Bug Blog
A new Silver Bullet – Temprid SC
In the last several months, a new integrated pest control pesticide has become available to us in the professional pest control industry; yes our latest and greatest silver bullet. Although it’s been in the US for years, our government has finally given its consent to use this very effective chemical here, with a few extra limitations not seen in the country below us. We have been using a permethrin called Dragnet for many years now and its days have finally come to an end. Not only is permethrin stinky, headache inducing, a short residual life, it has lost its ability to eradicate certain bugs, and of course now that it is widely available at retail store, insect resistance will continue to evolve. With Temprid SC there are two active ingredients called Imidacloprid and Cyfluthrin. These two ingredients affect targets pests differently: Imidacloprid works by disrupting inhibitor stimuli transmission within the nervous system which is toxic to insects but not to humans or animals, and Cyfluthrin attacks the central nervous system and remaining effective far longer time than previous pyrethrins. For more information on Temprid SC, check out our website at go green pest control.ca. Give us a call, and we can explain the advantages to you and your insect issues.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-silver-bullet-randy-bilesky/?published=t
When the Doodlebugs come marching two by two
If you haven’t seen these little armadillos, a.k.a. sowbugs, crawling around wet areas of your house and garage, you will soon. These little crustaceans breathe through trachea-like lungs in their paddle-shaped hind legs, called pleopodal lungs. These “cheesy bobs” are usually nocturnal and are detritivores, meaning that they feed mostly on dead plant matter and other insects. Similar to earthworms, they are useful in gardens for their ability to control other pests, producing compost and overturning the soil, but they also feed on ripening fruits such as strawberries and many tender seedlings. These “hog-louse” also invade homes en masse in search of moisture and their presence can indicate dampness issues. They are generally regarded as nuisance rather than household pests, as they do not spread disease, damage sound wood or structures. Sometimes chemical control treatment is required if all other attempts fail. We would be happy to advice your next move against these “granny greys”, just give us a call at go green pest control.ca.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-doodlebugs-come-marching-two-randy-bilesky/?published=t
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
Is there a safe way to release a skunk?
Skunks are definitely not fun to deal with when you are trying to get them off your property. The usual non-lethal method to capture these animals is to use live traps, sometimes referred to as cage traps or a Heart traps. These traps require using bait: fresh eggs, fruit and canned tuna, to lure the animal into the trap that closes when the animal steps on a pressure plate or trigger. But, there are a few things to consider once you catch your problem animal. Releasing skunks on public land is considered very objectionable because it adds one more nest predator of quail, pheasant, grouse, and other upland game. When releasing a skunk back into the wild (be it the nearest park), here are a few things to keep in mind. Always wear leather or canvas gloves when handling traps to protect you from scratches and reduce your exposure to feces and urine. Skunks will pound their front feet when agitated. If you hear this sound, it means the skunk is about to spray the cage, the tarp it covered in and any part of your body it can see. Skunks are less likely to spray what they can’t see. Follow these instructions and the likelihood of being sprayed is still high but not totally undoable or look us up at go green pest control.ca and we can help guide you to a simple skunk extraction and relocation. We recommend you take the animal to Critter Care in Langley.
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/is-there-a-safe-…-release-a-skunk/
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/safe-way-release-skunk-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-is-there-a-safe-way-to-release-a-skunk-1.23263241
Squirrels – Nuts about Nuts
Squirrels are known to find nuts easily, hide them quickly, return for more and they never seem to forget their hiding places. When a squirrel rotates a nut between its front paws, they are considering a range of factors to reach the answer to a series of question: eat it now or bury it for later? Their behaviors are far more intricate than we realize as the animal consider several options when deciding to eat or to stash it for later. They evaluate the physical characteristics of a nut, such as its shelf life (expiry date) and dietary importance. They also contemplate the accessibility of other nuts at that time of the year and if they know if there are any other squirrels in the area. Rotating a nut around in their feet helps numerous purposes. It helps determine the quality of the nut and see if there are any imperfections in the shell. Flaws usually point to the nut being more vulnerable to rot and if they want to eat it right there what are the best entry points for breaking into the shell. Handling the nut also helps determine how to carry the nut based on the shape and weight. In the spring squirrels take more care in handling the nuts before they bury them, perhaps because the nuts may still be scarce before summer’s harvest.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/squirrels-nuts-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-squirrels-are-nuts-about-nuts-1.23261742
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner tsawwassen Delta B.C. randy Bilesky
April showers bring May pests
