Temprid SC -suspension concentrate insecticide has a double action by joining real residual insecticides: beta-cyfluthrin and imidacloprid. Temprid, provides quick knockdown (not as quick as permethrin) and long residual control of over 51 pests, including ants, spiders, cockroaches and other key perimeter pests. The double action works extremely well on insects like ants, one of […]
Biological pest controls include predatory or parasitic insects, bacteria or fungi, and biopesticides. Here are four biological controls that will be readily available to the home gardener. A – Fungus that kill insects: soil-dwelling fungus that controls grasshoppers, bed bugs, other insects and plant diseases. Used in agriculture, there is incredible development potential in the […]
The rat lungworm, is a parasite of rodents that can infect humans after ingestion of larvae within uncooked slugs, snails or other invertebrates. Infected rodents can pass larvae of the worm in their feces. The infection travels to the brain, causing meningitis: inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord. Treatment is uncertain, […]
Ever leave behind the tiniest crumb a counter top or floor, only to come back to find a group of tiny ants feasting on it? Sugar ants have exceptional odor sensing abilities and sugar, in just about any form, are highly attractive to these guys. To prevent sugar ants from entering your house, clean […]
Rats have up to 70 whiskers – that vary in size, length and shape. Rat whiskers are called whisker specialists, as they have super-sensitive, movable hairs that are used to explore and sense their surroundings. Rat whiskers can be described by a unassuming mathematical equation known as the Euler spiral – spiral patterns are […]
Rats have a variability of qualities that make them challenging enemies. To start with, they are exceptionally destructive, any buildings, infrastructure or electronics are just a challenge for rats’ potent incisors. Next rats are agile -they can jump, climb, swim and scurry to get where they want or escape danger. Rats are also very sensitive […]
Squirrels that favour one side of their body are slower learners compared with those who use both paws. A study found that squirrels that favour one side of their body performed worse at tasks that required learning. Many animals have a preferred side of the body for carrying out certain actions, though the strength […]
Like spiders and ladybugs, the opossum is your friend. They are a kind of natural pest control animal, with their jaw of 50 sharp teeth they are omnivores eating everything from overripe fruits and vegetables to snails, slugs, insects, snakes, worms, rats, mice and other small animals, as well as nuts, seeds, grasses and […]
Rats play quid pro quo with each other, a form of tit-for-tat when looking for help from others and rats are happy to help each other out but only if another rat helps them out first, according to a new study. The study determined that rats figuratively play quid pro quo (a favor or advantage granted […]
Active all year round, mice are one of the most common pest species. They spread nasty diseases such as Salmonella and Listeria to humans through their urine, droppings and bedding. As they scamper around, they carry dirt and bacteria with them, moving it to your counter tops, cabinets and pantry. House mice are known as […]
Nutrias have been in North America for over 70 years and are now considered one of the most ecologically destructive invasive species on the planet. Nutria are about the same size as a raccoon weighting up to 10 kilograms and they look like a cross between a small beaver and a Norway rat. They also […]
The firebrat is a small hexapod (six legs) that are grayish-brown and have a body that is tapered from front to back and is somewhat carrot-shaped. They prefer high temperatures and require some humidity so they are often seen near boilers, dryers, ovens, attics, hot water heaters and furnaces. They feed on a wide variety […]
Insect, those edible ones, are chocked full of protein, vitamins, amino acids and they are Popeye like spinach -loaded with calcium and iron. Insects such as beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, locusts, crickets and ants are a nutrient-dense food. There are over 2,000 edible insect species currently available and these insects are eaten around the world. Edible […]
Any warm-blooded mammal can carry or contract rabies, but the main carriers are raccoons, skunks and bats. While it’s often thought that raccoons and skunks are “carriers” of rabies, they can only transmit the virus to another animal when they are rabid. Because most pets are vaccinated, wildlife account for over 90 percent of all […]
Raccoons are typically unsociable creatures except for breeding season which happens now and into February, as they are not true hibernators . Males will travel quite the distance in search of females in heat, mating with several females yet once the mating is done they have no part of the rearing of the offspring. […]
Ants use several ways to find their path and recognize familiar scenery even when they’re walking behind, not necessarily seeing something from the front to know a familiar location. When walking forward, ants use a technique called trail or path integration. The ants remember the sensation of the rotations and turns they took and how […]
Mayflies (shadflies and lake flies) are aquatic insects that have two pair of wings, they are not related to house flies or other true flies. They are attracted to light and become a pain when they collect at night near doorways in large numbers. Make the house less attractive to mayflies by changing from white […]
Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist DECEMBER 23, 2019 12:05 PM Photograph By WALTER ANTONIO BOEGER FROM PIXABAY Delta BC Head lice out breaks can be rather random but often transfer between children at schools or daycare facilities and spread to others at home. Lice can cause severe itching that can lead to scratching and sores […]
Head lice out breaks can be rather random but often transfer between children at schools or daycare facilities and spread to others at home. Lice can cause severe itching that can lead to scratching and sores and secondary bacterial infections on the skin. The effect of these parasites on humans depends on the species as […]
Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist DECEMBER 16, 2019 03:35 PM Photograph By DIMITRIS VETSIKAS FROM PIXABAY Delta BC Feral cats are the offspring of house cats, often confused with stray cats, a feral cat has never actually belonged to a person or had any socialization with people. They prefer to live in colonies, ranging from […]
Okay, roaches are the out-and-out worst, they spread germs, bacteria and their filth every where they live. Four of the 4,600 species of roaches are associated with humans and are considered pests. A cockroach can survive being submerged for half an hour and run five kilometers in an hour. If by bad luck you happen […]
DECEMBER 17, 2019 02:05 PM Photograph By CLKER-FREE-VECTOR-IMAGES FROM PIXABAY Delta BC The last couple years, Delta has really seen an up spike in the resurgence of sugar ants. Have you ever left behind a crumb on the floor, only to come back a short while later and find a cluster of tiny ants gobbling […]
Kudzu bugs are a true bug because of their piercing sucking mouth parts. People become concerned about kudzu bugs because of their overwintering habits as they congregate in massive numbers on sun-exposed walls to heat themselves. But it’s when they get inside people’s homes through cracks and crevices to survive the winter that the issues […]
Feral cats are the offspring of house cats, often confused with stray cats, a feral cat has never actually belonged to a person or had any socialization with people. They prefer to live in colonies, ranging from a few individuals to several dozen feral cats. Multiple generations of the same family will live together if […]
In the world of pest control, one of the main pests are rats. Rats survive in both urban and suburban environments and the only time we fight the battle again rats is when someone is fed up with them and requires an eradication. But, efforts to control these rodent populations never results in the […]
Skunks only have one effective way of defending themselves, although they do have a really good set of teeth and claws. Their cloud of noxious spray creates strong burning sensations in eyes, nose and mouth, and makes eyes tear up. Skunks are reluctant to use this weapon, as they carry just enough chemical for […]
One astonishing capacity that termites have is that they never sleep, no sleep and they work 24-7. A termite colony can destroy a home by eating the wooden foundation of a house. Termites are blind but they get around by sensing vibrations in the ground or walls. In a termite colony, there are 4 castes […]
In Delta, there are three principal commensal (they live in close contact with humans) rodents that cause issues, the common house mouse, roof or black rat and our #1 rat – the Norway rat (making up 85% of our rats). These rodents cause damages to homes and they harbor and spread disease-causing pathogens to […]
If you have been storing family valuables in a self-storage facility, there are a few things you should know, a pest infestation can damage your stored valuables in more ways than one. Rats, mice , cockroaches, bed bugs and ants are all on the list of offending pests. These type of storage facilities are […]
Our evening skies are filled with these tender, enigmatic, flying mammals coming in all sizes, from the 2 gram Bumblebee bat to the 1.4 kg. Flying Fox. These highly sociable animals are nocturnal, they have fur, bear live young and the mothers suckle their pups. Each bat colony has its own language to communicate with. […]
So are moths dangerous to humans and pets, and the answer is yes. Their feces and cocoons can taint food causing illness and touching infested food or fabrics can trigger an allergic reaction. Moths usually damage clothes, fabrics or carpets but it’s actually their larvae that do all the damage. A moth infestation can grow […]
Blog: Silverfish have been around for millions of years Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist NOVEMBER 19, 2019 02:05 PM Photograph By HANS BRAXMEIER FROM PIXABAY Delta BC Silverfish have been around for over 400 million years, making them one of the oldest species of insects to crawl the earth. Its name derives from the animal’s […]
House flies are responsible for transmitting at least 65 harmful diseases and many skin and eye infections through indirect paths. They also transmit food-borne pathogens and their related toxin and resistance. House flies are known to carry and spread: cholera, conjunctivitis, dysentery, gastroenteritis, salmonellosis, tuberculosis, typhoid fever and many more due to their feeding and […]
