Bug Blog
Weird Locations for Vespula vulgaris’ nests (Wasps)
There were an extraordinary number of wasps’ nests in Delta this summer. We had to deal with almost three times as many service calls as last year. Delta was buzzing this summer – but not always in a virtuous way. An epidemic of wasps led to an astonishing number of calls to Go Green Pest Control and Exterminators. During the month of August alone, we responded to 149 requests to deal with the common wasp (hornet), in August 2017 there were just 49. The high number is thought to have been caused by the queen wasps breeding more profusely during the hot dry weather. To keep up with the demand, Randy Bilesky and crew had to add Saturdays to their schedule. Wasp nests turned up in all sorts of places and everyone is different, from bushes to attics and sheds, soffits and fascia. Here are some of the strangest places we have found wasp nests: hanging off of a ladder, in a watering can, on a pair of hedge cutters, stuck to a car door handle, in a bike helmet, inside the bedroom of a Barbie’s house and the driver’s seat of a car.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca & XTRMN8R Tsawwassen Delta Ladner B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/weird-locations-…aris-nests-wasps/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/weird-locations-vespula-vulgaris-nests-wasps-randy-bilesky?published=t
https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-weird-locations-for-wasp-nests-1.23436182
Making your Home – Spider Proof
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 scents will deter them from leaving their nooks and crannies. Essential oils such as tea tree, rose, cinnamon, citrus, peppermint, citronella, lavender and eucalyptus can all work, as well as vinegar. Grab your caulking gun and seal up spider access points in walls, floors and ceilings (cracks and crevasses). There’s no scientific evidence that horse chestnuts work, yet I still see chestnuts in corner of people’s homes. Encourage ladybugs by planting ladybird-attracting plants, such as dill, fennel and marigolds, near to the perimeter of your house you can naturally keep spiders at bay. Ladybugs can eat nearly 25 spiders a day. Remove spider webs by using a vacuum cleaner, a soft duster and wiping down your windows and frames, it is the easiest way to stop spiders lurking and reproducing around the house. And finally, get a pet, particularly cats, they chase anything that moves and will fight off those unwanted spiders before you notice they are there. But try not to squash spiders; they’re more terrified of you than you are of them, if possible scoop them up and release them outside, as they are one of nature’s natural pest controls.
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/making-your-home-spider-proof/
gogreenpestcontrol.ca and Xtrmn8rs Randy L. Bilesky BsF CPA Delta Tsawwassen Ladner B.C.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/making-your-home-spider-proof-randy-bilesky/?published=t
https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-making-your-home-spider-proof-1.23433597
Late Summer – Spider Season.
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 for spiders than autumn (October-December) and spring; in fact, winter is even better than summer for spiders. But, spider season has arrived early this year. Our eight-legged friends often appear to become more frequent and vast in size as summer turns to fall. But this year we are seeing a bumper crop of spiders invade our homes ahead of time. I’m not sure which is worst, the spider webs that you run into or the spiders that stare you down as you approach them suspended in the air? So, what is spider season? Spider season has become the commonly used term beginning of September, when large house spiders are far more visible around Delta homes. This is because male spiders, after a summer of gobbling moths, flies, mosquitoes and other creepy crawlers, become sexually mature and start making their way indoors in search of a mate. Large house spiders are already being spotted frequently around people’s homes, which is unusual for mid- September. It all comes down to the hot dry smoky summer we’ve had. The warmer weather has delivered the perfect circumstances for spiders to grow rapidly, including improved access to food, again better weather more insects. So, larger spiders are more likely to be hanging in their webs around your house and appearing in your house earlier than normal.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy L. Bilesky BsF CPA
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/late-summer-spider-season-randy-bilesky/?published=t
https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-late-summer-spider-season-1.23431263
Fleas ? Try this first
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 carpets – yes it will smell good but doesn’t work. Sprinkling baking soda or salt on the carpet, again it just will not kill off a flea infestation. Or how about this one, soapy water in a bowl. Yes if a flea happens to land in the water it will drowned- if!! Diatomaceous earth is one over the counter powder that will work against fleas, follow the instructions but don’t over use it as it will get everywhere and get messy. Still, next to having a pro come in and spray Precor with Temprid SC, the best thing to do is vacuum a lot. Vacuuming will remove fleas, larvae and eggs as well as organic matter such as dead skin in carpets that the flea larvae feed on.
