Entries by Randy

Craigslist: Now recruiting Bumblebees to deliver pesticides

Bumblebees are now being recruited for the position of pest control techie. A new system uses the bees to help deliver pesticides and fungi directly to plants with pin point accuracy. As opposed to broadcast spraying, the bees deliver product every single day, to every single bloom. A tray filled with a patented mix of […]

Obsessed farmer kills 160,000 rats

As part of a nationwide campaign to stop grain being devoured by rodents; Bangladeshi farmer, wins $250 and named national hero for killing 161,220 rats in one year. Mirbohor hired mostly women volunteers to kill the rats in paddy and wheat fields then submitted the tails of the dead animals to the regional agriculture office […]

Beware, Cockroach crossing

Cockroaches are adaptable and hardy insects, remaining active for a month without feeding and surviving being submerged under water for 30 minutes. Most species of cockroaches are nocturnal and avoid light. They will feed on almost anything in your house.  Bacteria, protozoa and viruses are commonly found on cockroach bodies and legs which in turn can […]

Giant Hero Rats sniff out TNT

  In Cambodia, Gambian giant rats are being used to find the nearly two million land mines spread out across the country. African giant pouched rodent, cat sized have bad vision but an extraordinary sense of smell, especially TNT.  These rodents are light enough to walk over the mines without setting them off, and use […]

The Big Headed Ant

A new ant discovered in Western Kenya, species Carebara Lilith, has an enormous head. Most ant species have only two castes: reproductive and the worker ants. The workers of some ants are built for defense, a subcaste known as soldiers. Soldier ants are usually larger and more muscular than the workers. The Phragmotic ants have soldiers […]

One injection and one infertile mouse Oct 7/15

Researchers found they were able to bring infertility to mice by giving one shot of a very specific antibody. Both males and females become infertile by the antibody; males stopped making sperm and females halted egg production. Within two months after the mice received their injection, they were unable to reproduce with zero side effects. […]

Ants in your…. Car? Oct 6 2015

  Yes, ants can invade your car. Twice this past summer I have sprayed customer’s vehicles because carpenter ants have set-up shop. When ants get into your vehicle, they become a nuisance and become dangerous. The distraction of ants crawling across your gas petal foot can drive you to stomp – the gas petal – […]

Rats!! – Meet the hog-nosed rat Oct 6 2015

Scientists have discovered a new mammal that they have named the hog-nosed rat. This rat is different from any species, or even genus found in a high-altitude jungle of Sulawesi, Indonesia. What makes the rat different are its very small mouth, large white front teeth, big ears and noticeably long pubic hairs. It also has […]

How to keep a rodent free home

Rodents are everywhere this time of year, all looking for the same things: food, water, heat and shelter. Don’t kid yourself; my house is bullet proof against mice and rats. They are lined up to get in. Arboreal rats have no problem jumping on to the house, moving in, and finding their way to your […]

Silverfish use children to hitch-hike

Where are all the silverfish coming from? You may live in an older house or a brand new building and the silverfish are climbing the walls any time of the year. Latest data points to local schools that harbor the insects and use your children as transportation. Schools and school boards do not want pest […]

Avoiding Wasps Hornets & Bees

Yes it’s fall but there are a few stinging bugs hoovering around. Approximately 1 percent of children and 3 percent of adults will develop a severe reaction when stung. Here are my tips: Wasps can crawl inside; do not drink directly out of open cans. Keep your food covered. Barefoot on grass is a no […]

Bedbug bombs

Bedbug foggers can be hazardous if used incorrectly. The most common side effects are headaches, nausea, and coughing – tended to be minor and short-lived. Tests on three popular commercially available foggers: Hot Shot, Spectracide, and Eliminator showed that these three products were virtually useless at fighting bed bug infestations. The mist of chemicals doesn’t […]

The Lab Rodent

  http://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/bug-blog/ The majority of pre-clinical studies involving laboratory animals require the animals physically restrained causing stress. A new handling technique used on rodents which avoids the use of physical restraint. The new handling method resulted in the rodents being in a more positive affective state, lowering their stress hormone levels by around 50 per […]

Warning: Pesticides cause cancer

      Children’s cancer rates are on the rise, leaving parents wondering what’s behind the trend. A new report sheds light into one avoidable risk: household pesticides. Children exposed to insecticides have a 50 percent higher risk of developing certain cancers in childhood. Indoor exposure to insecticides was associated with higher rates of leukemia […]

Once there was a Ladybug

Ladybugs are useful in controlling unwanted pests in home gardens and the agriculture industry. Predator and parasitoid insects, including the ladybug, play a major role in reducing pest damage by suppressing insect pests. Native species of predators and parasitoids, like the ladybug, contribute at least $4.5 billion annually to crop pest control. Farmers include native […]

The Draize test

The Draize test was developed in 1940s, used by the cosmetic industry, is the procedure where a test substance is applied to the eye or skin of a restrained, conscious animal, and then leaving it for set amount of time before rinsing it out and recording its effects. The test is still used in India […]

We are all lab rats

We humans have been test mice to the many unregulated chemicals that are part of our everyday life. In today’s society, chemicals are deemed safe until there not, with sometimes grime results. In North America, 80,000 chemicals are available for manufacturing but only a couple hundred are tested for safety. One example is BPA or Bisphenol […]

38 things about Mice

The name mouse comes from “mus”, a Sanskrit word that means thief They can give birth when they are 2 months old and are able to have 12 pinkies every 3 weeks up to 10 times per year Will nurse babies that are not their own Sexual cycle occurs every four to five days A […]

Wasps eat flies that eat Horse…

One way to restriction pesticide use is to find suitable biological control agents to take their place. Parasitic wasps can be used by ranches, farmers and horse owners instead of pesticides to control fly populations.  Filth flies, like house and stable flies, disturb horses and spread disease. Parasitoids have been proven an effective fly-management tool. […]

Our finest fungicidal wine?

Which countries produce wines with the least amount of fungicides? Pesticides are used on grape plants to kill fungus because grapes are vulnerable to rot from powdery and downy mildew. Humid places like Bordeaux and Champagne rely heavily on chemical spraying with wines from around France showing a trace of pesticides traces in every bottle. […]

Fall is the time to fire your ants

September is the best time of the year to treat fire ant issues. By handling fire ant issues in the autumn you can help eliminate those furious insect biting ants and have fun in your yard next spring.  Control programs use IPM or integrated pest management approach that use a combination of prevention and pesticide […]

Probiotics for honeybees

Students at the University of British Columbia are developing a probiotic designed for honeybees’ digestive system. Suitably named pro-bee-otic, the ground-breaking microorganism mixture could demonstrate a prevailing defense against the negative effects of pesticides. These probiotics for honeybees protect honeybees from neonicotinoids and the current colony collapse disorder. The UBC students have designed this scheme […]

No milkweed – no Monarch butterfly

An important food source and breeding ground for monarch butterflies is the milkweed plant, which has been diminished do to pesticide use. These butterflies are pollinator which we require, as we do bees. The milkweed is the only place female monarch butterflies lay their eggs and the caterpillars feed off it. In February and March, […]

 A Greener Pesticide – alkaloids

In the 1940s and ’50s, farmers had been spraying DDT and heavy metals like lead and arsenic on their orchards. Since these sprays have been banned, there has been a trend towards an ever-greener pest management. It is thought that pure alkaloids have the power to defend against bugs and a few herbivores yet is […]

Erik the Red – the cat – the legand

Erik the Red, a.k.a. the cat, is put to retirement after years of being a rodent control officer.  In 1999 Eric the cat was rescued off the streets in 1999 and has been patrolling the harbour ever since. He was the official rodent control officer aboard CSS Acadia at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. […]

Trash pandas: raccoons

In early 2014, Redditor had a brief comment on a photo of a raccoon: “Raccoons = trash pandas.” The description stuck, and now the term “trash pandas” has permeated across Reddit, Imgur, and Instagram alike. There is now a subreddit devoted entirely to “trash pandas.” The online community members include owners of domesticated raccoons as well as obsessed fans of the new word for raccoon. Let’s dive into […]

Hideous Invasive Species: Rabbits

Summer officially ends on September 23 but many rabbits think it here now. Rabbits eat the bark of trees and shrubs primarily during the fall and winter months. New research shows that rabbits are some of the world’s worst invasive species causing changes for the biodiversity of any land they frequent. Invasive species of rabbits are […]

Say hello to my little friend(s) – rodents

Once they start to invade your home, property destruction and disease will follow. If you think you have mice or rats in your property, then it’s likely you are right. Rodents are prolific breeders that thrive in indoor surroundings. Besides disease, rodents can also carry germs and parasites that can be hazardous to anybody, but […]

The Beaver – a good rodent

The second-largest rodents in the world, the beaver is only just smaller the guinea pig. The world’s largest beaver dam, located in Alberta, is 2,790 feet long was started around 1975. Although the dams can cause extreme flooding situations the net result also create fertile soils, mitigate the effects of drought, reduce evaporation, and filter […]

Is that a bug in your hair?  

