Elm Beetles and Ash Borers
In a recent post, we talked about cankerworms and Winnipeg’s urban forest. We mentioned that while cankerworms can weaken a tree, they are not an immediate threat to the tree’s life. Today, we take a look at two bugs that are an important threat to Winnipeg’s beautiful trees; the elm bark beetle and the emerald ash borer. First, we’ll discuss the history of the pests; then, we’ll talk about how GL Pest Control can help you protect the trees on your property. Continue reading
Pest Control in Warehouses
When people think about pest control, a lot of the focus is on pest control for the home, or for commercial spaces. There’s no doubt that finding a mouse in your house can be a bit disconcerting, and that it’s even worse to find rodents in your kitchen; you be shut down for health violations! These concerns are valid, but there’s a third concern people don’t often think of – unless they work in goods-producing industries, like farming, fishing, forestry, or food and beverage manufacturing. That’s the post-harvest, post-manufacturing loss of goods as a result of pests in warehouses, especially relevant in Winnipeg and Manitoba, given our status as an agricultural hub. Continue reading
Cankerworm Control
Winnipeg is a beautiful city. We have a mix of incredible architecture (if you’re as inclined to brutalism as I am), historic landmarks like the Forks and Upper Fort Garry, our incredible rivers, and, of course, our urban forest. Our forested areas provide a plethora of advantages to Winnipeggers. They increase the quality of our air, help regulate stormwater runoff, and increase our property values while keeping our city cooler in the summer. We’re also beginning to see potential psychological advantages to urban forestry; the Biophilia hypothesis says that we’ll love urban forests because humans have a natural love of life, while the Attention Restoration Theory says that people concentrate better after spending time in nature, or seeing nature. There are, however, a number of threats to our urban forests, most of them caused by insects. Today, we’ll look at an insect that, while not immediately threatening our urban forest, does cause pains and problems for Winnipeg homeowners: the cankerworm. Continue reading
Signs of Termite Damage in Walls
Subterranean termites get into the house from the soil then make foraging tubes. The tubes – oftentimes referred to as “mud tubes” – are around the width of one pencil and are brownish in colour. They’ll offer shelter for foraging termites. As termites are inside your house, they’ll feast on the wood inside of it. In addition, drywood termites feast on wood within your house; however, don’t need contact with soil.
If termite activity is left neglected, noticeable wall and wood damage may result. Here, in this blog post, the commercial pest control services of Gilles Lambert Pest Control discusses the signs of termite damage in walls:
Indications of an Infestation of Termites
- Swarming ones are attracted to light and sometimes can be spotted close to doors, windows, lighting fixtures, and vents.
- After they enter a new house, they’ll shed their wings. You may see those shed wings among dust close to heating vents, windowsills, doors, in bathtubs and sinks and inside spider webs.
Indications of wall damage that is caused by termites may include Paint blisters, mud tubes, damage to wooden trim or wood panelling, pinholes in the wall, and hollow-sounding wood.
Some of the above indications are a sign of a subterranean infestation of termites, while other ones indicate an infestation of drywood termites.
Do Termites Feast on Drywall?
Termites feast on any substance that’s composed of cellulose — an ingredient discovered in wood. Drywall also is covered by cellulose. Therefore, termites may feed on the drywall’s paper covering, making your ceilings and walls prone to termite damage.
How to Eliminate Termites in Walls
If you see indications of termite damage on the walls or any other areas of your house, it is vital that you treat the infestation immediately before it grows worse. The treatment method depends upon several factors, which include the kind of termites which are infesting your residence. The procedure almost always includes treating spaces other than the area in which termites are in plain view.
Since correct identification is critical and do-it-yourself methods for control and treatment oftentimes fall short, it is suggested that you call a termite control professional like Gilles Lambert Pest Control. An experienced termite control expert will inspect the house for termite damage and activity, correctly identify the termites then suggest a course of action based on your circumstances. If termites aren’t found, that’s the best time to treat termites – before they’ve produced any damage.
How to Prevent Termites from Invading Your Home?
Once termites settle in, exterminating them doesn’t happen without using chemicals, and avoiding property damage is almost impossible due to the quick spread of the infestation. This is why prevention is the easiest and most cost-effective way to protect your home from these nasty insects.
Alexander Crawley is an entomology consultant for a fellow Australian pest control company, and he claims that the key to termite prevention is to eliminate the excess moisture in the house and in the outdoor areas because termites are drawn to water.
Here are a few handy tips he has for homeowners:
- Inspect the roof at least once a year, and fix or replace broken roof tiles and gutter sections.
- Seal off any cracks in the foundations of the house.
- Use plastic to encapsulate the crawl space beneath the house to protect the foundations from soil and debris.
- Repair leaky pipes and faucets as soon as you notice them.
- Store your firewood away from the home and keep it elevated from the ground.
- Keep any mulch and organic materials away from the house walls and foundations.
