
aren't? The one I collected looks like a bed bug, but it definitely
has red eyes. It has been dead since this morning, I just took a
look at it under the microscope this afternoon. I'll be looking for
more tonight! Thanks! Wes, Cold Lake, Alberta
There are several species of bed
bugs that people may encounter. The two most common are the bat bug (Cimex
adjunctus) and the human bed bug (Cimex lectularius). These two insects
are virtually indistinguishable with the naked eye. Their habits, and
consequently their control, vary, however, making identification
important. The mature bed bug is a flattened, brown, wingless insect
approximately ¼ to 3/8 inch long. After it has taken a blood meal, the
color changes from brown to purplish-red. I often think at first glance
they look like an apple seed. The size and shape also change,
making it appear like a different insect. Young bed bugs are nearly
colorless and smaller but resemble the adult in general shape.
There's a lot more information on
our bed bug web page. |
Q1372
Thank you for your clear information we are looking into having Orson get
rid of bed bugs for us. I am concerned about the ramifications of using a
pesticide but I was very happy about looking at your integrated
systems definition. This has been very challenging for us we have also
been told that if we don't sleep in the bed the pests will follow us
throughout the house. I am an artist and I would rather do art than clean
but for this I will have to put my energy into cleaning. Maybe by
following your suggestions I can target my efforts to areas that will be
most effective. Are there any natural organic controls something bed bugs
do not like? Thanks for the information. Mary N
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is unlikely that non-chemical methods
alone will eradicate bed bugs. Some of the following will definitely help
reduce the problem: Vacuum, vacuum and vacuum some more. Wash
infested sheets and bedding in hot water. Infested furniture can be set
outside during cold weather to kill all stages of bed bugs. At 0° F, two
days is sufficient to kill bed bugs while four to five days is required
when the temperature is about 20° F.. Seal cracks and crevices where
bed bugs may hide. Repair or remove loose wallpaper. Remove pictures,
posters, or other objects that may act as hiding places. See:
Getting rid of bed bugs |
Q1371 I
recently stayed at a hotel in the Oakville area, but found small
beetle-looking insects that were similar-looking to lady bugs in my bed. I
crushed one and it turned into a blood spot. I assumed they may be bed
bugs, but the hotel faxed me a report that says they were not. Any ideas
on what they could be? Allyson. Oakville, Ontario.
It is unfortunate you
did not take one as a sample to be positively identified by an expert.
There are not many hotels that would willingly admit they have a bedbug
problem. Have a look at the pictures on
our bed bug web page. |
Q1370 We
live in a 10 storey apt building that has pharaoh ants. PCO has come in to
lay bait. (we had them about a year ago and after many weeks, they did
disappear) This time they are everywhere...in our clothes and
dressers...everywhere but our food. PCO has returned, and we understand
about how difficult it is to control, with neighbours likely spraying etc.
Our question is: if we move, how do we ensure we don't take them with us?
What can we do?
Katharine, London Ontario.
It is unlikely that any ants
you accidentally took with you would survive. Every colony must have
at least one queen. Although there are usually several queens in a Pharaoh
ant colony, they do not leave the nest to forage for food so you would not
transport them to your new home. More
information on ants. |
Q1369 MY DOG
RECENTLY GOT SPRAYED BY A SKUNK AND I WAS WONDERING SINCE I AM PREGNANT IF
IT IS HARMFUL TO THE UNBORN BABY AND ME? THANKS!!!!!!
Not likely, but we don't like to
give medical advice. Talk to your doctor. To get rid of the skunk
smell see the deodorizing recipe on our
SKUNK web page |
Q1368 I have
seen a skunk in my shed for the past two days. I left the door open so he
could get back out at night. I don't dare get near him or the shed. How do
I know if he's still in there? Joel
It will eventually have to come out
for food and water, likely at night. You could try attracting it out
with bait (eggs) and then closing the door, or you may find a professional
who will remove it and prevent a smelly problem.
SKUNK web page |
|
Q1367 Are Mosquito Dunks, Bacillus thuringiensis, illegal in Canada?
And if it is, why? thank you! Kathy Person.
BTI larvicides are legal to
use in Canada but they are only effective if applied at the right stages
of development of mosquito larva. Label directions must also be
followed and provincial regulations must be followed regarding the
locations they may be used. The links below provide comprehensive
information from the Canadian pesticide regulatory agency.
Using Pesticides to
Control Mosquitoes
|
Q1366 Is there a way to get rid of
carpenter ants in the house without killing them? Andrea.
Friday Harbour, WA.
It would be almost impossible. A typical nest
in the wall cavity of a home might have 3000+ carpenter ants. Very
few leave the nest to forage for food or to move larva from the original
nest where the queen(s) resides.