Silverfish have been around for over 400 million years, making them one of the oldest species of insects to crawl the earth. Its name derives from the animal’s silvery light grey colour, combined with the fish-like appearance of its movements. Silverfish are night-time creatures and are extremely sensitive to light. They prefer damp, high humidity […]
The most obvious characteristic of these ants is the smell of rotten lemony coconut that is released when they are crushed. These insects create nests in wall or floor voids and you will see foraging worker ants and or winged mating ants. They enter homes looking for food, preferring confections and dried products, and […]
As the fall is ending, mice have been looking for accommodations and food for their existence in the following chilly wets months. Mice are pretty fascinating individuals (although I don’t like them- at all) and here are some fascinating realities about the cousin to the rat. Mice can breed year-round with one female able to […]
It’s that time again to do some preventative action to the outside of your house to help prevent rodents and other pests from wanting to get into your house this winter. You should not be surprised how much the outdoors can impact your life inside as landscaping techniques can ward off rodents and insects […]
Blog: Vole population seems to be peaking Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist NOVEMBER 7, 2019 02:05 PM VOLES Voles live underground forming connected tunnels from which they can consume plant roots, depriving plants of water and nutrients. Photograph By ROLF TISCHER FROM PIXABAY Delta BC Homeowners and local farmers hope that populations of voles regress […]
It’s the time of year when reports of raccoons wreaking havoc is on the rise. Raccoons are nocturnal mammals common throughout the lower mainland. These clever creatures have nimble hands and are intelligent problem solvers capable of opening latches, turning doorknobs, climbing, swimming, running at speeds of over 16 kilometers per hour and will […]
Home owners and local farmers hope that populations of voles regress after reaching record levels the last couple years. Voles live underground forming connected tunnels from which they can consume plant roots, depriving plants of water and nutrients. The population of voles seem to be peaking and hope is the destructive rodent’s numbers will […]
A cannibal wood ant colony was discovered in abandoned post-Soviet nuclear bunker in Poland. A colony of ants had survived for years after falling into a abandoned bunker with no means of escape, and had stayed alive by deliberately eating the dead members of their own kind. The colony was made up of only […]
Randy Bilesky President at Go Green 909 articles So how serious is it having lice? Having lice on your head leads to intense itching, then to scratching and can cause sores and secondary bacterial infections on the skin. These pests also pose a psychological problem, as their bites cause a tickling sensation and may […]
Real-life creepy critters can give homeowners a scare this Halloween. While it’s normal to see vampires, ghosts and other creepy crawlers walking up to your front door on Halloween in the form of trick-or-treaters, you don’t want a whole new infestation of bugs inside your house. Parents should be on the lookout for real-life […]
Happy Halloween! – Ladner and Tsawwassen are gearing up for Halloween in the usual manner. Spreading fake spider webs, digging grave plots in front yards, carving elaborate shapes into pumpkins -Halloween season is here. To celebrate this spooky time, Go Green Pest Control and Exterminators gives you the top five creepiest bugs you can […]
Blog: Rodent-borne diseases spread easily Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist OCTOBER 28, 2019 10:45 PM Photograph By PIXABAY Tsawwassen Rats and mice are far from being harmless creatures as they can cause infectious diseases & serious health complications. Rodent borne diseases include bacteria-based illnesses such as salmonella to viruses such as hantavirus. Once they have […]
Rats are generally pretty shy -they don’t like light and they don’t like people so its kind of a terrifying when you hear a story about rats attacking people. In a senior apartment complex when a resident attempted to use the garbage chute, that very thing happened. A women opened the garbage chute and […]
The Joker, Pennywise, Trump, witches and other scary fictional characters are favorite Halloween creatures, but pests are still pretty high on the list. Bats, spiders and their webs, share holiday honors. A lot of pest-related Halloween items have to do with the historic role they have played in spreading plagues or Black Death that […]
Rats and mice are far from being harmless creatures as they can cause infectious diseases & serious health complications. Rodent borne diseases include bacteria-based illnesses such as salmonella to viruses such as hantavirus. Once they have entered and infested your homes, then they can potentially spread several diseases. When you have an infestation of […]
As temperatures drop, rats move indoors in search of food and warmth. Rats are vectors of many dangerous diseases such as typhus, plague, jaundice, rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis and salmonella. They also cause significant property damage by chewing through wires, drywall, plastic and lead pipes, insulation barriers and almost anything in their way. These […]
They’re creepy, scary and spooky – They’re spiders, rats and bats – the original Halloween creatures! Just the thought of a spider building a web in the kitchen, a bat flying around in the attic, or rats nesting in the crawlspace is all you need to deem your home a “haunted Halloween house”. The fall […]
Common bugs we find here in our Delta homes are flies, ants, spiders, silverfish, sow bugs, clothe moths, carpet beetles and more – but there are a few ways to eradicate and keep them out. Inspect your windows and doors, and seal any holes or cracks. Before leaving the kitchen at night, don’t forget […]
Act now, as it is time to prepare for a real Halloween invasion as rats begin to take up residence in attics, walls and crawl spaces. Hundreds of super-sized (38 cm) disease-ridden rodents are scurrying for protection and nesting spots as the autumn rain takes hold and temperatures drop. Rodents are responsible for millions of […]
It’s autumn, when leaves turn orange, red, browned and gold, Canadian geese begin their long journey south, and squirrels gather nuts like we stock up at a Canadian Tire sale. Squirrels sometimes hide their pantry in the engine compartments of cars, a blog I’ve written about before. While at first seemingly innocuous and innocent, […]
Entomophagy describes the exercise of eating insects by humans, the eggs, larvae, and adults of certain insects have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. In fact, 3,000+ ethnic groups practice entomophagy (Greek -entomon, meaning insect, and Latin phagus, as in feeding on). A quarter of the global population currently eat bugs as […]
The electric ant a.k.a the little fire ant has been called one of the worst invasive and aggressive pests in the world by the Conservation of Nature Invasive Species Specialist Group. Little fire ants can deliver a painful, long-lasting sting that can permanently blind cats and dogs. These ants can also create huge colonies of […]
Facing the plague of a parasitic Asian mite, beekeepers are hoping a new breed of mite resistant strain for honey bees can be developed, but even more other threats are coming. Beekeepers lost 45 percent of their colonies last winter, the highest winter loss in 13 years. The biggest threat facing honeybees is the […]
To stop or control rodents effectively, you must take away everything that they need for survival. This would includes food, water, shelter and their means of getting around. Some of the key ways to control mice and rats is to take away the places they like to hide, sleep, and nest include: Remove untidiness […]
There are several diseases that can be transmitted by a mosquito’s bite and the cases of mosquito-borne disease are a growing public health threat. Warming climates lead to more outbreaks of mosquito-borne illness. Mosquito-borne illness often causes only mild symptoms but they can lead to more serious symptoms called neuroinvasive diseases -that can be […]
Voles can be serious problems in lawns and gardens, tunneling under the lawn and eating the grass, bulbs, tubers and roots. Voles are small rodents that are similar in size to mice and moles. Voles live outdoors in shallow burrows in the soil. They are sometimes found in sheds but do not usually shelter […]
I know its not just me because this year ever house that I’ve been to has sowbugs around their house. Despite their name, sowbugs are land-living crustaceans not really bugs – they are a kind of shrimp crawling around your house. They can’t retain water in their bodies so they need to spend most […]
In the pest control business we often run into people with good intentions that cause rat infestation in a neighborhood because of their efforts to feed the area’s wildlife. These rat infestations are often a result of well-intention people who only want to feed birds, squirrels or raccoons on their property, but often this […]
Late summer every year, fruit flies invade homes that have ripe, rotting, or decayed fruit (liquor and liquor/beer bottles) and many times the flies are actually coming from the store you purchased them from. They also breed in drains and kitchen garbage’s. Here is the scary part about fruit flies, females are able to […]
Published on September 13, 2019 Randy Bilesky President at Go Green 880 articles Squirrels continuously look around their surroundings for predators such as eagles, owls, hawks, crows, cats and coyotes, as well as, listen to bird chatter to hear if there is trouble brewing in the skies. Because squirrels are not nocturnal, they are in […]
Squirrels will attack trees that are in stress because the trees concentrate sugars for self-healing purposes attract squirrels that can detect concentrated sugar. Squirrels usually like to eat fruits and nuts but will attack trees that are stressed by chewing the bark and girdling stems, limbs and trunks. The theory that squirrels chew on […]
If you park your car outdoors at night, be wary, mice and rats are drawn to warmth of car’s engine and the soy bean insulation buffet – you maybe looking at hundreds of dollars for rodent damage. They will eat through entire main wiring harness throughout the engine bay. In recent years, car manufacturers […]
