Bug Blog
Yes it’s a Thing – Cars and cockroaches
I’ve heard about cockroaches in cars but mostly in large hot cities closer to the equator. Recently I had a client call, claiming that there were cockroaches scampering about on the floor and seats of their car. Not one to say no to a customer problems, I approached the situation with a little scepticism. Well lo and behold; the car interior was a recycling bin for every fast food restaurant around. There weren’t just one or two cockroaches but dozens, so in short order I took care of the infestation. No secret here, cockroaches are food-lovers and leaving any food, crumbs, wrappers or pop cans is enough to attract them to your vehicle. So if you don’t want to be carrying around extra six legged passengers, then here are a few suggestions. 1) Avoid eating in your car but if it can’t be avoided then it is important to clean-up afterwards. 2) Clean, disinfect, vacuum and de-clutter the car often, especially the carpets and in-between car seats. 3) Avoid parking near sewage drains and garbage dumpsters. 4) Before leaving the car, ensure that windows, doors and air vents are closed. 5) Avoid using pesticides and gels for cockroaches rather cockroach traps are most effective and safer. 6) Cockroaches are active at night, so if you see them during the day then the infestation is likely extreme.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/post/edit/6363790447491584002
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-yes-it-s-a-thing-cars-and-cockroaches-1.23157787
Winter Vacation? In your home!
Most resilient species of pests have already found ways to dodge the effects of frigid temperatures, regardless of how cold it gets outside. Actually, most of the insects that pester us during the warm months, like spiders, beetles and ants, are prepared for the frosty temperatures and wet soil long before the winter months even come. Those flies, spiders, rats and mice actually love the warmth of your home where they can hunt for food during the colder months. If you think all insects disappear or die during the cold winter months, think again. Spiders will shelter underneath leaf litter for protection, and if we get snow – it actually acts as an insulator and shields them from the cold. Ants survive in winter because they burrow deep into the soil to stay warm, traveling below the frost line. They also seal up their nests and physically lower their body temperature. As for mosquitoes, the adult usual die from cold temperatures but their eggs will survive by entering a state of diapause, during which they slow down their development and basically hibernate. Those foul stink bugs, annoying flies and lady beetles will also head indoors. And of course rodents such as rats and mice, if they haven’t found a house to crash in, they might just use your car. If you suspect or find an infestation during the winter, you can email me at gogreenpestcontrol.ca @gmail.com and have a licensed pest control professional come out and inspect and treat your property.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.c. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/winter-vacation-your-home-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-winter-vacation-in-your-home-1.23156489
Gophers in Delta?
Guess who moved into the neighborhood, gophers! I’ve received two calls about moles that have turned out to be gophers. Gophers do not hibernate and their excavations continue throughout the winter. After examining the shrubbery in the immediate area, I discovered ragged tooth marks etched on fallen limbs and the bases of the shrubs. These gophers appeared to have traveled above ground for long distances based on the industrial area they were in, although they usually tunnel into new territory. Similar to moles, gopher mounds also are roundish but if you look at them from above they have a horseshoe shape. You’ll also find a plug near the center of the mound. Gopher tunnels can be up to 60 cm below the surface and leave no indication that they are down there. Tubers, roots and bulbs are a large part of the gopher’s diet this time of year, so your garden beds are not safe. Gophers also gather surface vegetation, often pulling plants down through the soil into the burrow. These rodents eat as much as one half their own weight each day and bring home extra food to store.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/gophers-delta-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-gophers-in-delta-1.23154835
Bird feeders or Rodent feeders?
Bird feeders or Rodent feeders?