See: Getting rid
of Carpenter Ants |
Q1365 Could you please tell me about
the Green Cross Garden & Lawn Insecticide, Diazinon 5% granular? We have
placed it in the ground when planting our onions and radishes. It has
controlled the worms and now we are unable to buy it. Our garden center
says they do not make it. Yet we can special order it in bulk 80 lb.
quantities. Is it no longer safe or has the company changed it's
packaging? Thank you.
Diazinon has been removed from the Canadian
market. There may be some product still available in large
quantities for agricultural use, but it may not be legal for you to use.
A good garden supply pesticide dispenser should be able to advise you of
alternative methods or products to solve your problem.
|
Q1364 I have small black ants
everywhere on my property. They have now started to invade the basement.
What is the best product to use to get rid of these ants? We also have
animals around which makes me concerned about what I can use to kill the
ants. Thanks. Collette. Vancouver.
Not all ants are pests. Some of them
are beneficial, until they start entering our homes. Use the same
methods we suggest to discourage carpenter ants to reduce the number
entering. See:
Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants. It would not be
environmentally friendly to spray pesticides everywhere on your property.
|
Q1363
I live in Nova Scotia and moved two years
ago to a house by a lake. I have been finding a small insect that is
light brown with a dark brown stripe in across the middle. It seems to be
a beetle type thing. What might it be, how do I get rid of it? I hate
bugs at the best of times, but I really hate them in my indoor space. They
seem to be dead or they must play dead when you find them, on occasion if
they are moving they are easy to catch. Any suggestions?
Thank you, Carol
Without a photo it is difficult to identify
your pest. It could be a carpet or larder beetle. Have a look
at photos #371, 408 and 422 on this web page:
What is this pest?
|
Q1362 In the past few days we have
been invaded by very tiny red bugs. They are primarily around the windows
(mainly on the white vinyl) and floors next to the windows. When squashed,
they leave a greenish yellow mark. We had first noticed this spring when
painting the shed, they were all over the exterior of the shed and are now
in the house. Can you tell me what these bugs may be and how we might get
rid of them. Ray. Guelph, Ontario
See the answer to the next question. |
Q1361 My daughter found tiny (about
the size of a flee) red bugs in her stuffed animals. Can you please tell
me what they are and how to get rid of them? Susan. Atlanta,
Georgia.
A common small red insect is the spider mite.
You can read about them on this web site:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2012.html .
To get rid of them put the stuffed animals in a plastic bag
in the freezer for a few days. |
|
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Classified
Employment Ads.
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and job seekers |
|
Q1360 Our attic bedroom is inundated
with wood lice. Despite having pest control out, we still have them. We
spray every day twice but still have them. Can anyone help? Sally.
Glasgow, Scotland
Sow bugs and pill bugs are often called wood lice.
They love moist conditions. See this web page for control
suggestions. Sow
bugs, Pill Bugs. |
Q1359 i have just caught a black
spider with white spots on it. It is about the size of a raisin, and it
looked like a big ant at first glance. It has 2 large "claws" in front of
its face that only moves when it needs to brush something off of it ad
under it is another 2 claw look alikes that look like fangs, but i may be
mistaken. I found it wandering around my living room curtain. I am
inquiring about this spider because i have never seen it around my house.
Ashley. Calgary, Alta.
You may recognize your spider from one of the photos on this web page:
What is this pest?
or in one of the links on our
Spider page |
Q1358 What can be done about
woodpeckers damaging wood siding. William, Cumberland, BC
See the answer to the next question. |
Q1357 WHAT ARE SOME DETERRENTS
I CAN USE TO GET RID OF A WOODPECKER.
I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD ROOF AND HE HAD BORED HOLES IN IT JUST WITHIN THE LAST
WEEK -- ABOUT 6 HUGE HOLES!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP!!! Dianne
The wood peckers are likely trying to get at insects
in your roof. Have a pest professional do an inspection to determine
what is attracting them. |
Q1356 Hello, I don't have the ability
to get a picture of the pest(s) we have as they are too small. These
things are a little smaller than the ball in a ball point pen. They are
reddish-brown in color, do not fly, and move on tiny legs. When squished,
it looks brownish. We have a large number around the outside and inside of
doors and windows. Any idea what this could be? Thanks, Kevin S.,
Haymarket, VA
Your problem may be spider mites or clover mites.
Have a look at the photos and information on these web pages.
Clover mites and
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05507.html
|
Q1355 can I clean my bed with bleach
and hot water and set the beds out side to get rid of bedbugs so that I
don't have to throw away. Trinidy, Elmont, New York
Sanitation is very important in the process of controlling
bed bugs. Using a brush with hot water and bleach to scrub the
mattress seams and button tufts will certainly help. The bed frame,
headboard and spring should also be cleaned. If there are tears in the
mattress or holes where the handles attach, you may have to discard the
mattress. Unfortunately the bed bugs may also be hiding in a number
of other places. See our web page:
Get rid of bed bugs. |
Q1354 Should we use pesticides to
control pests? This is for my science class so i need a overall
answer. Tim Poole
The best way to control pests is to
follow an integrated pest management process. This may or may not require
the use of pesticides after other steps have been applied. Pest
professionals that are well trained and staying current with control
information now use I.P.M. More information about
Integrated
Pest Management
Pesticides can sometimes be
beneficial for protecting human health, just like prescription drugs.