You know that fall is almost here when every coffee shop in the area is offering pumpkin spice special coffees and treats. So as temperatures drop, those mice that have been pretty much unseen for the last 4 months are now drawn to sources of heat and food. Unquestionably, they will find very inventive ways […]
Carpenter ants are capable of damaging any wood, yes – solid dry wood as well. Carpenter ant invasion can become devastating when left unchecked as several colonies of carpenter ants can develop multiple satellite nests. Indoor infestations can be tracked by points of entry such as concrete foundations, cracks, electric and telephone wires and […]
Ants aren’t your enemy or at least not in gardens and forests. They are tiny rototillers, tunneling ants turn over as much soil as earthworms do, aerating the soil and redistributing nutrients. Ants also play a major role in recycling as they are scavengers, collecting dead insects and turning them into fertilizer for your […]
Mosquitoes thrive in warm, damp areas and only need a couple of centimeters of water to breed, turning pools, buckets, wheelbarrows and bird baths into likely breeding grounds. To lessen the probability of mosquitoes in your yard, have a look around your property to see if you can remove any standing water. Mosquitoes are […]
Wasps play many ecological roles as predator and/or pollinators, whether to forage for themselves or to provision their nests. The solitary wasps parasitize nearly all pest insects, making them the biological pest control of many insects. But as far as we are concerned, only a couple different types of wasps actually target food (meat […]
Hantavirus, its back! Hantavirus is a type of virus that is carried by infected rodents and is spread through the vectors’ (rats, squirrels, mice, raccoons and skunks) urine, feces, and saliva. Two cases have recently occurred, although hantavirus is extremely rare, yet when it does occur it can be fatal – there is a 40 […]
Eating ants and other insects could soon be recommended to protect against cancer, and it is believed that us westerners will be eating them very soon. Experiments have shown that many insects including grasshoppers and crickets – contain high concentrations of antioxidants, found in orange juice or olive oil. Extracts of grasshoppers, silkworm and crickets […]
Are you looking for a guaranteed way to get rid of raccoons? Raccoons are pretty smart creatures. Sometimes a personal face-off is often a quick solution that scares raccoons ( a single encounter will not discourage a raccoon forever) but there are pros and cons. More than likely the raccoon will usually disappear, on the […]
Mid August onward, wasps are particularly troublesome as they are switching over from carbohydrates to a protein diet and therefore they are more attracted to human foods. So how do you avoid being stung by the nasty cousin of the bumble bee. First, be aware of your environment, especially if you are drinking from […]
Crickets are insects related to grasshoppers. They occur in wide-ranging environments from grassland and forests to marshes and beaches. Crickets are mainly nocturnal, and are best known for the loud, persistent, chirping song of males trying to attract females. The singing species have good hearing and have different chirping “songs” for: attracting mates ( male […]
House flies and filth flies spread over 65 harmful diseases including diarrhoeal diseases, skin and eye infections. But there is more, these flies can transmit food-borne pathogens, toxins and resistance. In fact, they are known to carry and spread; cholera, conjunctivitis, dysentery, gastroenteritis, salmonellosis, tuberculosis and typhoid fever. House flies feed by regurgitating their […]
Skunk spray is the nasal equivalent to stepping on a hornets nest or staring at the sun. Skunk spray contains a mixture of sulfur-containing chemicals called thiols or mercaptans, but the Tolypocladium fungus has a compound in it called pericosine that neutralize the stink – that can linger for months. The pericosine reacts with […]
Rodents are cagy, vigilant, in-obtrusive and nocturnal animals. To outsmart these Delta residents and protect your home, you need to know what you’re dealing with and here are some helpful hints to help you recognize them. House mouse nest in walls, attics, crawl spaces, woodpiles, garages, basements, storage places but they really like to […]
Rodents are cagy, vigilant, in-obtrusive and nocturnal animals. To outsmart these Delta residents and protect your home, you need to know what you’re dealing with and here are some helpful hints to help you recognize them. House mouse nest in walls, attics, crawl spaces, woodpiles, garages, basements, storage places but they really like to […]
Squirrels feed on seeds, nuts, acorns, tree buds, berries, leaves and twigs but believe it or not will eat meat. But if they have become an issue around or in your house then choosing the right kind of squirrel trap might help rid your property of squirrels. These rodents can bring viruses and health […]
As the days continue to get hotter, wasps and hornets continue to prosper. Wasps that live in colonies and yes you guessed it; attack in swarms and sting repeatedly. To avoid this perilous encounter, have the wasp hives removed long before they look like a beach ball on steroids. Most species of wasp and hornets […]
When it comes to selecting between the best squirrel proof bird feeder brands, money in research and creating designs with better technology, finishes and makes is very important. No matter whether you are looking for a traditional or contemporary look , you will find one that suits your budget and needs. Squirrel proof bird […]
Disease-carrying ticks have increased their topographical range in the past 20 years, now showing up in different places every year and they reproduce rapidly. The rate of tick-borne disease will continue to increase as we experience environmental changes that led to rising populations of mice and deer which carry the ticks that feed on […]
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Virus (HPS) is a severe, respiratory disease that can be lethal and is spread through infected rodent droppings, urine or drool. A person can contract the virus by breathing in air particles, such as stirring up dust in areas where rodents have been causing the virus to get into the air. […]
Recently, numerous serious issues have motivated the pest control industry towards non-toxic solutions. Businesses are reacting to consumer concerns about adverse effects of the overuse of pesticides. The pest control industry is continuously researching and developing solutions that are more effective, sustainable and are better for our environment. Innovations are evolving non-toxic solutions that are […]
A recent survey on honey bees reveals that the 2018/2019 winter resulted in a extremely large die-off – as upwards of 40 percent of their population was lost over the winter. Fewer honeybees is an ecological and economic problem, as there has been a major decline for the last 50 years. There are a […]
Six interesting things about our ants The ants of Delta are the most successful of all existing insects. There are approximately 8,800 described species of ants in the world of which approximately 570 species are found in North America. Ants perform numerous important ecological and ecosystem functions. Their occurrence is staple food for birds to […]
Blog: Flying squirrels? Just the facts Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist JUNE 19, 2019 11:35 AM #DeltaBC The flying squirrel is a type of squirrel known for its ability to glide through the air. Usually found in deciduous, coniferous or mixed type of forest they are thankfully not endangered. Males and females look alike and their […]
The flying squirrel is a type of squirrel known for its ability to glide through the air. Usually found in deciduous, coniferous or mixed type of forest and thankfully they are not endangered. Males and females look alike and their tail is flattened and large used as a rudder when they glide through the […]
Small black pavement ants, thatching ants and the large black carpenter ants seem to be everywhere this year and some of the mating ants with wings have already been out. They are flourishing in the usual sunny locations — cracks in driveways, under patio pavers, and of course in wood mulch (their number one […]
Insect numbers are declining at an extraordinary rate and this is not a result of all the pests Go Green pest control deals with daily. Most insects are undeniably vital for the existence of many plants and animal species. Insects are vital to our planet’s ecological well-being, which many animals and plants relying on. As […]
This year has seen a surge in tick sightings and its another pest that is indirectly to blame. With rising temperatures and land development we are seeing more rodents like rats, mice and squirrels coming into contact with humans. Because rodents are the number one source of food for ticks – more rodents more […]
Here in Delta we have roughly 6 distinctly different ants all going about their business in different fashions. As different as they are in their activities – they all are basically ants, adult ants come in a variety of shapes and dimensions but each will be one of three different colony castes; queens, workers […]
Stinging pests come in a variety of shapes and sizes that span numerous insect species. While the main issue is a stinger – body types, colours, and legs vary usually between insects such as bees, hornets and wasps. These pests make problems for you or your family and monitoring them begins with correct proof of […]
As spring comes to a close and summer travel season begins, you are reminded about Bed Bug Awareness Week begins which serves as an important reminder that bed bugs can wreak havoc if brought home after traveling. Bed bugs are one of the most common pests, a 9 percent increase in people reporting bed […]
Carpenter bees are large, fuzzy bees that look a lot like their cousin the bumble bee, with its yellow and black coloring. They are pollinators to native plant and crops as they pick up and transfer pollen. Although these bees are normally not hostile, when it comes to your house they can be destructive. […]
May Day Parade Ladner B.C. Parade is a highlight of Ladner May Days, a highlight of Ladner Pioneer May Days, the colourful parade made its way through Ladner Village noon on Sunday May 26th. The parade features all kinds of entries, including community and school groups, dance teams, entertainers, local businesses and more. The procession […]
Okay I know its not just me, is there a billion sowbugs out there now! Of course they go by several other names: woodlouse, woodlice, pill bugs, roly polies, doodle bugs and of course wood bugs. Despite their name they are not really bugs, they are landbound crustaceans. Sowbugs feed on organic material and […]