The fear of bugs or fear of insects is known as Entomophobia. Insects and bugs often appear disgusting, due to their shape or colors. Flies, mosquitoes and fleas are also associated with the spread of diseases and infections.  In some cases this fear becomes   a mental illness where the patient feels constant ‘prickling, tingling, creeping, […]

The mighty ant

There are now over 12,000 different species of ants, they lived in the Jurassic period and have been evolving and adapting to their environment. It is estimated that ants may withstand forces up to 1000 times their body weight. The ants’ necks ruptured at forces 3,400 to 5,000 times their weight. Their neck tissue structures […]

New Pest Research; nothing has changed

A research company, the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released research showing the pressures posed by pests. The study found that upwards of 90 percent of all businesses surveyed suffered at least one pest infestation in the several years or one infestation every 20 months. Businesses suffering a pest infestation incurred increased maintenance, repair […]

The Pointer mice Sisters   

Mice have been found to sing to each other in a courtship ritual worst then the movie Pretty Lady. Scientists only recently found that female sing back to their perspective suitor. We can’t hear the mice singing sweet nothing as their voices register in a range beyond our ability to hear. A mouse registers at […]

It’s Bat-ty pest control

Bats provide a service worth an estimated $1.33 billion globally by controlling pests on corn crops. Yet, bat populations are under pressure as a result of habitat loss and the spread of diseases. One disease, the white-nose syndrome cause visible symptom of white fungus on the animal’s nose, but it can also appear on its […]

“What’s all the buzz about over here?

Every autumn, wasps bold as brass, suddenly seem to be everywhere. They are one of the most successful types of animal on the planet.  All wasps have a narrow constriction between the chest and abdomen and a stinger. The stinger is used to paralyse other insects and is taken as living food for the wasp’s […]

Pesticide from Caterpillar Poop ? 

The relationship between plants and pests can give us clues as to how to create new pesticides. Case in point, caterpillar poop could be used as a pesticide. Plants have sensors that can identify when the plant is in trouble and respond with defense mechanisms: for an example, the relationship between the corn plant and […]

Wasp Exterminator

Having a wasp’s nest in or around your home is an unwanted situation to be in, especially if you have small children or somebody with an allergy to wasp stings. Aside from the fear of being stung, you also have to deal with the constant humming and buzzing and the sight of the stripey winged […]

Three blind Harvest mice

This agile family of harvest mice have acrobatic abilities as they attack fruit crops. Harvest mice are often pictured clinging onto hears of corn, they are one of the smallest rodents, measuring just two inches in length. With prehensile tails used as a flexible fourth limb, the tiny mice are able to swing and hang […]

Nature: self-destruct button.

Pesticides are a necessary evil to guarantee that the tomato seeds you see in your salad are not worms. Pesticides come with many health defects, pollution and overall destruction of non-targeted species. Many scientists have been looking for an alternative or substitute for pesticides; and this maybe in the form of targeting the building blocks […]

  September’s flying bugs?

  Until the first frost hits, people are going to see a lot of wasps and don’t mistake them for bees. At this time of the year, they are going to become more of a nuisance, but from an ecological perspective, wasps and hornets actually also are good pollinators. They also attack some of the […]

Grab a spoon… BEDBUGS

  One of the worst pest control problems are bed bugs. These vampire like creatures bite, spread quickly and when an infestation breaks out it can be difficult to eradicate. Bed bugs are the small insects that live in beds and mattresses but despite of the fact that they are small in size, they are […]

Earwigs

Earwigs are nocturnal and often hide in small, crevices during the day, and are active at night, feeding on a wide variety of insects and plants. Damage to foliage, flowers, and various crops is commonly blamed on earwigs. Adult earwigs are 14-23mm long, dark brown in color and have forceps at their hind end. The […]

 Bees can’t catch a break

As if bees need another reason to look over their shoulders to see what wants to kill them next. Researchers have discovered another reason why the honey bee population are diminishing. Argentine ants carry a virus that attacks bees.  The virus is identified to be actively reproducing in Argentine ants is a known threat to honeybees. […]

You can’t flee the flea

  Yes, the fleas have been terrible this summer. Though the most fleas will likely do is leave your pets, fleas can pick up plague from infected rodents and pass on the bacterial infection to people. Fleas infected with tapeworm larvae can pass this on to dogs or cats that ingest such fleas — something […]

The Do’s and Don’ts of pesticide use

  1 Always read the label first and follow the directions to the letter, including all precautions and restrictions. 2 Only use the pesticide on pests indicated on the label and don’t use more pesticide than directed by the label. 3 Use protective measures, such as wearing impermeable gloves, long pants, and long-sleeve shirts. Change […]

How much should pest control cost?

  Should you consider hiring the company that offers the lowest price and cut out the highest priced? Should you consider hiring the company that is locally owned and operated? Pests are present everywhere and when they invade your home; the outcome can be pretty dangerous for those who are living in it. Ants, wasps, […]

Fall season: Rats and Mice

Mice are harder to control than rats, therefore complete control may take a longer period. Rodent-proofing your home: Look for droppings both rats and mice inside and outside of your home. Remove sources of water, food and housing from your closets, attics and gardens. Keep trash bins covered. Remove wood piles, junk and garden debris […]

Red Hot Chili Peppers & Mice

  Scientists compared ordinary lab mice with mice genetically engineered to lack capsaicin receptors. The guts of ordinary mice responded noticeably to a capsaicin-like drug. Those on a high-fat diet did not. In mice without capsaicin receptors, diet made no difference in these gut-level responses. Capsaicin – the chemical that gives chili peppers their kick […]

Marathon mice get runners high

A certain hormone called leptin, nicknamed the “satiety” hormone, has been found in mice as another ingredient to a runner’s happiness. It is called “fat hormone” as this is generated by fat cells. Increased leptin level sends a signal to the brain indicating you are “full” thus resulting in increasing the metabolic rate. However, when […]

Rats – ‘superorganism’

  Rats like penguins, huddle for warmth and when they do, the collection of bodies acts like a self-organizing “super-organism.” The members of huddling mass rotate, so that outer rodants are brought into the warmth of the center before rotating back out. Rotation helps to regulate the group’s temperature so none become too hot or […]

Plague infected fleas  

Yes, fleas can carry the bubonic plague. Fleas have tested positive for plague in Pueblo County, Colorado.  This plague, caused by bacteria called Yersinia pestis, is transmitted from rodent to rodent by infected fleas. Infected fleas pass plague to animals or people through bites. Plague is characterized by periodic disease outbreaks in rodent populations, some of […]

Wasp drinks to self-medicate

Wasps can tell when a parasite infiltrates their body, and to get rid of the unwelcome organism they seek out a type of nectar that’s not only a sweet source of food, but a pretty potent anti-parasite medicine, says Discover magazine. The collection of compounds responsible for the decline in parasites (including nicotine) can cut the infection by 50%. […]

The Awesome Opossum

Adult opossums are about the size of a large cat. They prefer to establish a home in hollow logs, garages, under buildings, inside burrows and squirrels’ nests. The opossum is an omnivore, so it will eat anything. They reproduce one time per year and the partially developed babies live in the mothers pouch for three […]

  Ants the “panacea for pest control”?

Ants are efficient, sustainable, safe and pest controllers says British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology. Here is why they say that ants are special Ants exist on every continent, other than Antarctica, with 12,000 species of ants worldwide. Ants are really good predators. They can lift up to 20 times its’ own body weight. […]

Mice mimic the malnutrition model

Mice that are fed a poor diet along with E. coli and bacteroidetes bacteria, develop malnutrition and symptoms of environmental enteropathy; a disease of the intestine, especially the small intestine. Researchers at UBC, using complex science such as; the hypot-imechular sub-division of the manifold, have produced the first mice model with symptoms of gut bacterial […]

Selfish larvae manipulate ants

Butterfly larvae manipulate their ant attendants by secreting a nutritious and mind altering nectar to keep attendant ants close by for protection. Butterfly larvae can control dopamine secretion in ants by supplying them with nectar. Lycaenid butterflies and ants are representative examples of mutualism, in which different species benefit from the activities of the other. […]

Pests that destroy themselves

 Scientists are genetically engineering moths to self-destruct.  To this end let us discuss an invasive species, the diamondback moth that was once a minor nuisance. It became an agricultural headache in the late 1940s as chemical pesticide use exploded. The moth, the first crop pest to evolve resistance to DDT, multiplied as feebler competitors died off. […]

Bats Man

There are over 900 species of bats worldwide with approximately 40 of these residing north of Mexico. Most bats are insectivores, feeding on insects at night yet some species that prefer other foods such as fruits. Bats can either live in colonies or live alone. Bats emerge in the early days of spring and leave their overwintering […]

Sleeping Beauty and her bed bugs

Although sleeping beauty maybe fictional, bed bugs are as real as the day is long. Even back in the day when white knights were saving damsels in distress, they too carried bed bugs with them. They easily hitch a ride home as full sized bed bugs or eggs. So next time you are traveling by […]

Home sweet home

Pest control companies are reporting a 50% rise in call-outs, here are some of the housemates you could be sharing your home with… Vermin Often found in attics (causing fire hazards by chewing electric cables) and kitchens (where they’ll eat virtually anything that’s on offer, but are especially fond of cereal), telltale signs include droppings, […]

What is a pest-i-cide?

