Cottage Country Pest Control

Fleas, fleas & more fleas

2011-09-01T11:45:00.003-04:00

What is is with these darned fleas!?

We have been getting SO many flea calls lately; it is ridiculous. Just hung up from my third call about 'em of the day.

The worst part is that some of the infestations are in apartments where there are not even any pets! That just does not seem fair... it's one thing to have to deal with them when you do choose to have critters - but when you don't, you should not have to!

They are a royal pain to get rid of too - have had to go to a 3 product approach this season, where last year, one was enough.

Don't know what the heck is going on with them - but if you have a flea problem, do give us a call at (705)534-7863 or email us and Ross will be happy to solve it for you.

Winding Down ....

2011-08-17T09:05:00.004-04:00

...but not really.

We do tend to slow down a bit as we head into the fall - but really, it is more a matter of change.

Instead of running around doing spider sprays and carpenter ants, these days Ross is more likely to be in an attic somewhere looking for bat guano or on a roof doing bat exclusion. Or crawling around under a cottage making sure that mice and other furry friends can't get in. Or dealing with fleas. They seem to be particularly bad this year.

And of course, there are the bees... hornets...wasps.... fun stuff, those! He has the necessary equipment to protect himself from stings but over the years, he's never really needed it - until last week, when - because he's never really needed it, he didn't bother to put it on. Somehow I doubt he'll make that mistake again! He got stung on Friday and spent the weekend with his eyes pretty much swollen shut. Fun times! I would post a picture but I don't think he would appreciate that much :)

He's looking much better now and was back to work yesterday though, so he is available to help you solve your pest problems. Give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at (705)534-7863 or send us an email at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com and I will be happy to send him in your direction.

Spider Sprays 2

2011-07-18T09:28:00.002-04:00

Ross has started the second round of spider sprays for the season .... if you've had a spray and are ready for another, please do let us know.

If you haven't had a spray but want one, feel free to give us a call at (705)534-7863 or drop us an email at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com and he'll be happy to fit you in as well.

And/of, of course, he is always available to solve your other pest problems.

We are still getting quite a few calls for carpenter ants, and now fleas as well... not so many bed bugs right now though... good thing, that!

Adventures in Cottage Country

2011-06-29T10:48:00.003-04:00

So .... Ross has decided that now that we have a bigger boat, he can do some of his island calls himself - in the past, he's been meeting people at marinas and getting them to take him to wherever he needs to be... which has worked fine for the most part, but does mean that he works almost every weekend, since that's when people are up here. A lot of the work - especially repeat calls, estimates, spider sprays and so on can be done without the customer present IF he takes our boat.

So ...a fine idea! Except for the fact that most of our boating over the past several years has been in and around Hoggs Bay - not exactly challenging in terms of navigation, that! So we've been doing some more exploratory trips lately... he's got the maps and I have a Blackberry - which does have some GPS services, although it doesn't yet work with the Navionics app (it needs to!!).... so...we didn't get lost on our first big exploratory trip.

Unfortunately, we also didn't make it home though!!!! Darn boat conked out!!!! Way out in the middle of things.... about half way between Beausolleil Island and ...Sawlog Bay? ... whatever... we were buggered. Had an extra filter - two actually - and Ross tried swapping those out. No way, no how - it just was not going to co-operate.

So there we are - out in the middle of nowhere. Did see a couple of boats off in the distance, but neither of them apparently saw us, even though I was waving life jacket and flashlight around like a damn fool.

And of course, since we'd gotten away much later in the day than we'd intended.... it was already into the evening. AND I had been using my Blackberry for navigation all day - guess how much power it had left? Yeah, not much. Next time, we take the charger!

Anyway .... who to call? Brother in law now has the little pontoon boat ... no way in hell. Several unsuccessful phone calls trying to get help .... no joy ... and of course, all of these phone calls are draining my battery even more - but hey, at least now people know where we are - and where we are going to be spending the night, seemed like. Sure would have liked them to quit wasting my battery power by calling me to tell me they weren't going to help us though!!!!!

Great - the power bar on Blackberry had now gone from yellow to red... and I really REALLY did not relish the idea of a night out on the lake. Then I thought of Phil - Ross' friend from Village Marina, in Honey Harbour. Thank God for Phil!

