“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 in 2013 and the same in 2012.”
Calls were not as early coming this year, but the weather has warmed up considerably. “The season began in mid-June,” says Randy Bilesky from Go Green Pest Control. “But as it gets hotter we expect it to carry on later into the year.”
Pest control officer Randy Bilesky is presently dealing with around 25 jobs every week relating to wasps. “We get up to 10 calls every day,” says Randy, “It will be pretty busy until well into September and possibly even longer. They thrive in warm weather and are becoming more prevalent due to milder winters and global warming.” he says. “People are finding nests in all sorts of places – in cedar hedges, in air vents, under gutters, in garden sheds, compost bins and soffits.”
Insecticide is applied to nests. “We have given advice on how to people can do it themselves, but I also stress caution and proper protection.” Not everyone knows the difference between wasps and bees. “I will not treat a bumblebee nest rather I advise a call to bee extraction company.” Bumblebees are not generally aggressive, but may become aggravated if you interfere with the nest. If nests are left until later in the year, the bees will leave or die.
Go Green Pest Control deal with a variety of pests, including rats, raccoons and ants.
“I’ll look at what it is about the property that is attracting the pests,” explains Randy. “I look at how I could change the nature of the environment to make it less attractive to them”. “Rats, for instance, need a source of food and water, and a place to live where they will not be disturbed. Mice don’t need water in the same way and can survive on water contained within the food it eats.” “On an initial inspection I’d look to see whether there is any obvious source of food such as that being thrown out for birds. If so, that is easy to eradicate.”
Go Green receives around 250 calls every year about rats, with a similar number for mice, with no marked increase from previous years. “We receive calls from all over Delta, from the North Delta to Ladner and Tsawwassen.”
There is a charge for Go Greens pest control services. “People shop around and a lot of people try to tackle the problem themselves,” says Randy. “Supermarkets sell traps and other methods of treating a mouse problem, for example. People are less keen on trying to tackle insect pests but they will ring for advice.” Poison is only used “if absolutely necessary.”
“I give advice about environmental controls such as making your home rodent-proof. Mice can squeeze through holes the size of a pen top and rats can get through a space around 10mm in diameter. This means you have to check around the house for holes that could serve as an entry point such as air bricks and holes around steps.