Latin roots, pest=pest and cide=killer or act of killing so the name literally means pest killer. Pesticides include herbicides (weed killers), insecticides (insect killers), fungicides (fungus killers), and even bactericides (bacteria killers), antimicrobials (household disinfectants). A class of insecticides that are derived from plants, the most common being manufactured today are Pyrethroids. These products are […]

PHD in Fire Ant control

The red imported fire ant arrived from South America in the port of Mobile in the 1930s. Early attempts of extermination efforts failed due to the ant’s ability to rapidly reproduce and their biology. Imported fire ants disrupt native habitats and our homeland, and have created an enormous impact on our economy. Autumn is the […]

Rats, the greater scourge

The city council of Coquitlam is finally going to put their collective foot down on rats and try to shed the nick name “Compton”. Coming soon, anyone wanting a demolition permit in Coquitlam will have to prove buildings on the site are free of pests, most especially rats.  Metro Vancouver rats are becoming a greater […]

The cost of neglecting pest Inspections

Buying a home is an exciting and stressful time for home buyers with hundreds of things to do. Go Green Pest Control warns people looking at buying new home that neglecting to have a professional pest inspection on properties is a potentially costly error, sometimes costing thousands of dollars to fix a new property. “We understand […]

Anti-insect gadgets

Fall is on it’s way yet the bugs are still out in force. Earlier this week, I reported that matters could get even worse with the drunk worker wasps, who have wrapped up their daily duties for the year and have nothing better to do than ruin the rest of our summer.  The biggest way insects tend […]

Ants self-medicate  

There is a species of ant which can self-medicate on poisonous hydrogen peroxide. Colonies of collective insects like ants and bees are vulnerable to disease. One way to accomplish this is toingest otherwise harmful substances to fight infection.  At a University in Finland, have now shown that Formica fuscaants choose to eat hydrogen peroxide if they have a […]

Syngenta pesticides and kills Monsanto’s bid

Monsanto’s, the biotech seed giant, tried unsuccessfully for the fourth time to buy Syngenta for $47 million.  Monsanto claim to fame is making transformational solutions for agriculture. Syngenta’s massive range of pesticides would have made Monsanto into a one-stop shop for farmers. Merging with Syngenta would have moved Monsanto to the U.K., where corporations are […]

Mice are nice, outside!

  Mice may enter your home uninvited and it can be hard to locate where their nest is, it could be somewhere in your home underneath your floorboards, or they may be living close outside. Mice are very intelligent rodents with high levels of communication, both vocally and fervently. They can sense other mice’s feelings […]

Pesticide run-off killing lobsters

Researchers are examining the potential impact of agricultural pesticide run-off on lobsters in the Northumberland Strait. Lobster populations in the Northumberland Strait have been collapsed for a number of years, and no amount of fisheries measures have improved that. The conclusion is that there are other influencing factors that are not coming from the strait […]

Wasps party when work is done

It’s that time of year when worker wasps have finished tending to their queen are now left to fly around aimlessly, eating fermented fruit, which makes them “extra bold” and want to fight. Pest controllers say they have been swamped this summer, as thousands of wasps descend on the lower mainland because of the dry […]

Wasps like pool parties

  A single wasps nest consumers anywhere between 240 to 270 flies per hour and like to eat mosquitoes. Wasps generally forage between 200-400 metres within their nests and tend to build their nests in protected areas. A favourite location is under an eaves trough and close to a water source such as a pond […]

Delta the “great havens” for mosquitoes

MOSQUITOES B.C. is home to the mosquito types Aedes and Anopheles, which can transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and chikungunya. But the parasite that causes malaria is not present in B.C. There has been a low population of mosquitoes this year due to the dry weather.  Certain species have found “great havens” in […]

Toad leapfrogs pesticides

  Wood frogs have been able to change certain genes when exposed to environmental pressure, a process known as phenotypic plasticity. They have resorted to different mechanisms to cope with their changing environment. It was discovered that several wood frog populations which lived closer to agricultural lands could quickly switch on genetic resistance to carbaryl […]

Cue the scary music – BEEPOCALYPSE  

  Do we have the real reason for the beepocalypse?  There a new link between pesticide usage and honeybee colony decline. Scientists examined large-scale pesticide usage and yield observations of oilseed rape fields and compared this with data on honeybee losses between 2000 and 2010. The number of seeds treated with imidacloprid rose from less […]

Growing pests to kill pests

Scientists are growing a pest to feed a pest that will spread to kill the original pest. The University of California Intermountain Research and Extension Center is growing a pest called cereal leaf beetle to feed its predator, the parasitic wasp T. Julis, will grow, too. The more beetles you have, the more wasps you […]

Bed Bugs ride the perfect storm

  The recent resurgence of bedbugs can be traced back to the ban on DDT, which had virtually eliminated the pests. After DDT was banned because of the harmful effects on humans and the environment, bedbugs began to reappear, and their comeback was aided by several other factors. The elimination of DDT overlapped with the […]

Hole !! From a vole, mole or troll?

Well, let’s talk about voles. A vole is a small rodent resembling a mouse but with a stouter body, a shorter, hairy tail, a slightly more round head, smaller ears and eyes.. Sometimes known as meadow mice or field mice; there are approximately 155 species of voles in North America. They can have five to […]

Tuff shredding critters want your chafer beetles

The chafer beetle has ravaged lawns throughout Delta this year. Usually its newly seeded lawns or fresh tuff that fall victim to raccoons, skunks and crows searching for beetle larvae to feed on. The life cycle of the chafer beetle is such that from late June until early July they are underground as larvae, and […]

Washing the Pesticides off.

Is washing fruit effective in reducing exposure to pesticides? As it turns out that yes, your standard household tap water will reduce the amount of pesticide on your produce. By washing your produce you are able to rid the surface of most the residual pesticides but not the pesticides that have already been absorbed into […]

Head lice are becoming Super-Bugs

  Now that school is approaching, us parents have one more concern for our children. New research warns head lice are becoming harder to kill because they are becoming resistant to ingredients found in over-the-counter remedies therefore we have a new super-bugs. Whatever reason they’re not dying, they pass that on to their offspring and […]

Rats, another rat in my toilet

  Rats have strong teeth that allow them to chew through glass, cinderblock, wire, aluminum and lead, it’s almost impossible to proof your home from them. Now, National Geographic has shown how a rat can easily slip into grates and manhole covers, leading them through sewage into the residential pipes of homes. Then the rat […]

The fuzzy ant is actually a velvet wasp!!

    A velvet ant is actually a wasp, they look like hairy ants, and though they aren’t considered aggressive, their defense is a formidable sting. The solitary creatures live a few months to a year. These are very neat insects as the velvet ant lays her eggs in the den of ground-nesting wasps or […]

Wasps: the zombie masters

Many wasps paralyse caterpillars or spiders, lay their eggs in them, and seal them alive as ready-to-eat meals for their larvae once they hatch.  The larvae of a wasp known only by its scientific name Reclinervellus nielseni, makes the orb-weaver spider spin a special web for their own cocoons. The wasp climbs up spider’s web […]

Wood Infestation Report (WIR)

Buying a home is the largest single investment for the average Canadian family today. Rising costs of labor and materials make it imperative to protect your investment from structural damage by wood-destroying organisms, especially the carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are among the most costly of all the insect pests affecting structures. The best way to […]

Bubba thinks ants are burrowing animals

Bubba Watson called in a rules official in an attempt to take relief from an ant hill, ants are “burrowing animals.” Bubba (to caddie Ted Scott): “It’s a burrowing animal. It’s digging a hole, so either way you look at it …” Rules official:”It’s not fire ants or anything. There’s no relief from them. That’s a […]

New mice learn to chill-lax

  Scientists have created super-intelligent mice that are less anxious and scared by genetically modifying an enzyme called phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B). The researchers say the mice that can chill and relax or chill-lax could provide the basis into new treatments of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.  These brainy vermin could learn faster, remember events […]

Fancy Dandy Rats

Fancy rats are specifically bred as pets where your regular street rat that you see in the garbage or a snap trap are considered wild vermin. Domesticated rats are physiologically and psychologically different from their wild relatives. Fancy rats have their origins as the targets for blood sport in 18th- and 19th-century Europe. Specially bred […]

Albino Raccoon

Some people say finding one is less likely than getting hit by lightning. Most folks will go their lives without glimpsing a white raccoon. The odds of spotting one have been estimated at 1 in 500,000, or even 1 in 750,000, making the encounter less likely than getting struck by lightning.    They are secretive creatures […]

Go Green Pest Control and Tsawwassen Sun Festival Parade 2015

  Tsawwassen Sun Festival Parade August 3rd – 2015 This year’s Sun Festival theme is ‘Get Your Kicks on Route 56th’. Our popular festival attracts over 12,000 annually during the BC Day long weekend. Go Green Pest Control has two vehicles entered into the parade this year. Go Green Pest Control’s owner, Randy Bilesky’s is driving his 1966 AC […]

Tulips and crocuses are candy to rodents

Tulips are treats for squirrels, moles, deer and other animals but they avoid daffodils, which contain lycorine, a bitter alkaloid that’s toxic. Lycorine is a toxic crystalline alkaloid found in various Amaryllidaceae species. Other plants such as cultivated bush lily and surprise lilies produce lycorine. It may be highly poisonous or even lethal, when ingested […]

  Stung by bull ant !!!