Birds are part of the wildlife experience in Delta. Attracting birds with a bird feeder invites that outdoorsy vibe into your yard. While birds love feeders, they are chaotic eaters and a lot of the seeds end up on the ground. Now some people may think that the wildlife kingdom they created has hit nirvana when the squirrels have arrived but the nocturnal rodents, mice and rats, will be there too. Again, to some they are nice additions to the assortment of creatures, but mice, rats and squirrels are cunning at finding ways into your house, garage and sheds. Most of the seed that hits the ground is collected by rodents and they like to stockpile food for the cold months, and some of that may end up in your house. And well, I don’t need to get into the whole discussion of rodents and diseases, fire hazards, damage, smells and noise. So if you’re in love with your bird feeder, ah rodent feeder, here are a few suggestions to help stop or at least reduce the likelihood that you will attract rodents. Add a seed catcher to your bird feeder. Fresh unused seed should be kept in sturdy containers preferably tucked away from any rodents. Keep the area under the bird feeder well maintained by regularly cleaning up unused seeds. Lee Valley has a few bird feeders that are squirrel proof and are designed to keep the feed in the feeder. For more information you can always email me at gogreenpestcontrol.ca @gmail.com and I can send you a full list of bird feeder safe options.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bird-feeders-rodent-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-bird-feeders-or-rodent-feeders-1.23154790
When do Bed Bugs Bite
Bed bugs are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide emitted by us when we go to bed. They mainly feed on the blood of humans but can also use cats and dogs to get their fix. As a rule of thumb (a broadly accurate guide based on experience rather than theory), bed bugs usually feed when it’s dark at night, for their own safety. Of course there is an exception to that rule; bed bugs will come out any time of the day if they are very hungry. Normally, adult bed bugs only feed once a week and females need to feed before they reproduce. But as a young bed bug, called a nymph, when they go through the stages of development (instar stages) they need to feed daily. However, the adults can fast for as long as 60 weeks if conditions are just right. The young bed bug nymphs are a lot more depend on a relatively constant supply of blood. Bed bug nymphs need to feed more often to help complete their life cycle, but again they also can survive without a blood bath for several days. Bed bugs can only survive on blood, unlike most insects that eat a varied diet. Bed bugs are unable to feed on leaked blood rather they need a live host because the blood needs to be at the right temperature and be under pressure. Bed bugs have a limited distance to which they will travel, so roughly speaking, each bedroom or territory will have its own set of bed bugs.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-do-bed-bugs-bite-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-when-do-bed-bugs-bite-1.23152912
Squirrels – the kings of chunking
Squirrels use different strategies for caching different types of nuts. Nuts are an optimal source of fat and protein for squirrels. If given a choice, these are the nuts that squirrels prefer: pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, acorns, cashews, chestnuts, hickory nuts, macadamia nuts, and pine nuts out of pine cones. Squirrels use complex sorting methods to easily locate their nut supplies and recall what’s in them. When foraging from a single area, squirrels have a tendency to bury the same kinds of nuts in the same area, a process known as chunking. If a squirrel picks up a hazelnut, it will store it in an area where it had buried other hazelnuts, probably as a way to help remember a particular location or reduce the amount of energy used during foraging. In the case of foraging from several sites, they avoided the chunking process and cache their new collection nuts in places they have not used before. This strategy not only helps to evenly cover a territory, but it also help prevents other squirrels from looting another squirrel’s entire stockpile of high-value nuts.
Did you know?
There are more than 250 species of squirrels.
Personalities of mother squirrels can affect survival rates of their offspring.
A group of squirrels is a “scurry” or “dray”
The red-and-white giant flying squirrel of China can grow up to three feet long.
Flying squirrels can glide as far as 90 metres.
The front teeth of a squirrel grow 15 centimeters a year.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/squirrels-kings-chunking-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-squirrels-the-kings-of-chunking-1.23151433
Bathroom Ants
Often I hear about dead ants in the bathroom, usually found in the morning. Likely this time of year, those ants are Pharaohs ants. These guys can live in the walls of your house for years undetected. They will venture outside in the heat of the summer but prefer the stability of a warm house. These ants are the pickiest of all ants. If it’s too cold, they move location in the walls, if it’s becomes too hot they move again, if it’s too wet or too dry, they move again. They travel in wall voids along plumbing and wiring ducts, and pop up out in the most unlikely places, like kitchen countertops and electrical outlets. The dead ants in the bathroom are a usually a result of ants looking for water and picking up bath and cleaning products on their bodies. Soaps, shampoos, conditioners and products used to clean the bathroom act as surfactant; compounds that lower the surface tension between two liquids, a gas and a liquid, or a liquid and a solid, making them excellent detergents and lathering agents. Ironically, the surfactant breaks down the waxy cuticle on the ant’s exoskeleton causing the ants to dehydrate and die right there on your bathroom floor.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bathroom-ants-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-bathroom-ants-1.23150034
Lice don’t take Vacations
Although we are in the throes of winter, don’t forget that children still can get head lice and pass it along. Head lice are not affected by cold weather as most insects are. Dry skin is a fact of life in the winter causing us to be itchy but if you see your child scratching their head repeatedly, you will want to google lice and look for signs of lice. It’s estimated that 2-3% of children in the age group of 3 to 11 years old get head lice every year in Canada. Lice are infectious and infuriating to get rid of. Luckily, they do not spread disease. They are quite contagious and usually found in elementary schools, daycares, and anywhere head gear is reused frequently. Lice get passed along mainly by head to-head contact, hats, helmets, clothing, pillow cases and hair combs. This stain of lice is only transferable from person to person; our pets are not affected or carry them. Here a few suggestions that can prevent or get rid of the lice and their eggs.