He not only was there, he got in his boat and came and towed us home. By the time he got to us it was almost dark - by the time we got back to the Marina it was well after dark. I've never had the ~pleasure~ of being out on the lake after dark - especially in unfamiliar waters - but fortunately they aren't unfamiliar to Phil and all ended well. He even went above and beyond by lending us a car to go home in, and arranging to have the boat serviced for us first thing in the morning (it was some other thingamabob filter not the one Ross was mucking around with).

So - all's well that ends well ...thanks to Phil at Village Marina in Honey Harbour.

Boat is all fixed, and we know a whole lot more about where (and when!!) to go, what we need (an ipad, I think!), and what to do if we get stuck. Which, I hope, we never will again!!!!

So there we go.... yes, we do do island calls - and we'll even do them with our own boat, if you prefer.... after all, what's life without a little adventure?

Bed Bugs - A new concern

2011-06-06T13:18:00.003-04:00

As if bedbugs were not creepy and disgusting enough, now they are finding them with drug resistant bacteria that causes MRSA and others already on board. Charming!!!! NOT!

Another good reason for Ross NOT to bring his work home with him.

Carpenter Ants

2011-05-24T10:56:00.004-04:00

Carpenter ants are bigger than 'normal' ants... and can do a lot more damage than them too.

While they don't actually eat wood, they do tunnel through it ...and sometimes, through other materials as well.

In addition to seeing larger, and/or winged, ants, you can also sometimes hear them chewing in the walls...and quite often you will find piles of sawdust-like material (called frazz).

Because they do do damage, the sooner you deal with a carpenter ant problem, the better.

Give Ross a call at (705)534-7863and he will help you to identify the sort of ant problem you have and most importantly, will help you to solve it.... responsibly.

Or you can email us at Cottage Country Pest Control .

And yes, he works weekends, although they are tending to get booked up very quickly :)

Spring Special

2011-04-11T10:07:00.004-04:00

Call or email us today to book your spider spray and receive our lowest prices for the summer.

Your choice of one, two or three sprays.

Keep the exterior of your home or cottage clean and web-free - and as an added bonus, treatment helps to control other nuisance pests as well.

Give Cottage Country Pest Control a call to book your spray(s) - (705)534-7863

Spring has sprung

2011-04-09T10:28:00.002-04:00

There is open water all along the edge of the Bay, at least... we're getting there!

Soon it will be time to start thinking about pest management for your home and cottage, and Ross is here to help.

We are now booking spring spider sprays - give us a call at (705)534-7863 to arrange your service.

And of course, as always, Ross is here to help with all of your pest management needs: bed bugs, carpenter ants, bats, mice.... whatever is bugging you.

Email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com or call us at (705)534-7863.

Spring!

2011-03-20T19:47:00.004-04:00

Well, okay, the lake is still frozen enough that people were out there with their snowmobiles today - but it's a'coming, honest!

If you had any problems with bats last season, now is the time to take care of that - before they come back and take up residence again. Give us a call at (705)534-7863 and Ross will be happy to help you with that.

Also, if you already know that you're going to want spider sprays this year, why not give us a call, or send us an email and we will schedule you in for an early date, at your convenience of course. As always, weekend services provided at no additional cost.

To keep your home or cottage spider-web-free, an early spray is a great idea - and quite often means you can get by with less through the season.

For all your home and cottage pest control needs, Ross is here to help - give us a call.

Quick Facts - Woodroaches

2010-12-12T10:40:00.003-05:00

Wood roaches like to hide in stumps, under bark and in wood piles. They eat fungi, sweet substances and organic matter.

For help in solving all of your pest control problems,
Please call or email us at
Cottage Country Pest Control (705) 534-7863
ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Bed Bugs

2010-12-11T10:28:00.005-05:00

Bed bugs can survive up to six months without feeding. Both males and females bite.

For help in solving all of your pest control problems,
Please call or email us at
Cottage Country Pest Control (705) 534-7863
ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

bedbugs

2010-12-10T16:34:00.003-05:00

The bedbug can and often does feed on humans.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Bedbug

2010-12-10T08:54:00.004-05:00

Is it Bedbug or Bed Bug?

