Pest Control Measures That You Might Want To Try

Do you have pests in your compound? Are you aware that you can get rid of some of these pests by taking small, simple measures to curb pest infestations? Some pests might not require the services of a specialist. Sometimes a change in our lifestyle can be enough to kick out these unwanted guests especially if they are in your home.

However, if the situation looks out of control, we advise seeking a pest control expert. You might want to consider the control methods after extermination regardless, just to prevent them from coming back or even to kick them out if you think you can handle the situation.

Pest control involves containing and controlling the pests any given environment. They tend to be a nuisance to us and some are even health hazards. Some pests are known to occasionally attack human beings and can end transmitting diseases and infections. In some cases, pest situation can get out of hand, requiring the services of a pest control expert to exterminate them. Here’s a look at the pest control measures you might want to try:

Take advantage of the animal food chain

Get a pet. There are a lot of domestic animals that can help clear pests from your home and environment. For example, if you have a mice or rat situation, getting a cat might solve your problem since the cat will hunt them. You might be surprised to learn that some domestic animals are very effective at pest control.

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Physical/mechanical methods

This is a method that involves the use instruments to control the number of pests. You can physically prevent the pests from entering a compound. For instance, a perimeter wall can be erected around a sugar cane plantation to prevent rats, mice and other pests from entering the farm, though this can be a little expensive depending on the size of the compound. This is not limited to farms and gardens only, you can also fence off your home.

Destroying breeding grounds

Improper disposal of waste may end up providing both food for pest. It’s advisable to destroy all insect breeding ground such as stagnant water. Keep the surrounding clean. Trim your lawn and try to maintain a neat environment.

Poison bait

This the use of poisoned food to control the pest population. This may be an effective means, but you might want to be really careful with poisoned bait. Use of poison has effects such that a pest that is killed by poison when fed on by other animals or pets can lead to death. Humans have also suffered from getting in contact with contaminated food.

Field burning

After harvesting of major cash crops such as sugar cane, perhaps you leave your farm or garden like that till the next planting season. Instead, you might set fire on it with the intention of killing rodents, insects or even eggs that might be present. This method is particularly effective if you have a large farm where the total cost of extermination might be too high. Save that money for use elsewhere

Use of pesticides

Pesticides can be either organic, natural or synthetically made with the purpose of killing or reducing their population. Not all pesticides will kill all species of rats, pests are classified into, herbicides used to control plant weeds, insecticides used for controlling insects, fungicides for fungi, insecticides meant for insects. Still the same pesticides are grouped based on the chemical content and the mode of their application. It’s important to note that, most of these pesticides can cause health problems. In the process of application, precaution measures should be taken, they can also harm innocent wildlife. It is highly recommended to get a trained expert to do this for you.

Treatment of space

In this method, liquid insecticides are sprayed in the atmosphere. It is most effective when sprayed within a structure since the longer it stays within the atmosphere the more effective it is. The method does not need vacuum or air tight structure. There is a drawback to this method, however, some pesticides might also cause minor health problems depending on the strength of the chemicals used.

Biological control

Biological pest control involves the use of parasites that infect pest. The intention of this is to kill or harm the pest. A good example of this mechanism is the braconid wasp and hornworm caterpillars. There might be a few things to watch out for with this method though. In the course of introducing parasites with the intent to kill pests, you may bring yourself a new and unwanted parasite problem. Under this method, when an organism is introduced into the ecosystem with the sole purpose to control pests, the organism might divert to your plants and cause undesired harm.

Remember, you do not have to deal with your pest problems all alone. If you need animal control in Toronto, we are here to help!

Did You Know You Can Get Rid Of Some Pests Yourself?

Pests are the bane of our existence. They are our uninvited guests that make it difficult to enjoy living in our homes. Most of them thrive in unhygienic environments and contaminate everything they come into contact with. Others are known to carry germs and diseases. Some are even very hostile to us such as skunks. There are many types of pests and the methods of combating pests can be different depending on the type of pest you have in your compound.

In case you have a pest problem, contacting an expert may be the best idea, but you might want to consider taking some measures first just to see if the situation can be controlled without a specialist. Besides, it`s not enough to just exterminate, you need to find out the cause of the pest infestation so that it doesn’t become a recurring problem.