They can also be a
health hazard if not used properly, just like prescription drugs. |
Q1353 Which is the better process for
ridding the house of termites: tenting or foam or neither? Marsha. Los
Alamitos
We can not comment on tenting because it is not a process
that is practiced in Canada. There is another option: baiting.
The best solution will depend on the extent of the infestation and access
to the infested areas. Consult 3 or 4 local professionals before
making a decision. Be sure to deal with a member of the National
Pest Management Association. |
Q1352 Sir: I'm in the pipe organ
service business. We have several clients (mostly churches) who have
ladybug infestations. For pipe organs, ladybugs are a pest because they
get inside large and small pipes, can't exit, die, and cause the pipe to
be silent. There is more to say, but the further details will not change
the essential need to reverse the trend. I have 2 clients who occasionally
call me with several low pitch reed pipes silent because of the ladybug
infestation. Sorry, they are not beneficial inside an organ. Does
anyone think they enter a building already on the stems of florist
arrangements, and hatch later? Or do none of them reproduce inside a
building? Is there a trap that will attract the ladybugs and which can be
emptied, like the jap beetle trap with pheromone attractant? Sealing all
the cracks in a church building may be impossible. Any other ideas?
Thanks, Morris Spearman
Ladybugs do not intentionally enter the interior of
buildings. They crawl into cavities in the fall to spend the winter. In
the spring they will all want to get outside. They do not lay eggs
or reproduce indoors. Flying insect light traps may have some effect but
probably not much in a large building with many cracks and crevices.
Spraying pesticides is not the answer. Perhaps one of our visitors
has a better solution for your unique problem.
|
Q1351 I have identified the type of
pests I have mostly in the basement of my house: centipedes (the
gray-yellowish long feet ones) ,pill bugs and lots of spiders . The scary
ones are the centipedes : I have small kids... Now, we will move in
another house in about two weeks. Is there any danger to bring all these
bugs with us in our new house. Do they lay eggs? I have packed some staff
and keep it in the basement. Is there any danger to have the bugs eggs
inside by now? If yes, What can I do ? Thank you so much. Cristina.
Toronto, Ontario.
Most likely any of these creatures that got into your
packed items will not survive. If they do, they will die if the
environment in your new home is dry. |
|
Q1350 We have had a huge
infestation of odorous ants, we had help of a professional pest
control business who took care of this, and have every summer an
maintenance spray applied around the house, this works very good, and we
have never seen any ants in the house. But the cost is getting to
much for us, when we had the big infestation we paid over $ 700.00 for
the spraying, and now the maintenance spray every year, just around the
walls of the house on the outside cost about $ 150,00.
We have a good sprayer and would like to
do it ourselves, but we have to find the right spray, and find out where
to buy it.
I would like to use the very same spray
the professionals use, can you help me with this ? I would be very happy
if you can tell me this. Thanks in advance, A. V., Penticton, BC
A well trained pest professional will always
inspect the areas to be treated before applying any pesticides. He
will often see symptoms of a problem that the average homeowner will not
notice. You are paying for this inspection, pest identification
and consultation as well as the perimeter spray. It is not likely
you will be able to purchase the same product used by the professional.
A good residual insecticide labeled for this purpose would likely cost
about $125 for the minimum quantity available, even though you would not
need this much. You would also need the appropriate safety gear
including a respirator with chemical filters. What is the value of your
home? $150 is not much of an investment to help preserve it's
value.
|
Q1349 I live in Halifax
and have recently (this is May) noticed several large bumble bees
in my yard...they are either dead on the ground or stunned. They are not
covered by anything, so I have not disturbed a nest. They are just in the
middle of the yard or the deck. what is killing these bees? Lisa.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
We are stumped. If you find out, please
let us know. |
Q1348
I have heard that corn meal when sprinkled on gardens is a good
alternative to using pesticides to rid the area of sow/pill bugs.
Will this work? Liz. Victoria, BC
We are not aware of any success using cornmeal. It
may actually attract some insects. Diatomaceous earth sprinkled
lightly around plants will help control many insects as well as sow bugs
and slugs. It is readily available in plain packaging at most garden
shops. |
Q1347 I saw
Rebecca's Garden HGTV program and she was visiting a personal garden and
the question was ask... What do you do about Raccoons eating your
flower bulbs and she said she used the old farmers remedy and that was to
put out Ex-Lax and she had no more problems. Besides the obvious... What
does Ex-Lax do to the Raccoon to get rid of it. No explanation was given
on the show. Janet. Virginia
I would like to meet the farmer who dreamed this one
up. Raccoons are scavengers and will eat almost anything, so perhaps the
chocolate flavored laxative is appealing. A veterinarian may have
the answer. Has anyone else tried this? |
Q1346
Our neighbour's have a skunk living under their step, but it keeps
coming in our yard and digging in our lawn, how can we stop it from
digging our lawn up?? Dorothy. Medicine Hat, Alberta
The best solution would be to have the skunk trapped
and taken away. Be careful, there may be babies. |
Q1345 Clothing damaged by
what appears to be a small worm. Is that what a weevil looks like? How can
I guard against clothing damage. Carol. Melville, NY.
