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GET THE RIGHT PEST CONTROL TREATMENT
Are you tired of trying out pest termination methods that you thought were effective but failed? You may be using the wrong pest treatment. Identifying pests and insects can help you decide the right pest treatment. Here are descriptions to help you identify a few common pests.
Bedbugs:
These ¼ inch tall bugs are one of the toughest pests to eliminate as they are found inside bedding and clothing. They are normally brown or reddish brown in colour and cause red itchy marks on your
body when they bite. While regular cleaning of your bedding, carpets and clothing can help, you need professionals to help you get rid of them from your home.
Cockroaches:
Cockroaches transmit diseases, multiply rapidly and love to hide in the dark. They are usually red, brown or black in colour and are found in places where there is food. It is a tough job to eliminate cockroaches but keeping your homes and offices clean and hygienic can help to an extent.
Mosquitoes:
Mosquitoes feed on the blood of humans and animals and can leave small red welts on your skin when they bite. They are flying insects with thin bodies and are found both inside and outside homes and offices. People often apply repellents when they are outdoors to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Getting rid of stagnant water on your property can also help prevent to them from breeding.
Mice:
Mice are the most populated mammals on earth, and among the most important rodent pests that people want to drive out of their properties. The house mouse (Mus musculus) weighs no more than an ounce and is usually less than four inches long, without including the tail. It has a relatively pointed snout, small eyes, small feet, large ears and a long tail. They may leave up to 100 droppings per day. Their nests are often located within 15 feet of their food source. When they make their nests inside homes, you would usually find them situated in walls, ceilings, appliances, furniture and out-of-the-way places.
Rats:
Compared to mice, rats have relatively blunt snouts, small eyes and ears, large feet and short tails. The average rat measures 16 inches in length from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. Their stout bodies weigh about three-quarters of a pound. An average rat may leave up to 50 droppings per day. Rat nests are often located along rivers, streams and sewers. They usually nest in burrows, but you can also find their nests in voids in buildings and sewer systems. Rats move around 150 feet from their nests in search of food and water.
Termites:
A termite infestation or damage can cause serious damage to your home or property. Termites are silent destroyers as they secretly hide and thrive in your home or yard without showing any visible signs of damage. Termites consume cellulose-based plant materials which are found in all homes, regardless of their construction type.
Carpenter Ants:
Most carpenter ant species build their first nest by burrowing into decayed wood, and later dig their tunnels into sound wood and cause damage to your building’s structure. These species commonly nest in standing trees (living or dead), stumps, or logs on the forest floors. Well-established, vigorous ant colonies can damage houses that are built in dense forest areas.
Wasps/Yellow Jackets:
Wasps and yellow jackets undergo an annual reproductive cycle. The queen which mated during the summer survives the winter and hides under barks, stones, shutters and shingles. Once spring hits, the queen lays her eggs and establishes a colony. She takes the responsibility of feeding and gathering food for the colony because all the other workers die during the cold months. Her new colony then becomes the working group. The male bees die after mating. The queen and the rest of the colony do not survive the winter. The young mated female wasps will hibernate and establish their new nesting sites after the winter. During the spring, wasps or yellow jackets nest in trees, shrubs, or other protected areas such as attics and mouse burrows.
Bees:
There are three types of honey bees: the queen, drones and workers. You can find only one queen in each colony. The queen bees are around 3/5 to 3/4 inches long, fully developed and are the ones who lay eggs. Queen bees lay eggs producing a colony of 60,000 to 80,000 bees. The drones are male bees and measure 3/4 to 5/8 inches in length. The workers are undeveloped female bees that measure 2/5 to 3/5 inches long. Honey bees have a lifespan of up to five years. The honey bees have a barbed stinger with which they sting.
Spiders:
The body of spiders is divided into two regions – the cephalothorax (head and thorax) and the abdomen. The eight legs of a spider are attached to the underside and the eyes are found on the top front of the cephalothorax. Spiders are a very common insect found in homes throughout British Columbia and can be especially bad for properties close to water bodies.
Silverfish:
Silverfish are carrot-shaped insects -- their bodies are wider at one end and slimmer at the other. These insects have two long antennae at the head of the body, and three small antennae at the rear end of the body. They are typically 1/3 of an inch to 1/4 of an inch in length. Silverfish are a silvery, pearl or grey in colour, unlike firebrats which are greyish with darker spots or bands on their bodies. Silverfish roam around to find a food source and once they find it, they will stay close to it. Their food preferences are proteins and carbohydrates.
Cluster Flies:
Cluster flies enter homes in the fall, one at a time, and cluster together. A cluster fly is grey in colour, and has distinct strands of golden hair. When a cluster fly is killed, it emits a buckwheat honey odour. These flies typically stay outside during the warmer months, and find shelter in homes when the fall hits. Cluster flies hide in dark corners or closets, behind pictures, or in the angles of walls. On warm sunny days, you will find cluster flies swarming around windows.
Carpet Beetles:
An adult carpet beetle is around 2mm to 3mm in length. The body is mostly black in the center with brownish, whitish or yellowish scales. Carpet beetles fly and enter homes through attic vents and eavestroughs. Carpet beetles feed on a number of animal and plant products, including wool, skins, furs, stuffed animals, hair, silk and insect nests. Carpet beetles start feeding on dead insects in the attics and will move into the other rooms of your home looking for a new food source.
Fleas and Ticks:
Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8 inches long, dark reddish brown, wingless, hard-bodied and have three pairs of legs. The compressed body of fleas allows them to move easily between hair, fur or feathers of the host. Fleas are excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to seven inches and horizontally up to thirteen inches. Their mouthparts specialize in piercing and sucking. Their eggs are smooth, oval and white. The larvae are ¼ inch long, slender, straw-colored, brown-headed, worm-like, spiky-haired legless creatures. They are active, have chewing mouthparts and avoid the light. The pupae are laid in lint or dust, enclosed in silken cocoons and are covered with particles of debris.
Having pets in the house can attract fleas and ticks that can also harm humans. Fleas and ticks have a high breeding speed and can multiply in just a matter of days.
Moths:
Moths do not pose a health risk, but their larvae cause severe damage to clothes, fabrics, furs, leather and carpets. The larvae continue to cause damage till the moths are ready to fly; by then considerable harm would have been done. This is why prevention of a moth problem is important. While minor moth infestation can be solved using DIY products, you may need professional assistance if the infestation is a major one.
Rely on the government licensed and insured professionals at Pest Free to help you identify the pests that are troubling you and provide the right pest treatment. Get in touch with us today.