Gearing up for another season

... never really geared down though...

not as much to keep us busy over the winter as there is during the summer up here in cottage country, but Ross has been having ~fun~ with squirrels, mice, chipmunks, and the occasional rat. And bedbugs, of course. They are, unfortunately,  a year round issue, even in smaller communities like Midland, Penetanguishene and surrounding areas.

Now that the snow is gone and the lake is open it will soon be time to start thinking about booking your spider spray and dealing with cluster flies, carpenter ants, and any other pest problems.

Cottage Country Pest Control is happy to provide environmentally pest control services in Central Ontario. Give us a call at 707-534-7863, or send us an email at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com .

Friday Link Round Up

We're back with the Friday Link Round Up!

CTVnews- Record loss of Arctic sea ice causing big ecosystem changes: study

CTVnews- Medicines flushed down toilets hurting fish: study

Metro- U.S. attitudes towards climate change fluctuate with the weather: UBC study

CBCnews- Lake Winnipeg most threatened in World in 2013

CBCnews- Shooting of owls OK'd to protect endangered species

The Globe and Mail- Whatever happened to global warming?

CBCnews- Snowy owls starving in southern B.C.

Extreme Tech- Is safe, green thorium power finally ready for prime time?

Crazy Weather & Pest Control

This winter has been, well weird. All over Ontario and Canada the weather is cold and snowy one day and raining and warm-ish the next. Up in and around Muskoka, Victoria Harbour, Orillia, Midland, Barrie just to name a few - the days start out cold and warm up by the time one gets from one place to another for work.

What you may not realize though, is that while the weather is being crazy, it also means that some pests may not behave the way they normally would. You may notice some pests in and around your home that are not usually found until Spring. Unfortunately because of the weather this is "normal" and aside from taking steps to prevent them from entering or remaining in your home there's not much else you can do....but of course, if you have noticed pests in or around your home, you can give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Ross will be happy to come out and solve your pest problems.

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 Public Places

Many people think of bed bugs as only being something they have to worry about in their home. They hear bed bugs and think "bed", but unfortunately bed bugs are not something that is limited to someone's home.

Since bed bugs have been making a well publicized return it is important to remember that bed bugs can be found in many public places and not just at someone homes.

Today's blog post will discuss 5 of the top 10 public bed bug infestation spots. We'll conclude the list tomorrow!

1. Hospitals and Nursing Homes- bed bugs are not really know for disriminating against anyone and that includes the sick, elderly or the employees of these institutions. There have been cases in recent years where some hospitals had to quarantine some rooms and triage centres in order to fight the spread of bed bugs.

2. Laundry Facilities- this one almost seems like a no-brainer...right? Granted washing and drying your clothes and bedding in super hot water is a good start to treating bed bugs, if you are in a laundry in a laundromat you are at risk for picking it up from someone there. It's a good idea to keep your clothing and bedding separate from other people to try and avoid cross contamination.

3. Retail Stores- Another obvious one? right? If you are at a retail store and maybe you are trying on some clothes, it's important to know that while it is rare, it is possible to get bed bugs that way. Bed bugs could also be found on furniture, in shoes. etc. Some stores have had to close down to deal with bed bug infestations after discovering the pesky critters within the stores.

4. Movie theatres- A movie theatre has plushy seats and LOTS of hosts in which they can travel on. See where I'm going with this? Movie theatres are a really good places to catch bed bugs and bring them home with you.

5. Public Libraries- did you see this one coming? Recently bed bugs have been found in a few libraries around Ontario (and probably Canada and the States as well but I cannot confirm nor deny). Anyway bed bugs can be found in books and if you happen to check those books out, you could potentially bring bed bugs into your home. You could also bring bed bugs into your home by visiting the library if you hang around the library reading or using their computers.

Check back tomorrow for the last 5 public places where bed bugs could be an issue.

If you have a problem with bed bugs or any other pests or you think you may, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-54-7863 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.