An Australian news reporter was bitten by a bull ant and could not continue her script as the excruciating pain of the bull ant’s bite takes over.  The clip was filmed a few months ago but never been aired and has now surfaced after being posted on an Instagram account. Australian bull ants, which can […]

What vermin will cost you

Rodents can cause damage to property beginning with attics and crawl space, create unsanitary living conditions and even carry diseases that can make you and your family sick.  Rats can climb pretty much any surface and get wherever they want to go. They can squeeze through amazingly small holes and gaps. Sounds of scratching or […]

Vaccine for rabid raccoons

In Pittsburgh the annual raccoon rabies vaccine program has begun. Since 2002 the County health officials have used fishmeal cubes containing rabies vaccine to help reduce the rabid raccoon population. Since the inception of the program, there has been a severe reduction in rabid raccoons from 23 in 2002 to only 2 found the previous […]

Raccoons – the nocturnal thieves

If you put out trash, raccoons will come. The masked critters can wreak havoc for residents. Proof to show this is not a new problem, online reviews of apartment complexes show the raccoon problem has always been with us. The smell of food coming from human garbage, compost, and recycling is irresistible to raccoons. It […]

Training Requirements for Restricted Use Pesticides

In the U.S. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recommending new standards for pesticide applicators who apply “restricted use” pesticides, requiring: increased level of training, a minimum age of 18 for applicators, and basic literacy. Interestingly the general public in the U.S. can buy those same pesticides that are restricted for purchase here in Canada. […]

Pesky Birds

Pest birds are capable of spreading diseases to humans and livestock. Pigeon faeces often contain the fungal disease histoplasmosis which is especially dangerous to people with compromised immune systems. The droppings of most pest birds create aesthetic problems. They can also create drainage issues by nesting in the small crevices, drains, and gutters of buildings. […]

Hey Seattle is #1 – for Rats

Our neighbours to the south, Seattle, are the No. 1 city in the U.S. for a rats problem. Killing rats is the only way to rid the city of its rats epidemic.  A rat sighting is the only evidence needed to indicate a nest is near. Rats are social rodents and they live in groups. […]

Wild and Crazy Ants

I’ve touched on many ants so far but this one is a little different. These ants have earned their name for the erratic way they move. Instead of marching in a line like most organized ants, crazy ants move in a well, crazy pattern. These ants are reddish-brown and about 2 – 3 mm long. […]

Got Fleas?

Got Fleas? The cat flea is the most common flea in North America. Adult fleas are parasites that draw blood from their host. Larvae feed on the feces of adult fleas, which contain undigested blood. Fleas feed on animals such as dogs, cats, rabbits, squirrels, rats and mice. Flea’s eggs are hatched on the ground, in rugs, carpet, bedding, upholstery […]

Sgt. Raccoon reporting for duty

We all know raccoons are crafty creatures, washing their food using their opposing thumbs while watching for predators. Raccoons are able to squeeze into locked garages, open secured garbage cans, unzip tents, and pry up lids; urban raccoons are the new urban cowboys. Extremely adaptable and smart, they’re expert problem solvers, evolving faster than we […]

Squirrelling it away

Two species of squirrel found on the West Coast are the native Douglas Squirrel and the Grey Squirrel. The grey squirrel is the more common of the two species found locally in the Lower Mainland. In the early 20’s the grey squirrel first arrived at Stanley Park. The grey squirrel population remained relatively contained until […]

Spiders are nature’s pesticide

Spiders are nature’s natural pest control agents. But with the use of some pesticides these natural insect predators become less aggressive when subjected to certain insecticides. This insect naturally fills the role that the pesticide is designed to fill. Males exposed to insecticide were able to continue to capture prey as they had before, but “lost” […]

Go Green Pest Control, a local pest control business

  “We are covering a large area,” he said. “We go from Tsawwassen to Ladner to North Delta. We also go over the border to Richmond, Surrey and White Rock. Bilesky said that business has been good this summer. “We are working long hours and the days are very busy,” he said. “I am currently […]

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Wasps walk on water.

This summer has set many records for temperature and lack of rain. The only water sources for wasps are manmade such as water features in public and private gardens. These are magnets for wasps. Open water attract paper wasps which can congregate in large numbers to drink and collect water. They use the water to […]

Silverfish are not picky

Silverfish consume dead leaves, dried meat and skin, seeds, book bindings, cereal, cornmeal, cotton, flour, glue, linen, paper, photographs, rayon and even their own dead. Starches are their particular favorites. Older, hardback books are an especial treat for silverfish because of the glue used in their binding. A silverfish is 8 to 20 millimeters long […]

Rat season is approaching!!

Late summer, early fall is the time of the year that rats begin to look for a warm secure home. Your home can be the next Bates Hotel if you allow these vermin to access the walls and attic. Here are twenty facts that you should know about rats. 1 A female rat can mate […]

Flying Ants or Termites?

Is it a flying ant or termite? Flying ants or termites in the home are rarely a good sign, and this is particularly true if they are seen indoors during the winter.  Whether the sighted insect is a winged ant or a termite, the wings depict the insect to be of a reproductive male or […]

‘Humanized’ Mice ??!!!

The National Institutes of Health laboratory in Montana made “humanized mice” by implanting the mice with tissues cut from human livers and thymuses taken from babies at 17 to 22 weeks gestational age.  The production of TKO-BLT mice to obtain healthy mice with high level reconstitution of human cells and tissues requires specialized methods that […]

Kounis syndrome: death by wasp

Kounis syndrome, caused by wasp stings, may potentially triggering heart attacks in those with underlying heart conditions. When stung, the body’s white blood cells overreact and attack the body itself, causing the airways to swell. This can starve the brain of oxygen, all in as little as a few minutes. Three in 100 healthy adults […]

Mosquitoes are Rebelling

Mosquitoes are becoming resistant to insecticides and changes in global warming. This will affect anyone out on a warm night, trying to avoid both mosquito bites, and the itchiness and disease those bites might bring. It is estimated that upwards of 20 percent of the mosquito genome had undergone recent changes to insecticides and weather […]

Old mouse with young blood

  Researchers connected the blood vessels of young and old mice, so that two animals shared a blood supply. They found that, following an injury, the older mice saw greater improvements in the repair of muscle and bone compared with older mice not connected to younger mice. Older mice that were exposed to young blood […]

Baby raccoons love milk  

Small raccoons love milk so much that they literally dive into a bowl of cereal and only surface to get a breath of air before going for another milk dive. Baby raccoons should be fed kitten milk replacement formula. If they are dehydrated when you get them, feed a rehydrating formula for the first 2-3 […]

Spheksophobia: the fear of wasps

Super Heroes – Pest control technicians – the guys tackling a nest full of a million paranoid wasps. You just have to run – faster than the person beside you. You won’t go into the attic during summer – the hatch to the attic is the gate to hell. Eating salmon outdoors is considered an […]

Is Organic really Organic?

Certified Organic means that the farmer doesn’t plant genetically modified crops and can only use a few approved kinds of chemicals and fertilizers but if it’s contaminated with unwanted pesticides from the adjacent field then you are getting certified organic produce laced with pesticide residue. When, not if, a crop duster passing close to an organic […]

Ants use the collective muscle

Ants can switch between individual and collective action when it comes to teamwork. Ants understand when to be part of the collective muscle and when to play an individual scouting role. When an ant that was part of a team realises there is a problem will transform into a highly individualistic leader and her colleagues […]

Wasp! Don’t Run

To avoid being stung, do not swat or run rapidly away from a wasp or hornet, as quick movements can provoke an attack. Instead, if you have nerves of steel, remain calm and motionless and then move slowly away from the area. Reduce the chances of attracting these pests by covering all food and beverages […]

Real wirelessly mice  

Scientist uses a remote-controlled brain implant to control the path taken by mice. The implant alters the neural networks of the mice using wireless signals, allowing researchers to study neural stimulation. The “optofluidic” implant was developed with the hope that it could one day be used to treat a range of neurological disorders in humans. The battery-powered device […]

Raccoons don’t Monkey around

How does intelligence of raccoons compare with other species?  Raccoons bested the abilities of cats and dogs, most closely approximating the mental attributes of monkeys. Raccoons had attracted interest because they flourished, rather than receded, in the face of human expansion. Davis and Cole (two research scientists) claim: that the animal possessed ideas derived from complex […]

Natural Plant Pesticides

Canadians eat about 1,500 mg per person per day of natural pesticides, which is 10,000 times more than we eat of synthetic residues. It is estimated that a person ingests annually about 5,000 to 10,000 different natural pesticides. Every species of plant contains its own couple dozen set of different toxins. Tens of thousands of […]

Go Green Pest Control is a member of LEED

Go Green Pest Control is a member of the British Columbia Chapter of the Canada Green Building Council.  We at Go Green Pest Control look forward to the opportunity to meet green building experts, develop local green building initiatives and access local green building resource opportunities. Go Green Pest Control is looking forward to transforming […]

 Go Green with Pyrethrins?