The European spelling is Bedbug,
the American spelling is Bed bug

For help to solve all of your pest control problems,
call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863,
or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Pennsylvania Woodroach

2010-12-08T12:14:00.003-05:00

The wood roach is normally an outdoor pest but can be found inside.
They are very common in Central Ontario.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems,
call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863,
or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Roaches

2010-12-07T13:29:00.001-05:00

Cockroaches can live without their heads for about a week.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Bed Bugs

2010-12-07T09:17:00.002-05:00

Bed bugs have oval shaped bodies about a quarter of an inch long and are flat before they eat. After eating they turn darkish red and become thicker due to gorging themselves

Quick Facts - Cockroaches

2010-12-04T09:19:00.000-05:00

They can carry bacteria such as Salmonella. Their mouths are used for chewing, not biting. Most roaches are active at night because they are sensitive to light

Quick Facts - Bed bugs

2010-12-03T09:15:00.001-05:00

Eggs are whitish in color, pear shaped and about the same size as a pin head. Clusters of 10-50 eggs are found in cracks and crevices by baseboards or in mattress and box spring seams.

Quick Facts - Bed Bugs

2010-12-02T09:34:00.001-05:00

You can spot them by their tell tale dark spots and stains (the bugs dried excrement) as well as rusty or reddish spots of dried blood on sheets and mattresses

Quick Facts- Bed bugs

2010-12-02T09:26:00.000-05:00

Bed bugs like to hide in seams, creases, folds of mattresses and box springs and cracks in the bed frame or headboard, between cushions, under area rugs and carpets, behind baseboards and in plaster cracks.

Quick Fact - Roaches

2010-12-01T13:24:00.001-05:00

Female cockroaches only ever need to mate once. Unfortunately, that does not mean they only reproduce once... once they have mated, they stay pregnant and can pop out new roaches for the rest of their lives.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Roaches

2010-11-30T13:30:00.001-05:00

Young cockroaches can squeeze through a crevice about as thick as a dime.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Squirrels

2010-11-28T13:18:00.001-05:00

There are several species of squirrels that inhabit attics, causing damage and noise.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Bed Bugs

2010-11-27T13:16:00.000-05:00

Hiding places can be located by looking for the spots of fecal material bedbugs often leave in easily visible places.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

mice

2010-11-26T20:13:00.002-05:00

A mouse will eat almost anything, they prefer cereal grains, seeds, or sweet material

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Bed Bugs

2010-11-26T13:22:00.000-05:00

Eggs are not known to be placed on the host's body but are found on surfaces near where the host sleeps

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Bed Bugs

2010-11-25T12:31:00.001-05:00

Bed bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticides - which means that you will need a company, like Cottage Country Pest Control, that uses a multi-faceted approach and keeps up to date on research and developments of new techniques. And that guarantees their work.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Cockroaches

2010-11-24T09:39:00.000-05:00

Most cockroaches are looking for food, water, and shelter. They will eat almost anything and like damp areas.

Quick Facts - Bedbugs

2010-11-23T09:27:00.002-05:00

The common bed bug is making a comeback after nearly vanishing in the 1940’s and 1950’s with the use of DDT.

Mice

2010-11-22T20:04:00.001-05:00

Since mice have a higher population number than rats, they are more widespread

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Cat fleas

2010-11-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Cat fleas are approximately 3mm long, are brown to black in colour, have no wings and are powerful jumpers.

Quick Facts - Cockroaches

2010-11-21T13:10:00.002-05:00

Common species of cockroaches found in Ontario are the German Roach, Pennsylvania Wood Roach, Oriental Roach, Brown-banded Roach and American Roach.

Quick Fact - Bed Bugs

2010-11-21T12:28:00.001-05:00

Different people react differently to bed bug bites - and some do not react at all. Which means that even if only one person that sleeps in your bed is getting bites, it may well be bed bugs.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

mice

2010-11-20T19:32:00.002-05:00

The house mouse has large ears, pointed nose and small eyes. The tail is as long as the head and body combined.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - Bed bugs

2010-11-20T11:31:00.001-05:00

Forty bed bugs can become up to 6,000 in approximately six months as their eggs only require about 10 days to hatch and they can go up to a year without food.