Now, we need to find out why the pests chose your specific compound to infest. Just like any other animal, pests seek a habitat that is suitable for them. In a comfortable environment, pests have a tendency to reproduce even faster. Perhaps you might already have some in your compound. You can take some small steps to ensure that your compound is pest free. You might even end up saving some extra cash in the process. How? It’s simple really. Here are some do-it-yourself tips to eliminate pests from your environment:

Maintain good hygiene

A dirty environment can quickly become a suitable habitat for pests. You are supposed to keep your home and its environment clean as possible. Disposing your garbage so that you don`t give pests another reason to stay at your compound. Recycle your garbage or burn them. If your compound has a tree that keeps dropping leaves, use a rake. Keep your compound leaves free and don’t just pile them up in a corner, burn them or put them in your garbage can. By doing so you will be kicking them away slowly by slowly in an easy way.

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Ensure that there is no stagnant water at your home. Water attracts all types of animals and pests and this can turn into a situation. It is also untidy to have stagnant water in your compound. Cleaning and draining that stagnant water in your backyard or wherever it is, is an excellent step you can take to prevent them from breeding and reproducing.

Ensure that your kitchen is neat and dry. It’s through water and food droppings that pests like skunks are attracted to your home. Fix your kitchen if there is any problem with the sink together with its drainage system. If you don’t maintain a neat kitchen, you might be encouraging the habit of pests visiting your kitchen on various occasions when you are not around.

Ensuring that your walls and ceilings are also clean and free from pest droppings is a great control measure to put in place. Clean, nicely and if possible apply some pesticides in case you suspect they might already be present. These are normally the common places that the pests are fond of hiding in.

Avoid coming into direct contact with some of the pests because some are not friendly. Some pests may attack you while some might be carrying diseases. When you come into contact with one make sure you take hygienic measures like washing your hands or even visiting a nearby medical Centre in case of bites or scratches.

If you have a flower garden, make sure to keep it clean and also trimmed each and every time because some pests have a habit of hiding there.

Lay traps if possible

Using traps might be among the best solution. Get traps recommended by an expert depending on the pests present in your compound. They are cheap and effective. Be careful though, as some traps such as the mousetrap can cause you injuries while you are setting them. If you are unaware of how to use a specific trap, ask your seller or look it up. Just be sure to regularly check your traps and dispose of the carcasses properly.

Set up some barriers

Who wants their peace and quiet disturbed by these pests’ cries and noises? Check the perimeter of your compound. You might need to set barriers so as to deny them access to your environment. Blocking those small holes and openings at your garden will prevent them from gaining access to your compound. Also ensure that the cracks on the walls are not penetrative for them.

Pesticides are also an effective way to control pests. Get pesticides recommended by an expert. If you can’t do it yourself, get an expert to do it for you. As you have realized by now, DIY measures can be taken but they are mostly preventive. If you already have an existing pest problem, contact us for more information. We have trained experts ready to bring serenity back to your home via wildlife control in Toronto!

Do You Know How These Pests Can Affect Your Daily Lifestyle At Home?

You have probably seen a raccoon or a skunk dart around in your compound once or twice. They may appear to look cute, so it may be natural to regard them as harmless. This, however, may be far from the truth. Some may be carriers of diseases while others may even attack you. Here are a few pests that can greatly disrupt your lifestyle at home:

Skunks

They have distinctive by their black and white striped fur. For such a small creature, they pack a powerful punch in the form of their spray. Whenever they feel threatened, skunks instinctively spray their predators or anybody unlucky enough to be on the receiving end with a strong odor. They can spray their odor over a moderate distance and the effects are really strong.

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Research has shown that if you are unfortunate enough to get skunk spray in your eye, it can cause a burning sensation and the chemical content has been known to cause partial blindness. Even if it doesn’t get your eye, the spray has a pungent smell that can last a long while. The next time you see this beautiful creature, you might want to turn the other way.

There is an easy way to deal with skunks however. They are not known for their climbing skills. If you can manage to erect a perimeter fence around your compound or patch up holes in your fence, you can almost be sure you won’t be seeing any of these guys around.

Raccoons

In domestic areas, they are very common around garbage bins. If you manage to see one in your home, chances are you will see it going through your garbage. They will normally leave your garbage all over the place and cleaning up can be a real challenge.

Raccoons are disease carriers. If it feels threatened, it might scratch or bite passing on rabies infection. It is highly advised to get an expert once you see them in your compound. These guys happen to mate the first 3 months of the year and it won’t take long before they start popping out babies. Their young come in large numbers, usually 3 to 6 litters so you won’t have long before a single raccoon becomes a big problem. So make sure you start raccoon removal in Mississauga fast!

