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Serving all Canadian
provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba,
Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island,
Newfoundland
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-What
is this pest? pictures to identify
Send us your pest photos for
identification |
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Note: The
volume of questions submitted is much greater than we are able to post on this page.
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Q 700 I was wondering what to do if u have a problem with fruit flies....besides keeping food away from them, are there any other things i could do to get rid of them. thank you. Stacy; Ontario
Try to find where they are laying eggs. It will almost
always be near a food source: kitchen garbage, compost buckets, empty soda
pop and beer cans or bottles, wine making equipment, spilled food under
appliances. Clean up or eliminate these things and you may stop the
cycle. |
Q 699 I have been
infested with thrips (identified by greenhouse). They started out in my
roses (31) and then the gladioli, the wave petunias, and seems like my whole
garden. What do I need to do to be rid of these insects? I get varying
suggestion of which none have worked. Can you please give me some advice, I
AM DESPERATE!!!! I have removed 5 shopping bags of blooms and buds and
destroyed them. I have now pulled all of the glads and wave petunias and
destroyed them. Help! Myrt; Fort
Saskatchewan, Alberta, |
We are not gardeners so your question would be better directed to a garden
pest web site. One of the best in Canada is "Laters".
http://www.laters.com/insects/thrips.htm |
Q 698 Carpenter ants and sawdust were
found in the heaves of a deck. The rotten wood was removed and Pest control
is coming to fumigate tomorrow. We are not sure yet if the problem is
limited to the outside area....If the problem has spread to the house what
then??? Are there any government agencies that would provide support in this
situation??? Would normal house insurance cover such a problem??? |
Is there anyone we should contact?? Thanks! Mike; Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Carpenter ants will not establish a permanent nest where they
might freeze in winter. If they are in the deck structure they could
be in the house behind the deck hanger joist or in the wall where it is
warm. An experienced professional should be able to determine this and
solve the problem. This is not a problem that insurance will cover and there
is no government aid available to our knowledge. In some parts of
Canada carpenter ants are a pretty common problem with up to 50% of homes
effected. |
Q 697 I have a satellite or parent carpenter
ant colony in my house. A few months ago we have noticed carpenter ants in
the house, in one instance 30-50 foraging for food around the garbage bin in
the kitchen. Since then, I have treated inside the house with a white dust
ant killer, and we have seen few since then, only 3-5 per week (in the
house). However, recently I have discovered how they enter the house through
cracks in the exterior brick siding. There are many ants entering and
leaving the house, however I do not anymore see them inside. I believe their
nest is somewhere inside the walls, and they are foraging for food mainly
outside. Now the question: Can I use the ADVANCE Carpenter ant bait or a
similar product to eliminate the nest? Adrian, Ottawa, Ontario |
Your are right. The ants nesting in your home forage
for food inside in the early spring then when the weather turns warmer
and there is food available they send workers outside to forage.
Killing worker carpenter ants outside of the nest will have little or no
effect on the nest. Carpenter ants may eat some of the poison baits on the
market and some may actually die, but I have not had any success eliminating
satellite or parent nests using them. ADVANCE apparently is effective at
killing some species of foraging carpenter ants but it is not registered for use in Canada
therefore it is not legal to use. We will follow up with more
information on this product if it becomes available and we have an
opportunity to try it. If you have one satellite nest there are probably
others. The more you learn about these ants, the more likely you are to call
a professional with carpenter ant experience. |
Q 696 On the main floor of our home ,
beside the door way to the bedroom and in the hallway along the wall, which
is an outside wall, there is a fine pile of what appears to be a dirty
gritty substance, similar to a pile of dirt on the carpet. In the wall,
right in the corner behind the door, is a hole. I can't see any insects that
are visible in this substance. I have vacuumed it up and in time it
reappears. Could this be termites? Ants? I don't see any. Bev; |
Kyle, Sask.
Likely ants, especially if it is damp in that area.
Excess vegetation or soil touching the exterior siding will encourage ants
to move into the floor system or wall cavities. |
Q 695 My parent's recently bought
a house which is infested with fleas. My children and I have to visit with
them for a week in the near future. Although they are taking the necessary
steps to deal with the infestation I'm worried that the fleas or their eggs
can be transported back to my own house inside my suitcase or on our clothes
or personal items. Is it in any way possible to transport fleas from one
house to another, and if so what are the precautions I can take to reduce
the risk? Anne, Valleyfield, Quebec |
It is not likely you will transport fleas back to your home
but you could take the precaution of laundering all clothing in hot water.
The important thing for your parents to do is purchase proper flea control
products for cats or dogs from a veterinarian. If there are no pets,
have the home treated by a professional. |
Q 694 How do you get rid of red ants? I
was told Borax or boric acid works well to kill ants. I was wondering if you
know what stores sell this product. Thanks, Nitasha; Calgary. |
Boric acid works well for some ants if you are persistent and
patient. Mixing the right quantity with an attractant is critical.
Many commercial ant baits (poisons) use boric acid as the active ingredient
and they are not expensive. They will not work for carpenter ants.
|
Q 693 I found a little hole on the
siding of my house and notice that bees coming in and out. I think there is
a bee hive inside the siding. How can I get rid of it? Sam, Coquitlam, B.C. |
Bees and wasps will nest in wall cavities. Injecting a
pesticide (aerosol wasp killer) into the hole at night will probably kill
them. Dead insects in wall cavities may attract other insects such as
carpet beetles. |
Q 692 We have flying ants. I think, but
they have a very fine and long tail. can you help me identify it. Laura;
Burlington, Ontario |
Flying ants are reproductive males or females (future queens)
At this time of year (August) they are not likely carpenter ants. If
they are inside your home you should have them identified by a professional.
Killing the ants out of the nest will not solve your problem. |
Q 691 We have small gray moths
everywhere in our home & can't seem to get rid of them. They are in our food
cabinets & cocooning which worms drop out of these cocoons. Every time you
kill one, there are still a lot formed around our vaulted ceilings & areas
we can't reach. We don't want to use chemicals if at all possible. Please
help....Janie; Mesquite, TX USA |
You definitely have a stored food pest, probably Indian Meal
Moths. Throw out all dry food they may have infested. Clean your
cupboards thoroughly and have a professional apply a light crack and crevice
pesticide treatment. See this page for more information on
Indian Meal Moths |
|
Q 690 last summer we moved in our new
house we had a bat problem. In the first 8 hours we were in we had 5
live bats in the primary living quarter. A exterminator came over a removed
one dead bat from our attic. The sellers of the home had hung sticky papers
from the ceiling of the attic. Our problem is a very bad smelling odor
that is faintly lingering in our sons bedroom which the attic trap door is
in his closet. This odor is so very bad that when it's been raining and is
hot and humid we have to remove our 3 year old son from his room as this
smell is so putrid and we are afraid of his health. We do wonder if this
could be linked to the bats being in the attic we don't think there is
any bat left but what is this smell in this room ? can you please help?