QUICK FACTS - HOUSE MOUSE

2010-11-19T11:22:00.002-05:00

The house mouse is a nocturnal animal and has well developed hearing and touch receptors for it night time activities.

2010-11-18T12:22:00.001-05:00

Bed bug bites often occur in a unique bite pattern of three or four, sometimes referred to as a "breakfast, lunch, dinner" pattern.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Bed Bugs

2010-11-15T12:14:00.001-05:00

Most things sold as bed bug protectors have little or no value. For example, things you put under or around bed legs do nothing at all since most bedbugs are introduced via clothing, luggage or bodies - they don't come in nicely through the door and climb up the legs of the bed.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

mouse

2010-11-14T06:33:00.001-05:00

Check around the pump and heater of your hot tub for signs of mice nesting

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact

2010-11-13T11:08:00.004-05:00

When coming down a tree, the raccoon can turn its hind feet backwards.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

QUICK FACTS - RACCOONS

2010-11-12T16:56:00.005-05:00

Raccoons are highly intelligent carnivores and are related
to Bears and the Giant Panda.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call

Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Facts - House Mouse

2010-11-11T19:37:00.005-05:00

A house mouse can jump 30 cm high and pass through an opening only 12mm in diameter.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

QUICK FACTS

2010-11-10T11:48:00.000-05:00

A house mouse prefers cereals and grains but will eat anything. Little water is needed and only 3 grams of dry food is needed per day.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact - Bats

2010-11-09T12:39:00.001-05:00

In Ontario, bats congregate in caves to spend the winter in hibernation.

Which means that NOW is the time to clean up any bat problems you may have. Cottage Country Pest Control will remove guano, seal up entry points, and provide seasoned bat boxes so that in the spring, when your bats return, they will stay outside where they belong.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com

Quick Fact - Raccoon

2010-11-08T11:56:00.003-05:00

Raccoons do not construct their own dens. They find a place to call home - and once they do, they like to stay there.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Above and Beyond Customer Service

2010-11-07T18:18:00.004-05:00

Some people's children!

Today I am irked. Very very irked.

We noticed that there had been a problem with a job done for a customer who received service - at no additional charge for weekend work as always - yesterday. Rather than hide it, which we absolutely and easily could have done, Ross let the customer know about it as soon as he discovered it, apologized, and asked to return to fix it at the customer's convenience.

Do you know how many other pest control companies in this area would bother doing that? And on a Sunday, no less? Not a one.

Cottage Country Pest Control prides itself on providing responsible and reliable pest control services to our customers. And we would do exactly the same thing again, if the same sort of thing were to arise.

But I hope that - if it ever does happen again - the next time is with a customer that has some manners!

Quick Fact - Chipmunks

2010-11-07T11:50:00.001-05:00

Trapping chipmunks is usually ineffective, since another usually comes to replace the one that is removed

.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact

2010-11-06T11:45:00.001-04:00

The gestational period for mice is only about 20 days. That means a lot of mice in a very short amount of time!

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Quick Fact

2010-11-05T11:38:00.004-04:00

Mice generally stay within 25 feet of their home range.

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

MICE

2010-11-01T07:07:00.000-04:00

And with the cold weather, outdoor pests look to find their way inside your home

For help to solve all of your pest control problems, call Cottage Country Pest Control at (705)534-7863, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.

Rooming Houses & Rental Properties

2010-10-02T19:57:00.006-04:00

In addition to solving home and cottage pest control problems, Cottage Country Pest Control is happy to help maintain your rental properties.

We own a house in Peterborough; while we spend most of our time in Victoria Harbour (it is ever so much prettier - and quieter!) ...we do also live at the Peterborough house part time. And we rent rooms.

If you have a rooming house or own rental properties, you will know all about all the ~fun & games~ that can go along with that. But at least we are fortunate to never have to worry about unwanted pests.

We spray each room as it is vacated; it is a quick and easy job to spray an empty room or apartment - and the spray has a residual effect. So we can be sure that our tenants are moving into a pest free room.