The larva of clothes moths can be very destructive,
especially in woolen clothing.
Read more about
clothes moths |
Q1344
I have heard of a powder that can be tilled into the lawn to get rid of
moles. The powder is supposed to make it uncomfortable for slugs to
crawl, and the slugs leave, and then the moles will leave too. Does anyone
know what the powder is and where it can be purchased? Joletta
Slugs and moles have no relationship. An
insecticide powder could kill the moles food source forcing them to move. |
Q1343 We have house
ants that have invaded our kitchen. We have set bait traps and they
have been there for about 2 weeks. Although we've seen a decrease there
are still many surfacing around the sink, under the sink and in the
cupboards. Any suggestions, other than the bait traps, to help get rids of
these pests? Thanks in advance. Mona. Milton, Ontario
Take some ant samples to a professional for
identification. If they are carpenter ants, don't waste your time
and money using "ant bait traps" Some ants can be treated with a
good quality bait. Carpenter ants should be treated by a
professional.
Read more about ANTS |
Q1342
I think that I have those larder beetles in my home and I am
finding them all the time. I find them everywhere, even in my clothes. I
don't have any food laying around for them to feed on so how do I get rid
of them? Stephanie. Minnesota.
They may be carpet beetles, which produce larva that
will attack some clothing and carpets. Check these web pages for more
information:
Carpet beetles;
Grain Beetles |
Q1341 Thanks to your
website, I was able to recognize the carpet beetle pest that I
found in my home. I have thoroughly cleaned out my walk-in closet,
disposed of cardboard boxes in it, etc. In addition I had all my wool
clothes professionally cleaned. Should I keep these clothes stored in the
closet in the plastic bags they came in or not? Monda. Concord, CA.
It will do no harm to keep them in the plastic bags,
but hang the clothing outside to air out before storing. Dry cleaning
chemicals are not a good thing to be breathing. |
 |
Q1340
I just have a quick question about ants - well, my family & I live in a
condominium townhouse & every spring/summer, we get a large amount of
ants; (big & small), in our house! It's become quite a problem, and has
been going on around the same time every year; (for a number of years), &
it is a real nuisance. They stay usually for the whole summer & are on all
the floors of the house! And we've tried many different traps, etc in the
past - (which did work to some degree). But now we're concerned because we
recently adopted a cat, and we heard that using ant traps containing the
"traditional" poisons/bait, can harm pets. So, my question is - is there
an alternative that we could use to control/kill the ants, that WON'T harm
our cat? Thanks for your time, I hope you can help us... Peace, ~Rain L,
(Toronto, Ontario):).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You should capture a few of the ants and have them
identified by a professional. Different species of ants require
different control methods. If baits are used they should be placed
in areas not accessible to the cat. Some cats eat ants. If the ants
have been poisoned the cat could get sick. Properly applied
pesticides may be the best solution. If you have carpenter ants, you
will definitely need to deal with a pest management professional. See this
page for ant identification pictures. |
Q1339 Help, We live
in a NEW house near the Orchard, (in a very new subdivision) and have seen
(and trapped) 21 mice so far(all outside), thank goodness, we don't have
any in our house. Can you please tell me, (besides using traps, which is
time consuming and a very slow process) how we can RID the yard of MICE,
so that they DON'T get in the house. Savannah. Kelowna, B.C.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Try to eliminate any food sources that may be
attracting them to your yard. Bird feeders are the most common
attractant. If you are live trapping and releasing them they can easily
travel back more than half a mile. They have a keen sense of
direction. If you keep putting food out for them in traps, you will
keep attracting all the mice in the neighborhood. See our page on
MICE for more tips and control
information |
Q1338
I have a problem with Sow Bugs. They have entered the house from outside
and I will complete repairs to all entry points. I have removed outside
debris but they continue to be found inside and out. My question is "how
can I eliminate them from the yard beyond the maintenance I am
performing". Is there a chemical or natural plant/product to deter them
from nesting. I find auto gasoline splashed on a nest works great but
unpractical. Second, is there a spray chemical to kill the bugs
currently nesting in the basement walls? Thanks Mark. North
Vancouver.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This question has been submitted hundreds of times. The answer is
still the same: Sow bugs can only survive in a moist or high humidity
environment. Eliminate these conditions and they will stop entering your
home. We are not aware of any natural plants that will deter them.
