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?
Showing posts with label ontario. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ontario. Show all posts
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, January 28, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Link Round Up
thestar.com- Bed bug battles: is fungus the next frontier?
Global News- New hope in the fight against bed bugs
thestar.com- Building owners not responsible for deaths of birds that fly into it, judge rules
Moneyville.ca- How to responsibly dispose of your old tech
thestar.com- Eggshell colour is warning sign for contamination in Great Lakes, study shows
CBCnews- Climate change a 'real and present danger,' Kent says
CBCnews- Galapagos to poison millions of rats
CBCnews- B.C. considering wolf culls in new management plan
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.
Global News- New hope in the fight against bed bugs
thestar.com- Building owners not responsible for deaths of birds that fly into it, judge rules
Moneyville.ca- How to responsibly dispose of your old tech
thestar.com- Eggshell colour is warning sign for contamination in Great Lakes, study shows
CBCnews- Climate change a 'real and present danger,' Kent says
CBCnews- Galapagos to poison millions of rats
CBCnews- B.C. considering wolf culls in new management plan
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.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Link Round Up
National Post- Ontario woman turns to Environmental Bill of Rights in bid to silence basketball-playing neighbour
Greenpeace Canada- Oil industry pushing for regulatory changes they've been told violate First Nations rights
Edmonton Journal- UN group issues statement of concern over iron dumping off B.C.'s north coast
CBCNews- New Windsor-Detroit bridge threatens endangered species
CBCNews- West Coast ocean fertilization project defended
CBCNews- Global temperatures matched record for hottest September
CBCNews- B.C.'s Cowichan River in danger of drying up
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.
Greenpeace Canada- Oil industry pushing for regulatory changes they've been told violate First Nations rights
Edmonton Journal- UN group issues statement of concern over iron dumping off B.C.'s north coast
CBCNews- New Windsor-Detroit bridge threatens endangered species
CBCNews- West Coast ocean fertilization project defended
CBCNews- Global temperatures matched record for hottest September
CBCNews- B.C.'s Cowichan River in danger of drying up
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.
Monday, October 22, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Link Round Up
Pest Control Technology- Bed Bug Firm Fined for Condo Fire
The Guardian- Potato wart 'fully under control'
Rolling Stone- Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
CBC News- Arctic ice cover shrinks to new low after summer thaw
The Globe and Mail- Seals' death sentence sparls outcry from animals lovers across Canada
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.
The Guardian- Potato wart 'fully under control'
Rolling Stone- Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
CBC News- Arctic ice cover shrinks to new low after summer thaw
The Globe and Mail- Seals' death sentence sparls outcry from animals lovers across Canada
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.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Pest control in the Fall
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.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Deer Mice
Today's post is really just a revisit so to speak. While searching the Internet today I came across an article Deer Mice vs. House Mice from Pest Control Technology, that while discusses many of the same topics in previous blog posts about mice (such as this one) it also includes a great photograph that labels characteristics of deer mice.
Given how much Deer Mice and rodents have been in the news lately because of the Hantavirus outbreak in Yosemite National Park, it really is important for people to understand mice (and other rodents) but also what safety and health concerns there are that can be caused by them.
While Hantavirus is not commonly found in Canada or Ontario there have been cases diagnosed in the past, which is why over the next few days I will be writing about Hantavirus and also doing a full revisit of mice and some of the other diseases that can be caused by them
If you find evidence that you have a mouse infestation and you want them gone, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us to book an appointment. We have environmentally (and people) friendly ways of handling all your pest problems.
Given how much Deer Mice and rodents have been in the news lately because of the Hantavirus outbreak in Yosemite National Park, it really is important for people to understand mice (and other rodents) but also what safety and health concerns there are that can be caused by them.
While Hantavirus is not commonly found in Canada or Ontario there have been cases diagnosed in the past, which is why over the next few days I will be writing about Hantavirus and also doing a full revisit of mice and some of the other diseases that can be caused by them
If you find evidence that you have a mouse infestation and you want them gone, give Cottage Country Pest Control a call at 705-534-7863 or email us to book an appointment. We have environmentally (and people) friendly ways of handling all your pest problems.
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