Pyrethrins are one of the oldest known insecticides and are derived from dried and crushed flower heads of two species of asters: Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium and C. coccineum. Synthetic pyrethroids are a mixture of six chemicals that are toxic to insects. Pyrethrins are commonly used to control mosquitoes, fleas, flies, moths, ants, and many other pests. […]

Clean as an Ant

For ants cleanliness is a matter of survival. Dirty antennas don’t pick up scents, and that’s how ants, navigate and communicate. The cleaning mechanism that is found at a joint in each front leg of the carpenter ant was a precise and efficient process geared to pick up particles of different sizes. When the ant […]

Hawaii is a Ant Hill

Hawai’i County Council passed the first reading of a bill that would provide $90,000 to the county to help battle the Little Fire Ants problem on island. The money would go towards the purchase of equipment and supplies to help battle the pests. Little fire ants are tiny red-orange ants one-sixteenth of an inch long, or […]

Wasps have their benefits, too

Wasps are predators, feeding insects to their young. What makes them beneficial is that they prey on many insects, including caterpillars, flies, crickets and other pests. What makes them a pest is in late summer and fall they alter their tastes and go after sweets. Wasps should only be controlled when they become a problem. […]

Pesticides harm bees and humans

Pesticide exposures are harmful not only to the bees and insects, but to humans. Researchers are looking at how exposure to the chemical neonicotinoid in pollen inhalation could be harmful to us. 62 Bee keepers volunteered to give samples of the honey and pollen they collected from bees and more than 70 percent contained neonicotinoid. […]

Evicting a Family of Raccoons

As a homeowner your anxiety about a nest of feral raccoons must be palpable. Raccoons carry diseases like rabies and roundworm. They are also strong, smart and aggressive creatures that can damage ductwork, wood and electrical wiring. Clearly, these are not welcome house guests that you want camping out in your home. You need to […]

RNA Insecticide Could Target Specific Pests

A novel insecticide targets a specific gene in a pest, killing only that bug species and avoiding collateral damage to beneficial insects caused by today’s pesticides. Pest Management Science describes how the RNA-based insecticide can be effective for at least 28 days when sprayed, a finding that dispels previous concerns that the genetic material would […]

Raccoon takes Fox’s Rabbit

A camera man in Tucson caught an interesting video showing a raccoon stealing a rabbit from a fox. The fox had stashed a dead rabbit in this cave and this raccoon came along and took off with his dinner. https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=87741124305&href=https%3A//www.youtube.com/attribution_link%3Fa%3Def2KEx-nqqs%26u%3D%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DG7hwTUVd3Pk%2526feature%253Dshare&display=popup&redirect_uri=https://www.youtube.com/facebook_redirect https://twitter.com/intent/tweet/complete?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FG7hwTUVd3Pk&text=20150725%20095817&latest_status_id=624990434587086848&related=YouTube%2CYouTubeTrends%2CYTCreators&via=YouTube https://www.tumblr.com/widgets/share/tool?shareSource=legacy&canonicalUrl=&posttype=video&content=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DG7hwTUVd3Pk&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DG7hwTUVd3Pk&caption=&sequence=preview

Fire ants fear their demise?

Fire ants are an aggressive species. If you disturb the nest, they will come after you, biting and attaching to your skin with their jaws and then stinging you from their abdomen. The venom the ants inject causes red marks that soon turn into white pus-filled bumps. About one percent of the population is severely […]

11 odd facts about rats

Did you know that rats can distinguish between some colours, but not others? The Pied Piper of Hamelin, July 22, 1376 was the day the rat-catcher led the children out of the town of Hamelin, Germany, as the town refused to pay him for ridding them of rats. 3. In Victorian England, Jack Black who […]

Rocky Raccoon!

There are seven different species of raccoons.  The name raccoon comes from the Indian word “arakum” meaning “he scratches with his hands.”  The tail is used as fat storage, for balance when climbing and as a brace when sitting up.  Adults may weigh up to 40 pounds. Their average lifespan in the wild is anywhere […]

Check Out My Bug Blogs

Delta Optimist is featuring my Bug Blogs on their online website. Go Green Pest Control  gogreenpestcontrol.ca http://www.delta-optimist.com/authors?author=randy%20bilesky https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/go-green-pest-control-bug-blog-randy-bilesky?published=t

https://www.varagesale.com/south-delta-bc-swap-shop/i/62bdstxs-pest-control?category_id=99632&context=all&query=go+green&sort=activity

Drones take down invasive swine

In Australian feral pigs are an enormous problem so military grade drones are used to fly above the 500 metres altitude ceiling covering some serious ground and fly at night with thermal grade military cameras. The infrared camera lets them locate the invasive pest animals by their heat signature. The drone passes the vision in […]

Burning the midnight candle at both ends?

Mice displayed an earlier onset of breast cancer and weight gain when there was a disruption of natural light-dark cycles of day and night. Shift work is necessary in many professions and provides them with some conveniences but straying from the natural cycle of sleeping at night and waking during the day has serious health […]

How to Prevent Raccoon Problems

Raccoons are common throughout Delta and have adapted to living in suburban and urban areas. A raccoon that does not run away in your presence or that comes around when you are feeding outdoor pets is likely just curious or trying to get a free meal. While they are more active at night, it is […]

Liquid aluminium ant control

Need ant control, try pouring molten aluminum (temperatures of around 1300 degrees) into an ant hill. You’ll get an aluminum sculpture and eliminate those pesky ants. The procedure begins by melting 19 or 20 pounds of scrap aluminum to create a bucketful of shimmering liquid then start the process of creating nature-inspired sculptures.  The creation of the […]

Return of Bubonic Plague

Colorado Department of Public Health reported Friday that bubonic plague has been confirmed in a Chaffee County resident recently. The unidentified individual was hospitalized and has survived following antibiotic treatment. The family dog became ill with symptoms consistent with plague a few days prior to the onset of illness in the dog’s owner. The dog […]

A bulls eye on the wasps

In New Zealand wasps can kill native chicks, insects and honeydew, leaving little food for birds. Wasps have few natural predators and after their mild threatening  public safety after a mild winter.    New Zealand’s Department of Conservation has run trials of a common insecticide, fipronil, in bait stations targeted at wasps. They aim to create pest-control techniques […]

Social wasps with attitude 

  Social wasps colonies, established annually are small but grow quickly, these are the guys that  cause most wasp stings. They seem to be everywhere, under eaves, above doors, in bushes and playground equipment. Their characteristic paper nests are quickly and violently defended if you get too close, they can sting more than once. True yellow […]

The humble bumble bee

The humble bumble bee The bumblebee would be working to gather pollen for the queen bee of the hive. The bumblebees work as a team, and they work together to keep their colony in order. The queen bee locates their nests in thick grass, bird houses, lofts and in trees. The nesting of bumblebees soon […]

More nanoparticles less pesticides

Scientists are looking to increase the efficacy of pesticides to better control insects using nanotechnology. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of extremely small things and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, and engineering. Biological engineers are testing the use of nanoparticles (particles […]

Half-cloned mice, made in China

Chinese researchers have successfully created artificial mouse sperm, when implanted in an egg, grow into healthy mice.  By modifying two of the genes in the sperm, they were able to get success up to 20 percent. Researchers make artificial sperm by removing the nucleus of an egg and replacing it with one set of DNA […]

Fruit fly Vs B.C. cherries

A new invasive fruit fly species feeds on cherries and berries before they ripen. Because of the warmer weather; it’s one of the fastest spreading invasive pests seen in B.C.. The spotted-wing fly was first spotted five years ago, and has quickly become a threat to B.C. cherries. This fly doesn’t wait until the fruit […]

Ants swarm in the summer heat?

Flying ants are taking to the skies as the seasonal climate marshals in pleasant sunsets. The winged insects are ants that are sexually mature queens and males. This time of the year, they leave their nests and swarm looking for mates. Known as the nuptial flight, male and female insects join together in the sky. […]

Kamloops Bans Cosmetic Pesticides

Kamloops City Council votes in favour of a complete ban on cosmetic use of pesticides for residential lawns and ornamental gardens. Effective the beginning of 2016, Kamloops residents will be prevented from using pesticides for cosmetic use although they still are able to spray fruit trees or use pesticides in their gardens or driveways. Interestingly, […]

China produces bio-chemicals

Bio-insecticides are less toxic than conventional chemical insecticides, and have the advantages of no pollution, no residue, and high efficiency. With people raising awareness of pesticide residues in food, environment protection and sustainable development, the application of bio-insecticides have a great breakthrough in the past years. Bio-insecticides will have a good prospect in the future. […]

Head Lice treated without pesticides?