Wasps and bees

These are two pests you never want to get in the way of. Do anything that makes them feel threatened and you are guaranteed things won’t end well for you. They both live in colonies and are ready to defend their nests with their lives. Depending on their number, they can be very noisy and the thought of bees living in your compound may be unsettling. Do not ever try to remove a bee or wasp nest on your own. They will attack any threat to their nest and cause injuries to you. Wasp and bee stings are very painful. Their effects are widespread and vary depending on a lot of things such as the number of bees, allergic reactions and such, but cases where bees and wasps sting someone to death are not unheard of. Instead, get a professional to exterminate them for you.

Bats

You have probably seen bats flying around in a cave in a scene of a scary movie. Bats are the only living mammals that can fly. They are nocturnal creatures which mean they are mainly active at night. During the day, you will probably find them sleeping in a cave or a tree upside down. They have poor eyesight and navigate by use of sonar. When bats are moving, they emit sonar waves and listen for the echo. From the echo, they are able to tell whether there is an object in their path of flight, the object`s size and precise location.

If you have a lot of bats living in a together, they can make a lot of noise at in the morning and evening as swarms of bats fly in and out of their habitat. Their biggest effect is felt when they are in large colonies. Bat urine and excrement corrode metal and wood which means they will leave structures, trees and the environment in general looking unappealing. When inhaled, it can cause several diseases. They can squeeze through narrow spaces, especially when they want to breed and are more often than not found in many attics in homes.

Squirrels

Squirrels are very fast to adapt to our environment. They can be unpleasant in a lot of ways. They will often look for a small hole and then chew till the hole is big enough for them to enter and then they enter the house. They will nest in your house and cause a lot of noise dashing around your home. They can give birth to so many babies, but only a few survive, the rest can cause a bit of an odor around the house. They love to live inside our homes and they chew on almost anything. It is not uncommon to have your power cables chewed on by squirrels.

If you have seen some of these pests around, give us a call. We have a dedicated team ready to help you day and night!

How A Bat Infestation Can Affect Your Home

If you have ever experienced a colony of bats in or around your home, you will certainly be shocked to see the mess they create and the smell they leave behind. This problem aggravates if you do not take proper action. After some time, you will wonder how much these little creatures are damaging your property; they are nothing less than a nuisance.

Having bats in your home is not a joke. It is really important that you pay heed to this matter the moment you notice bats living in your home. Bats that are harboring in your attic or anywhere around your home can transmit a respiratory disease known as Histoplasmosis. This happens when an individual is exposed to large quantities of bat guano for an extended period of time. Histoplasmosis, even in small doses, can have a direct impact on the individual’s immune system. Therefore, it is important for every individual to make special effort in avoiding the harboring of a colony of bats around his home.

If you see that your house has become the victim of bats, it is high time that you look for a professional service for wildlife control in Toronto. Removing bats from a house is one job, but the cleanup, prevention and decontamination is another that can only be done by a qualified professional. Removing bats from a house is not as easy it sounds because it comprises of a special process where special effort is made not to hurt them.

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Look out for bat season in your area

Generally, bats hibernate in the winter season and they begin to come out as the weather becomes consistently warm. As they come out of their colonies, you will get a chance to see them more often at night. Bats too are of different nature. For instance, the male bats prefer solitary and therefore when they are found in homes, their damage is not too extensive. Contrary to this, the female bats love to live in colonies and when they come out in spring or summer, their existence can never be kept a secret as leave a lot behind them to show their presence.

Tops signs that show you have bats in or around your property

There are times when people cannot notice the presence of bats in their home because of the way their home is built. However, you can still look for some signs that indicate the presents of a few bats or a colony of bats living in your attic or any other part of the house. Here are some telltale signs:

• Bats are certainly dwelling in your home if you see brown greasy film around cracks in attic, roof and siding etc. These cracks will look like entry points.

• If there is a bat colony inside your home, you would certainly notice bat guano (bat poop) in that specific area. Whether it is inside or outside your home, you will surely be able to notice this sign as it is fairly evident.

• Sometimes people see a bat flying in their home. This clearly signifies that a few bats or a colony is actually living in your home.

• If you feel that a few areas of your home smell like ammonia or any other strong odor it indicates the presence of bats. The smell will be quite strong and you will not be able to ignore it for sure.

• You might also see some dead bats in or around your house.

