Residences can become infested with bed bugs in 3 different ways:

1)  Bed Bug Migration

Migration is when bed bugs walk to an adjacent unit through hallways, plumbing, electrical lines or other means.  Bed Bugs can travel up to 60 feet per night and don’t respect personal boundaries and space.  Bed bugs do not distinguish between your apartment and your neighbour’s.

2)  Bed Bug Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is when bed bugs climb into or on bags, clothing or other personal belongings and are relocated by a person.

3)  Infested Items

Used furniture can house bed bugs without showing any signs of bed bug activity.  Use caution when purchasing used items and never pick up a mattress, sofa , chair etc from the side of the road – it’s there for a reason.

While filth does not benefit bed bugs, clutter does.  More clutter means more hiding places for bed bugs resulting in increased difficulty in detecting and eliminating them.

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Some see this as a rodent plot. Others know that mice gnawing is actually an instinctual activity to control the length of their incisors.

In any case, the results are not pretty and can create very unsafe conditions in your home. Don’t let this happen to you. If you suspect that you have a mouse  in your house, call us. We’re here to help.  We’ll get rid of the mice.

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• The adult mouse body is 7.5-10 cm in length.
• They vary in colour from white to grey to light brown to black
• They can jump vertically up to 45 cm.
• They can walk up textured walls.
• The voice is a high pitched squeak.
• Mice thrive in a variety of conditions inside and outside of our homes.
• Mice are most active during dusk or night.
• They live in hidden places near food sources
• They construct nests from soft materials.

Do you suspect that you may have a mouse in your house? For peace of mind call us and receive a free over the phone consultation.  We’ll get rid of your mice fast.

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First gather the following equipment

• Flashlight
• Your glasses if you wear them

Then look for

• Mice droppings that look like ‘black rice’ behind appliances and in cupboards and drawers.
• Gnawing damage to bags of food.
• Pathways in the attic insulation.

And listen for:

• Scratching sounds in walls or ceilings.

If you have any of the above, you have a mouse in your house. It’s time now to call Beacon Pest Control for peace of mind rodent control.

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1.  Mouse Snap Traps

Pros:  Reliable; Inexpensive; Effective; Safe around pets and children.

Cons:  Viewing mouse remains can make some people squeamish; Rodents may jump over mouse snap traps.

2.  Glue Traps or Glue Boards

Pros:  No baiting required; No setting required; Inexpensive; Most use a non-toxic glue

Cons:  Some people consider glue traps to be inhumane; They only work when the mouse is running at full speed. When walking, mice feel the edge of the glue board and walk around it.

3.  Rodenticides or Mice Poison / Rat Poison

Pros:  Rodenticides are well accepted by rodents; Most mouse poison is odourless and tasteless which increases their appeal; Effective

Cons:  Consumers have limited access to rodenticides; Must take precautions to prevent exposure to pets and children; Expensive

When treating for mice, I always use a combinaion of traps and rodenticide.  Each mouse family is unique in their preferences and behaviour so the old saying of ‘one size fits all’ never applies.  Getting rid of mice comes down to being creative and trying to appeal to their inquisitive nature.  Remember, if you don’t want to kill mice, then prevent them from getting into your home in the first place.  Visit our blog titled 5 Tips To Prevent Mice From Getting Into Your Home for exclusion tips.

Good luck.

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Step 1: Surveying

In large buildings and commercial settings, a cockroach survey (trapping) is sometimes necessary to determine the extent of an infestation.  Surveys involve placing sticky traps at strategic locations within the building to determining high cockroach activity areas.

Step 2: Education and Prevention

Prevention an important component of pest control.  These control methods can be very effective, cost-efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment.  For German cockroaches sanitation and the elimination of food and water sources are key prevention tools.

Step 3: Control

Dust is a must.  Insecticidal dust such as boric acid can provide fantastic control.  Dust should be applied lightly in cracks and crevices in accordance to the label’s instructions.

Warning – The use of insecticidal sprays or aerosol foggers within a structure is of little value in controlling German cockroaches.  In fact, these applications may disperse the cockroaches making control difficult and lengthy.

Step 4: Follow-up

German cockroaches are regarded as one of the most difficult insects to control.  They have been around for over 300 million years, they are the ultimate survivor.  Follow-up visits may be necessary.

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1.  When Travelling:

Check for bed bugs before you enter into a hotel room.  Leave your luggage in the hall and inspect headboards, mattresses and underneath nightstands for signs of bed bugs.  When you return home, launder all clothing (I prefer to use a laundromat) and inspect luggage for bed bugs.

2.  When purchasing used items:

Never purchase used furniture (including beds) or electronic items (e.g., televisions) unless you can confirm where they have come from and are confident that they are free of bed bugs.

3.  Protect your mattress and box spring:

Use quality mattress and box spring covers that are bed bug proof.

4.  Regular home inspections:

Inspect your home every 3 months especially the bedrooms.  Look along the piping of the mattress and around the plastic corner protectors of the box spring for signs of bed bugs.  Also, inspect the headboard, nightstands and nearby baseboards.

Still need help?  Call us today at Beacon Pest Control for a same day home inspection.

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Increase in international travel

Due to the increase prevalence of bed bugs world-wide, the frequency of encounters with bed bugs during travel is also likely to have increased.

Changes in pest control practices

For environmental and health reasons, the use of pesticides has changed from ‘broad spectrum’ (a pesticide that kills a large number of unrelated species eg. DDT) to ‘narrow spectrum’ (only affect the target pest) pesticides.

Increased resistance of bed bugs to pesticides

Like many bugs, pesticide resistance has been cited in bed bugs.  The solution to pesticide resistance is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach which combines chemical and non-chemical treatments in a unified method.  IPM provides a solution with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment.  Visit our Bed Bug Treatment page for information on our Integrated Pest Management approach to treating bed bugs.

Lack of public awareness

Many people simply don’t believe or realize that bed bugs truly exist.  As a result, people don’t think twice before picking up a discarded piece of furniture or take the proper precautions when travelling and visiting places that have a high turnover of people.

Beacon Pest Control is here to help.  Please call or email us with any bed bug questions or concerns that you may have.

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1. Minimize the places where spiders can create webs by removing clutter and woodpiles from around the perimeter of your house.

2. Use a high quality spider broom to sweep away unsightly webs and nests.

3. Minimize the use of craggy rocks in your landscape plan.

4. Minimize outdoor lighting and lamp posts near your home.

Still need help?  Call Beacon Pest Control, the spider experts.  We will do the work for you so that you can enjoy to the fullest all that your home has to offer.

Call us today and your spiders will be gone tomorrow.

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Damage Prevention:

1. Exclusion – Keep skunks from denning under buildings by sealing off all foundation openings with wire mesh.
2. Habitat Modification – Properly dispose of garbage or other food sources that will attract skunks.  Also, skunks are attracted to rodent activity, so a rodent control program may be necessary.

Control Methods:

1. Frightening Devices – Lights and sounds will only provide temporary relief at best.
2. Repellents – There are no registered repellents for skunks.
3. Toxicants – There are no registered toxicants for skunks.
4. Trapping – Trapping is the most effective form of skunk control.  Live trapping and relocation are extremely effective and humane forms of skunk control.

If you’re having problems with skunks, give us a call – we’re here to help.

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