- Throw away any unused newspapers and cardboard boxes from your garage, basement or attic. Use plastic boxes for storage.
- Invest in a dehumidifier if your home is prone to moisture and mould.
Advantages of Professional Gilles Lambert Pest Control Termite Treatment
Because termite activity may be difficult to spot if homeowners are not scheduling routine inspections of their house, termite activity may remain undetected for quite some time. That is why it remains critical to arrange an inspection with an expert Gilles Lambert Pest Control termite specialist who’s experienced with looking for warning indications of termite activity. Further advantages of arranging an inspection with a specialist include the identification of the unique termite invader to the residence since it’s important to identify the termite species to use the suitable methods to rid the home of these extremely costly and damaging insects.
Do You Have Rodents in Your Warehouse Facility?
Just like frost and snow, rodents are a staple of cold weather, much to the dismay of company owners. As temperatures drop, these pests seek refuge in man-made buildings, especially warehousing facilities, because of the shelter and sustenance oftentimes inadvertently provided here. The financial consequences of a rodent issue can, sometimes, be vast. Your best bet for prevention is heightened attention, investigation and knowledge. The industrial pest control professionals of Gilles Lambert Pest Control goes into this in more detail below: Continue reading
6 Winnipeg Bed Bug Myths and Facts
The Winnipeg bed bug exterminator experts of Gilles Lambert Pest Control understand first-hand that there’s bad and good information that’s floating around online, the papers, and additional media sources in regard to bed bugs.
It may be challenging for the average consumer to understand what details are correct and how they can respond to those tenacious bloodsucking insects. Here, the friendly folks at Gilles Lambert Pest Control lists 6 common myths and facts in regard to bed bugs:
What Damage Can Mice Cause?
What type of damage can mice cause? Well, the mouse exterminator pros at Gilles Lambert Pest Control covers that subject below. Mice may cause structural damage to offices, apartments, homes, and pretty much any kind of structure through defecation, nest-building, and gnawing:
- Mice chew on virtually anything they see as helpful in nest-building. It might be books, cloth, paper, wood etc.
- A mouse will burrow and gnaw into upholstered furnishings – or seats of vehicles – to create a snug, hidden nest.
- Insulation isn’t safe from mice either. They’ll tunnel into insulation inside attics and walls, either to collect soft materials for nesting or to make a home.
- Also, mice chew on insulation that surrounds wires. It has been well-known to cause a fire threat.
- They’ll build their nests in big electrical appliances, chewing through or on wiring and insulation, which may cause the appliance to malfunction, short circuit, or lead to a fire risk.
- The mice don’t have any respect for any item … they’ll gnaw into and on virtually any chewable object that’s stored inside the closet, garage, basement, or attic– which includes valuable paintings, irreplaceable family heirlooms, and critical documents.
How To Eliminate your Pigeon Problem
Whether you reside in a big city or on a farm, one of the most typical birds you will see is the pigeon. They often are discovered around feed mills, farmyards, city buildings, parks, and bridges. However, as they cross the line between public property over to private, pigeons may become those all-too-familiar annoyances and uninvited residents at your company.
The pigeon is considered the most severe bird pests in human beings habitations according to USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. Issues connected to these pests include corrosive damage to vegetation and buildings, food contamination, as well as disease transmission. If you are experiencing these irritating problems at your home and want to know how to eliminate pigeons, the commercial pest control services of Gilles Lambert Pest Control explains how the following pigeon control techniques may assist in getting rid of these pests.
Ways to Keep Mosquitoes Away
Here, the pest control service of Gilles Lambert Pest Control lists some ways it’s possible to take back your lawn from mosquitos:
Routinely Check and Eliminate Standing Water inside the Yard
These pesky little critters breed very quickly, and an extremely small bit of water is all that’s needed to lay their eggs.
- Take a walk around the yard, checking consistently for any quantity of stagnant water.
- Empty all saucers underneath planters, check downspouts and gutters, and empty outside buckets, toys, trash bins, tires, kiddie pools, or exterior décor items that might collect water.
- Be careful while watering your gardens and lawn and not oversaturate the ground and cause puddles of standing water within low lying areas. They may rapidly become breeding grounds for mosquitos.
- If your lawn has a pond or birdbath, think about adding a small pump that keeps the water surface moving constantly – mosquitoes will not lay eggs inside running water.
How to Control Black Widow Spiders
To help eliminate Black Widow spiders and remain ahead of them, the Winnipeg insect control company of Gilles Lambert Pest Control lists what you ought to know:
Black Widow spiders cause more concern than any other spider group.
Black Widows are discovered in every state in the U.S. and more typically in hotter parts of the country.
Black Widow Spiders: Are there any in Manitoba?
There are a couple of species of black widow spider inside Canada: the northern black widow in eastern and southern Ontario and western black widow discovered in areas of BC to Manitoba. Black Widow spiders get transported around the country inside boxcars, moving vans, and freight and with additional transport like incoming ships. It has contributed to its widespread distribution.