If you experience any of these signs, you must go for a thorough inspection of your home by an accredited and reputable wildlife removal company. This is the only way to determine whether bats are dwelling in your home or not. If the company staff notice any sign, they will surely be able to quarantine the area and then remove the bats safely. Once it is done, they have the state of the art equipment through which they decontaminate and secure the area’s entry points to avoid any further intrusions.

Different types of bats that can harbor in your home

Different types of species live in different areas. Here is a list of the species that you may find in your area:

• Yuma myotis

• Western small footed bat

• Western big footed bat

• Spotted bat

• Silver haired bat

• Red bat

• Pallid bat

• Northern long eared myotis

• Long legged eared myotis

• Long legged bat

• Long eared bat

• Little brown bat

• Keen’s myotis

• Hoary bat

• Fringed bat

• Eastern small footed bat

• Eastern pipistrelle

• California myotis

• Big brown bat

Out of all the species mentioned above, the little brown bats and the big brown bats are quite common. Recently, bat boxes have been introduced in the market. They are special because they protect your house against bats entering your house but keep them close near your property. Why do you want them near your property? Well, bats are known to be the best natural pest control system as they can eat almost one thousand mosquitoes in an hour!

Look Out For Pest And Wildlife Damage When Purchasing A Home!

Buying a home can be a very stressful experience for many people. Your stress level would be compounded if you discover existence of some pest or wildlife infestation problem after you have moved in. There are times when these issues are not disclosed by the home seller which can be irritating as well as costly at the same time.

The attic is one of the most common areas where the pests infest and are therefore damaged. If this damage is not tackled at the right time, this problem can actually cost you thousands of dollars. Therefore it is very important that you check for the signs of wildlife or pest attack before you make any deal. You would certainly not want to purchase a house that has been infested by pests and wildlife. According to a recent research, it was found that almost twenty nine percent of American homes are experiencing some sort of pest infestation problem and twenty four percent of these infestations occur in the attic.

This means that there is a high chance that the home you are planning to purchase has or used to have a pest issue in the past. You certainly do not need to be fooled from the term ‘had’ because there might be a chance that the pest and wildlife issues were not properly rectified and the issue may pop up again any time. Therefore it is highly important that you consult a pest control company and get a thorough inspection done of the house. Once proper treatment is done, you need to take essential steps to prevent this problem occurring again. This is the only way to keep your new house pest-free.

How does age of home matter?

The age of the home is considered to be a strong contributing factor in pest infestation but not by a huge margin. No doubt, long term exposure to elements and natural wear and tear on a home makes it more vulnerable to pests. However, regardless of the age of your home, if mice, rodents, squirrels and raccoons are keen enough to get into your premises, they usually can and will. This means that it does not really matter how old your home is. Whenever pests and wildlife find an opening, they simply get into the house and can naturally damage and contaminate the area where they wish to nest.

Why is home inspection important?

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Whenever you are planning to purchase a home, it is your responsibility to evaluate the house in every possible direction. There is a chance that the home seller is trying to hide or cover up a previous infestation or a damage that has been caused by the wildlife. Being a home buyer, you will never get to know what you are buying until an inspection is done. Furthermore, homeowners, who are selling and real estate agents must be well aware of the importance of disclosing an accurate disclosure agreement to the buyer. This is to ensure that if there was a pest or wildlife problem in the past, the homeowner is bound to include the information.

What if you are buying a home near a farm?

If you are thinking to purchase a house near to a farm then you need to be mentally prepared for problems associated with pests, mice and other forms of wildlife. These issues are quite common in such areas and it is important that you look for an immediate pest control solution. This way you will manage to save a huge amount of money. It has been estimated that almost eighty nine percent of swine producers and eighty percent of poultry producers have rodent problems.

This analysis clearly indicates that if the house you are planning to purchase is actually a farm, then the chances of having pest problems is quite high. Similarly, if the home is located in a rural area that is close to one or a few farms then the risk of such pest attack is high as well. Before you purchase your dream home, get a professional home inspection done so that you do not get unpleasant surprises after the deal has been signed.

The bottom line is quite obvious – pests, rodent and wildlife issues are common and might be inevitable. Without effective eviction and prevention methods applied to a problem, this problem will linger and simply get worse.

Look for a reputable company in your area that specializes in animal removal in Toronto and has experience in home inspection as well. Their staff will be in a position to help you in purchasing your dream home at the best possible price. In case there is a pest problem in the house, they will give an estimate of the treatment that will be required and you can see whether it fits in your budget. Once you are aware of the problem, you will be in a better position to negotiate a price with the home seller.