1) Talk to a pharmacist about current treatments.
2) For children: avoid head-to-head contact with classmates, don’t share personal belongings, and avoid shared spaces where hats and clothing is kept in common areas or lockers.
3) All bed linens, clothing and stuffed animals that have been used by an infected person should be washed in hot water or dry-cleaned.
4) Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture.
5) Soak hair-care items like combs, hair bands and brushes in medicated shampoo for 1 hour or just toss them out.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lice-dont-take-vacations-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-lice-don-t-take-vacations-1.23148403
Bugs die in Winter @ -22 Celsius
When we get a unusually cold snap here on the coast it maybe tough on plants, but not necessarily on insects, as most can survive even record cold temperatures. Insects have developed tactics for surviving even in the chilliest of temperatures by hibernating in protected areas, be it under ground or in your house. Another term for their response to extreme cold is diapause, where the insects cease to feed, develop, or reproduce. During a real cold snap in winter, the temperatures we experience is not enough to have any sort of real impact on our insect populations. Temperatures need to be below -24 degrees Celsius for at least two weeks to kill off most insects and their colonies. Insect needs are the same as ours: food, water, a roof over your head and tolerable temperatures. For insects the number one need for survival is water: without water their bodies will not function, as well, water promotes the growth of fungi and bacteria that many insects feed on. So a simple solution to limiting insects in your home is to reduce available water: fix leaky faucets, dripping water lines, leaky roofs and keep the gutters clean.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.c. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bugs-die-winter-22-celsius-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-bugs-die-in-winter-22-celsius-1.23145696
Squeak squeak, it’s not a mouse but mice!
Just like all rodents, when it’s wet and cold out, mice are looking for shelter, food and of course a warm place to do this in. Mice can adjust quite rapidly to new surroundings and are unrelenting when it comes to finding their basic needs. When it comes to mice, it is rarely a case of a single mouse in your house, rather mice (plural of course) which can be a real problem to get rid of, period! (as many of my clients will attest to). If you have ever watched any YouTube videos on mice, you will discover quickly that they can climb ladders, walls, cables, pipes, insulation, stucco, hardy board and just about anything that isn’t completely smooth. And yes they will search for any gap, crack or crevice they can squeeze through in their pursuit of happiness; in fact they spend their entire life doing just that. That’s why you always need to be aware of small holes and gaps needing repairs, to keep them out. Mice can climb vertical surfaces like walls, pipes and wires as tall as 10 meters in height. Baby mice can squeeze through a crack as small as one half of a centimeter, niggling in to spaces as small as a pens width. An adult mouse is able to jump as high as 1 meter, which is quite outstanding, since their only about 8 cm in size. Mice like the dark, not only for protection but also their eyesight is poor, yet make up for this with a keen sense of smell, hearing and touch. Their whiskers are used as a form of muscle memory, and to perceive surfaces, temperature changes and air flow. Mice can go without food and water for several weeks but when they are active they will make multiple visits a night in numerous locations. Mice are known as nibblers, they will only take a little bit of food (as same as ¼ grams) and move on quickly to avoid detection.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/squeak-its-mouse-mice-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-squeak-squeak-it-s-not-a-mouse-but-mice-1.23144846