Having a child infected with head lice isn’t the stigma it use to be. Yes it is tedious, combing to remove them, dousing of pesticide to kill them but now it is recognized as one of those things a child gets by playing with other kids in the playground. Lice in some regions of the […]

 Sand wasps and Pest Control

Some insects are our allies in pest control, they are referred as beneficial. The solitary wasp can be added to the list of familiar such as: the lady beetles and lacewings. The sand wasp is about 5/8 inch long with distinctive yellow markings on its abdomen. The female builds her nest in tunnels in sandy […]

What is in your pesticides?

In the U.S., a new lawsuit is advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require pesticide companies to reveal dangerous pesticide additives, even if they’re not designated as the main, “active” ingredients in a product. Manufacturers mix additives with the product’s active ingredient that are designed for specific pests. These additives make pesticides easier to spray, […]

Mice and Car Wiring

Mice like to chew on a car’s wiring if it includes soy-based insulation. Soy-based insulation is used extensively in automotive wiring. Automakers have moved to biodegradable, soy-based wiring insulation in the past 10 years. It won’t last forever in landfills, like older plastic wiring. The problem seems more common in cars that sit for extended […]

Kamloops voting on pesticides  

July 14th, Kamloops City Council will make a decision to ban domestic cosmetic pesticides. Kamloops residents have a chance to vote in support or decline the proposed ban. If the proposed bylaw passes, both residents and professionals will not be permitted to spray synthetic chemical products: used to improve the appearance of landscapes by maintaining […]

Rats, fat and your brain.

High-fat foods actually change the bacteria in your gut and make it so that we’re unable to detect the sensation that we’re full. A team of scientists took 50 rats and fed some of them balanced diets with proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Others had diets with a higher fat content, which had previously been proven to […]

Bumblebees suffer more from heat than pesticides.

Climate change is adversely affecting bumblebees and it is harming them and their homes more so than pesticides. Like other insects, bumblebees are not moving to cooler climates. Butterflies, in contrast, will migrate to greater elevations or farther from the equator when their native location becomes too hot. Bumblebees leaving their homes when it’s too […]

Spare the Sparrow?

Gardeners and property owners consider the house sparrow a pest. Being an invasive species, they are somewhat responsible for diminishing populations of native birds. Sparrows damage gardens by pecking seeds and seedlings, buds, flowers, vegetables, and maturing fruits. They also disfigure buildings with their nests and droppings. Although not that common, they have been known […]

Bee careful

Without bees, the diversity in the food we eat would not get pollinated; many common fruits and vegetables would go extinct, including apples, strawberries, onions, and carrots. Beginning as early as the 1970s, the honeybee population in Canada has been in decline, with some beekeepers reporting losses of up to 70 percent. Many of the […]

Rodents and Your Home

Mice and rats harbor 35 diseases which transmitted to humans, including rat-bite fever and HPS (hantavirus pulmonary syndrome). When you spot rodent droppings or other signs of a mouse or rat, help is needed immediately.  You need to be very careful when it comes to your home, as a mouse or rat only needs a […]

Rabbit Fever  

Fueled by unusually lush vegetation and hot conditions, rabbits have been doing it like rabbits, increasing the risk for what normally is a relatively rare bacterial disease. Rabbit fever, tularemia, can be contracted by human. Health officials are urging doctors to keep the disease in mind in diagnosing patients, and warning homeowners to take precautions […]

“Wasp nests” 15 calls per day

LAST summer was a bumper year for wasps – and this year could be the same. The warmer the weather, the more we are going to get and longer the problem goes on. Last year’s warm sunny weather came quite early on in May and late autumn was very mild. It was a shorter season […]

This One Is From Left Field

A marine cone snail has sleep-inducing venom that could be used to treat sleep disorders. Scientists who discovered the compound say it shows promise for therapeutic use to treat sleep disorders. The sleep-inducing compound was discovered by a team of two scientists from the Indian Institute of Science during an attempt to isolate and identify […]

Japanese sushi rice killing bees?

Due to pesticides used for killing stink bugs in rice paddies, Japan’s honeybees are dying in mass. This is not new news when pesticides are sprayed on paddies near beehives causing large-scale honeybee deaths. Japan has some 9,300 beekeepers.After an increase in research results at home and abroad on the influence of pesticides on deaths […]

Cat Urine Catches Mice

A new study in Prague, Czech Republic shows that mice that have been exposed to the scent of cat urine are less likely to escape from the felines. When baby mice whiff a chemical in the liquid waste of the cats they do not run away to avoid the strong odor, and are thus unable […]

Moths and beetles in the pantry?

  There are several species of pantry moths that can infest your home, but the one most frequently encountered is the Indian meal moth. It is small and colorful. The wings are gray toward the body and have dark bands near the tip. They will feed on a wide variety of dried foods, including cereals, […]

Mother raccoon teaches baby to climb

Raccoon cub gets helping paw from his mother as he learns to climb a tree. A baby raccoon struggled to make his first big steps in the world of tree climbing, until his mother gave him an encouraging nudge up the trunk. youtu.be/Js9_uUYq6sc

Pesticides, Safety and You

  When using any pesticide, read and follow all label directions. The companies that make pesticides have put a great deal of effort into determining the best ways to use their products, just how much to use and how to mix and apply it to get the best results. One of the reasons they do […]

Tick Tick Tick !!!

Increased temps mean more ticks   With climate change upon us, the temperatures continue to rise and so does the growing threat of ticks. With predictions for days of 35+ degrees rising 20-25 days annually by 2050, we should be ways to address climate change. These radical environment variations increase favorable territories for ticks to […]

Ant kill brothers to mate with sisters!

Queen ants mate only during a very short period of time, such as a few hours during a mating flight or for a few seconds to several hours by calling males to her with chemical pheromones or with other signals.  Regardless of how the queen is able to obtain sperm, she is stuck with this […]

Ant Course 2015

  ANT COURSE will be taught at the Southwestern Research Station (SWRS) in Portal Arizona (http://research.amnh.org/swrs/). The Station is centered amid the richest ant fauna in North America.

Ant Traffic Jams

  Fire ants provide a fascinating case study due to the confinement enforced by the foraging tunnels in which they move. A key factor in the motion of fire ants is the requirement to stop and communicate with each other, leading to traffic jams and blockages along the 50m long underground superhighways in which they […]

Ant Infused Gin

Your ant-infused gin is now being served. Anty Gin is a bottle of gin loaded with the distillation of red wood ants. According to its creators, every bottle contains “the essence of approximately sixty-two wood ants”.  The ants are dispatched with in ethanol at the point of picking. The ants have to be ‘happy ants’ because […]

Gulf Island mice are supersized

Deer mice on the Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver are also twice the size of those living on the mainland. The rodents have also developed an unusual carnivorous behaviour, preying on live and dead chicks that nest on the island. The great majority of extreme sized island rodents were extremely big – 42% […]

Does That Raccoon Have Rabies?

Here are the signs that indicate a sick rabid raccoon: Staggering gait Oblivious to noise or nearby movement Erratic wandering or circling Excessive drooling Disorientation Wet and matted hair on face Repeated high-pitch vocalization Self-mutilation, biting or snapping If bitten or scratched by a raccoon that is seen acting strangely, wash the wound thoroughly with […]

Raccoons 101

Raccoons can be found throughout southern BC and along the coast in a wide variety of habitats including forests, marshes, and farmland.  They are opportunistic omnivores, eat just about anything edible. Some preferred foods include nuts, insects, berries, clams and bird eggs. Usually solitary animals (except for females with young) but they will congregate if […]

Smelly Skunks

They will only defend themselves when cornered or attacked. They have poor eye-sight and often just backing away slowly and quietly will avoid an encounter. Skunks eat insects primarily also fruits, nuts, and small rodents. Skunks will den in tree cavities, brush piles, old stumps and abandoned burrows. But in urban areas, porches, sheds, crawl […]

Bookworm – Literally

Bookworm – an insect that feed on material in books — the paper, the glue, the cloth binding. The lists of insects in the bookworm category include some beetles, cockroaches, silverfish and booklice. In general, the types of beetles that end up damaging books do so because the books are stored close to a food […]

Fire Ants ? – Look Down !

Fire ants bite your skin with their mandibles, hang on tight, and then jam the stingers on their abdomens into your flesh. The site of the sting hurtsfor several minutes. It then swells into a bump that eventually turns into a pustule that can last for days, sometimes becoming infected and requiring further treatment. The venom […]

Homeowners make Pesticides Dangerous

Misconceptions about pesticides stem from ignorance. “A lot of people don’t educate themselves about pesticides and become paranoid and scared. They think that applying all pesticides is dangerous because of miss-information,” states Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control. Health Canada administers endless studies on the products used to ensure that they are safe. Pesticide formulations, […]

Common pests on your Pet

In some pets, their bites can cause extreme skin irritation and infection. They can multiply until you’ve got an infestation in your house or yard, and once they’ve multiplied, they can be difficult to exterminate.  Ticks can cause diseases that pose a serious threat to your dog’s well-being, and some are contagious to humans as […]

DDT, still with us!