Species in Danger

So today's post is somewhat different than previous ones. Normally, I would post an article like this in the link round up, but seeing as how most of this article is about a topic that has already been written about, I thought I would change things up a bit today.

You can find the article here on the CityNews Toronto website and it's called "Bats, snakes among species in danger in Canada".

So the article talks about how with 10th anniversary of the federal Species At Risk Act approaching, dozens of animals and plants are now considered at-risk. One of the animals added to the list was the Massasuga rattle snake which can be found on the Georgian Bay Islands.

Also on the list of animals in danger is three species of bats. Now this is what we've written about before. If you've read our past blogs then you might have read the one entitled "White Nose Syndrome". If not, then go read it.

Anyway quick recap on White Nose Syndrome...It is a disease named for the distinctive fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of hibernating bats. It is a poorly understood disease that has been associated with the deaths of more than 5.5 million bats within North America. The first known case was in Schoharie County, New York cave back in 2006. It has since spread and as of 2010 has been found all over the United States and into Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The first known case in Ontario was in March 2010. Since being discovered research has been done and in late 2011 it was shown that the syndrome appears to be caused by a fungas called Geomyces destructans. Unfortunately, despite knowing the cause there is still no known treatment or means of prevention. There is way more information available here on the blog or you can Google it if you want.

So back to the article. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada released a report card about the species at risk. This committee basically issued a dire warning about the three species of bats (the species being little brown myotis, northern myotis and tri-coloured bats). These species have all declined by about 90 percent in Eastern Canada in the last two years because of White Nose Syndrome.

Graham Forbes, director of the New Brunswick Co-operative Fish and Wildlife Research Centre and professor at the University of New Brunswick was quoted in the article saying "There's virtually no bats left."

Overall there is now a total of 668 wildlife species listed--297 endangered, 159 threatened and 190 are of special concern. Twenty-two species are considered extirpated, which means that they are no longer found in the wild.

There's a lot more to the article but it was specifically the bats and White Nose Syndrome I was interested in sharing. Make sure you go read the full article as it is an interesting read and it's not all bad news either. One species (The Salish sucker) was upgraded from endangered to threatened and the spotted, northern and Atlantic wolffish are all showing signs of recovery.

If you have any pest problems or you want to take some preventative measures for this winter against pests, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us.

Link Round Up

National Geographic- Urban Grasshoppers Sing Louder

TheStar.com- Autism and traffic pollution linked, study finds

TheStar.com- Federal investment in clean energy would create 20,000 new jobs: report

TheStar.com- Why your car battery may as bad as malaria for the developing world

National Geographic- Blood Red Ocean: Not Exactly The End of Days

National Geographic- Polar Ice Sheets Shrinking Worldwide, Study Confirms

National Geographic- Climate Predictions: Worst-Case May Be Most Accurate, Study Finds

CTVNews- UN agency: 2012 warmer than normal despite La Nina

Cottage Country Pest Control Winter Maintenance & Prevention

This year, because we've done a few posts about pest control and the colder months, Cottage Country Pest Control is now offering a Winter Maintenance & Prevention service. Check out the ad below and give us a call to book your appointment.

Link Round Up

Toronto Star- Watch our for zom-bees, a real life sci-fi story

Fox News- M&M-loving bees make blue and green honey

Environment Canada- Winnipeg Man Fined Over $135,000 Under Federal Wildlife Legislation

Environment Canada- Government of Canada Invests in the Great Lakes Nutrient Initiative

The Vancouver Sun- Feds remove water protection from historic law

CTV News- Scientists warn iron dump could have serious consequences for ocean

CBC News- Another earthquake rattles B.C. coast

CBC News- No 'smoking gun' for Fraser River sockeye salmon collapse

CBC News- Transplanted Purcell Mountain caribou failure to survive

DIY Pest Control vs Hiring a Professional

Effective pest control requires a person to have the knowledge about a pest, their habits, life cycle, etc. More often than not a person who hasn't trained and isn't licensed as a pest control operator will not know all this information. To properly treat a pest problem you really have to be able to identify a pest properly. For example, say you live in Ontario and you  have an infestation of cockroaches in your home. You know they are cockroaches, but are they German roaches, Oriental roaches, American roaches or Brown-Banded roaches?