Lisa; Trenton, Ontario |
Bat droppings can be a real problem in attics and there is a
health risk. You will find information about cleaning up after bats on our
Bat web page. |
Q 689 Last night we had a bat in the
house. It kept flying in circles and we opened the door and it either flew
away or is somewhere in the house. (The flying went on for about 15 Minutes
and I did not see it fly through the door) |
We have 2 Kittens and they were quite excited (I locked them in the bedroom). My question is: Do I have to worry that the bat attacks the Kittens? and also how do I get the Bat out of the house (if it is still there) Any advise would be very appreciated. Thanks in advance. George; Newmarket, Ontario
Bats will not attack your kittens. If you find a bat
roosting, put on a pair of heavy gloves, throw a towel over it and release
it outside. See the information above. |
Q 688 Are there any circumstances (for
e.g. health concerns) under which a pest control company can destroy bats in
the attic? Name withheld by request. British Columbia. |
No. Bats are a protected species in British Columbia.
Mechanical exclusion is the best way to eliminate the problem. More
information on
Bat web page. |
Q 687 We have problems with bats
entering our house. in the last 2 weeks we have had 6 that we have had to
remove. How can I get rid of them? Theresa, Madoc, Ontario |
See the above answers |
Q 686 Well we had a bat colony about
100, in different parts of the attic but it seems i have locked them out
{using the one way screen door method. Now the problem is the guano odour.
How can I neutralize it? |
See
"cleaning up after bats" on the bat page |
Q 685 I am looking for a company who
can safely clean out an attic of squirrel and mouse droppings and old
insulation. There are squirrels and mice in the attic and the wall of the
cottage. In order to help alleviate this problem I would like to start over
in the attic (over 60 years old !) and put in new insulation and then a
floor over it to avoid this happening again. I understand squirrel and mouse
droppings are dangerous and should be dealt with by a professional. Do you
have any suggestions as to either the specific name of companies I can
contact or the type of companies I can contact. Pest control companies do
not clean attics I have been told. I need help. Any suggestions would be
much appreciated. Judy. Shawville, Quebec |
Some pest professionals do clean up problems created by
pests. Contact the local professionals and ask them to refer you to
someone who will do the job properly. |
Q 684 I have what I believe to be are
fleas (they are very small and jump) that come up the drain in my bathtub.
We live in a mobile home. We are also on a septic field. We do not have any
pets. I have tried Raid and a Drain cleaner. They seem to just keep coming
back. I would like some suggestions to get rid of them. Thank you.
Debbie; East Kootenays, B.C. |
I don't think your problem is fleas. They don't breed
in drains and there is no food source (blood) for them there. |
You may have phorid flies. See our Phorid Fly web page. The surface insecticide spray will not have much effect but a foaming drain cleaner might. Unfortunately drain cleaners are hard on septic tanks. Try to catch a few in a pill bottle and show them to your local pest professional (directory of professionals in the East Kootenays)
Q 683 My wife and I built a new home,
and moved in 8 months ago. For the last four weeks, we've notice a
scratching sound in our bedroom that appears to be coming from the south
wall. At first we thought it was mice, so we had a professional pest control
company come to our home and place pesticides in our attic. The noise is
still present today. The noise is present only in our bedroom and in most
cases the scratching occurs at night. Next to our new home is a lot filled
that is undeveloped. (Large trees, broken and dried branches etc.)
Ironically our bedroom faces the open lot. Perhaps, ants or termites have
made there why underneath shingles and are now in the walls. It quite
annoying. Any suggestions? Al. Southfield. |
Carpenter ants can be quite noisy in the right conditions.
When they are chewing it sounds like pouring milk on rice crispies cereal.
Have a good look outside for any activity, especially at dusk. If you
spot any ants you should probably have a professional do an inspection.
Read
more about carpenter ants. |
Q 682 Could you pls tell me what the
best way is to get rid of Indian Meal Moths in your home. I have cleaned
everything, put everything in containers, but every spring seem to have them
in our crawlspace. Have used the hanging traps only. Haven't used an insect
spray yet. Purchased an insect bomb today called Dr. Doom, and am wondering
just how often I should use this for this type of problem. I wasn't sure if
I should use one every two weeks or just what to do. I am having a heck of a
time getting rid of these pests. We hadn't noticed any since October of last
year. Checked the trap in the crawlspace til January, and there weren't any
in there. Just the other night we had one flying in the living room which I
couldn't believe. I then went downstairs to find the trap in the crawlspace
had about a dozen in it. Just infuriated. I don't know whether to try the
insect bomb, or just give up and have the entire house fumigated. This is
the third year we have had them. Any advice you could give us as soon as
possible would be much appreciated. Thks for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely, Darlene. Coquitlam |
Food pests often arrive with bird seed and they also like dog
and cat dry food. You must find the food source they are using and get rid
of it. If you use the insect bomb. Follow the directions
and leave the home for at least 6 hours, then ventilate well. A
professional may save you a lot of grief and expense. Throwing away food
every year can get expensive.
Coquitlam pest
professionals
More about stored food pests |
Q 681 We are having a serious problems
with the small white worms and then the small moths in our kitchen
cupboards. What can we do to get rid of them? Are they in the wood? Do we
have to throw out all our food and get an exterminator or can we exterminate
them on our own? Cathy. Vancouver |
Your problem is similar to the question above.
Carefully examine all your dry food looking for the worms (larva). Clean the
cupboards thoroughly and have a professional come in to apply a residual
insecticide in the cracks and crevices. |
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Use the directory to find a pest professional near you
Q 680 For the last year I have been
having a problem with tiny black flying insects gathering in the basement of
my house. These insects are found on the walls of the kitchen, bathroom,
living room and cold cellar and on the windows. Also these bugs are not just
a seasonal problem they are visible all year through. They are silent
insects with somewhat transparent wings and do not fly far distances and are
very slow. |
Please should anyone be able to help me identify these annoying little bugs please let me know. Suzy; Toronto,
Proper identification should be done before
trying any treatment. Take samples to a university entomology department of
local pest professional.
Toronto
professionals. |
Q 679 I found a large(1 1/2") beetle in
my kitchen sink tonight. It is black and if held under a bright light it
almost looks like it has a dark cherry colouring on its back. It has two
antennae that are about 1/4" long and at the end it looks like a ball, but
when you look close you see 3 pieces like a fan. The body is long and thick
and square. Long thick legs that look hairy almost.4 tiny black pincers at
the mouth and sometimes a reddish brown looking tongue seems to be in and
out. At least1/2"thick body. Antennae curl under to mouth when bothered in
bug container. What is it? B.H.; Walkerton, Ontario |
|
Q 678 I am having a problem with mice
digging under my house foundation and gaining access to my basement. At the
moment I have been keeping an regular schedule checking for holes. My
question is, is there anything to deter the mice from digging under my
house?? Laura. Strasbourg, Sask. |
Try to determine what food source is attracting them and
eliminate it. Use poison bait in the basement to clean out the existing
population. Follow the directions on the label carefully.
Don't feed the birds. See our rodent page.
|
Q 677 I have a budgie and recently I have
found two or three flies that constantly come into the cage. They disturb my
bird from sleeping and they are making me angry. Is there any common
household concoction such as eggs or vinegar that will destroy them? Thank
you! Lilly. Calgary, Alberta |
DO NOT USE ANY PESTICIDES near birds!! You would likely
kill them. Birds are extremely sensitive to pesticides. |
You will have to clean the cage more frequently and screen the flies out. You could consider making a screen cover for the cage until fly season ends. See the answers below.