A giant Japanese hornet was discovered here in the lower mainland which is thought to have arrived on a container ship from Asia. It is extremely dangerous to both humans and bees. The Japanese giant hornet is one of the world’s largest hornets, growing longer than 4 centimeters. Japanese giant hornet workers forage for […]
Insects often learn fairly rapidly, but the levels of performance is not that high. Logical reasoning is complicated activity, and was thought to be only found in animals with multifaceted nervous arrangements. It recently has been determined that non-solitary wasps use logical deduction, the only case in invertebrates. This kind of intellectual reasoning is […]
BLOG: Gypsy Moth and the B.T.K. insecticide Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist MAY 7, 2019 03:05 PM #DeltaBC The Gypsy moth caterpillar consume tremendous amounts of leaf material in the spring, as much as one square foot of leaves per day. A solution to the Gypsy moth problem emerged in Europe in 1938, where they began […]
Lately, a new variation of a regular household pest has been identified, the grey long tailed silverfish (Ctenolepisma longicaudata). Although they are often found in modern buildings they are showing up at many residential homes. Similar to our regular silverfish, they are somewhat larger, bushier and have extended tail filaments. They may be an announce […]
May is the peak season for allergy sufferers and is the Allergy Awareness Month. About 2.5 million Canadians suffer from allergies, or about 7.5 per cent of the population or 1 in 13. So how do you prevent allergen buildup in their own homes. Many people think allergies are associated to the sensitivity to […]
The Gypsy moth caterpillar consume tremendous amounts of leaf material in the spring, as much as one square foot of leaves per day. A solution to the Gypsy moth problem emerged in Europe in 1938, where they began to use B.T.K. (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) on forests and agricultural lands as a biological insecticide to […]
Different parasitoid wasp species are know to lay their eggs on a spider’s back and by inoculating the spider with the a molting hormone, the wasp induces the spider to make a distinct web for the wasp’s cocoon. The parasitic wasp forces the spider to texture a special web to dangle the wasp cocoon […]
Warmer winters allow rats to breed into the previously too-cold months. Climate change is what is making rats tougher, meatier, bigger and more present. Its a losing battle, experts now say climate change might be giving rats the competitive edge they need to thrive. Most rats breed all year, they usually slow down during around […]
The most familiar wasps we encounter live in large cooperative nests, like bald-faced hornets, yellowjackets and other wasps yet the majority of wasp species are solitary and focused only on their own offspring. But the majority of wasps we encounter, the spring process begins with a fertilized wasp queen arising from hibernation and begins a […]
House flies are major carriers of disease transferring ailments, including food poisoning, typhoid, tuberculosis, cholera and dysentery that can be harmful to both humans and pets. They breed and feed in filth, including garbage, feces, human food, animal food and carcasses, garbage, excrement and rotting food. House flies pick up bacteria, fungi, and viruses and […]
The colonial aphid fixes its house in a stunningly fatal fashion – they will fix a hole in its nest by exploding and the result is coating its bodily fluids over the openings. These aphids live in hollow spheres called galls in Japanese trees. They divide their labor into adult reproducers, workers and soldiers. If […]
Factors include everything from open compost piles and bird feeders to displacement by development Sandor Gyarmati / Delta Optimist APRIL 12, 2019 08:05 AM rats Residents can undertake a number of measures to prevent rats from seeking shelter inside their homes. The sight or sound of them scurrying about, especially inside homes, is enough to […]
As the season for spring cleaning, gardening, lawn cutting and general maintenance is in full swing there is always a chance that you may find baby wild animals in a shed or garage. Because these places usually are not to active over the winter, females might decide that your shed, garage or attic may […]
No they are not super hero’s or villains but they are both parasitic creatures that live on hosts much larger than themselves. Ticks and fleas feed on the blood of their preferred hosts and spread a variety of diseases. Although neither choose us as their prime hosts, both parasites will bite and feed on […]
Skunk season is here again and words of wisdom about the polecat is ‘’spray first and ask questions later ‘’. So the question is how do you do a de-funking after a skunking. Skunks are everywhere in Delta and the lower mainland for that matter. If a skunk is spooked or otherwise threatened, they […]
The raccoon is a native animal to Delta, and is one of the most successful animals in our urban environment (next to rats of course). Raccoons have adapted well to rummaging through human garbage for food. The adults are active throughout the year, where males tend to travel in wide areas and females generally […]
Spring has sprung and the biting and stinging insects are out. Any one of these poisonous scary crawlies can ruin your day, should they attack you. Wasps: White hot pain – they build small to large nests and defend them forcefully by stinging repeatedly. They eat just about any the moves. Black widow spider: Really […]
A new gadget has been designed to prevent damage in vehicles where rodents chew through electrics and wiring, under the engine hood. It works by releasing an ultra-high-frequency noise that is inaudible to humans but apparently the equivalent of a jackhammer to rodents with the acoustic pressure rated at 85dB (rock concert in your […]
Here we have two somewhat similar looking stinky creatures that use foul malodorous spray to fend off things they don’t like. Both striped polecats and skunks have coarse black fur with white spots and stripes. These thick-bodied animals all have long tails, short limbs and long claws used for digging in dirt. Skunks lack […]
Carpenter ants have become a widespread problem throughout Delta. They make their nests in damp, rotting, dead or perfectly dry wood and create passageways so they can easily circumnavigate through the structure. Carpenter ants are small but the damage a colony can cause is not. Carpenter ants cause the most damage of all ants […]
These insects create nests in wall or floor voids when indoors and target kitchen pantries and cupboards. They also nest outside and may crawl indoors through cracks and crevices in the foundation or doors and windows. Odorous ants release an unpleasant smell when crushed and like the grease ant they also bite. Next to […]
Everywhere rats go they leave a steady stream of urine, feces and gland grease. Within their urine and feces and gland grease are strong pheromone scents which helps them retrace their steps and attract other rats. Pheromones and steroids, such as male testosterone or female progesterone and estradiol let other rats know that there […]
Silverfish are the same length as the carpenter ant, these nocturnal insects prosper in bathrooms, kitchen and damp crawl spaces in almost everyone’s home. These dinosaur like, alligator shaped insects are categorized by a silvery-tan colour and bristles at the end of their body. Once silverfish are brought into your house, they begin laying dozens […]
Insects are at the bottom of every food chain yet at the top of the ecosystem because they’re are pollinators – therefore they are absolutely critical. Insects also play an important roles in our ecosystems preforming pest control, decomposition and food for other animals such as birds, reptiles and small mammals. Now reports indicate that […]
In the nutty world of squirrels, one squirrel can influence the genetic influence to the population of another squirrel by hoarding food and increasing the chances of survival of the other squirrel that takes over its territory. In the squirrel world, the previous squirrel that had a particular territory can significantly impact how well off […]
Blog: Bird feeders – a neighbourhood smorgasbord Randy Bilesky / Delta Optimist FEBRUARY 13, 2019 09:05 #Delta you own a bird feeder (we call them rat feeders in the pest world), you’re likely to encounter some of these common problems. It’s difficult to attract birds to a feeder and not squirrels, mice, rats and a handful […]
A lot of home-owners are frequently challenged with the slime chances of keeping their home free from pests. The first thing anyone that encounters a insect or rodent problem they head off to the local hardware store to stock up on pesticides, insecticides and rodenticides. Retail stores are not allowed to sell the effective […]
Now a local pest control expert says pigeons aren’t just a problem for transit users, Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control out of a Delta, says he gets calls from businesses and homeowners about the birds and says you can actually copy some of translates Pigeon prevention methods at home. So hears an example […]
Mice reproduce at an disturbing rate; a litter of six to eight every couple months. Although infestations happen year-round, it’s in the winter that we notice them most. These vermin can cause all kinds of damage to your house. Mice have the usual proclivity to masticate and gnaw materials apart. Their nests are often […]
The new evasive insect to hit the lower mainland is the subterranean termite, it has been an issue in the Okanagan for the last several years. They build their nests underground usually in wood that is in contact with the soil, where they tunnel through the wood that they are eating. Subterranean termites only eat […]
Go Green Pest Control is warning that there has been a massive increase in the number of infestations lately, with the company recording a 55% increase in call outs from last January. Delta has seen a immense increase in infestations from these pests, accounting for more than 25% of all call outs. Silverfish can lay […]
Wasps, crickets and cockroaches play a dynamic part in the cross-fertilization of the non-photosynthetic plant (a plant mostly lacking in chlorophyll or a functional photosystem). As we all know, wasps do play a role in pollinating flowers, but cockroaches and crickets are not generally seen as key pollinators. Wasps, cockroaches and crickets are all attracted […]