Gasoline is not very safe or environmentally friendly. Insecticide sprays
will eliminate them for a short time but they will return.
Continually spraying pesticides is not practicing good pest management.
There's more information on these pages:
Sow bugs, pill
bugs, centipedes. |
Q1337 I have small
moths in my apt. which I kill about 10 to 20 a day. Marlene. Wasaga Beach
Ontario
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You may have
Indian meal moths They infest dry foods, or
clothes moths that may be in you clothing or carpets. Click
on the links for more information and pictures. |
Q1336
What is available to repel hornets, yellow jackets and wasps, during a
outdoor picnic? Last year, in the last week of August, we had my
granddaughters 3rd birthday. It was a outdoor bar-b-que, picnic at a State
park. So may children, got stung by yellow jackets, wasps and hornets. I
was very concerned, if one of the children, may have an allergic reaction.
We were lucky, all the children where fine, besides, many tears and the
terror to escape being stung the flying pests. We plan to have it at the
same place, this year, but hope to be more prepared. Why have the yellow
jackets, hornets and wasps been so heavily populated in the last 2-3
years? Mild winters? Susan Wilson, Anacortes, WA USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The west coast has enjoyed consecutive mild winters and an early spring.
This has resulted in a bigger survival rate for wasp queens, and a long
reproductive season. More wasps later in the summer. Repelling
wasps is not very successful. Think more about "not attracting
them". Anything that smells good to us probably smells good to a
wasp; perfumes, hair shampoo with flowery fragrances, food and beverages.
A picnic in the park in August is just what the wasps are waiting for.
There's some good tips on our
wasp pages. |
Q1335 We have bees
coming down from the fireplace, into the front room. we can not get
behind the fire, what can we do?
hope you can help. Yvonne, Kent. united kingdom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bees will sometimes nest in the gap between the
chimney bricks and the flu liner. This gap should be plugged at the top of
the chimney. Sometimes the mortar falls out. A hot fire would
probably drive them out. |
Q1334
I've been getting bug bits since last fall but they stopped over the
winter months. Now, they are recurring.
Last summer I moved to a new apartment and had no problem in one of the
rooms but when I switched rooms (w/in the same apartment) I started to get
small bites all over my legs and torso area. I haven't been able to
find/see any bugs and though I suspected bed bugs at first, I can't seem
to locate any or see any traces of blood or excrements. I currently have
about 10 bites on my body and I never see anything when I begin to feel
the itch. We have no pets though outside there are some squirrels and
pigeons which like to dock occasionally on the window sills. None of the
other apartment mates seem to have this problem (though one of them
started to get some bites last autumn but it also subsided when it got
colder). Please give me suggestions as how to identify what is biting me
and how to get rid of them. Thank You. Yili, Chicago
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are many creatures that could be biting.
Spiders can be a problem if they get trapped in your bed. Fleas and
bed bugs are more common. Even though you have no pets, you could
have a flea problem. They can survive for months in the pupae stage
and will multiply rapidly once there is a source of food (blood).
Some people seem to attract fleas more than others. For more
information see our Fleas page |
Q1333
Hope you don't mind me writing as I'm English. However I have noticed you
chaps seem to know all there is to know about Pharaoh ants. My question is
- are the little blighters making my skin itch?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some species of ants will bite but pharaoh ants a
too small to cause a problem. They will crawl into open wounds and
can be a serious problem in hospitals. See the answer to #1334
above. More information on
Pharaoh Ants. |
Q1332
My 6 year old son likes to find and keep pill bugs. How do we keep them
alive longer than a day? He gets a little upset when they die. Thanks for
the help! Kristen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Put them in a large jar or fish bowl with some moist
earth in the bottom. Add a few pieces of damp decaying wood and a
leaf of lettuce or over ripe fruit. Strawberries are good. Put
a lid on the jar to keep it moist. You may have to spray a little
water inside. Sow bugs and pill bugs can not survive in a dry
environment because they breath through gills. See:
Sow Bugs |
Q1331 We live next
to a seasonal creek and are approximately one kilometer from the ocean.
