Bed Bugs and Public Places (continued)

Today's post will be the follow up the post on Monday "Bed Bugs and Public Places". So if you want to find out the last 5 major public places where bed bugs are a concern, then keep reading.

Quick recap:

1. Hospitals and Nursing Homes
2. Laundry Facilities
3. Retail Stores
4. Movie Theatres
5. Public Libraries

And now for the last five.

6. Public Transportation (planes, buses, trains)- If you've read our previous posts on bed bugs then this one shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Traveling can be a concern with the threat of bed bugs because they can live in the seats and such and you can get them that way. For more information about bed bugs and travel specifically (if you haven't already read it, check out our post on Bed Bugs and Travel).

7. Daycares, Schools and Colleges- When it comes to daycares and schools, kids are likely to share toys, cots, etc and unfortunately sometimes bed bugs. In regards to colleges the biggest concern is dorm living--students who live in dorms can spread bed bugs throughout the dorm through the laundry facilities, by sharing clothes or as discussed in the section on public libaries, we know that bed bugs can be transferred through books as well. Another concern is with visitors, who can pick up or drop of bed bugs in another dorm room and spread them that way. Finally, bed bugs can be brought home (or picked up by the student from their home) when they go home for visits.

8. Businesses and Offices- Bed bugs could be hiding in your office in the carpet or furniture. You may have clients, packages, and employees coming and going which can easily bring in bed bugs or you could pick them up at the office and bring them home.

9. Thrift stores and Yard Sales- The problem with these is that you have no real idea who brought them in and whether or not they brought along something extra. As we've already discussed bed bugs can be spread a number of ways (clothing, furniture, luggage, bedding, etc) so you really have to be careful when shopping at these places.

10. Places of Worship- Who would have thought right? Well unfortunately it does make sense as there is usually a large number of people in and out and it is possible to spread bed bugs in a church or other place of worship.

So that wraps this series up and while it can be a little nervewracking not knowing whether a place is safe or not, as long as you know what to look for in terms of finding signs of a bed bug infestation then you can hopefully catch anything sooner rather than later.

If you do have a problem with bed bugs or you think you might (or any other pests), give Cottage Country Pest Control a call today at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Bed Bugs and Travel

So today's post is about bed bugs and traveling. With Christmas coming up, more and more people are traveling and with the rush and the stress of traveling so close to the holidays, bed bugs may be not even be a concern.

Traveling should be a big concern for people what with all the stories of bed bugs in hotels,on trains, on cruise ships, etc. There are some very handy tips you can follow when traveling to help prevent bring a creepy crawly souvenir home from your trip.

1. Always inspect the room and furniture for blood spots, bug droppings or live insects--if you find any evidence of possible bed bugs then request a new room. Bedbugs like to hide in places like cracks, crevices, folds, and ruffles. Use a flashlight if you have to in order to thoroughly check for any signs of bed bugs. 

2. Pack your clothing in over sized, resealable plastic bags before packing them and keep your belongings in the bags or hanging up during your trip (don't put things on the floor or bed). Use a luggage rack to store your belongings during your stay in hotels.

3. Before leaving the hotel, inspect all your belongings and luggage carefully

4. When you return home, inspect your luggage and belongings again (it's recommended you do this outside as a precaution) or if its too cold outside, use your bathtub as bed bugs have a hard time climbing smooth surfaces. Always wash your clothing in the hottest water possible before putting them in the dryer for at least 30 minutes.

As stated in previous posts, ANYONE can get bug bugs. It's important that as soon as you think you have an infestation or if you know you do, to treat it quickly and properly. The longer you wait, the harder and more expensive it can be to treat later.

To book an appointment give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Bed Bugs and Tenants

Today's post is another bed bug post, but this one is for anyone who rents their home. As a tenant, you may be required to take certain steps before a pest control company comes in to deal with a bed bug infestation.

If you want to read any of our past posts on bed bugs you can do that here, here, here, here and here.

1. Wash all your bedding and any clothes or stuffed animals in the hottest water you can. Follow this with drying them for at least 1-2 hours. You should bag as much as you can afterwards to prevent them from becoming infested again.

2. Clean any unnecessary clutter and ensure that you provide access to all baseboards and keep the floors clear and move all furniture at least 2 feet away from the walls. This will make it easier for the pest control company to come in and do what they have to in order to solve your bed bug infestation.

3. Vacuum all crevices on your mattress/box spring, bed frame, baseboards, etc. Vacuum them daily and immediately empty the vacuum when your done.

4. When the pest control company comes to do their job they will likely give you additional instructions and steps that you will have to take to ensure that what they do will be effective.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Cottage Country Pest Control. Give us a call at 705-534-7863 or email us to book your appointment or to discuss your concerns.

Pest control in the Fall

Fall is a great time to get your pest control done before the snow comes. There are many insects and bugs that will begin to diminish in numbers once the weather starts to get colder, however in many cases insects, bugs, rodents, etc will try to locate a warmer environment such as your home, cottage, garages and other buildings you may have on your property.

Fall is a good time to not only take steps to prevent pest infestations but to also take care of existing infestations. If you leave a pest problem over the winter (or for any extended period of time), it will be much worse to deal with and also more expensive.

Some helpful hints

• close off & fill any holes found in your foundation, walls, ceilings, etc--rodents especially will look for holes they can use to enter your home or cottage
• seal any food in airtight containers to prevent rodents and insects from being drawn to the food
• turn water off completely at your cottage before leaving for an extended period of time as moisture can draw some insects in
• consider bat proofing--like rodents they will look for holes in your roof or walls to enter your home and cottage, so by finding and filling those holes you can prevent bats from entering.

If you know you you have a pest problem or you want to take preventative measures heading into winter, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Link Round Up

City News- 62 human cases of West Nile in Toronto

CTV News- Up to 10,000 Yosemite visitors at risk of mouse-borne virus

National Geographic- Glowing Cockroach Mimics Toxic Beetle

National Geographic- Black Bears Can "Count" as Well as Primates

The Star Phoenix- Environment Minister announces regulations for coal-fired power

As always, if you have a pest problem or just suspect you do, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today to book your appointment or get more information.

Bed Bugs: A Follow Up

So I've noticed that previous bed bug posts are still getting lots of hits daily and I know that bed bugs are still a major concern, so I thought I would do a quick follow up post with some pictures to help give people an idea of what to look for if they aren't sure whether or not they have bed bugs.

Bed bugs under and around carpet

Bed bugs, eggs and bed bug feces on a mattress

Bed bug bites

Bed bug bites

If you know you have bed bugs or you aren't sure, call us at 705-534-7863 or email Cottage Country Pest Control and we can can come in and using IPM methods we can solve your pest problems. 

Fleas, fleas & more fleas

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.

Spring!

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.