As mating season approaches, we’re more likely to find and smell skunks around our homes. In mating season, like us humans, males don’t necessarily make the best choices and sometimes will shoot across traffic and make other life altering changes. While driving , especially at night when its dark and usually wets and raining, extra […]
Skunk and Raccoon Latrines Believe it or not, skunks and raccoons actually have terrestrial toilets called latrine sites, a communal location to routinely expel their urine and feces. The animals use latrine sites as territorial markers, for ritual behavior, social networking and sanitation. These latrine sites are places where several animals use the same area […]
There are several earth-friendly mole control options for our customers, with moles issues being one of the most prevalent calls me take through-out the year. While some people believe that heavy rains or even using a garden hose can eliminate moles by flooding their tunnel systems, moles are intelligent enough to avoid drowning. When a […]
Several people have taken to social media to express fear those ants have taken up residence in their neighborhood. There is a similarity between the native thatching ant and the European fire ant. European fire ants where found in Naramata in 2013 and currently a working plan to eliminate the invasive species in that […]
Bugs and insects use toxins to hunt prey or help evade predators. So are they venomous and poisonous, we often use this interchangeably, but do they mean the same thing? Spiders are equipped with venomous fangs that deliver their poison to prey or use against those that hunt them. Alternatively, some butterflies and caterpillars […]
Cockroaches, next to rats are the nastiest creatures in the pest control business. These eerie crawlies are flat, brown and their shells are greasy to touch. Yes, just writing this sends shivers down my spine. Cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion, their ability to withstand extreme radiation exposure comes down to their simple bodies […]
A longer milder spring and a warmer winter so far has left us with more rats than usual this time of year. The warmer it is the more rodents survive. In Delta, with a substantial shipping industry coupled with this years mild climate, has made us a hotbed for rat infestations. Another contributing factor […]
Mice, rats and squirrels are some of the most communal pests that occupy our homes regularly when the weather starts turning cold. Although squirrels, like rats and mice, are in the order of rodentia, not all rodents are “vermin,” but rats and mice definitely are. Here are a few suggestions to keep all three […]
Your car is a warm, dry and undisturbed ideal shelter for feeding, nesting and breeding rodents. Rodents can cause significant damage to the car, damage that could end up costing you thousands of dollars in repairs. You can’t exterminate every rodent in your area, but you can take some hands-on steps to reduce the […]
Rats language is all about whistling, chirping and bruxing in the form of ultrasonic vocalizations that we need specialized equipment to hear. By understanding their speech we can also understand their emotional well being. Rodents make 20 + types of whistles that make up their language in form happy and sad calls. Changes in […]
A new study has discovered that Leaf-cutter ant nests produce thousands of times more carbon dioxide than the adjacent soils do. In Costa Rica on the forest floor, leaf-cutter ant nests, that cover 1.5% of the forest floor, make massive piles of dirt spotted with several holes that release carbon dioxide from the ant […]
Go Green Peat Control acquires Insect and Rodent Exterminators https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/insect-and-rodent-exterminators/ gogreenpestcontrol.ca & Exterminators Delta Ladner Wassermann B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/go-green-peat-control-acquires-insect-rodent-randy-bilesky/?published=t
Chances are, there are toxins loitering around the corner in your home, often, when you don’t even realize it. Here are four simple steps to make your house greener. Start slowly by replacing just your top 1 of your most-used/most-consumed products first. Then follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time buy safer products […]
Santa is long gone now, but those Christmas pests & rodents might still be hanging around and now that the temperature has dropped, its important to winterize homes to keep them safe from incoming pests. Here is some helpful advice to keep them outside in familiar Santa CLAUS fashion. “C” stands for your chimney, […]
Here are the 12 things that you may want to ask Santa for a pest control solution this Christmas. Your Christmas tree has lights, bobbles, decorations and spider webs?? Spiders are free pest control but not on your Christmas tree. Your living room is decked with rat traps instead of boughs of holly. Silverfish are […]
It was one night before Christmas, and somewhere in the house The attic was squeaking, could it be a mouse We looked throughout the house but no signs were there Could our house is infested, it sounded like a bear The kiddies were crying, restless in their beds While visions of rats scurried in their […]
The bread bug, biscuit or drugstore beetle is a stored products pest. The name might come from infestations that happened to druggists that user herbs in their potions back in the day. They live inside stored foods that are not kept in secured containers. They are usually found in kitchens and pantries where there may […]
School is almost out for the Christmas holidays and many people will travel to foreign lands seeking the sun and hot weather. Because airline tickets are becoming so cheap many people are travelling to area that harbours many insects including bed bugs. These insidious creatures will travel anywhere or do anything to din on you […]
New statistics released puts bed bugs as the 2018 Pest of the Year for the second consecutive year. Canadians searched for information about these pests a astounding 600,000 times during 2018. The announcement is a chronicle of the year in pest trends, covering internet searches to social media. The Pest of the Year title was […]
Pests are often thought of as spring-summer weather issue, but homeowners need to know that old person winter brings with it a ton of likely pest issues. Once the thermometer starts to drop and the rain comes down in river like torrents, ants, mice, rats and other collective trespassers look for a warm location […]
Termites, termites, termites, yes we have them here but not to the extent that they do down south. Why are we so concerned about termites, well they eat wood or more specifically they like cellulose. Cellulose is a substance contained in the cell walls of plants that gives them their rigid structure. Termites have bacteria […]
Synurbic pests (live predominantly within an urban ecosystem) have become gradually flexible to changing environments, allowing them to grow in new locations, by manipulating our needs to survive, many have learnt to live in urban areas aggressively manipulating our towns and cities. And yes, we have heard and read about the new wonderful breeds of […]
Christmas is coming and it’s time to get the Christmas decorations out. Now, is there something loitering in those boxes full of glittery holiday joyfulness? Pests in Delta love attics and crawl spaces. They particularly love munching on boxes used to store your holiday decorations as well the decorations themselves. The most common pests […]
Some pests like rats and mice are in fact more active in the winter as they search for somewhere to stay – indoors. Rats and mice aren’t hibernators, so they must incessantly feed throughout the wintertime. Rodents have petite bladders so they have to urinate and defecate constantly, leaving a trail of disease, pathogens and […]
Now that winter is almost upon us, people can expect to see more coyotes in the coming months. This is the time when coyote’s parents give their young ones the boot and expect them to forage for themselves. Also come January, breeding season starts for coyotes and they become more mobile. Coyotes are common to […]
Christmas is coming and if you decided to purchase a real (once live) Christmas tree you should expect to bring in a few unexpected guests into your home, in the form of insects. A rough estimate puts approximately 75 percent of Canadians decorate with a Christmas tree and of those people who do, only 20 […]
Just like the notorious saying by the members of the House Stark in Game of Thrones “winter is coming”, this also a warning to homeowners because your house, townhouse, condo or apartment is likely nice and toasty warm, rodents and other nasty pests are likely to be entering your home to seek warmth. Yes, there […]
Rodent females create extra offspring after smelling odors (chemo-olfactory cues) produced by scared males. Fear of being torn apart and eaten can influence the size of populations. A study showed that exposed small, highly fecund (prolific) species like rat mothers produce families with about 40-60 percent more pups compared to female that were not exposed […]
Often the first thing people think when they get itchy bites on their legs, arms or torso is I’ve been bitten by bed bugs. If you’re concerned about the potential of bedbugs, knowing what sorts of things you might be confusing for signs of bed bugs is definitely important. Though you might think that finding […]
Fire ants are legendary for their skill to swarm together and self-assemble bridges, ladders, and even floating boats. Scientists have now learned the statistical rubrics that rule how fire ants form these assemblies, and this may help researchers in building swarming, miniature shape-changing automatons or robot swarms that might be able to slim down and […]
Keeping your home clean by getting rid of things that attract rats and mice is the best way to deter them. Rodents are always looking for food, so make sure nothing has been spilled or made available for a hungry critter, especially under cabinets and places that are easy to hide in. Always clean up […]
For Delta residents, rats can be a threat to your property, health, sense of security and sanity. They can chew through electrical wires potentially causing be a fire, chew through plastic water pipes, drywall and destroy insulation. Rats leave behind urine and feces everywhere they go – THEY JUST CAN’T HELP IT – which can […]
Nature can play a major role in future technologies in agriculture, powerful poisons from a variety of animals and insects are a practical substitute to damaging pesticides used in agriculture. Animal venom could be nature’s own problem-solver for food security. Scientists are looking to harness venomous properties in the field of farming, using venomics. Venomics […]