We have seen an increase in the number of rodents in Delta with the beginning of spring, although these record setting rainfalls don’t seem to slow them down. But, rodents, wasps and flies are making themselves known in homes throughout South Delta as summer draws closer. The problems, including rats, have been on the increase since February due to the mild weather, lack of freezing, snow and just more food sources including kitchen recycling bins. Recent wetter weather has also meant more spiders. As a general comment, global warming has a colossal impact on rodent and other pest numbers, as there’s been a consistent food source all over the region for them. This includes seed heads on grasses since the beginning of spring and longer light hour warmer weather. As long as you have extra food around, the mice and rats aren’t being picked up by predators such as owls, rodents will be about. Also, I have been called out to many spider and cluster fly calls, which doesn’t usually hit for another month or two. The takeaway is that it’s important to keep a clean and tidy property to prevent the chance of rodents and insects making their presence.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/april-showers-bring-may-pests-randy-bilesky/?published=t
Fanged Silverfish
Silverfish are true pest insects which are very destructive, don’t carry any known diseases but have fangs – without venom. They may be unpleasant, but at least they aren’t hazardous. You may have spotted these flat silvery or brown insects scurrying in the bathroom, bathtub, sink, on walls, and across the floor. They can be found just about anywhere there’s humidity. Although silverfish are not actually fish they do have a few similarities: they are silvery-blue scales, much like the scales of a fish and move side-to-side like a fish. Like many house insects, silverfish are nocturnal; therefore you are more likely to see them at night as they scurry around using their compound eyes and sensitive antenna to navigate their way around. If you are finding holes in clothing, books and other fabrics, it might very well be silverfish. Their only means of defense is their speed, outrunning centipedes and spiders but thankfully not our eradication formulas. If you have been seeing these pests around your home, contact us at go green pest control.ca. We can help you eliminate them and suggest ways of preventing them from returning.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Tsawwassen Ladner Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
Rodents – quick maturing / shorter life
So why are the lifespans of most rodents, mice, rats and squirrels so short? Researchers have compared genes of long- and short-lived rodents; it would appear several novel (unique) genes influence longevity and healthy aging in mammals. Most rodent’s life prospect and early death during aging are predominantly high. Interesting, small rodents like mice or rats live no longer than 9 months to three years, while mole-rats or crepuscular rodents have an average life span up to 30+ years, in relatively good health. Genes selected by evolution for a long and healthy life were under-activated in long-lived rodents, yet over-activated in short-term species. Long-lived rodents’ genes are 86% identical to human DNA. There also appears to be a strong connection between fast growth and long lifespan. The same genes that make a rodent mature fast also accelerate the aging process; that shorten its lifespan.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rodents-quick-maturing-shorter-life-randy-bilesky/?published=t
Grease Ants
I have officially declared 2018 the year of the grease ant, or the cousin of the little black ant or a.k.a. the pavement ant. These ants, which usually make their homes under pavement, patio blocks and pavement stones, can also spend the entire year in your house. Yes, a year around nuisance. The colonies can be moderately large and by that I mean hundreds to thousands of ants. Swarmers (winged breeding ants that are around a ½” long) usually appear around June or July; nevertheless, I’ve seen them swarm in just about every month inside a home. When they are discovered indoors they can be found in walls, under floors, and in insulation. If your home is a slab-on-grade construction, with radiant floors or forced air, they usually get in through cracks or expansion joints in slabs. Most notably, their nests can be located behind baseboards, in wall cavities, near plumbing, sinks, toilets, and along the edges of carpets. The use of retail purchased insecticides, dusts and those round bait pucks stress ant colonies, triggering them to split into sub-colonies and scatter. This scattering, known as budding, increases the number of ant colonies, and thereby swells your ant problem. Once you have given up trying to contain these beasts, look us up at go green pest control.ca and we will be happy to irradiate them. Oh, and yes they do bite and sting.
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-grease-ants-1.23255561
Impressive, Mr. Fire Ant
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/impressive-m-fire-ant-randy-bilesky/?published=t
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-impressive-fire-ants-1.23253118
When Raccoon’s give you the Hairy Eyeball
Raccoons might be charming, but like polar bears, African lions, crocodiles, rhinoceros, great white sharks and members of Hedley, they should all be watched on videos or behind protection zoo grade barriers. Now we all should know by now that these animals (dumpster sharks or raquirrels) are far from huggable squishy bears. These rascal tailed Tasmanian devils can cause a multitude of issues: property damage (house, sheds, gardens, decks, patios, feces…), diseases and injuries to your pets. If you take it upon yourself to fight back against the furry mcslashy, keep this in mind, they have razor-sharp teeth, gruella like grasping paws and are as big and heavy as most Costco Kirkland econo sized god food bags (50 lb heavy things). Catching and relocating a racoon (or family of) can be problematic, but it’s not as hard as you might think (check out the 110k YouTube videos). When attempting to catch a coon, you just need to remember three things—raccoons are curious, they are always on the hunt for food and if they have been caught before or know anything about your live trap then the gigs up. These guys are born with the knowledge that -fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me, so you have one shot at this. So before continuing this discussion on “self-trapping” a raccoon, go to our website for all the details on how it can be done safely and humanely. Better yet, save the money that you are going to spend on a one time raccoon capture program and give us a call at go green pest control.ca and we will kindly assist you in making the best decisions.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky
http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-when-raccoon-s-give-you-the-hairy-eyeball-1.23245682