Q 676 how can i get rid of houseflies.
Kevin |
Eliminate their food source. Practice good hygiene.
Screen them out. Many food processing plants hire professionals to
determine what type of fly is present and apply the appropriate control
methods. Using pesticides is often the last option. New fly lights will
attract and kill most flies in a restricted area but can only be effective
if the above methods are also used. |
Q 675 how do i get rid of maggots?
Doug. Windsor, Ontario |
Flies lay eggs on or near a food source. The eggs
develop into maggots. Eliminate the flies as described in the above answer.
|
Q 674 What types of rats are not
allowed in Alberta??, there are fancy rats (siamese, blue, albino) are they
not allowed in Alberta either?? |
Norway Rats are the problem. Pet rats and those used for
medical research should not cause any problems as long as they are always in
captivity. |
Q 673 I have researched all I can on
termites, I have spent countless hours on the internet gathering
information. I believe very strongly that our home is severely infested.
Everything I gathered off the internet about termites damage and habits are
happening in our house. I think that the structure of our home is causing
alot of difficulty to confirming what I think. We have had 4 pest control
companies come, all 4 said no. This whole situation has radically gotten out
of control. I am moving out and divorcing my husband of 15 years because of
it. I am exhausted from trying to prove termites to my husband. The damage
is visible, I probably notice it because I am home 24-7, and I have an
obsession on noticing every detail. This problem is led people to think that
i am crazy, and it is completely destroying my life. PLEASE HELP. Kathy |
Sorry Kathy. We are not marriage
counselors. If 4 pest professionals say you don't have termites
perhaps the problem is something else. If you keep calling
professionals eventually you may find one that will take your money whether
or not you have a termite problem. |
Q 672 How can i get rid of aphids on my
garden plants. Sonia. Fernie, B.C. |
Sorry we are not gardeners. Try a good gardening web
site like
LATERS |
Q 671 I am living in a highrise
building, on the last floor. It's a very well kept building. I have bats
coming in my apartment at night and flying all over the place and leaving
little presents. Last year one came in, but I never found it. I phoned a
pest control place and they told me to be very careful removing the poo, to
use a mask and gloves. |
Last night, two bats came in and flew all over the place especially in my room and this morning I found them in the bathtub. I opened the lights and played loud music and I did capture them and released them outside. My question, how can I find where they come in ? Every windows and screens are properly sealed. This is very upsetting. I lived in the country for 27 years and never even seen a bat. Now I live in Ottawa, in a high rise a well populated area and bats come in my condo.... Please help me. I have a hard time sleeping after those visits. Mimi. Gloucester-Ottawa
There must be a vent or opening that is not screened. Have
your building manager do an inspection or call a professional. |
|
Use the directory to find a pest professional near you
Q 670 I have hundreds of wasps who are
crawling under the wood soffit, into the eaves, and they may have made a
nest or are living in the sawdust? What I would like to know, is how can we
get rid of them? We can't seal the cracks up, because I know they will eat
themselves into the house. Do you have any solution how to get them out of
the eaves? Thank you. Jenny. Winnipeg. |
You will have to inject an insecticide into the crack or hole
they are entering. Do this at night when they are all in the nest. If
the nest is not near the entry point in the soffit you may have to
call a pest professional who could inject an expanding insecticide foam.
Professionals used to use a dust in these circumstances but it is no longer
available in Canada.
Directory of Canadian Pest
Professionals |
Q 669 All the houses within about a two
block radius of ours have a terrible problem with small, red ants that bite.
We've always thought that they were fire ants but we're not sure. The bite
is pretty painful and there are literally millions of these ants in our yard
alone. They do not build mounds above the ground and we've never seen them
in the house. At one time, we used to spray Diazinon each summer and it
would kill them. But they would always come back because all the surrounding
properties also have them. Halifax now has a ban on all pesticides and these
ants are preventing us from using our well-loved yard. What can we do? Do
you know anything about broadcasting MaxForce Ant Bait? Sue. Halifax, NS |
|
With a major
reduction in the use of pesticides, there seems to be a considerable
increase in the number of ants invading our space. To properly deal with
ants, the species should be identified. There are different treatments for
many species. Regarding the use of pesticides in Halifax, I am not sure
what alternatives there are for this problem. I suggest you contact Mr. Don
McCarthy at Braemar Pest Control. As past president of the Canadian Pest
Management Association, he may
know of
a solution that is legal to use in your area. This web page has his contact
information:
Braemar
Q 668 Are there any poisonous or toxic
caterpillars on Vancouver Island, or more specifically Victoria? And if yes,
what do they look like and what is the reaction? Dan. Victoria, B.C. |
|
Q 667 Can you help me identify these
creatures in my fireplace? In the family room of our house, there is a wood
burning fireplace and for the past two summers (since we moved in), I have
been finding these bugs in the family room - they are about 1/4 inch long,
medium brown, roundish in shape and they fly. Quite clumsey really. As soon
as they fly at the wall they fall down dead. Last summer I suspected they
were coming out of the fire place and tonight i confirmed this as one flew
right at me from that direction. I then could see another inside the glass.
I have a 2 year old and a 7 month old who spend a lot of time playing on the
floor in this room and since I've already found about 5 of these dead, i
don't want my 7 month old picking one up and munching on it. I have walnut
stip floors so they are hard to spot. Thanks in advance - Candice.
Newmarket, Ontario |
|
Q666 How do I get rid of moths in my
open clothes closet? I can't seem to find the source but there are many of
them and they are constantly flying out of there. I don't want to use moth
balls, and assume cedar chips wouldn't be that effective as this is not a
closed space. Can you help me?? Thanks. Lynne; Vancouver, BC |
Clothes moths can be controlled by a variety of methods,
including periodic dry cleaning or laundering, proper storage, freezing,
heating, or fumigating with dry ice, trapping, or using an insecticide. If
humidity can be kept low inside buildings, an environment that is not
suitable for clothes moth development will be created. Building construction
that is free of many tiny cracks and crevices also contributes to fewer
clothes moth problems. Good housekeeping practices are also important.
