Second Spider Spray

Reminder being sent to customers remind them to book their second spider sprays

Second Sprays

If you are familiar with spiders and spider sprays (which you should be if you've been reading this blog....you can read them here and here) then  you might already know that generally once you have had one spray done they last about 6-8 weeks depending on weather conditions. Most people find two sprays per season provide optimal control, but this is purely a matter of personal preference and tolerance for spiders.


Since, spider sprays are generally started in May, now is the time to start booking for your second spray,  especially if you are once again seeing an excessive number of spiders and their webs on your home, cottage, dock, garages, etc.

Give Cottage Country Pest Control a call today at 705-534-7863 to book your second appointment (or even your first) or email us.

Carpenter Ants: A Revisit

Because of the mild winter we had, carpenter ants are back sooner and stronger than ever. We've done posts on carpenter ants before, which you can read here and here, however given the number of people who are having issues with them now, I think it's time for a little revisit. I won't go into as much detail as the previous posts, but hopefully you can find out a bit of information. Carpenter ants are a large species of ants (not just in their numbers but in their actual size). They general range in size from .25 to 1 inch and can be found worldwide. They have two types of nests, however they can have multiple of the second type. The first is their main nest and the second is the satellite nest. The main nest has to be somewhere damp, preferably in a moist and decaying wood source as this is the best location for the eggs and young. A main nest will be located outside, while the satellite nest will usually but not always be found inside a home. This is because it will be drier which is best for the larvae and pupae. The best places to look for a main nest include rotting trees/stumps or decaying landscape timber while the best places to look for a satellite nest inside include wall voids, eaves, ceilings or under insulation such as in attics or crawl spaces and they can also be found in roof gutters and in downspouts. Carpenter ants, while building their nests do not eat the wood but rather tunnel through it, which is why when investigating to see whether or not you have carpenter ants, it's important to look for piles of a sawdust-like material called frass. Controlling and eliminating carpenter ants can be done and the best prevention is to maintain dry conditions, so that they are unable to find moist and decaying wood to nest in. Remember, anyplace that wood comes in contact with soil, could potentially become infested with carpenter ants. The key to controlling any infestation is to find where the queen is laying eggs (the main nest). This will require a thorough inspection and an effort to follow foraging ants back to their nest. It is recommended that if you see 10-12 ants (or more) in your home during the evening then it is worth investigating. If a carpenter ant infestation treated quickly, carpenter ants are rarely responsible for any serious structural damage to houses and buildings. However, these ants could cause serious damage if they continue undiscovered for an extended period. It is advisable to seek professional help in containing a carpenter ant infestations, as incorrect procedures may allow the colony to grow again when surviving members begin to nest again, which is where Cottage Country Pest Control comes in. If you know you have a carpenter ant problem, think you have an infestation or have any pest problems call us at 705-524-7863 or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com today.

Friday Link Round Up

CBCnews- Great Lakes show massive ice loss, study says

CBCnews- 10 invasive species threatening Canadian habitats

CTVnews- Coal, not oilsands, causes global warming: study

CTVnews- Disappearing sea ice enticing more killer whales to Arctic

CTVnews- Climate change drying out forests in western Canada

CBCnews- Alberta First Nation outraged at lack of caribou protection

Spider Sprays 2

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!

Carpenter Ants

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 :)

bedbugs

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 Fact - Squirrels

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.

mice

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.

Mice

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.

mice

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.

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.

mouse

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

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 Fact - Chipmunks

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.

Rooming Houses & Rental Properties

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

.... 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

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.

Bats in the Belfry?

... or in the attic? Or anyplace else you don't want them?

If you had bats inside last year, now is the time to think about addressing the problem BEFORE the bats return from their winter get-aways. And they WILL come back - bats are territorial; once they have a good place to live, they will return to it as long as they are able.

It is much easier to prevent bats from getting in - redirecting them to well-placed, seasoned bat boxes - rather than having to evict them once they take up residence.

To arrange a site visit & estimate, give us a call at (705)534-7863 (Midland, Barrie, Honey Harbour, Muskoka.....) or (705)741-6245 (Peterborough/Kawarthas)

Services include bat removal and exclusion; guano clean up (+ deoderize & disinfect the area) - all with a one year guarantee.

We also provide seasoned bat boxes.

Year Round Pest Control Services

Well, I'm in school now - which means that I don't have much time for blogging - but Ross is still available to provide pest management services.

So if you're having problems with mice, bedbugs, roaches or other assorted (non-human) pests, give him a call and leave a message.

We divide our time between Victoria Harbour (705-534-7863) and Peterborough (705-741-6245) these days but do check phone messages daily (if not more often) and he will get back to you. I'm working on talking him into a cell phone so that people can call him directly, but he wants to wait until spring for that.

For a more immediate response, you can always email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com though.