Knowing which species you are dealing with is important, so you can use the right treatment options. However, pest treatments you can purchase as a consumer are not necessarily going to work to solve the whole problem. A lot of them may not be strong enough to solve your pest problem effectively and many  may not work on every type of a specific species. Additionally pest control operators have access to treatments that are stronger and can be safer for use around people and pets and can last longer than a store bought treatment.

Finally pest control operators have more training and are licensed (or should be licensed) which means that they will know the treatments that will work on your pest problem and also the safest way to apply the treatment.

Hiring a pest control company can seem like a major investment and it definitely can be. But in the long run it can be cheaper to hire a pest control operator to come in when the pest problem is relatively small than to either attempt to solve the problem yourself (which could take multiple tries) or wait before contacting a pest control company. Waiting can lead to the problem becoming bigger and therefore more difficult to eradicate.

If you have a pest problem, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today. We will be happy to answer any questions your have or to book you an appointment today.

Bed Bugs and Landlords

As a follow up to the post on bed bugs and tenants, today's post will be about some of the steps that a landlord should take in the event that bed bugs become an issue.

1. Plan ahead-talk to a pest control business in your area to get an idea about pricing and to also get a better idea of what will have to be done in the event that bed bugs become an issue. They should be able to give you some information about what they do for bed bugs, what has to be done before they can come in and treat and what has to be done after to ensure that their treatment is effective.

2. Be willing to hire professionals. All to often people are resistant to hiring a professional, which can lead to the problem becoming more expensive and difficult to treat. By treating the problem correctly the first time, you can potentially save money in the long run.

3. Be proactive. Provide your tenants with information before bed bugs become a problem. If they know what bed bugs are and what to look for, you can treat the problem sooner if and when there is an infestation.

4. Do not blame your tenants. Bed bugs can happen to anyone at anytime. They can travel on furniture, clothing, in luggage, etc.

5. Do repairs. Bed bugs do not always stay on beds. They can hide out in cracks, holes and gaps found around pipes, in baseboards, around electrical covers and more. By making these repairs you can reduce the number of places bed bugs could go.

6. Conduct inspections. If you've had a previous infestation of bed bugs then it's a good idea to do inspections every 4-6 months to ensure that the treatment is still working and that there hasn't been a new infestation.

It's important  to know that these are just some of the things you should consider as a landlord. If you have any questions or want 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.

Do's and Don'ts of Bed Bugs

We've done a number of posts on bed bugs, but because they are still such a major issue, I thought I would do a new post, specifically on some do's and don'ts for dealing with them. If you want to read any of the past posts you can do so here, here, here and here.

If you suspect an infestation of bed bugs or you know you have a problem:

DO NOT rule out that the bites may be caused by something else--an allergy, other insects, etc. Check your mattresses for signs of an infestation and if you are not sure or you can confirm you have them call a professional, such as Cottage Country Pest Control.

DO NOT begin sleeping in a spare bed, on your couch or at a friends or with family. You may spread the infestation to other parts of your home or to your friend's or family's home as bed bugs can travel in luggage, on clothing, etc.

DO NOT assume that the bed bugs will be just in your bed. Bed bugs can be found in sofas, baseboards, coffee tables, electrical sockets, bathrooms, kitchens, closets, carpets, etc.

DO NOT assume that you will be able to solve the problem in just one day. It may take multiple treatments through a pest control company such as Cottage Country Pest Control to rid your home of the infestation.

DO NOT set off a bug bomb or fogger to try and treat the infestation.

DO start dealing with cleaning your clothing and bedding. Wash what you can in the hottest water possible, followed by drying them in the dryer on hot for between 1-2 hours.