November is the month of the silverfish, as we get the most call-outs for these creatures than any other month of the year. They are one of the most common household insects in homes throughout B.C. The name silverfish is somewhat misleading, as they can’t live or swim in water but they do skitter across […]
Bee populations around the world have been in decline for years now. One of the perpetrators behind this drop is neonicotinoid compounds, one of the most widely used types of insecticide. First used in the mid-1990s, they are now the most commonly-used class of insecticide. The insecticides are used in seed treatment, where high concentrations […]
Similar to human teenagers, young rats like to play fight. Researchers have found that immune cells in the rat’s brains help transition the adolescent horseplay to solemn adult behavior. Young rats like to race around, jump, climb and roughhouse with their siblings. Of course this activity is actually practicing attacking and defending themselves for when […]
Often I encounter rat infestations where the rats have gotten into a house and totally run amuck. People are usually worried about the feces they leave behind but rat urine can be equally as dangerous as the diseases in feces. When people come into contact with rat urine there is always the chance that they […]
Researchers caution that global warming will certainly lead to the population of rats absolutely exploding in major cities. Scientists have shown that the likely 2 degrees of global warming to come this century will be extremely dangerous as the climate heats up, rats will breed faster. Cities spend millions of dollars to stop the […]
So what is a raccoon cocoon, well it’s a crocheted and embroidered raccoon cocoon onesie for infants BUT. Now if you are still reading let’s chat about regular old cocoons, most people probably think they know what a cocoon is but they are actually more complex than appears. An insects cocoon is different than an […]
Pest control specialist Randy Bilesky, owner of Go Green Pest Control and Exterminators has seen a 50 per cent increase in calls to his service this season over last. “People panic … we get the phone call after someone has walked through a spider web,” said Bilesky. “They are sure it’s still in their hair, especially […]
CLIMATE | Creepy Crawlies It’s not your imagination, spiders are getting bigger Spider sightings are on the rise in metro Vancouver – populations way up https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/spiders-bigger-and-more-numerous-this-fall-due-to-warmer-weather-western-canada-british-columbia/116072/ Wednesday, October 31, 2018, 2:59 PM – It isn’t just your imagination: sightings of spiders are on the rise in Metro Vancouver this fall, and, according to one pest controller, […]
Yes, squirrels are just large rats with fuzzy tails, or are they? Unlike their cousins the rat, squirrels are not a nocturnal creature, spending the daylight hours collecting seeds and nuts, and avoiding predators. They seem relatively harmless until it’s your attic that they are looking to get into. Like everyone else, the first thing […]
Around the globe there is a significant change in populations’ of butterflies, bees, beetles, and other insects and arthropods (invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton). Many people tend to think of animals as four legged creatures, but there are over a million species of insects that are the dominant form of animal kingdom. Too many of […]
It’s no wonder that Halloween haunted houses are decorated with phony rats, neoprene bats, elastic spiders and sinewy spider webs – they are all creepy, crawly, spooky and scary. Imagine having these vexations in your home can be a real live nightmare – and unlike the Halloween adornments, real pests are well entrenched long after […]
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/spiders-bigger-and-more-numerous-this-fall-1.4880720 ‘People panic:’ Expert says massive spider season upon us CBC Meteorologist predicts when this season’s frightful reign will end Cathy Kearney · CBC News · Posted: Oct 28, 2018 1:00 PM PT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago Larger than normal hobo spiders have been seen darting around rooms and getting caught in people’s hair in Metro Vancouver […]
CBC Meteorologist predicts when this season’s frightful reign will end Cathy Kearney · CBC News · Posted: Oct 28, 2018 Larger than normal hobo spiders have been seen darting around rooms and getting caught in people’s hair in Metro Vancouver this fall. (Sam McCann/SFU) 12 comments It isn’t just your imagination. Scary sightings of larger-than-usual spiders are on the rise […]
Although bumble bees are thought to be the big brother to honey bees, their winter behavior and their protection devices are not. A colony of honey bees will keep their nest warm and safe throughout the winter, although smaller than a summer colony. They eat and work all winter long using up a large […]
How do ants communicate, first we must ask, why do they crawl in lines? Ants use pheromones (a chemical substance produced and released into the environment by an animal or an insect, affecting the behavior or physiology of others of its species) to communicate with one another. A worker ant that leaves the nest to […]
Cockroaches are normally nocturnal, active at night, unless you have an infestation – when overcrowding and a lack of food sources can cause them to brave the daylight in order to survive. The majority of cockroaches we have here are German cockroaches, although they’re not even originally from Germany and in Germany they’re often referred […]
Although these spiders aren’t aggressive, and rarely bite humans, the brown recluse is known for being one of Canada’s most dangerous spiders. Brown recluse spider bites often go unnoticed initially because they are usually painless bites. Symptoms usually develop hours after a bite. Initially the bite site is mildly red and upon close inspection may […]
The average lifespan of a groundhog is quite short, three years. Like many other rodents, everyone wants to eat them, cats, dogs, coyotes, eagles, hawks, owls and many other predators including cars. Groundhogs are herbivores (vegetarians); they feed on fruits, vegetables, grass and plants. Winter months, groundhogs hibernate underground in burrows where they also mate […]
Over the last millennium, rats have become one of the worlds most despised and prosperous pests in our civilization. Both urban and suburban rats have consistently lived next to human civilization without any concerns of becoming extinct. Rats living in cities have a much richer and consistent diet than rats living in the country. […]
The false widow spider (Steatoda Nobilis) can be spotted this time of year (autumn) as the weather gets wet and colder. This widow has some likenesses to the black widow spider, but is clearly identifiable as it has cream markings on its abdomen that resembles a skull. They grow as long as 1.6 cm in […]
Those inquisitive petite mice that spent the summer scavenging outside are now looking for a warm home to hide, eat and nest while the weather turns to rain and dark days. Mice are attracted to warm air that escapes a home, which may be carrying the smell of food with it. Approximately 75 percent of […]
The average lifespan of silverfish is between 3 months and 8 years. Their survival includes avoiding predators, surviving without food and producing a lot of little silverfish. These little bugs can go without food for almost a year living on stored internal fat, as long as they can get access to water. As a nocturnal […]
In most ant colonies, the ratio of worker ants to soldier ants remains constant at 90-95 % worker ants to 5-10% soldiers. Ant colonies maintain the balance between soldiers and worker ants by regulating the growth of the undeveloped wing discs in larvae stage with a pheromone. The difference in the size of soldiers and […]
Along with the cooler wet weather, autumn tends to generate an upsurge in the amount of pests and other rodents in your yard and but even worse, into your home. The normal suspects we find this time of year are mice, mole, voles, rats, squirrels, skunks, raccoons. The things that make us all uneasy about […]
Raccoon zombies are actually raccoons that have distemper, they behave very strangely; popping up on their hind legs, baring their teeth, and then falling over in a comatose state. These raccoon zombies have canine distemper virus, CDV, which is usually present in the raccoon population although at low levels. Distemper cases in raccoons tend to […]
There are 87 species of dragonflies and damselflies in B.C. They have been given a bad name over the centuries, being called devil’s darning needles, mosquito hawks, snake doctors and being said to be able to sting venomously and stitch shut the mouths of disobedient kids. They don’t bite but if you catch one and […]
So does having a cat reduce the incidence of rats on your property? Well, almost every home owner that I talk to say it does and that they rarely see or hear rats, until they actually do. Studies of cat-rat interaction almost always conclude that cats really don’t and won’t wipe out populations of rats […]
Being in the business that takes you a lot of homes, we encounter new to old houses, and houses that are kept absolutely pristine to all out hoarders. Occasionally, we encounter homeowners that live in somewhat dirty and unkempt conditions. Recently, one such individual had body lice, hence the body lice blog. Body lice infestations […]
Booklice are tiny insects, not true lice, usually found around old books and paper products in the home. Booklice prefer warm environments with plenty of moisture (moisture content level of at least 15%) and humidity found in kitchens, bathrooms, crawl spaces and attics. Some booklice like stored grains and will infest your pantry and cupboards […]
The naked mole-rat or sand puppies, are the only known “eusocial” mammals, the highest classification of sociality. Its physical characters allow it to prosper in severe underground environments and are almost entirely cold-blooded. A colony consists of the queen (the only breeding female), breeding males, and many female workers that do not reproduce. The colony’s […]
Fall means ripe peaches, apples, pears, figs and other fruit in Delta. Regrettably, it also means exploding populations of fruit flies heading right for that ripe fruit. Also known as vinegar flies, fruit flies are attracted to ripe and decaying fruit. Fruit fly populations rise with the abundance of available new produce and they get […]
There are some simple approaches you can try to spider-proof your house. Keep your house clean and airy by vacuuming and dusting regularly, and don’t allow clutter to build up. Keep your house filled with natural light; so if possible, leave blinds or curtains open during the day. Spiders smell with their legs, so strong […]