AND - if they happen to be bringing any nasties (such as bed bugs or roaches) with them, the residual effect means that they are unlikely to make it out of that room and into our other tenants' rooms - or worse, mine!!

If you have an apartment, rooming house, or other rental properties in Peterborough or Midland, we would be happy to solve any active infestations you might have, and/or to provide you with an estimate for regular tenant-transition sprays. Guaranteed to be a lot more cost-effective (and less aggravating) than waiting until you have a problem.

We also have products that can take care of any nasty smells - skunks, mold, smoke, and other assorted stinkers.

Email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com, or give us a call at (705)534-7863.

Bats in the Belfrey

2010-08-23T22:20:00.002-04:00

.... or, more likely the attic or soffits of your home or cottage?

Have you looked into the cost of a bat job in Huronia or the Kawarthas area lately? They can be expensive.

One thing that you should know about Cottage Country Pest Control is that we will NOT recommend a full out bat job unless that is actually what you need.

Ross has been doing a lot of bat-related inspections lately ... but so far, only a couple of places he has visited have had a serious problem that is going to require significant work. The majority have been relatively minor - people call because they have had one or two bats in the house this season.... a very good idea, that!

When we get that sort of call, Ross goes out, checks the home or cottage thoroughly for signs of infestation. If there is a significant bat problem there will be guano. That needs to be dealt with properly because there are health concerns associated with it - and because it's just plain nasty to have critters pooping in your house.

But if there is NOT guano - or only a very small amount - Cottage Country Pest Control will not recommend or charge you for a full bat job. What Ross does in those cases is ensure there are no bats inside, find & seal any points of entry, install seasoned bat boxes if you wish, and carry on his way.

Honest, reliable, responsible pest control: that is what Cottage Country Pest Control offers.

The earlier you get your bats dealt with, the better .... for you and your pocketbook.

If you suspect you may have a bat problem - or if you just want to have some batboxes that bats will actually use installed so that you avoid ever developing one - send us an email, or call (705)534-7863, or in Peterborough & the Kawarthas (705)741-6245.

Our Heron

2010-08-19T10:12:00.006-04:00

Apparently some people just don't get the heron as logo thing.

We are having a video made for one of our online listings; first attempt was just sent to us for approval. Uh ..... NO!!!! No, no, no!

They included our lovely heron right where the narrator says "...and other pests"

DUH!

C.C. hanging out at our dock

We chose the heron because we love them. We have one that hangs out right at the edge of our waterfront - and when we are taking care of your pest problems we are always aware of the need not to do anything that puts our heron - and our environment - at risk.

We care about our environment.

Some pest control companies talk the talk - but that is all it is - talk. They do things like use more product than is required, or worse, spray it over open water.

Cottage Country Pest Control will not do these sorts of things. We will solve your pest problems - but we will do it in such a way as to preserve the things that we love about cottage country.

Give us a call at (705)534-7863 or Peterborough (705)741-6245, or email us to arrange your pest solutions.

We care about our environment....and we take care.

Cottage Country Mystery

2010-08-13T00:51:00.003-04:00

Well, I solved our mystery!

Recently we have been getting a lot more calls from people who seem to be actually looking for another pest control company that works in this area.

They tend to be rather confused about who the heck they are actually calling. Until today - in the spirit of fairness - I have had no hesitation about sending them on to the other company. After today? Maybe not so much.

I discovered, after a rather odd phone call and a quick google search, that the other company has started inserting the words Cottage Country into their business name! They are advertising for us - isn't that nice of them?

Anyway, just to be clear, there are in fact 2 pest control companies in Victoria Harbour - and only one of them is called Cottage Country Pest Control.

We are fully licenced and insured, and members of the Structural Pest Management Association of Ontario.

And we are always ready to assist you to solve pest problems at your home, business, or cottage at a time that is convenient for you.

If you have - or think you might have - ants, spiders, bed bugs, roaches, mice, bats, or any other aggravating pests (other than the ones you brought into the world yourself; we don't do those) - we will be happy to provide you with an estimate and a solution. Give us a call at (705)534-7863 or in Peterborough @ (705)741-6245, or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.