Although most people can control clothes moth problems themselves, some
infestations are best handled by a pest control applicator who has the
equipment, materials, and experience necessary to deal with a difficult
control job. To read more about some of these solutions go to this
University of California web site.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7435.html
|
Q 665 Found a super huge, (2"
long) beetle type bug on the driveway today. greyish/brown in color with very
leathery looking armour. he sported pincers like a crab and had big round
eyes. he actually looks like the bug in
photo#36. Does anyone know what he
might be? |
Lesley. Grand River, Prince Edward Island
There is now an identification and description of this Giant
Water Beetle on
"What is this pest"
page |
Q 664 Every spring we have large black
ants that get into the house. It hasn't been a lot, and after putting ant
traps around, they seem to go away. |
This year, they don't seem to be going away. Every day we kill a half dozen ants, mostly in our family room area - sometimes upstairs in the master bathroom. Tonight I was sitting out on our deck and saw many ants crawling in and around the cedar siding. What should we do to be sure they aren't destructive ants such as carpenter ants? Dianne
Save a few specimens in a pill bottle and have them
identified by a pest professional. Ant traps or poison won't work for
carpenter ants. You may just get rid of the symptoms but not the real
problem. Before your make the problem more difficult to solve read
more on:
Carpenter ant pages. |
Q 663 Does the queen carpenter ant look
like a white larva? Avona; Kelowna, B.C. |
No. Carpenter ant queens are larger than all the other
ants in a nest. Before they mate they have wings. See the pictures and
read all about them on our
Carpenter
ant pages. |
Q 662 My son noticed white specs all
over his head board, and once he tried to wipe it off they began to move
they are tiny white bugs about as big as a pencil tip and they look like
dust. Andrea; Irvington NJ |
It is difficult to say what the "white specs" may be but you
may wish to read about head lice for a description. A good source of
information is the Toronto Health Department web site:
http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/health/hl_index.htm |
Q 661 How do you make the "attractant"
for the wasp trap? Is there a certain recipe for this? Thanking you
in advance, Denise |
Almost any sweet smelling liquid will work. Soda pop, beer,
fruit drinks. Raw fish is also good. Make 2 or 3 traps and
try different things until you find one that works best. (
Make your own wasp traps ) |
|
Q 660 I have a black ants of
various sizes in my kitchen (about 6-10 every day) and I believe they are
foraging carpenter ants as there have been no "flying" ants in the house
which leads me to believe that they are coming in from outside. I read at
one website that making a mixture of molasses, sugar and active yeast can be
used to control ants (the claim is they can't handle the gas the yeast
produces in them). Has anyone had any success with this approach?
John; Etobicoke (Toronto) |
We have heard of many home recipes for carpenter ant poison.
I am not aware of any that are effective. Try it. If it works
patent it right away. You will be an instant millionaire.
Thousands of scientists have been trying for years to find the right formula
for a bait that is effective on most species of carpenter ants. |
I am sure they have tried every ingredient found in the kitchen cupboard as well as some very sophisticated pesticides. Less than 10% of the ants in a nest will ever leave to forage for food. You may get lucky and kill a few but the surviving 90% still in the nest will send out more workers to a new food source. Some of the home remedies I have seen worked because they were spread out like pancake syrup and the ants got stuck and drowned.
Q 659 On the side of my house this
summer and I have noticed that I have thousands and thousands of tiny holes
covering a large portion of my yard. They are the size of a pencil point. I
do not see any bugs or insects coming out of any of the holes. I have no
idea what it is. I never use that side of my yard, it is just bare dirt. Is
this ants maybe? Please help, I would like to stop whatever it is causing
this. Roxanne; Eugene, Oregon |
There are numerous beneficial insects. Many of them aerate
the soil stimulating better growth. If you have not seen what is
making the holes, they are probably not a pests. Why do you want to get rid of
them? |
Q 658 We seem to have a manifestation
of Pill Bugs in our basement. They seem to have reached the 2nd and
3rd floor. Our son working in pest control sprayed the 2 first floors to no
avail. Aside form keeping the basement dry what other means are there to
ride ourselves of this pest. Thank you in advance for your reply.
Alliston |
Spraying pesticides is not a long term solution. Pill
bugs breath through gills and can not survive in dry conditions. |
If your home is damp enough to support the survival of Pill bugs, you could have other problems including mould growth. This is not a healthy condition. Simple solution: reduce the moisture level. Start with the basement.
Q 657 We have just discovered
pharaoh ants in our kitchen cupboard. We are the original owners of our
home, and consider ourselves very clean...however our kids left butter in a
closed container on the bottom shelf of our cupboard and when we opened up
the cupboard one morning, there were literally thousands smothered all over
the container. We threw everything out that was accessible to the ants,
washed the cabinets and left them empty for a few days. My husband read on
the internet to put cinnamon in the cupboard. (which seemed like it worked,
but I don't believe it did). I think we have now stressed the colonly(ies),
because they're back! Help! We know we need to use a baiting system of some
sort. Should we seek professional pest controllers or are we able to do it
ourselves??? Is there something on the market in Canada that is effective in
treating these disgusting little pests?? L.K. Newmarket, Ontario |
Pharaoh ants are one of the most persistent and
difficult ants to control. They are a serious pest in hospitals, dormitories
and apartments. Pharaoh's Ants are a health risk because they can
infect foodstuffs with a range of diseases such as food poisoning,
dysentery, typhoid and polio. They are small (1.5 to 2 mm) and yellow
or pale reddish-brown. Pharaoh ants adapt well to nesting indoors spreading
their colonies throughout a building. When disturbed they readily
split into smaller colonies. Pharaoh ants like a wide range of food,
which includes syrups, jellies, grease, cake, and pet foods. Pharaoh's
Ants like warm damp conditions with a ready supply of food. They breed in
colonies which can contain many thousands of ants. However, only 10% of the
colony are out feeding and if they are sprayed with normal insecticide, they
will feel threatened and will break up into smaller colonies and spread
around a building. A queen ant lays around 350 eggs a week which take a week
to hatch and are fully developed within a month. Infestations therefore need
to be treated promptly and effectively. |
A good poison bait works by slowly killing the ants so that they die off naturally. It works for up to two months and must not be cleaned away until all the ants are dead. Using ant bait requires patience. You must be persistent using just the right amount of the right bait in the right places. It may require a number of bait placements over a period of weeks. Max-Force ant bait is expected to be back on the market in Canada any day now. A professional might be a good choice to help you get rid of the majority of these ants. Make sure he has pharaoh ant experience. If he starts spraying anything fire him.
Q 656 Do human head lice
transfer to dogs? Shirley. Qualicum, B.C. |
|
According to the Toronto department of health: Human head lice can not survive on other animals for more than 3 days. There is a considerable amount of helpful information on this web site.: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/health/hl_index.htm
Q 655. I have a black ants
of various sizes in my kitchen (about 6-10 every day) and I believe they are
foraging carpenter ants as there have been no "flying" ants in the house
which leads me to believe that they are coming in from outside. I read at
one website that making a mixture of molasses, sugar and active yeast can be
used to control ants (the claim is they can't handle the gas the yeast
produces in them). Has anyone had any success with this approach? |
John, Etobicoke (Toronto)
|
Q 654
I have an infestation
of winged carpenter ants in my house at present, and am looking for
advice on how to find their nest. Everything I read says to follow the
ants, but mine seem to materialize out of thin air, flying to the windows in
my living room, where they make their way up to the top of the windows and
then fall down to the bottom and simply start walking up again. Some sites
say ant baits are useless for carpenter ants, other sites specifically
recommend them. I'm located 3.5 hours north of Thunder Bay, and, SADLY,
there are no local pest control outfits. :-( HELP!
Thank you, Rebecca |
|
Q 653 HOW CAN I KEEP PIGEONS OUT OF MY
BIRDFEEDERS. David. Lorain, Ohio |
Bird feeders attract birds (and rodents) Pigeons are birds
(Some people call them flying rats). A true environmentalist
thinks feeding wild birds is altering the natural instinctive feeding habits
that could eventually effect their health or their migratory patterns.
It is a selfish practice to provide entertainment for humans. Most birds can
do quite well without our help. |
Q 652 We just discovered a lot of bees
moved in, under our patio steps. How do we get rid of them, with out harming
our 1 year old grandson? JoAnne. Calgary |
If you can see the nest, you could try spraying a wasp bomb
into the entrance at night. Get someone you don't like to hold a
flashlight. If you don't like running in the dark from a swarm of
bees, call a professional.