It would seem that we are experiencing one of the worst spider seasons that we have seen in year. People ask me “why are there so many more spiders this year than usual,” something I’ve heard every year for the past 12 years! In reality, low moisture availability makes late summer a much worse time […]
Good old google has hundreds of DIY solutions to get rid of almost any bug or rodent. Unfortunately, very few work on a consistent basis and do not meet the scientific standards for foundational validity. Here are a couple DIY remedies that just don’t work. Fresh rosemary or lemon mixed with water and sprayed on […]
Many people would prefer to try natural mosquito control remedies rather than the heavy deet products. But do all those natural herbs, spices and oils really work? Should you be stocking up on those lavender and lemongrass candles? Can they really keep mosquitoes away? Mosquitoes find their hosts (mammals) by sensing the carbon dioxide that […]
Rodents are clever animals that love clutter, thrive in unkempt conditions (the more cluttered the better) and they are filthy – carrying many diseases. Mice and rats have great memory skills, if you have had rodents in your house before; you are likely to get more back. All rodents leave behind pheromones that tell the […]
Ants work together to dig intricate tunnel systems underground. Traffic engineers study ant colonies as mock-ups for learning how thousands of ants avoid creating traffic gridlocks while working in a restricted, jam-packed setting. It has been found that single workers follow counterintuitive guidelines to mine the beginning development of tunnel networks. After watching ants dig […]
Just the site of a cockroach in a t.v. show is enough to turn most people’s stomach, now imagine walking into your kitchen at lunch time and seeing a half a dozen skittering across your countertop –this is described as an infestation. Cockroach’s like rats are nocturnal so if you see either during the […]
There is little to fear about spider beetles, they really are beetles that look very much like tiny spiders. They have six legs and a round body with a smooth outer shell, which makes them look like spiders. Spider beetles also look like bed bugs because they have similar shape are reddish brown like adult […]
Powderpost beetles leave wood peppered with pinholes when the larvae produce fine wood powder as they tunnel through the wood. There are three beetles that chew through wood: lyctid, bostrichid and anobiid beetles. The Anobiids are the only type that attacks both softwoods (house lumber) and hardwoods (mostly cabinetry and furniture). The moisture content needs […]
Blister beetle, sometimes known as oil beetles (Spanish fly), secretes an irritating substance called cantharidin produced as a defensive secretion. The beetle does not have a stinger and cannot bite. So, Blister beetles discrete cantharidin to protect themselves from being eaten by predators. When collected, cantharidin is used medically as a topical skin treatment to […]
With their pincers or abdomen forceps, earwigs are somewhat intimidating, yet they do not produce poison or spread disease. The pincers are actually for defense and fighting other earwigs. There is a myth out there that the term earwig comes from the superstition that earwigs burrow into the ears of human and animals while they […]
Your home is your fortress, except when it comes to rats and mice. These trespassers attack your roof, inhabit walls and attics, tunnel under foundations, loot all available food sources, and start a new society all in no time at all. Sometimes, but definitely not all the time, the occurrence of rodents does not mean […]
Scientists have discovered the first example of a parasitic plant attacking a parasitic insect on a common host plant. Love vine, a parasitic plant, feeds off oak trees as it climbs and then attacks tumor-like growths made by gall wasps. Parasitic gall-forming wasps use a mixture of venom and proteins to help grow nurseries for […]
Several lawsuits have been dismissed, alleging that the soybean-based coating causes rodents to gnaw through the wires and that rodent-inflicted damage to the soy wiring can debilitate the vehicles and escalation the risk of motor vehicle accidents. Japanese car makers express warranty promises to repair only defects in materials and doesn’t cover design defects, […]
Wine growers are installing bat roosts around vineyards to get bats to feed on grapevine moths. The moths and their larvae have insatiable craving which can clear out half of the grapes in some vineyards. Vineyards have been forced to use pesticides to reduce grapevine moth infestations, as their larvae feed on the inside of […]
Okay, just when you thought that you had heard it all, here comes something really new, Electric Ants. Although the ants are not really electric, they are known to like devices that are, your computer, smartphone, fridges and modern power grids. The electric ant is a golden brown social ant native to Central America and […]
It has been proven that power napping can help us be more efficient during the day but worker ants take this to a whole new level. Unfortunately, the Queen only gets frequent naps that add up to eight hours every day. Because ants generally live underground, sleep patterns are not be determined by light and […]
Interested in green or earth-friendly pest controls, well most so-called green products haven’t been proven to work consistently and effectively as pesticides that have gone through the rigorous efficacy testing and government approvals. Yes you can go down to your local hardware store and source out those natural products that may work and rarely will […]
Well this year’s hot weather has produced wasps and hornets by the billions, in fact the worst in recent years. By late August, the new wasp and hornet queens begin their hibernation ritual leaving millions of workers to a meaningless existence and a heavy addition to sugar. So, are these creatures really that bad, yes […]
AKA – bald hornet, white-faced hornet, white-tailed hornet, spruce wasp, blackjacket, and bull wasp. Colonies can contain 400 to 1000 workers and builds a characteristic large hanging paper nest up to 58 centimetres in length. Workers aggressively defend their nest by repeatedly stinging invaders. Males in this species are haploid (carrying two complete sets […]
Army ants, known for their aggressive foraging techniques, will go to long lengths to get what they want. The name army ant or legionary ant are named for their foraging groups, known as “raids”, in which huge numbers of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area. The army ants do not build permanent nests rather […]
As with any tick bite, don’t panic when getting it out but also realize that you may develop alpha-gal allergy – tick-bite-induced allergy to red meat. Only some people who’ve been bitten by ticks develop an allergy to alpha-gal, a substance in red meat. There’s no cure for red meat allergy, which include various kinds […]
Japanese beetles feed on and destroy nearly everything in a landscape, but opinions differ on the best way to battle them – pesticides, picking them off by hand or pheromone traps. Here are three myths. A) Traps lure Japanese beetles from kilometers around. No! Most attractants lure beetles from no more than 100 meters, the […]
Now is the time of year that Yellow jackets are most aggressive. Taking precautions at this time can help you avoid being stung. Look before you sip your drink. Yellow jackets are attracted to sweet foods and drinks like soda and juices. Cover trash containers and keep them away from eating areas. Yellow jackets forage […]
The yellow jacket is one of the most menacing insects known to man. These brightly colored wasps possess a fiery sting and bite seemingly out of proportion to their size. Yellow jackets aren’t ‘bees’, and they’re definitely not friendly. So what makes them so dangerous? 1. They’re aggressive. Yellow jackets are more aggressive than other […]
The bald-faced hornet gets its name from its strikingly white face and black and white body, technically is actually a yellow jacket. The coloured patterns and markings on the abdomen identify the role each hornet has in the colony. The bald face workers are relatively small in size compared to the queens which are the […]
July 4th saw Independence Day for Americans and we saw a different type of independence, ants liberating themselves form the nests that they have lived in for months. While they may be a sign of the season, they are an enormously undesirable symbol nevertheless. This week, residents throughout Delta have been dealing with visits from […]
Carpenter bees come in two sizes, but the one that does all the damage is the larger ones – Xylocopa. Weathered and rotting wood attracts these hole diggers, similar to carpenter ants, they don’t actually eat the wood rather they excavate tunnels to use as nests: usually in the eaves, decks, siding, fascia boards and […]
If you have ever seen somebody’s house that has a clover mite infestation, it looks like waves and waves of miniature crabs swarming the beach. Most people will become acquainted with these bugs just after they put in new grass sod. Clover mites get into houses through cracks around windows and doors or just on […]
Its official, summer is here!!! Although we seem to be stalling out on hot days – but you know well enough that the insects are working hard to build their nests and even harder to make sure their prodigies will be around next year. So many opportunities can lead to different insects showing up in […]
These minuscule segmented bugs are capable of performing amazing achievements. Here in Delta, we deal with mainly five different species; carpenter ants, pavement ants, grease ants, odorous ants and thatching ants. The most remarkable attribute of these miniature monsters is their power. They have muscle fibers of numerous kinds that contract and enlarge at variable […]
Retail ant repellents and killers are normally considered pesticides, and it’s hard to really know if all those chemicals are safe, in any quantity. Before your ant issues get way out of control, and I mean hundreds of ants swarming your house – you may be able to rectify the insect problem with “do it […]
Because flies only have two wings, they land frequently and transfer thousands of bacteria each time they land. How did they get inside, well besides the obvious – flying through an open window or door, the can enter your houses on food products and clothing. They are attracted to decaying organic stuff in drains and […]