DDT was a commonly used pesticide all over America. The DDT pesticide was banned in 1972, yet studies show many are still reaping the consequences of unrestricted use of the chemical over 40 years later.  DDT was not used as a pesticide until World War II. It was during this time that farmers started using […]

Bees vs Mites vs Pesticides

The main reason for bee colony death, it is speculated, is Varroa mite not the effects of insecticides and other pesticides on honeybees. There is no conclusive link between pesticide use and the widespread deaths of honeybee colonies. Honeybees suffer from myriad parasites, diseases and other stressors that are more commonly associated with the death of […]

Is That a Rat Under the Hood

Rain can send rodents under the hood of your car. The damage can cost hundreds of dollars. A day of rain could mean damage to your car and you’ll find out when its too late. Randy Bilesky from Go Green Pest Control says ” When it rains, rodents look for shelter. Unfortunately for you, one place […]

2015 Global Pest Control Update

Pest control industry is very attractive; offering a blend of high margins and good growth forecasts.  North America showing lucrative business opportunity mainly due to the warmer climates. Pest control market has seen exceptional growth in the recent five years, which is attributed to the increasing population of pests, growing customer awareness about the health […]

Fire Ants Rule

One of the creepiest side effects to the rains we’ve seen in the past couple days is the mounds of fire ants, sometimes floating mounds, which have become common in back yards since the rain saturated their underground homes. When their homes underground become saturated with rain, the ants come up to the surface and […]

The Ant that Likes it Hot

An Ant With the Right Coat for 158-Degree Weather. Silver ants of the Sahara leave their underground nests for only 10 to 20 minutes a day, and they do it when the heat is peaking. The surface temperature can reach 158 degrees Fahrenheit. The ant, just three-eighths of an inch long, survives because of a unique coat of […]

Mosquito and Tick diseases

West Nile mosquito-borne diseases have killed over 90 people in North America. Chikungunya mosquito-borne disease has almost 2,500 cases reported since 2014, there were no deaths, and only 11 cases were from bites received. The rest were brought back from the Caribbean, Asia, or Africa.  Mosquito-borne disease may be prone to large outbreaks in urban […]

 $30k fine pest feces in sushi

On international sushi day a Japanese restaurant owner fined has been fined $30,000 for rodent faeces in flour, rice and breadcrumbs. Three inspections of Pabu Grill and Sake found repeated examples of unhygienic conditions. They also included a disabled toilet being used to store drinks and utensils. Inspectors saw that rodents had eaten into bags of sesame seeds, and […]

Quebec won’t ban bee pesticides

The evidence is clear that neonics have a negative impact on bee health. Given that 70% of our crops and 35% of our food production depend on the work of pollinating insects such as bees. The Ontario government has adopted  regulations aimed at reducing the number of acres planted with neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds by […]

Mosquitoes !!! ?

Keeping mosquitoes off your skin and your lawn With the warm weather comes fun in the sun, but not without that one pesky insect that everyone hates – the mosquito. This insect can lay up to 250 larvae or eggs at a time, specifically in still stagnant water, and those eggs will hatch in seven […]

Ants Ants Ants

Tips to Get Rid of Ants Ants are showing up all over, invading homes and gardens and annoying people who see them crawling everywhere. “They’re looking for sweets; they’re looking for carbohydrates, they’re looking for crumbs. Anything they can take back to their nest and store it for the winter time.” explained Randy Bilesky of […]

Organic Pesticides – Go Green

Homemade alternative to harmful pesticides  Make your own homemade pesticide alternative: 1 1/2 Tablespoons of biodegradable liquid soap A quart of water A few drops of lemon or orange juice       There are currently more than 17,000 pesticide products for agricultural and non-agricultural use on the market. Pesticides are designed to kill unwanted garden […]

Wasps released to kill ash beetles

Experts to release wasps to kill emerald ash borer beetles. Where did the emerald ash borer beetle come from, the theory is the beetle hitched a ride in some wood being shipped to the U.S. from east Asia and it went undetected. Years later, the infestation has killed millions of ash trees.  So to control the ash […]

Kids worry about pesticides at school

British Columbia should be watching what California does once again. Change is coming due to growing concerns linking long-term pesticide exposure and increased risks of cancer, reproductive and developmental issues. California regulators are developing the first statewide restrictions on pesticide use near schools to protect children from potentially dangerous chemicals used to grow agricultural products. […]

Pesticides on your plate peak

Among pesticides, weedicides have come to be used in large quantities. 75 per cent of the pesticides being used belonged to the yellow category, meaning the most toxic of the permitted categories.  Shortage and the high cost of labour are forcing farmers and householders to resort to the use of weedicides.  Increasing incidence of life-threatening diseases […]

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated pest management, a series of escalating methods to control bugs and weeds. Various methods from hand weeding to biological and chemical controls are all part of the plan.  Alternatives to pesticides; goats and ladybugs. While the goats are perhaps the most visible pest control method used, eating the seed heads off of weeds in parks. Vinegar works […]

PEST PROOFING YOUR HOME

Now that the heat season is almost here that is going to bring the bugs out. If pesticides are so dangerous, why are they even legal? I have been asked that. If they are used correctly and carefully, they are okay.  You can control your own pests by pest proofing your home so you won’t […]

Ash Borer headed to B.C.

Ash borer Invasive pest   This shiny metallic green insect kills all ash trees and is one of the most destructive tree pests ever seen. It’s only a matter of time until it’s found in B.C. Removing hardwood firewood, ash logs, wood chips and ash trees is the only way to stop the spread of […]

Wasps and your home

What are the main types of wasps around homes during summer? Now with all this warm weather you’ve probably noticed more wasps around your home and maybe even the beginnings of a couple of wasp nests. Randy Bilesky from Go Green Pest Control explains the different types of wasps you may find around your home this summer. […]

Ontario loves bees, not B.C.

Ontario has a new regulation to reduce the use of seeds treated with neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”): these pesticides have been implicated in the global decline of bees. Ontario is the first jurisdiction in North America to regulate restrictions on the agricultural use of neonics. Based on European countries’ experience with neonic restrictions healthier pollinator populations […]

Pests & Strata Management

Pest infestations must be taken seriously by the strata corporation and the strata council. If an owner, tenant or occupant can be determined to have caused the infestation, the strata corporation can always proceed against the owner to recover the claim. Unfortunately communities tend to spend valuable time debating the cause, when their first course […]

European Wasps

Wasps Traps 80 European wasp nests have been destroyed over the past six months to prevent the pest from becoming established in the state of Washington just, below British Columbia. When a wasp is caught in a trap and confirmed to be a European wasp, the Department then locates and destroys the nest. European wasps are […]

A new tool in my pest arsonal

Chinese army uses FLAMETHROWER to take out giant nest of killer wasps What do you do when you find a hornets’ nest high up in a tree? Call in the army to KILL IT WITH FIRE. At least that’s the pest control solution used in China with when villagers found the hive of aggressive stinging insects. […]

Sex chemicals confuse males?

  Pheromones offer green alternative to pesticide sprays Sex chemicals confuse male insects into looking for love in all the wrong places. Each pheromone only targets a single pest species. That leaves beneficial pollinators like bees and predators such as ladybugs unharmed.  Some farmers are now turning to the green alternative of pheromones, the alluring chemicals female […]

Detergents and pesticides and boys

Study finds detergents and pesticides linked to genital defects in baby boys Pregnant women regularly exposed to a range of detergents, solvents and pesticides have a substantially greater risk of giving birth to boys with genital deformities. Women who regularly work with such chemicals, including cleaners and hairdressers, were at greatest risk of giving birth […]

Impressive Fire Ant Spreads To Delta

  There is no known method for eliminating the “Impressive Fire Ants” once they are established.  Fire ants are spreading in the Lower Mainland as call goes up for legislation to prevent movement of soil that is infested. Attempts to eradicate impressive fire ants with pesticides have failed, they come back stronger than ever from […]

Hmmmm…Human Rat Arms

Scientists have grown an entire rat arm in the laboratory for the first time. The incredible lab-grown rat forearm limb has blood vessels, muscle tissue, skin and it even moves. This involves taking organs from donors and stripping all the soft tissue away, leaving just the collagen scaffold. They even attached the lab-grown arms to healthy rats […]

Optimum Fly Control

  Seeing large numbers of flies requires applying summer insecticides. Last winter was relatively typical in that there was unexceptional snowfall and warmer temperatures. This means the peak fly season could be earlier with greater numbers of flies around all summer long. The one thing that all fly species have in common is that they all […]