Recently we have had a very bad odor in our house and with further
investigation found it was coming from our crawl space under the house. In
checking the perimeter of the house I found a opening where an animal had
gained access. I had seen both raccoons and river otters around our house
and concluded it had to be one or the other. With several attempts to rid
our house of these visitors I thought I had solved the problem but was
afraid to close up the crawl space completely in fear I would be trapping
an animal inside. I was in the process of ventilating the crawl space with
fans when I seen an otter around the back of our house. By the time I got
outside the otter had gone in the crawl space again. How can I get this
animal out and also make sure there is none left inside before I seal up
all access points? Reg. Chemainus, British Columbia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Otters are a protected fur bearing species in
British Columbia so you can't do anything to harm them. The odor
they cause can be so unbearable some people have to live elsewhere for a
while. If you can get in the crawl space with a powerful flashlight
try to find where it has made a nest. They often pull down
insulation to lay on. You will have to check often until you know
for sure it has gone out, then close up the entry point. Spraying
the area with ammonia may encourage it to leave. (Don't spray the
otter) Your regional district animal control officer may be able to help. |
Q1330
We had a large wooden swing set installed in our backyard about 4 years
ago. This spring we noticed several very deep holes bored into the wood
that ran length-wise along the beams. We saw bumblebees coming out of the
holes as if they had been nesting there, but don't think it possible that
they made the holes. What could make those kinds of holes. We have had
termites that have eaten fence posts, but these are very precise holes
that really don't look like "eating" but more like establishing a home.
Any ideas about what it could be? Thank you. Signe. Jessup, MD
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It sounds like carpenter bees. They are large,
resemble bumble bees and they make holes in wood. You will find more
information on our Virginia University resource links.
Insects |
Q1329 I live in
southwestern Wisconsin and I've been getting bitten by something in or
around my house. It starts out as just an itchy spot on my skin until I
scratch it, then it turns into what looks like a mosquito bite, but gets
worse and worse until it looks as though the skin around the bite is dying
off, (probably partly due to the fact that I can't stop itching them). My
gut instinct is telling me ants, but what kind of ants I can't seem to
figure out positively after days of searching and looking. We have
literally hundreds of tiny ant hills in our yard with tiny light brown
ants, and I've also found several slightly bigger, but still little,
reddish colored ants in my home. The ones in my home appear to be reddish,
with darker red, almost brown, heads and thoraxes. There does not appear
to be a trail of them, or a bunch of them in one place....I'll just see
one here or there as I'm walking around in my living room. I am to the
point that I constantly have the heebee geebees.....feeling like something
is crawling on me all the time, even when there's nothing there, so if you
could help me out, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much for your
time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ants can bite with their pincer-like jaws, although
most species rarely do. The velvety tree ant, however, is an aggressive
biter. A few ants sting, including native fire ants and harvester ants,
which are primarily outdoor species, and are the most common stinging ants
in California. An aggressive stinging ant, the red imported fire ant is
slowly moving through the southern states and northward. You should
also be aware of other insects that may be causing the problem including
spiders, fleas and bed bugs. |
Q1328
I saw a small black bee(?) crawling out of a round hole about 1/4" in
diameter in a wooden support post of our deck. Aaaak! I watched for
a while it flew in and out. I captured it and observed the hole for
a while. It seemed to be the only one using that hole. I observed another
using a sliding door guard as a nest. I was able to remove the guard and
see a small mass of yellow eggs which I destroyed. Any ideas on identity
and eradication. Any hope for my deck posts? Alison, Pender Harbour BC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They are probably mason bees also know as orchard
bees. They are quite friendly, almost harmless and one of the best
pollinators you could have in your garden. Many fruit farmers and
gardeners attract them by building nests. See the photo and more
information on this web page:
Orchard/Mason Bees. |
Q1327 I have been
trying to find a web page for the actual ladybugs. I want to control my
aphid infestation every spring by these little but very fast spreading
pests. I still have some pesticide left, but I would prefer to use natural
means to control the aphids, only I have not been able to find where are
ladybugs sold for this purpose. Can you help ? Thanks,
Lou Botos, Westbank, BC.
compsci@okanagan.net
|
Q1326
how to rid squirrels from bird feeders without harming them-thank you. flo.
north carolina
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are a number of devices that you can buy or
make to restrict squirrels from accessing bird feeders. One additional
thought is to provide a separate feeder for these rodents. For
some good ideas check out this web page:
http://www.wildbirds.com/pests_squirrels.htm |
Q1325 Sow bugs have
invaded the cedar rails of my cedar board fence. Moisture is definitely
the problem, just as all the info on this site says. But the fence is in
New England and it rains here a lot. The rails are getting old and have
developed splits/cracks along the grain. The sow bugs have entered these
splits and set up housekeeping, thereby speeding decay of the rails. The
rails will be replaced in a couple of weeks. After that, what can I do to
prevent the same problem recurring as the new rails begin to age? (There
is NO mulch/organic matter along the bottom of the fence.) Candace,
Marblehead Massachusetts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sow bugs did not speed up the decay process.
To prevent decay which will attract sow bugs give your new fence a coat of
stain, or spray on a waterproofing solution. (Thompson's water seal) |
Q1324
There is a hole in our chimney and I have seen Raccoons go inside the
hole. We can hear them at night. It sounds like we have other people
living above us. They walk around the whole house. We used to think that
we had water damage on our ceiling, but now we are thinking that it might
be their urine or something. Could that be possible? If that is what it
is, could we be exposed to any diseases even if we don't come into direct
contact with them? (such as things we might be breathing in just by being
inside our house?)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Raccoons can carry a number of diseases that could
be harmful to humans and pet dogs and cats. They are one of the most
common carriers of Rabies. Raccoon distemper is transmitted through
airborne droplets, direct contact with body fluids, saliva or raccoon
droppings. The dangerous bacterium Leptospira, is being detected by
veterinarians in a number of urban centers. This virus can spread from
raccoons to dogs and then to humans and can cause kidney disease in both.