Yellow mealworm adults look like typical beetles, dark in color with a hard shell. You often find yellow mealworms in unkempt spaces, forgotten bagged or boxed items in kitchen pantries where the humidity is high and stored food becomes damp or grows mold. A female yellow mealworm will lay eggs in grain products such as […]
Pests that sting such as wasps, yellow jackets, hornets and bees, are as common as trips to the ice cream store in summer. These particular pests have stingers that can be more than just an excruciating annoyance; they send more than ten thousand people to the emergency room every year in Canada. For someone that […]
The Dragonflies are out now. Dragonflies thrive around ponds, swimming pools and streams that attract insects. They are not harmful to people so if a dragonfly accidentally enter an open window it will not live for long indoors. Although they will approach humans, they do not bite or sting. Dragonflies are beneficial, since the diet […]
Realizing a pantry moth swarm in your kitchen can be a bit of a horror show. Even worse, realizing that these moths have been in there for some time and you have baked, cooked and eaten them and their eggs, larvae and refuse (their waste material or skin cast-off during molting) for some time. Yes, […]
It’s only mid-June, not even summer yet and the mosquitos are out in force. Two things about mosquitos that really bug me (pun intended), of course when they bite you and when they get inside your house, find your bedroom and circle your head like vultures when you want go to sleep. That characteristic buzz […]
1) Most ants live in hierarchical (ants ranked one above another) colonies with a single egg-laying queen, although some ant species will have multiple queens. The male ant’s entire job is mating, and female workers on the other hand, well they do everything else. Ants are actually very important arthropods, as they help to remove […]
Late spring is when clothes moths begin to appear and they only have two things in mind, mating and laying eggs. The only thing worse than all those holes they create in your blankets, carpets, curtains, wool, fur, down and any animal-based materials is how hard they are to get rid of. The moth larvae […]
Delta will suffer an eruption of insects this summer, according to local environmental experts. They are warning us that the sheer volume of bees, hornets, wasps, ants, mosquitoes, spiders and leather jackets will be unprecedented this year because our weather. The mild winter – temperatures were higher than normal and a hot dry spring has […]
Ticks, like bed bugs, are ectoparasites (blood sucking parasites), living by feeding on the blood of mammals and birds. Ticks have a beak-like structure at the front containing the mouthparts. Because they ingest blood, ticks transfer at least twelve diseases that affect humans and other animals. In fact, they are the number one cause of […]
The odor of your local neighbourhood skunk is more rampant during mating season, but skunks are permanent daily residents here in Delta, so it’s not just the local greenhouse producing marijuana. Skunks are always close but they might be more visible now as the youngsters start making trips out of the den. As long-lasting residents […]
So where do these flying stingers go after they have had months of beautiful warm weather, well the answer depends on the type of bee. Let’s start with the ultimate stinging machine, wasps. Wasps (Hornet and Yellow jackets) populations tend to become a major concern in late spring until early fall. Unlike other bees, they […]
Pest control manufactures are always looking for better methods when it comes to getting rid of pests. The goal is to eliminate insects and rodents without damaging the environment or non-targeted species. Improvements are also making the pest control industry more effective and less expensive. Scientific developments are making pest control nontoxic, inexpensive and more […]
Ants are like squatters -awful houseguests, unwanted, they get into everything and are in no rush to leave. Now we are headed into June, July and August, our hot months, the three ants you are likely to run into are the carpenter ants, the pavement ants and the grease ants. Of course the carpenter ant […]
Everybody wants to do it, but most people are unable to do it right, composting is a brilliant way to dispose of waste (garden and kitchen), is odor-free, generates garden soil essences and will not entice vermin like rats and mice. Here in Delta, the city sells Delta’s Backyard Composter Program and Soil Saver composters […]
The latest generation of rats – Gen Alpha loves soy-based wiring of newer vehicles. Rats that are seeking shelter discover a vehicle engine compartment is exactly what they are looking for, and then, they find the soy based wiring. Why soy, well it is environmentally commendable, as car manufactures are trying to be greener. Soy-based […]
Although these little ants live inside, they get their name because they spend most of their lives under cracks in pavement, bricks and pavement stone. Pavement ant nests can be as large as 5,000 participants and have numerous queens. These pesky ants will eat virtually everything, including other ants, insects, grease, seeds, honeydew, honey, bread, […]
Carpenter ants are well known for their aptitude to destroy wooden structures. They are also a annoyance in homes as they search for food. Carpenter ants eat both plant and animal stuff. Their usual food sources are insects, other small invertebrates, and sweet body fluids from aphids and other insects. Protein and sugary foods found […]
The hummingbird moth flies and moves just like a real hummingbird. Similarly, they can remain suspended in the air in front of a flower while they open up their long tongues and insert them in flowers to drink the nectar (some of the pollen that gets stuck to their upper body transfers to the flower). […]
The role of honey ants is quite simple, get immense, plump and succulent. They become fuel tanks of the colony. It starts when workers bring them food and they gorge themselves, their abdomens become bloated with the liquid and they look like honey pots. This condition is called plerergate and their bloated bellies can reach […]
Many species of flower mantis are popular as pets. These mantises actually attracted more insects than the real flowers. Flower mantises are a species of praying mantis that mimic flowers, in this case, a rainforest orchid of Southeast Asia, to lure pollinating insects. Their changing colours are an example of destructive mimicry, a form of […]
The Asian Giant Hornets is considered the deadliest of all the hornet species. Measuring a whopping 4 cm in length, the queen can be as long as 5 cm, they have a hideous “black tooth” used for burrowing and other scary things and the queen can produce as many 2,000 offspring monsters a year. They […]
The Treehopper has been around for nearly 40 million years. This little insect is just a prodigy of weird! It looks like some sort of helicopter insect from an alien world. The treehopper is related to the cicadas and there are over 3000 species. Their most unique feature is the helmet, which comes in […]
The latest addition to the suicide bomber ant species has been discovered in the jungles of Borneo. This one ant wrecking crew species will attach itself to the intruder, self-detonate and cover its enemy with toxic gunk. This kamikaze tactic or self-sacrifice (trading a life for a life) is found in social insects, such as […]
If it isn’t bad enough that you may have a couple ants crawling around your kitchen or streaming into your house from the garden, but the real nightmare begins when, without notice (no posted signs), there are hundreds of flying ants coating your kitchen wall. A little background information, ants are social insects which […]
We have been anticipating the arrive of this new weapon again our local ant problems for some time. The product is called Scorpio, a dual action ant bait which is extremely appetizing feeder with spinosad, an active ingredient that is made from naturally occurring bacterium – that is toxic to ants. It is a commercial […]
I know, this one is a little different but… ants like a treat after a hard day’s work. Researchers found that ants like an indulgence after working hard yet they will use restraint until the job is complete. Depending on the intensity of the tasks they performed, they allow themselves different quality rewards or […]
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is a highly infectious and fatal disease that affects wild and domestic rabbits of the species Oryctolagus cuniculus. Well now it has arrived in Delta, the disease assaults the organs and blood vessels of the rabbits, causing a lack of coordination and bleeding through the nose resulting in agonizing pain and […]
In the last several months, a new integrated pest control pesticide has become available to us in the professional pest control industry; yes our latest and greatest silver bullet. Although it’s been in the US for years, our government has finally given its consent to use this very effective chemical here, with a few extra […]
If you haven’t seen these little armadillos, a.k.a. sowbugs, crawling around wet areas of your house and garage, you will soon. These little crustaceans breathe through trachea-like lungs in their paddle-shaped hind legs, called pleopodal lungs. These “cheesy bobs” are usually nocturnal and are detritivores, meaning that they feed mostly on dead plant matter […]
Skunks are definitely not fun to deal with when you are trying to get them off your property. The usual non-lethal method to capture these animals is to use live traps, sometimes referred to as cage traps or a Heart traps. These traps require using bait: fresh eggs, fruit and canned tuna, to lure the […]
We have seen an increase in the number of rodents in Delta with the beginning of spring, although these record setting rainfalls don’t seem to slow them down. But, rodents, wasps and flies are making themselves known in homes throughout South Delta as summer draws closer. The problems, including rats, have been on the increase […]
Silverfish are true pest insects which are very destructive, don’t carry any known diseases but have fangs – without venom. They may be unpleasant, but at least they aren’t hazardous. You may have spotted these flat silvery or brown insects scurrying in the bathroom, bathtub, sink, on walls, and across the floor. They can be […]
So why are the lifespans of most rodents, mice, rats and squirrels so short? Researchers have compared genes of long- and short-lived rodents; it would appear several novel (unique) genes influence longevity and healthy aging in mammals. Most rodent’s life prospect and early death during aging are predominantly high. Interesting, small rodents like mice […]
