Winter is the season for indoor entertaining and feasts of delectable foods. The last thing you want at this time of year is to spread your hospitality to unwelcome guests from the animal kingdom. You can make your home inviting to humans and clear of pests by taking a few precautions. As an extra bonus, … Read more
As the temperatures drop, it won’t just be you and your family who want a warm place to cozy up for the cold months. To feel entirely at ease in your home, you’ll want to be sure you aren’t sharing it with unwelcome guests. Here are some tips to help pest-proof your home before winter. … Read more
Scientific Name: rattus Common Names: Sewer Rat, Roof Rat, Brown Rat, Norway Rat, Black Rat Color: Colors vary, generally grey, brown, or black in color Size: The length and weight of rats depend on which species we are talking about and young vs adult sizes. Sizes range from approximately 10 to 40 cm in length. … Read more
Now that it’s springtime, the bugs are starting to re-emerge. And among them – cankerworms. You’ve probably heard of these bugs, but how much do you know about them? Here in Canada’s prairies, there are two major groups of cankerworms: spring cankerworms and fall cankerworms. Fall cankerworms lay their eggs in the fall, whereas spring … Read more
The biggest pest problem threatening any populated area in recent years is the bed bug. Their population had declined steadily since the 1930s, to the point of near extinction a few years ago. Unfortunately, due to numerous circumstances, bed bugs have returned with a vengeance, and exist everywhere. Bed bugs have been with us a … Read more
Carpenter ants are one of the biggest insect threats to Canadian homes. They’re found in all areas of the province, and infestations often remain undetected, until repair becomes very costly. Most of the time, when people think about insects causing property damage, they think about termites. Carpenter ants, unlike termites, don’t consume wood fiber, they … Read more
You may have been seeing them – unsightly webs in trees, in parks or around your home. These particular webs are surprisingly not caused by spiders, but instead, caterpillars. The most likely culprits: the fall webworm and Eastern tent caterpillar. In this blog we are showcasing the fall webworm. A bit of a description: Fall … Read more
Scientific Name: Marmota monax Common Names: Groundhog, Woodchuck, Whistlepig, Marmot Color: Brown/Grey Weight: Approx. 10lbs. Length: 16 – 20 inches FACT: Groundhog Day is a common tradition in Canada and the USA, people gather around to watch the rodent predict if there will be an early spring. Evidence has shown that Groundhogs are wrong in … Read more
At this time of year, ants are working hard at setting up for winter – but they also have to deal with those thoughts of lust that start to occur. Ants are social creatures that communicate with each other, it’s important that ants have genetic diversity within their colonies. Diversity is so important to ants … Read more
Scientific Name: Columbidae Common Names: Pigeon, Dove, Rock Pigeon, Feral Pigeon, Rock Dove Color: Varies Weight: 9 – 16 ounces Length: Between 12 – 15 inches Wingspan: 20 – 26 inches FACT: Pigeons have color vision, a hearing range very close to that of humans and have poor senses of taste and smell. Pigeons cannot … Read more