Roundworms are common in raccoons and can be a very serious health hazard.
You should definitely get the raccoons out of your attic and clean up
their mess wearing a good quality respirator. Contact your local health
office for more information.
Leptospira Information:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/218107_pets30.html |
Q1323
We live in an apartment complex on the ground floor that is built on a
cement slab and understand that a lot of sand was put in to build on. We
have very small ants but now every evening are coming out in one corner of
the living room I think from around the baseboard rad. I guess they are
coming to the light that I have on in the corner to crochet. The flying
ones seem to be brown with yellow stripes around their abdomen. What can
we do about them. It does not seem to matter how many I kill they just
keep coming. What kind of ant are they, and how do we get rid of them? Bev,
Welland, Ontario.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is difficult to tell what species of ant you have
without a better description or photo. The ants with wings are
reproductive males and females. They are emerging from nests to
mate. They fly to lights trying to find their way outside. You
should ask your landlord to call a pest professional to have the ants
identified and provide proper treatment. The pictures on this page
may help you identify them: ANTS |
Q1322
This time of the year, we always seem to get these little ants inside. We
live on the bottom floor of a 3 story condo. Other Condo units have
reported the same problem. I heard them described as "Sugar Ants". What
gives? M. Hoff. Renton Washington.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are many species of small ants that thrive on
carbohydrates, especially in the early spring. They are often referred to
as sugar ants. They can be controlled with a good quality ant bait, but it
may be wise to have your landlord call a professional to do a thorough
inspection of the building and eliminate all the nests. |
Q1321
I have a skunk(s) living under my outdoor shed by my house. Is
there anyone that will trap these critters for Free or for very little
that you know ? Thanks. Bernie. Stratford Ontario Canada.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your chances of finding someone to get rid of skunks
free of charge are pretty slim. Only a an experienced trapper knows how to
deal with them without getting sprayed. Call a pest control service
and ask for references. |
Q1320
Last summer we had literally thousands and thousands of extremely tiny
bugs teeming at the foot of our eavestrough which sits level on the
ground. They don't jump or bite as far as we know but the eavestrough,
about 18" long, was totally covered in them. They look about the size of a
pinhead and are black, we think. They were also on the cement on the walls
outside and not so much on the wood, perhaps because it was higher up. We
sprayed with numerous bugsprays and that got rid of them. Any idea
what they are? We did have a very wet summer last year so not sure if that
means anything. Max. Musq. Harbour, NS
~~~~~~~~
It is impossible to identify an insect that is
described as a tiny black bug that does not jump or bite. |
Q1319
Our deck is approximately 10 yers old. This spring we have noticed that
something is eating away our deck posts. We don't know if it may be
termites, worms, or whatever. It's getting worse and we do not know
how to deal with it. Whatever it is it is very aggressive and by the way
they are moving, we may lose all the posts before summer. Please help.
Judie. Petersburg, MI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deck support posts are a natural target for
termites, especially if they are sitting close to the ground. There
are a number of other wood boring insects that could also be causing the
damage. Having a professional treat them now could save you many
dollars in the future. |
Q1318
We own a large cabin cruiser pleasure boat and dock it at the local
Marina. Unfortunately, over the past couple of years the marina has been
"plagued" with an infestation of spiders that make there way onto
the boat. Do you have any solutions or advice on how to gid rid of them so
we can enjoy our boat without these pests? Any/all help would be very much
appreciated. Michael. Haileybury, Ontario Canada
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spiders eat insects. What could be attracting
them onto your boat? They also like dark damp places and boats
usually can provide that.
Try to determine why they are there, then
eliminate that food source. Use caution and read the label if you use an
insecticide. |
Q1317
What chemical can i use to spray around the outside of our barn and house
to kill or reduce the amount of cluster flies.
kindest regards. Bob.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Timing and proper application methods are more
import than the product used. You must use a residual insecticide
with flies on the label. Try to get the product into the wall and
soffit cracks and crevices. The best time to spray is in the fall
when the flies are trying to re-enter the buildings for the winter. |
Q1316
Can you please reassure me that the wasp traps you identify on your
website will not inadvertently trap a baby hummingbird? We have quite a
large number of both wasps and hummers both competing for the same feeders
and while I'd like to reduce the number of wasps, I would be devastated if
this trap inadvertently trapped a hummingbird - I've noticed several
generations of hummer families and am concerned about their babies. Thanks
for any info you can provide...v
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have not heard of such a mishap. It would
be difficult for even a hummingbird to fly down through the funnel top.