Mosquito Repellents: lavender and lemongrass
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 is exhaled. Once the mosquito gets close to its victim, they detect volatile chemicals given off by skin. So, lemongrass contains citronella, a natural oil that repels mosquitoes, also catnip, rosemary and pennyroyal are herbs that contain other oils that repel mosquitoes. Citronella deters mosquitoes by covering scents that mosquitoes are drawn too, therefore they have a tougher time finding you. Citronella masks carbon dioxide and lactic acid in humans, two scents that are attractive to mosquitoes. Lavender oil contains up to 25% linalool. Linalool is a terpenoid alcohol that has the same effect on mosquito olfactory receptors as DEET -diethyltoluamide, a chemical we all know and use when purchasing conventional mosquito repellents. Geraniol, the active compound in geranium oil, is actually more effective at repelling mosquitoes than linalool or even citronella.
Not! Attracting Rodents to your house
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 next generation of rats and mice that there was someone here before and it a safe to enter. One of the simplest ways to avoid getting them, or getting them back, is maintaining a clean, sanitary and tidy home. Believe me when I say, as easy as it is to attract rats and mice to your home, it’s just as easy to ward them off. Maintain a clean kitchen by storing dry foods in plastic containers and cleaning spills as it occurs. Bird feeders (rat feeders), fruit and nut bearing trees, growing vegetables all attract rodents to your yard. So maintain your garden regularly by picking up any fallen produce and cleaning up seeds or nuts you might see.
Ants Optimized Division of Labor
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 tunnels, it was discovered that 25-30% of the ants did 70-75% of all the work. But not due to laziness, individual ants when bumping into even a minor traffic jam on their way down to the tunnel, withdrew back up the tunnel without gathering any soil. It was also discovered that too many ants create a traffic jam, whereas too few ants cannot maintain a steady flow. A critical number of ants maximize traffic flow which turns out to be an optimized division of labor.
Cockroaches-Prevention is better than cure!
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 day then it bad. They typically only emerge at night to feed as apparently dislike lights and hide in dark places, as in your cupboards. It is actually true that cockroaches are associated with filthy and dirty environments, although this isn’t necessarily always true. Cockroaches feed on just about anything, from food to cardboard. Do to the fact that they are in contact with every form of garbage – they harbour many forms of bacteria and microorganisms. Hence, when they come into contact with any of our food, there is a chance that it will become contaminated. Cockroaches can be found hiding under kitchen appliances, sinks, cupboards and pantries. They also may be hiding in your living room, crawlspace and attic. Prevention: keep your home clean and tidy, take out your garbage regularly, remove clutter and stored relics and seal up any cracks and crevices around the outside of your house.
Spider beetles – almost nothing to be afraid of
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 bed bugs. There is no known health risks associated with spider beetles but they will bite us and our pets. They are foragers and for the most part are nocturnal: most active at night. Spider beetles, similar to cockroaches, will eat almost anything from seeds to wool and leather to animal feces. And yes they love herbs, spices and other plants, where most people find them. Spider beetles usually get into your house by hitchhiking a ride on just about anything you bring in. They hide in cracks and crevices and can easily get into food packaging by chewing their way through the outer packing to the food inside. Since spider beetles like so many different types of food, they can be found in almost every room in your house, so if you spot one of these spider beasts, give us a call at go green pest control and terminators and we will take the bite out of those spiders beetles.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy L. Bilesky BsF CPA
Does your Furniture have Dandruff?
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 to be over 14% for larvae to develop but most homes are 10%, therefore usually only in attics and crawl spaces. Lyctid beetles lay eggs in fresh hardwood and will not attack treated or finished wood. Bostrichids beetles are similar to Lyctid beetle activities needing relatively high moisture and starch content. The powder these different larvae produce is mostly produced from late winter to late spring. Individual pieces of furniture can be fumigated for these beetles and their larvae but if the beetles are in beams or other non-movable wood the whole room or house would need to be fumigated. An alternative to fumigation is heat treatment; the wood would need to be heated to 48 to 60 degrees celsius for about one day. The beetles and larvae can also be frozen for the same amount of time.
https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-does-your-furniture-have-dandruff-1.23426325