DO bag clothes and bedding immediately after washing a drying to prevent bed bugs from once again making their way onto the clothes and bedding.

DO ask questions and take notes. This can help you to remember what the pest control company tells you, what is being done to treat the infestation, what steps you need to take to help treat the problem, etc.

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 if you have any questions or concerns.

Link Round Up

City News Toronto- West Nile case count jumps another 36% in Ontario

CTV News- Environment Canada calls for shellfish closure after storm

Canada.com- Stephen Harper's environment watchdog to investigate 'risks' of federal budget bill

Globe and Mail- Canada and U.S. update protection of Great Lakes

CBC News- Whitehorse gets machine to convert plastic into oil


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.

Hantavirus

Hantavirus is a virus that is found in rodents and is especially prominent in Deer Mice. It is a rare, but extremely serious illness that was first detected in 1993.

Recently, news broke the there was the possibility that up to 10,000 people were exposed to Hantavirus during their stays at Yosemite National Park. To date there have been 8 confirmed cases and 3 deaths.

Since May 1999, Canada has only seen 32 confirmed cases of Hantavirus (20 in Alberta, 5 in Saskatchewan, six in British Columbia and 1 in Manitoba). While there have not been any confirmed human cases of Hantavirus in Ontario, there have been mice that have tested positive for the virus, especially up in the Algonquin Park area.

People can contract Hantavirus through contact with infected mice, their urine, blood, saliva or fecal matter. The virus can also be contracted through inhalation if near a nest or fecal matter.

While there haven't been any human cases to date, it is really important that people are aware of the diseases and illnesses can be contracted through rodents (or any pests in general).

Not only can Hantavirus be caused by mice but there are other illnesses and diseases that can be passed along to humans. To read more about that you can read our previous post about mice.

If you suspect OR know that you have a mouse problem, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Link Round Up

CTV news- Scientists find new family of spiders with fearsome claws

Vancouver Sun- Vancouver environmental group accused of 'laundering' by oilsands lobbyists

The Windsor Star- Report: Illegal logging in Mexico's monarch butterfly reserve down to near zero

CBC news- Cod comeback seen off Newfoundland

CBC news- Arctic ice could vanish in 10 years, scientists warn

Vancouver Sun- Rescued sea otter dies at Vancouver Aquarium

CTV news- Has Alberta lost its rat-free status?

Friday Link Round Up

thestar.com- The Fixer: Trapped pigeons are dying to escape from CP Rail overpass

torontosun.com- Allergies worsened since Ontario pesticide ban?

marketwire.com- Government of Canada Invests in Green Pest Management Technology

betterfarming.com- Set up activities delay pesticide sales summary release

cbcnews- Antarctic rift valley speeds ice loss

nationalpost.com- NASA satellites spot sudden, unprecedented melting across nearly all of Greenland


thestar.com- Worst U.S. drought in over 50 years threatens to send food prices into overdrive

Friday Link Round Up

Nanaimo Daily News- Pesticides clearly toxic, harmful to human health

Better Farming- Proposed Growers Requested Own Use regulations clamp down on uncooperative companies

Cheboygan News-  Surveys search area rivers for lamprey

The Globe and Mail- Goats: The new first line of defence against weeds?

Yahoo News: Daily Brew- B.C. mudslide caught on camera from lake

CBCnews- Sockeye salmon collapse due to lack of food, study says

CTVnews- Low water levels prompt closure of 63 salmon rivers in Newfoundland

CBCnews- Suspected anthrax outbreak claims more bison in N.W.T.

CBCnews- Up to 20,000 sea turtles eggs crushed on Trinidad beach

The Globe and Mail- 450,000 salmon to be destroyed ofter outbreak in Newfoundland and Labrador

The Gazette- Seabirds on B.C., Washington and Oregon coast eating bellyfuls of plastic, study

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.

Second Spider Spray

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