Cal-Rid Exterminators in Calgary will be glad to help you. |
Q 651 We recently bought a cottage
infested with mice and their feces, we are going to renovate and have
removed all of the walls and the infected insulation. Being a cottage they
can get in almost anywhere and I was wondering what the best way to
re-insulate to deter the rascals would be. Is there a spray they dislike
also should we use Styrofoam rigid or pink battan. We have a large advantage
at this moment because the walls are gone. Please help us with our problem.
|
Thank you. John. Tichbourne Ontario
Plug all the holes around wiring and plumbing with steel
wool. Be sure there are no entry points into the wall cavities larger
than a thick pen. If you keep the mice out, it doesn't matter which type of
insulation you use. |
Q 650 We have a nest of snakes at our
back door, it is becoming a problem going in and out of the house, they are
the garden snake, there seems to be quite a few of them about(12 to 16
inches), my question is how do we get RID OF THEM, they have nested under a
concrete block which is our walkway, we noticed them last year but this year
they seem to have multiplied. Help!! Lois. Nova Scotia.
|
My wife says "we don't do snakes" so I can appreciate
the fear some people have about them, even the harmless garden variety we
have in Canada. These snakes are probably eating a number of other
pests (insects, slugs) in the walkway. |
You could plug the holes they are hiding in, or find a youngster that has not learned to fear them and have him (her) catch them and take them to your garden. Glue boards will catch snakes but it would be a shame to kill them.
Q 649 On the subject of Carpenter
Ants (outdoors), we had a small garden next to the back wall of the
house surrounded by 8 x 8 pressure treated wood. Recently we noted a large
number of black ant activity in the area. After some poking and tearing at
the wood we realized a real problem. Many, many ants!! The interior of the
timbers were fully channeled and once we cut it with a recriprocating saw
literally " thousands" came out of the wood. The cut timber complete with
ants, larvae (and lots of it) was bagged in heavy black garbage bags,
securely tied and subsequently disposed of. Diatomaceous earth was sprinkled
over the area the timbers once were and the majority of the problem looked
solved. It has now been about a week and have again noted somewhat limited
activity. The diatomaceous earth is still present along the patio stones and
the concrete foundation, however this is where we are now seeing more
activity. Any thoughts???? We have a new "wood" deck being constructed and
don't want to loose it to this menace. Could they have a satellite under the
patio stones in the crushed stone??? |
Your comments would be most welcomed and thanks for having this very informative site. Wayne. Markham, Ontario
Carpenter ants are temperature sensitive. Because they
were nesting so close to your house it is quite possible they may have
established other satellite nests in the your home. The diatomaceous earth
may discourage them from entering your home but will not eliminate any nests
already established. They are not likely to be nesting under the patio
stones unless there are tree roots or other wood buried there. They
will not establish permanent satellite nests where it freezes. |
Try this tip: go out in the evening after a hot day, just as it is getting dark. Get down on your knees and using a flashlight try to follow or track any ants you see. If you are persistent you will find the entry point for another ant nest. The actual nest may still be some distance away if it is in your home, perhaps as far away as the roof system. There is usually more than one nest. Finding carpenter ant nests takes a lot of practice, experience and patience. Whatever you do, don't spray pesticides that will destroy the evidence, and don't waste your money on "ant traps" or the little bottles of "ant poison". Most entomologists will tell you to hire a professional. More carpenter ant information.
Q 648 Can you tell me if the common
house mice feces are harmful if swept up by humans. |
Thank you. Carol. Halifax, Nova Scotia
Rodents of any kind may carry around many problems that could
be hazardous to human health. Before you clean up mice feces, spray
the area with a mild ( 10 to 1) solution of bleach and water, then damp mop
rather than sweeping or using a vacuum cleaner. Remember, there is a lot of
urine that is not visible. Take some of the same precautions that are
suggested on the Hantavirus page. |
Q 647 The pest: GOPHERS. We live in a
mobile home, so it has no basement. We have gophers digging under our house.
I have heard they will eat wires, insulation and anything else. How to we
stop them from digging under the house? We closed the holes with dirt, wood,
and rocks but they keep digging them out or around them. Please help me and
put my mind at ease. Thank you. Roxanne. Medicine Hat, Alberta. |
Many years ago as a young and innocent kid on the prairies,
we used to flood gophers out by pouring water down one hole and occasionally
we would catch one in a trap trying to escape out another hole. Some
my friends collected a bounty of 5 cents for every tail they turned in. I
thought the traps were too cruel, and still do. There are probably
more efficient humane traps available now. Talk to some local
farmers, or pest professionals. Barry at
Dominion Crown Pest Control
in Edmonton or Keith at
Cal-Rid Exterminators in Calgary should be able to help you. |
Good Luck. Larry. An ex prairie chicken.
Q 646 What is the most effective way to
eliminate SKUNK odour on dogs? Angela. London, Ontario |
The solution we hear most often is wash the dog with tomato
juice. You may have to do it more than once. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ELIMINATE SKUNK ODOUR FROM YOUR ANIMAL !!! I AM A DOG OWNER AND HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM VARIOUS TIMES. IT IS BEST TO TREAT THE SPRAYED AREA A.S.A.P, BEFORE THE OILY SPRAY GETS DEEP INTO THE HAIR. SPRAY A CLOTH WITH "WINDEX" OR ANY OTHER OIL BREAKING FORMULA AND WIPE THE SPRAYED AREA AS MANY TIMES AS NEED BE. AFTER THIS WASH THE ANIMAL WITH A REGULAR ANIMAL SHAMPOO TO WASH OFF ANY EXCESS "WINDEX". YOU MAY HAVE TO WASH 2-3 TIMES BUT I TRIED IT AND IT DOES WORK, TOMATO JUICE DOES NOT! Randy. London. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here is the solution professional trappers use: Mix a half liter of peroxide (from the drug store) with half a cup of baking soda and a little dish detergent. Wash the dog with this solution then rinse well. It may bleach the dog fur.
Q 645 I recently traveled back to
Canada from Sydney and am covered in little red bites that are very itchy. I
have heard that hostels often have problems with bed bugs and was wondering
what a bed bug bite would look like and how to treat these bites.
Elizabeth |
Bed bugs seem to be a growing problem throughout the world,
probably because of increased international travel. These insects may
be hitching rides from one hotel to another. Hostels do not get the same
care and attention between guests as most hotel rooms so they are more
likely to have favorable breeding conditions for bed bugs.
Click here for
a number of links to good bed bug information on the web. |
Q 644 I live in a mobile home and I have
noticed that I have found a large number of ants in my home. I know that
everyone gets them when the hot weather comes but I have noticed a lot of
them. I kill around 15-20 a night. I noticed though that they do go away
when the weather cools down, but I cant help to wonder if maybe I have a
nest somewhere. I was also curious if they can live in the floor. Julie.
Port Hardy |
You are describing typical symptoms for carpenter ants.
They very often establish satellite nests in the floors, walls and ceilings
of mobile homes. On hot days workers are sent out to gather moisture and
food, often just as the sun is setting. Killing these workers will not
solve your problem. Finding nests in the enclosed floor system can be a real
challenge, even for a professional. The ceiling of mobile homes presents
another problem because there is no way to access it for an inspection.