Bugs in your House

Facts you may not know about the bugs living in your home: mice, rats, wasps, bees, dust mites and silverfish. bugs . Rodents – Mice & Rats Found in lofts (causing fire hazards by chewing electric cables) and kitchens (where they’ll eat virtually anything that’s on offer, especially dry cereal), telltale signs include droppings, scratching […]

Household pesticides and ADHD  

  A study shows commonly used household pesticide with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and young teens. This is why the government is trying to stop the sale of pesticides to the public. Pesticide exposure and ADHD, particularly in terms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, rather than inattentiveness is associated in boys more than […]

Wasp and Hornet Control

Why you should consider wasp and hornet control Go Green Pest Control, located in Delta, B.C., has been keeping homes pest-free this spring. Let’s face it, wasps and hornets mean business. Getting stung by one is painful, and can even be fatal in some cases; and when they enter your home and build a nest, […]

The Aloof Wasp

Working in my garden, I noticed a small blue black wasp flicking its shiny wings as it dashed across the dirt, searching here and there, looking for a spider.  Yellow jackets, paper wasps and bald faced hornets are the very model of teamwork. The solitary wasp have an incredible variety in their lifestyle and shapes, but one thing […]

Canada banning Insecticides

Canadian are five years behind most of Europe when it comes to banning neonics insecticides . Neonics insecticides are very, very toxic to all invertebrates including butterflies, earthworms and aquatic invertebrates, which are at the very heart of the food chain. There is growing evidence neonics insecticides use is affecting humans. Ontario is the only Canadian […]

“Impressive Red Fire Ant”

“Impressive Red Fire Ant” Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control searches for the Impressive Red Fire Ant along the Arbutus Corridor in the heart of Vancouver. CN has torn up the old rail ties to hide the extreme problems that years of neglectful maintenance has produced. Randy Bilesky is a man on a mission, he […]

Randy Bilesky of “Go Green Pest Control” talks

Delta Cable’s Blanca Blandon interviews Randy Bilesky; owner operator of Go Green Pest Control Corp. Randy discusses pest control, alternative eco-friendly revelations and how having lived in Delta for almost two decades provides him the knowledge of the local terrain to help to save his customers money in their pest issues. “It’s not good enough […]

DELTA OPTIMIST MAY 27, 2015 12:00 AM

New pest control company owner putting local knowledge to work    DELTA OPTIMIST MAY 27, 2015 12:00 AM  A 17-year Tsawwassen resident, Randy Bilesky has opened Go Green Pest Control.   Photograph By submitted After many years in the forest industry, long-time South Delta resident Randy Bilesky decided to start a new venture – and Go […]

Giant Stick Insect

Dementor wasps and giant stick insect among newly discovered species of animals     The Ampulex dementor wasp from Thailand, which was named by popular vote after the soul-sucking creatures in the Harry Potter books, paralyses its prey with venom before eating them alive. A stick insect measuring 54cm (21 inches), making it – for […]

Mice plague fattens trout

Interesting story in southern New Zealand A “battle for the birds” 1080 bombardment – produced an explosion in the back-country mouse population. This in turn allowed trout to quickly put on size and condition as they gorged on mice swimming rivers to find new sources of beech seed. The same phenomenon of heavy seeding, lots of mice and big […]

Protect school kids from pesticides

Tsawwassen,  Delta  B.C. Children need to be protected when farmers apply pesticides near schools.   Most farms are industrial by nature, with dangerous equipment, noise, dust and chemicals, including pesticides. We need  children to be safe in our schools, yet because land use is a local affair, school locations are exempt from the general plan […]

Greedy Rat

I went to check this rodent “Bait Station” yesterday and had a surprise of the day. The poor rat was so full from eating the bait that he decided to have a snooze in the station. Needless to say he is now in rodent heaven. The bait station is against a fence that runs parallel […]

Save Bees From Pesticides

New campaign to save bees from pesticides Neonicotinoids are neuro-active insecticides similar in chemical structure to nicotine. It may also be that bees are not the only form of wildlife affected.The loss of bees worldwide has been puzzling scientists. Bees pollinate over one-third of food crops and their loss is set to cause ecological problems […]

Obese mice produce disease cells

Obesity may be tougher on male immune systems than females. Male mice may have the tendency to produce higher levels of white blood cells that encourage inflammation, which contributes to the negative health consequences of obesity. Male mice are most often studied because their risk for developing these diseases. Obesity does not trigger inflammation in female mice […]

Anti-Wasp Gadget

  Declare war on wasps this summer  Shoo Away device confuses insects by blasting them with beams of moving light. A new hi-tech version of the notorious cork hat has been created in a bid to stop wasps from ruining barbeques. The  Shoo Away gizmo actually blasts the much-hated insects with small beams of light, baffling them using a similar […]

Insecticide and School ?

Ottawa School to reopen doors Students at Charles H. Hulse Public School will return to their regular classes today, more than a month after the elementary school was closed due to an insecticide that made some students and staff sick. The school has been undergoing renovations to remove insecticide residue. Some parents say they’re still upset […]

Bees Love This One Pesticide, But  

  Several recent studies point to a disturbing relationship between bees, which are essential for the health of the planet, and a particular class of pesticide known as nicotinoids. Nicotine, the compound we all know and fear, is a natural substance. Plants produce it because it keeps bugs away. Hence the development of neonicotinoids, synthetic […]

plants carry deadly pesticide

Beekeepers warn store-bought plants may carry deadly pesticide Environmentalists are warning the public over a pesticide they say is bad for bees. Manitoba Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon explains. Beekeepers and scientists say some store-bought herbs, flowers and seeds may contain a pesticide linked to mass bee die-offs in North America. Studies have linked neonicotinoid pesticides […]

Killed by bedbug insecticide

Second child dies after being exposed to bedbug insecticide Another child has died after being exposed to an insecticide his parents were using to kill bedbugs in their northern Alberta apartment. The two-year-old boy died Thursday while being treated at Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton. Imam Sherif El Sayid of the Al Rashid mosque told […]

Bees and Pesticides

It’s not a huge thing in the fight to reverse a dramatic population decline. The decline of the nation’s honeybee population started in the 1980s and has been blamed on a variety of factors, including neonicotinoids, a type of insecticide and other seed producers, and the varroa mite, a parasite that may contribute to colony […]

pesticides and bee deaths

The government is censoring its own scientists for studying ties between pesticides and bee deaths? Following reports that scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture are being harassed and their research on bee-killing pesticides is being censored or suppressed, a broad coalition of farmers, environmentalists, fisheries and food-safety organizations urged an investigation in a […]

Eating Organic Can Rid Pesticides

A new study suggests that just two weeks of eating a changed diet is enough to drastically reduce the amount of lingering ag chemicals. There are pesticides—and other agricultural chemicals too—in your body right now. With organic food production accounting for less than 1 percent of the world’s farmland, herbicides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, and […]

Randy Bilesky & Go Green

Randy Bilesky owner/operator of Go Green Pest Control is interview by Delta Cable.   May 7 2015, Delta cable interviewed Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control Corp. The discussed quickly turned from what Randy does to what he is concerned about in the local area. “We are looking at a massive invasion of the […]

Randy Bilesky Talks About Rats Getting In Your Car

Do to continue Government pressures, north American car companies are “going green” by using biodegradable components to build their cars. Unfortunately for many car owners this has come at a cost: the expensive repair bill resulting from rodents chewing the wire coatings and other electrical parts under the hood! Randy Bilesky of Go Green Pest Control in […]

Rats vs Vancouver Hospital’s

Rats scurrying down hospital hallways, chewing through wires and nibbling on food scraps near the cafeteria. Children’s Hospital, the rodent problem there has definitely got worse in recent years. These are a few of the recent rodent sightings reported by public health inspectors, nurses and staff members at B.C. Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. A […]

Blame the ‘Impressive Fire Ant’

 Blame the ‘impressive fire ant’ for delayed at Vancouver’s airport and don’t expect things to get much better Richmond B.C. — The invasive fire ant continues to spread in the Lower Mainland, wreaking havoc on Vancouver airport runways and forcing CP Rail to burn the soil on the Arbutus corridor in attempts to eradicate them. Last […]

Protect pollinators from pesticides

1. Avoid applying pesticides to blooming plants, or when conditions favor drift into areas with plants in bloom. 2. If you must spray plants in bloom, select a pesticide that is less toxic to bees (e.g. Bt, insecticidal soap, summer spray oil). Spot spray when possible to limit pesticide exposure risks. 3. Apply pesticides only […]

Beneficial Ants

Beneficial ants being mistaken for invasive species in Naramata near Penticton BC   May 04, 2015 – 11:51 AM PENTICTON – A beneficial native species of ant is being mistaken for an invasive species that doesn’t, according to a Thompson Rivers University researcher. Following an InfoNews story on the European fire ant last week, several […]

Impressive Fire Ant

Impressive fire ant (IFA; Myrmica specioides): Specimens were sent to Dr. Higgins from Vancouver Airport that were originally thought to be European fire ant (EFA), but they turned out to be a very similar species, M. specioides. YVR has a highly established population of M. specioides in their fields. Unlike EFA, these are undergoing mating […]