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September 11, 2017 This summer, Toronto experienced quite a rat problem! Reports of rodents had steadily increased over the years and they continue to thrive in the city. Due to the constant construction sites, various climate changes and other factors, Toronto has become the perfect home for rats. Metro News reported “A string of warm winters has created favourable conditions for reproduction. Construction sites across the city provide rats with an ideal habitat. Sloppy garb

August 28, 2017 The last week of August has already started to feel like fall weather! The kids are getting ready to go back to school and you are winding down your summer plans. Are you wondering, does the end of summer mean the end of pest season? The answer is no! The end of summer can be a busy season for certain types of pests. From yellow jacket to mice, lingering mosquitoes and ticks – these pests are all still hanging around. Some of them can also be a health hazard i

July 31, 2017 Pest infestations are not only unpleasant, but they can cause damage to your property and contaminate the health and safety of your home! One of the most effective and efficient ways to get rid of pests is to seek a professional exterminator (pest control service). Did you know that pests such as cockroaches can carry E coli and salmonella on their bodies, spreading these into your home? Even smaller pests such as ants can contaminate foods and cause structural

July 17, 2017 Ants of all different types can invade our homes. From pavement ants to pharaoh ants and odorous house ants, they are all unwanted pests! These pests can show up without any notice and take over. However, one ant that causes the most damage is the carpenter ant. They are known for their ability to cause damage to your home by chewing away at wooden structures. Although they do not eat wood like termites, they still cause damage by creating tubular galleries to h

June 26, 2017 The life of a carpenter ant begins with the nuptial flight. This mating course usually happens in late spring or early summer. At this time, “swarmers” (male winged carpenter ants) mate with winged females. After mating, the females shed their wings and the males die off. Female ants then look for a new home to build their colonies. The queen of the colony is essential to the life cycle of the carpenter ant. She creates the first batch of eggs and stays with th

June 12, 2017 In the summer time we indulge in our favourite fruits – watermelon, strawberries, mangoes and the list goes on! Sometimes we leave these fruits out on our kitchen counters and notice they also seem to attract some pests – fruit flies! Summertime is their prime time to build their population. However, indoors they are active all year long. The diet of a fruit fly consists of ripened fruit, vegetables and fermenting products. The populations grow in moist areas w

May 29, 2017 The summer season is almost upon us. With that comes mosquitos and of course mosquito bites! Do your friends always seem to avoid them however you always come home with at least a dozen bites? It really raises the question – do mosquitoes choose their meal? As the temperatures climb, mosquitoes will be on the prowl! They do not look for the closest target when it comes to their bite. A mix of factors are involved when making this decision. From your blood type, t

May 15, 2017 Toronto is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. However, like most metropolitan cities pest problems are natural. In reality, there are many different types of pests that can infest Canadian homes every day. It is important to know what some of the more common pests are and the precautions that can be taken to prevent them from entering your home. 1. Ants. The pests are attracted to sweet and greasy types of food, such as peanut butter. To avoid them, k

May 8, 2017 During the rainy spring season, we keep our spirits high in anticipation of sunny days and fully bloomed gardens. In the mean time, the rain also makes for an inviting environment for many pests! The rain causes a lot of insects to move about, as they thrive in these wet and damp conditions. Pests that love the rain include cockroaches, termites, silverfish and centipedes – just to name a few! You’ll see these creepy-crawlies infest your basements and bathrooms fi

May 1, 2017 1. Make sure you really have bed bugs! It is common to mistake bed bugs for fleas or ticks. You can compare your insect to pictures online. 2. Don’t Throw everything away! Bugs are annoying but not impossible to get rid of. Don’t dispose of your belongings because most of them can be treated and saved in addition throwing things out may spread the bed bugs to other people’s homes. 3. There are many treatment options, DON’T PANIC! Pesticides are aggressive to work

April 24, 2017 Bed bugs are sneaky little pests! They can also be difficult to spot due to their small size, so getting rid of them, is a challenge! Global News recently shared an article about the difficulty of killing bed bugs – “ Bed bugs becoming resistant to commonly-used insecticides ”. The article shares how according to research, bed bugs have shown the ability to develop resistance to commonly used insecticide products. Research also says in the article, that these i

April 17, 2017 Bed bugs are quite the nuisance! They are wherever humans can be, at anytime of the year! While inhabiting your home, these pests also feed off of your blood. They can leave little bites all over your body. Their bites can look vary in appearance, either random and spread out or clustered together. Some people can react strongly to bed bug bites, while others may not react at all. They usually look like a red swollen spots on your skin with a dark red centre. A

April 3, 2017 If you are a careful listener, or have a curious pet, you may hear the noise made by termite infestations. The noises can sound like rattling, clicking, rustling or buzzing. These sounds are created when termites are traveling through wood, searching for food. Soldier termites can make a very loud sound called head banging. They do this when they are disturbed or threatened. They hit their heads against walls and it makes a rattling sound. Worker termites make r

March 27, 2017 From their beady little eyes, over sized teeth and tiny claws – rats are not the most loved creatures. While the sight of one can have you shriek – there are a few reasons to be afraid of these unwanted pests! Rats are extremely flexible! They can move their bodies in the most surprising ways! Think of them as tiny contortionists that can fit through the smallest openings and spaces. This means they can easily get into your home! Rats can reproduce at an alarmi

March 20, 2017 As the temperatures continue to rise, we are reminded summer is coming! In the warm months, it seems we can never escape some sort of bug or pest! They all appear to be crawling or buzzing around in some way. When it comes to winter, these pests seem to be M.I.A! So how do they survive winter? Migration – similar to how the birds fly south – flying insects also migrate during cold winter months. For example – butterflies and dragonflies. A beautiful sight to se

March 13, 2017 It’s that time of year, when Carpenter ants are claiming their territory in your home! Spring is their budding season, so they begin to wake with warmer temperatures. Although sometimes these pests go unnoticed, you may catch them in action in your home. Carpenter ants are known to damage wood by using their woodcutting mandibles. If you dare to threaten their nest, they will strike back! These pests are equipped to chomp down. But what if they bite you? Their

March 8, 2017 If you hear scratching or odd sounds of movement in your kitchen when you are asleep – you could have a rat problem! Is it true that these pests are all about the night life? The answer is yes – rats are nocturnal! On average they can sleep up to fifteen hours a day. Emerging at night for a little “midnight snack”. They know because of their small size and colouring (dark in colour), it is easier for them to go undiscovered at night. Those sneaky pests! This is

February 27, 2017 Carpenter Ants can be both indoor and outdoor pests. As the weather gets warmer, they will retreat out of their hibernation, looking for a place to live with resources. So don’t be surprised to see more of these pests out and about! They like to stay close to areas with moisture and food, primarily wood! Inside your home, they like areas such as ceilings, inside walls, or any other areas of structural support. These areas usually have a lot of wood and make

February 21, 2017 We are excited to finally enjoy the change in weather to positive temperatures over the past few days. With it only being mid-February, this means Spring is well on it’s way! However, you may want to be weary of some unwanted visitors who may also be excited for warm weather too – carpenter ants! During cold winter months, carpenter ants are usually dormant. Their body temperatures can fluctuate to match their environment. So when temperatures drop, they can

February 13, 2017 Are you travelling to escape the cold this winter? These days, short term rentals are a popular way to travel. From Airbnb to VRBO, the experiences feel budget friendly, special and unique – unlike any hotel you’ve ever stayed in! However, the home-sharing model does have its flaws. With the lack of regulations and the speed of these new guest turnover rates, this leaves travellers exposed to bringing home unwanted pests or more specifically, discovering bed