This is not a job you should attempt yourself. Find a professional that has
had experience treating carpenter ants in mobile homes. Check the
pest professional directory. |
Q 643 I was edging my lawn and when I was
pulling the grass away there was major ants. Little tiny red ones and a
whole bunch of rice looking things, I assume are like eggs or something. How
can a get rid of them...there's a lot! |
Deb. Medicine Hat, Alberta
Why do you want to get rid of them? Are they causing a
problem? Some ants are beneficial insects. Have the ant identified at a
local garden shop or pest professional and ask if it is considered a lawn
pest. |
Q 642 We live in a Condo and have flower
boxes. For eight years we did not have a problem. This year was the worst.
Small black bees moved into the dirt in the boxes. We could not sit on the
deck or open the door they would follow us inside. We had to get rid of the
flowers and boxes. For days they kept looking for them. We had even placed
garlic in the boxes. Is there a way to keep them out. I love flowers but
can't tolerate the bees. When the boxes were gone they did sting when we had
to spray. Please answer me! Other residents here do not seem to have a
problem. Bernadette |
Bees and flowers are a pretty common thing in nature. Some
wild bees make solitary nesting holes in soil. They are very good
pollinators and seldom sting if they are left alone. Many experienced
gardeners would welcome these insects. You have removed their nesting site
so they will likely move to a welcome environment. |
Q 641 There are concerns at a work site
around the issue of mice. Are there any potential health risk factors around
contracting Hanta Virus? Karen. Fort McMurray, Alberta. |
The chances of contacting Hantavirus are very slim, but if
there is a risk, proper precautions should be taken. |
The virus is carried by mice and spreads when they urinate in dusty places. If you disturb the dust the virus can become airborne and can infect the lungs of anyone breathing it. Read all the details on the Hantavirus page
|
Q 640 I recently moved into a beautiful
apartment in a heritage home only to find out there is a problem with mice
in the building. I have only found droppings in my kitchen. Do you have any
suggestions for eliminating the mice in my apartment and controlling the
problem in the future? I have a dog and am therefore hesitant to use a
poison. I tried stuffing all the holes I could find with steel wool but it
hasn't helped. I found a site that suggested using a powdered fox urine
product. Does that really work? Thank-you! Kyla. Halifax, Nova Scotia |
Most heritage buildings have been rewired and re-plumbed
resulting in numerous holes and passageways for mice to travel in walls.
They can travel from basements up through every floor to attics. Your
landlord should have someone use procedures that will eliminate them below
the living spaces in the home. Keep looking for entry points in your
apartment and seal them with steel wool. See our
rodent page for
more tips. |
Q 630 I have had a problem each spring for
the last 2 years with a beetle-like bug. It is solid black, very small, but
visible to the eye, a small abdomen and smaller head, no pinchers. They
arrive in the spring and are usually gone by fall. But each year they seem
to be getting a little worse. They seem to be mostly on the ceilings and
sometimes on the walls, but never on the floors. They're very hard shelled.
Would you know what these were and how to get rid of them? Thanks you. Judi.
Halifax County, Nova Scotia. |
If you take one to a local pest professional they will be
able to identify and suggest a solution to eliminate them. |
Halifax pest professionals are shown on this directory page
Q 629 How do you get rid of the urine smell
that is saturated in pine cupboards from house mice? Leomar. Bridgewater,
Nova Scotia. |
The smell may be coming from the space under the cupboards.
Mice get into this space following plumbing to the kitchen sink, or wiring.
They may even die there. You may have to cut holes in the kick board and
clean it out. The cupboards should be sprayed with diluted bleach. A
coating of paint primer and finish coat may be necessary. |
Q 628 Home remedy to rid tiny ants from
getting into flour sugar and even into a peanut butter jar with lid on.
Grace. Houston. |
There are hundreds of home remedies but we are not aware of
any that work better than products available at your garden store.
Commercial ant killers are inexpensive and a tiny bit goes a long way.
Read the label. |
Q 627 We have ants in our
home and were looking for a home remedy to get rid of them, Can you help us?
Thanks |
Dawn. Cranbrook, B.C
If you have ants visible inside your home at this time of
year (May) they are likely carpenter ants. There is no home remedy to get
rid of them. Anything you do may just scatter the nests and make it more
difficult to solve the problem. I suggest you call the local pest
professional. He is in the pest
pro directory. |
|
Use the directory to find a pest professional near you
Q 626 We have an awful lot of ants on our
property, all of them a sort of red and black color combination, some
small(4-5mm)and others that are larger(.5cm or better). What can we do to
get rid of them? We've already tried all or most of the retail products and
have had only minimal and temporary success. Please send response as soon as
is possible, this phenomenon is threatening to over-run the place. Most
sincerely, and frustratingly yours; Ghisele. |
Edmonton
Some of these ants may be beneficial. Read
about the various species and control methods on the
Ants page |
Q 625
I was recently bitten by a spider, (last night)
and the bite turned out to look just like how if bitten by the brown recluse
would look like. I remember seeing the spider earlier, it looks a little
darker in color and it moved fast and stayed low to the ground. My symptoms
are dizziness, small headache, and sore arms, and legs, the bite itself did
not hurt much I just felt a small sting when it bite. It is now in the stage
of being a red pink splotch on my arm...is there any risk of me getting
worse? |
This question should be directed at a medical professional.
It is difficult to advise you about the type of spider with the brief
description you have provided. Raelle. Edmonton |
Q 624 Once a year we seem to feel
these bugs when we are sleeping at night. I have read about bed bugs and
because we never see any bugs or have any brown spots on our bed I don't
think it is bed bugs. We travel once a year to sandy destinations and I was
wondering if it could be some sort of a sand bug of a tropical bug. We find
that if we keep the air conditioner on for a few days and keep the room very
cold they go away but they also eventually return later in the year or the
next year. Again we've never seen a bug or been able to get one because we
think that they maybe lighter in colour or very very small. I would thank
you for any feed back at all.
Andrea. Toronto. |
|
Q 623 I need help/advice with a
pest I believe to be a carpet beetle. I find them attached to clothing&
under the baseboards. I sweep/mop/vacuum constantly. I wash clothes
frequently and I instruct my family not to leave clothing etc... on the
floor. But I keep finding them! They ruin the clothing and I want to get rid
of them...what can I do?????
Vern. Toronto |
Keep vacuuming constantly to eliminate those that keep
hatching. You may need to have a professional treat the home. |
Q 622 I have bed bugs and need to get
rid of them. What is the most effective method and where can I buy the
product? Thanks. David. Toronto |
Most common crawling insect sprays will kill them but you
will have to find them all and this is almost impossible. A
professional would use something with a residual effect that will eliminate
the bugs that move into the treated area at night. |
Q 621 I have had a very small moth
invading my home, they are literally freaking me out - even my Parrot is
paranoid about them now!!. They seem to come out at in the evenings, I have
killed every one that I have seen, still more come, I have searched, sprayed
every nook and cranny of my living room and kitchen, now I am finding dead
moths in my food cupboards, and horrors of horrors what looks like maggots
crawling up my kitchen walls, sprays do not seem to be affective, I have
cleared out my cupboards and thrown a lot of food items away unopened
packages as well, I now go after this maggot with the vacuum pipe, what is
happening and how do I please get rid of these Moths that seem to have the
ability to multiply however many I kill?, and are those horrible crawling
white maggots to do with this darned Moth....pleeeeeease help....thanks from
Geri and her grateful Parrot "Beau". |
Geri. Coquitlam.