Wasps usually peak in populations in the late summer. By then most
hummingbird feeders seem to be less active. |
Q1315
We found what looked like a giant wasp-striped brown and beige. It had a
3" what looked like a stinger on it's back-black and wings-scary and ugly.
Was it a Queen of some sort? or what? I can't find it on a wasp or bee
sight, but that's what it looked like. Thanks for your help.
Christie. Illinois.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It could be. ichneumon wasp. Compare it with photo
#202 on this web page: "What is this pest". |
Q1314
In our 12 yr old house we have larder beetles every year some years more
than others. This spring there are many more. We do not have any food
stuffs or pet food that the be able to get into. However a space under the
bathroom that seems to collect cluster flies might be the problem. Does
this sound correct and the cause for the beetles and if so what is a good
thing to use to solve the problem of the flies and or the larder beetles.
Peter. Salmo, BC.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Some species of dermestid beetles thrive on dead
insects as well as pantry foods. Getting rid of the cluster flies
would probably make a difference and that should be done by sealing up the
entry points they use in the fall. If this is not practical, a local
professional could spray the exterior with a residual pesticides in late
summer/early fall. |
Q1313
I have a rodent in my apartment that has eaten through a loaf of bread
(approx. 2-3 slices) and completely gnawed through some body creme I had
on the floor. Is this a mouse or a rat? Lynn. Georgia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere in your house there could be a very fat
mouse with shiny fur, or more likely just another ugly rat. Mice
tend to nibble food from various sources, taking some of it away to hide
and eat later. Rats just eat and eat and eat. They also also leave
messages in their urine trails telling their friends to join them for
supper if the food source is plentiful. Read more
about rodents. |
Q1312
Hello, I work at an animal 'hotel' situated in a field and we have a
huge mice infestation. They live in the walls and leave droppings in bags
of food, on floors, even on my desk. There is a very unpleasant odor
associated with my job, and I know it is not only from the dogs and cats
staying with us temporarily ... mice are everywhere and no matter how hard
we try to exterminate them, they keep coming in from the field and
eventually get immune to the poison and start excreting green feces from
it!
We are trying to clean up as much as possible and I often get headaches,
sometimes feel nauseous and have trouble breathing. Is it
psycho- somatic or are these rodents playing a role on my feeling
uncomfortable at my job? Please give me your professional advice!
Thank you, Christine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry, we do not give medical advice.
As long as there is an abundance of animal food that
the mice can get into, they will continue to be attracted to the "Hotel".
All food should be stored in containers with tight lids. Food should
not be left in feeding bowls after the animals have been fed, especially
at night. The green feces indicates there are probably a number of dead
mice in the building. They will almost always die after eating most
of the modern baits available. You should be cautious about cleaning up
where there is a heavy infestation of rodents. They do carry a
number of diseases, one of them is often fatal. (Hantavirus.) |
Q1311
I have found a baseball sized hole, rather a tunnel in my backyard, can
you tell me what type animal makes these tunnels. I also have golf sized
holes leading to under my deck, is that holes from mice. Maria.
Toronto. BC.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Holes this size are likely rat burrows. They can
burrow quite deep enabling them to get under the foundations of homes.
Read more about rodents. |
Q1310
i visited Memphis stayed in xxxxxxxx hotel usa last year i think bedbugs
have come back with me in luggage after reading yr pages i have bugs under
mattress and on bed base on mattress i on benefits and cant afford a
professional person they only in my bed can i treat them myself get rid
with flea spray at pet shop i don't have credit card can i buy from shop
in uk
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Getting rid of bed bugs
is a process that involves considerable inspection and cleaning labor.
Cleaning alone will not work. Pesticides alone will not work.
A combination of both plus a very thorough inspection is necessary. Have a
look at this web page: Get
Rid of Bedbugs |
Q1309
Is there a natural ingredient I can use to repel squirrels from my yard??
I would like to use something I could purchase myself vs having to buy
from pest control companies. Wayne. Regina, Sask.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know where you
could purchase a reliable repellent other than from a pest control company
or supplier. They are the most knowledgeable people to deal with.
One of the best in Canada is "Wildlife Control Supplies of Canada".
Their contact information and some product information is available on
this web page:
Wildlife
Control Supplies of Canada |
Q1308
These bugs are too small to take a picture of but I found a patch of small
brown wormlike things on a Tshirt. I had to look very closely to see that
they were indeed worms and that they were wiggling, The looked like coffee
grounds or dirt that someone had thrown on the shirt. There were two
patches on the shirt and they were very tiny critters. I live in Florida.
Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~ |
| Q1307
Recently we began finding small (about 1/2 cm - 1cm) golden moths flying
around our house. The source was located to be in my teenage brother's
bedroom, where they'd bred in the wet towels he'd left on the floor. We
moved the furniture around in his room and found they'd eaten |