Your description indicates you have Indian Meal Moths and you
should tell Beau he may be the cause. These insects are often
imported into homes with bird feed which has not been treated for human
consumption. You may be able to treat the Parrot feed by freezing it for a
few days. There is a good description and pictures on the |
Indian Meal Moth page.
Q 620 I discovered ants in our kitchen.
We purchased ant traps but this does not seem to help much. Now I found a
carpenter ant and would like to know if I can purchase something safe to
eliminate this problem. |
GISELA. Mississauga, Ontario.
Same answer as # 617 below. |
At this time of year [May] the appearance of large black ants is an indication there is a carpenter ant problem. Don't waste your money on ant traps. They will not work. If you spray pesticides you may scatter or spit up the nests. Have a look at our carpenter ant pages. Read all you can about them and eventually you will realize it will cost you less in the end to hire a professional. See the directory of pest professionals in Ontario.
Q 619 I have a problem with millipede
looking insects and I would like to know what I can use to get rid of them.
They are in and around my house by the thousands. They only come out at
night and early morning and they are driving me crazy trying to kill them
and not being able to succeed. Please can you tell me what I can use to rid
my yard and house of these creepy crawling insects. Ron. |
What kind of problems are these creatures causing? Why do you
want to kill them? If they are damaging your garden consult a gardening
professional. Try this web site:
Later's Monthly
Garden Calendar |
Q 618 Can we still purchase the "no
pest strip" put out by Shell Oil? Patti; Aldergrove, B.C. |
No. This is another product that was probably
abused by consumers who did not read the label and follow the directions. As
a result it may have caused some health problems and was removed from the
market. |
Q 617 We have black ants in our place
quite a lot bigger then the small red ones. We never had them before and
have no idea where they are coming from. Have tried ant traps but they seem
to be staying away from them any ideas please. Faye; Summerside,
Prince Edward Island. |
At this time of year [May] the appearance of
large black ants is an indication there is a carpenter ant problem. Don't
waste your money on ant traps. They will not work. If you spray
pesticides you may scatter or spit up the nests. Have a look at our
carpenter ant pages. Read
all you can about them and eventually you will realize it will cost you less
in the end to hire a professional. |
See the directory for a professional on P.E.I.
Q 616 Otters are feeding and nesting under
house. House is stinking of dead clams and other otter food found in the San
Juan Islands. What can I do to make the crawl space of the house
undesirable to the otters? |
Eric. Anacortes, Washington.
This is the answer we gave to a B.C. resident with the
same problem. Washington State wildlife laws may be different.
|
Otters are a protected fur bearing animal in B.C. and they must not be harmed in any way. Trapping and relocating seldom works because they will travel a long distance to return, or others may move in. You must block them out with very secure screening or sheet in the perimeter of the cabin. Your local animal control officer may be able to help get them out. Once removed you may wish to spread lime under the cabin to help control the terrible odor. Pest management professionals can only help you if they have a trappers license and permit. Very few do because it is difficult to find a place to take the animal. Wildlife artist Robert Bateman has a good solution. He built a small shelter for them between his home and the beach. They use it to give birth and raise pups then leave.
Q 615
What is a clover mite and how can I get rid
of them. Randy. Nanaimo |
We have published some clover mite information
on this page:
Clover Mites |
Q 614
What is this spider? It looks like the common
little jumping spider only bigger with the back half solid red and front
half and legs black or dark brown. Is it poisonous? Jean,
Victoria, B.C. |
Without a picture it is pretty difficult to
identify your spider. Could it be a clover mite? See the answer above. |
Q 613
Please advise the professional/service in our
area (central Oakville) who can trap and remove the raccoons in a nest on
our property. Many thanks, Mary. |
There is an animal control pest professional
listed on the
Ontario page of the
directory. Wild Things
Wildlife Control may be able to help or refer you to another
reliable professional. |
Q 612
Black squirrels continually climb up the side
of my house to an upstairs bathroom window. They are chewing on the wooden
window frames to the point where there is little left of the frame. I have
another home in Oakville and they also did the same to a window (bathroom,
too ) in that home, including driving branches through the screen. How do I
keep them away from my windows ? Is there a reason that they are attracted
to a bathroom window ? Is it because the blinds are always closed and they
appear different? DON. Oakville, Ontario |
The best control for squirrels is trapping, but it could be difficult
near a second floor window. |
Q 611
How can I get rid of fruit flies? I've tried
bleach in the drains but they seem to be multiplying. |
Pat. Baltimore
Find the breeding site. It will be near a
source of food: compost bucket under the sink?, garbage can?
decaying fruit or vegetables in or near the home, Empty soda or beer
containers? There are fruit fly glue boards that will attract them but
they may just keep multiplying at the food source. |
Q 610
We have just noticed some beaver damage on
our cedar trees down by the lake. I understand that protecting the trees
with wire is seldom successful. I am wondering about some form of repellant
that won't hurt our dog. I have heard of a type of non-drying glue called
4-THE-BIRDS which is supposed to be effective but this was in the States.
Does anybody out there have any ideas for saving our trees? URGENT reply
requested! Please include supplier information for products. Thanks! Judy.
Nanaimo, B.C. |
Mechanical protection is probably the best
control, other than trapping and removing the beavers. Some bird repellant
products contain an ingredient that burns the feet of birds. I don't
think there are any available in Canada. This is not the right
solution. Coastal Pest Management in Nanaimo
may be able to help. The owner has many years of broad pest control
experience.
www.coastpest.com
|
Q 609
We have just bought a house in Mississauga.
And when I went to inspect the house with the inspector he said that their
is mice. I want to know how to get rid of the mice problem its seems to be
around the fire place area in the basement and in the kitchen. I want to
know if this is a big issue I am not sure what to do. Fill the cracks or get
pest control to fix it. Tony. Mississauga Ontario |
Please do not fill any holes until you are sure all activity
has stopped. If the mice are trapped in the walls there is no telling what
kind of damage they may do (e.g. chew electrical wires, make new holes
etc.). Without knowing the history of mice in the house, it would very
difficult to determine the number of mice that are in the house now.
Especially if the house was vacant for an extended amount of time. So a top
to bottom inspection would be the first thing to do. Check out this page
http://www.liphatech.com/rf_inspection.html for rodent control
tips or call a professional. Stuart. Liphatech Canada |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Have a look at the RODENT page for the basic steps to control mice, or call a professional.
Q 608
We live on an acreage South of Calgary and
have just discovered in the middle of a group of small Willow trees, a nasty
looking ants nest. The nest has a grass wall, and is a very high mound. The
ants are about 1cm long, red, and green at the end, what are these ants and
should we get rid of them? Kim. DeWinton, Alberta |
These are probably thatching ants which are
usually considered a beneficial insect. If they are not bothering you,
leave them alone. |
Q 607
Last six months, I saw some ticks on the bed,
behind the headboard. Usually they come out from the hidden place in the
night and suck blood. I try to clean them. I use different spray ( that is
found in the home depot) to control them. But it goes in vain. Can you
please help me? Milo. Montreal, Quebec. |
You probably have bed bugs. They are very
difficult to get rid of. We have published links to some good information on
university web sites. Read everything you can before you use any more
pesticides. Bed Bug Page We will
try to add more information to this page in the near future. |
Q 606
I have bees in my hood exhaust vent (over the
burners in the kitchen). I think I hear them in the attic. How do I get rid
of them, other than an exterminator? I have allergies to bees. If I do need
professional help for this, any recommendations in my area? Bill.
Arcadia, California |
If you have allergies to bee or wasp stings, you
should not risk dealing with them yourself. Call a professional.
This web site refers only to Canadian Pest Professionals. Hire a
member of the National Pest Management Association. |
Q 605
Can you tell me if there is an
electronic rat deterrent on the market which works and can be used outside
in the garden and is also safe to use where there is a dog that uses the
garden? The reason I ask is that I have a guide dog which has to have
access to the garden. I have contacted a number of companies and all have
said that there products would affect the dog. I believe this because that
most work at a frequency of about 50 KHz or there abouts and a dogs hearing
also extends to about 45Khz. At the moment I am using specific designed
boxes and rat poison. Hope you can advise. Derek. Thanks |
None of the electronic devices will be effective, especially
outdoors. I suggest you continue with the poison in proper bait
stations or purchase the new style of rat traps that fit inside secure
boxes. These are made by BELL |
( http://www.belllabs.com/ ) and and Liphatech ( http://www.liphatech.com/ ) They are available from Pest Control Suppliers.
Q 604 We have just purchased acreage
south of Salmon Arm on the Salmon River & have discovered a very large (top
is approx 18-24" across) ant hill. The bodies of the ants are red & black.
Front portion red, back 1/2 is black. They are quite large ants. We don't
know what, if anything we should be about them. Our grandchildren have
access to the area & we are planning to bring in live-stock, chickens,
sheep, horses. If we do anything at all about them, we also have a concern
regarding what we use as the hill is within 20/30' of the river. Appreciate
any info, thanks. Bobbi. Salmon Arm, B.C. |
These are thatching ants. They are considered a
beneficial insect but they can bite and be quite a pest if they wander
into homes or on decks. The ant hills often extend underground more
than they protrude above ground. It would not be environmentally right
to saturate the nest with anything that could contaminate the river. I
suggest leaving it alone unless it becomes a real problem. |
Q 603 We live in a basement-entry home.
My teenage daughter has her bedroom in the basement, and it seems that she
is subject to visits from spiders. This really bothers her...what can I do
to deter or keep these arachnids from going into her bedroom? Teresa;
Langley, B.C. |
Spiders eat insects. You may have a problem with sow
bugs, ants or something else that is attracting the spiders. Try to identify
and eliminate that problem. Encourage your daughter to vacuum her room
frequently, especially in the corners and along baseboards. If parts
of the basement are not finished vacuum all the spider webs. |
Q 602 We just moved in and are
finding a centipede type bug they are beige and have several legs on both
sides and seem to be growing bigger as it gets warmer they can cling to
walls -we have a dirt crawl space and i believe they are breeding under
there where it is dark and cool - how do I get rid of them without putting
toxic chemicals in my crawlspace and what are they. Dave.
Sutton, Ontario |
House centipedes love damp locations. Try to ventilate
the crawlspace, put a plastic vapor barrier on the ground to reduce the
humidity. |
Q 601 Is there a household product to
help rid of hornets on our porch. Arin. Robinson, Texas |
Try attracting them away with a wasp trap. If you know
where the nest is use a waspblaster (aerosol spray can) |
Q 600 Home remedy to get rid of
household ants. I can't find the source since there is no trail but it seems
to appear on the carpeting. The ants attack my cat's food but not the dog's
food. Irene. |
Most home remedies are not as effective as commercial
products. A $2 bottle of "ant poison" may be effective on some ants
and should last about 5 years. You need very little. Don't
waste your time or money if they are carpenter ants. Call a
professional. |
Q 599 I have a cottage near north
of Barry in Ontario Canada. Something has chewed right through the exterior
cedar siding, right through the plywood underneath and thru the interior
pine siding, and into the interior in several places, the diameter of the
holes very to slightly smaller than a golf ball to similar in size to a golf
ball. I think I saw a glimpse of the pest early one morning and it
looked like a chipmunk ? I thought chipmunks just lived under ground?
Its made one big mess and a lot of damage. What do you think it is and what
can I do to get rid of it. I keep plugging the holes with foam but new ones
keep appearing? Please help its wrecking the place ...signed frustrated
Glen; Baysville, Ontario |
Rats will chew through almost anything if they smell food.
Woodpeckers can make pretty big holes in a home if there are insects in the
walls. If you have chipmunks, traps will probably be the answer.
|
Q 598 Do the electronic pest devices
get rid of cat and dog fleas. Mathew; Warwickshire, UK |
NO |
Q 597 We have carpenter ants. We
want to get a pest control company to come in and take care of the problem,
but we do not want to pay for un-needed services. What MUST be done to get
rid of ants in the walls (one side of house) we have seen a small maybe 5"
pile of sawdust in one room, and numerous ants on the same side of house,
kitchen, laundry room, 2 bathrooms. We have a 2200 square foot home. One
exterminator said he needed to drill holes in my walls. Another said he did
not need to do that. Another said something else, who do I believe? HELP!
Thanks Kemah; Greenfield |
Choosing a pest management professional
can be difficult. As you have discovered, different companies have different
approaches and possibly different treatment goals. You may wish to ask
prospective pest management professionals the reasons behind their
recommendations. You may find this information helpful in making a decision. |
The key to effective carpenter ant control is to locate the ants' nests and eliminate them. There may be more than one nest. Queen carpenter ants lay their eggs in damp locations. If the nest in your house is in a dry location it is probably satellite colony used as a "nursery" - a place for the ants to raise young brought into that location from the place where they were hatched. Eliminating a satellite nest in your home will probably not be too difficult, if you know where it is. You do, however, need to get at the nest and one of the ways of doing that is to drill small holes into the area and then injecting an appropriate insecticide through the holes into the nest. Eliminating a satellite nest may not solve your carpenter ant problem because the ants could move back into your home from the parent nest (the one in a damp location where egg-laying occurs). There could even be several satellite colonies in your home but you have only noticed one of them. Good luck in making your decision. For more help visit our web site. Bob Lucy PES Professional Ecological Services Ltd., Victoria, B.C. http://www.pestvictoria.com/index.htm
Q 596 We have thousands of bugs that
have taken up residency on the outside of our house. I assumed they were
stink bugs, but I'm not so sure looking at the pictures. They do smell when
you stomp on them. They are brown with yellow/orange wings and they spend
most of there time pooping on the walls of the house. Could these be Box
Elder bugs or are they just a different species of Stink bugs and how do I
get rid of them? Mary; Sorrento B.C. |
Stink bugs and box elder bugs should be controlled during
their feeding stage in the summer months. They do not breed in homes. Stinks
bugs will feed on vegetation like tomato plants in your garden. Box
Elders spend most of the summer under the bark of mapl | |
