Yearly Archive April 12, 2019

Factors include everything from open compost piles and bird feeders to displacement by development
Sandor Gyarmati / Delta Optimist
APRIL 12, 2019 08:05 AM
rats
Residents can undertake a number of measures to prevent rats from seeking shelter inside their homes.

The sight or sound of them scurrying about, especially inside homes, is enough to send a shiver down most people’s spines.
Wherever you have people, there are always going to be rats, sometimes lots of them, and here in Delta there seems to be more lately.

That’s what South Delta-based Go Green Pest Control owner Randy Bilesky has observed over the past few years, saying factors such as climate change and rodents being displaced due to development are resulting in a sharp increase in his call volumes.
“From my perspective, it’s getting worse every year. Hotter, drier summers are good for the rodents, for the rats, and the biggest thing I’ve found is a lot of land has been cleared and all the raptors have taken off. You see a lot of them at the dump area now, while rats are heading into Ladner and Tsawwassen, into the city,” said Bilesky.

He said he did about 250 rat jobs in the area last year.

“Rats are nocturnal, so they are typically going into the house or underneath at nighttime and that’s when people hear that scurrying, that scratching noise. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Norway rat or roof rat, they all like being in the roof because it’s got insulation, it’s warm and it’s secure.”

“If your car sits in the same place for days, it’s a perfect place for them to go and be undisturbed,” he said. “A truck that we had in recently even had a live rat in it.”

The problem has reportedly been so pronounced in the City of Vancouver that the Vancouver Rat Project was initiated.
Bilesky has a lengthy checklist of what homeowners can do to discourage rats, which can not only climb but have an uncanny ability of squeezing into small spaces, from making their way inside. He suggests pruning trees or shrubs near the side of homes as branches can act as an escalator for rats that love attics and crawlspaces.

bilesky
Go Green Pest Control owner Randy Bilesky said he did about 250 rat jobs in the area last year. – photo by Sandor Gyarmati

Also, the disease-carrying rodents can scale brick chimneys, while gaps between soffits and rooflines can be an open invitation as well.

On the ground level, galvanized mesh, as long as it’s the proper size, can be effective around the foundation. Leaving piles of wood, especially right next to a house, and having bird feeders can also attract the unwanted pests.

A few of the other recommendations when it comes to rats include storing compost kitchen waste only in sturdy, closed bins and not putting meat scraps or bones in the bins, storing outdoor garbage in tightly-closed containers, making sure that bird feeders are away from buildings and seeds don’t spill on the ground, and repairing any leaky plumbing.

 https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/conditions-are-r…s-in-south-delta/ ‎

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/conditions-ripe-rats-south-delta-randy-bilesky/?published=t

The rats that reside in Delta for the most part are Norway rats, thanks Norway. These rats hitched a ride to the Americas on ships in the 18th century. So why do me loathe them, well it all goes back to the great plague, that killed some 25 million people in the 14th century. But, even before that when we were living in caves with the Flintstones, these beasts would scurvy into our caves with their tails dragging behind them (probably had spikes on their tails back then) and bite us to see if we were alive or dead pickings -we learned very early on to be fearful. These rodents still carry dreaded diseases like Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, Lassa Fever, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis (LCM), Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever, Rat-Bite Fever, Salmonellosis and finally Tularemia . So is there anything about a rat to like? Domestic pet rats are smart as they learn and remember quickly and we do use these animals to test our pharmaceuticals. So do we try to get rid of rats completely, well no, with our luck something even worst will replace the rats – like raccoons.  

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Delta Ladner Tsawwassen Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-do-we-hate-rats-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Now that we are weeks into spring and the rain has forgotten to leave, perhaps we should address Delta’s rat issues – or lack of. A US based pest control, ha-ha, has deemed Delta to be the 11^th worst rat infested cities in B.C. Now their statistics, presumable based on the number of calls they receive about rats (or lack of in Delta), and an advertising ploy to get their name into more homes, are merely a fiction of some marketing employee who makes up list and publishes them on their website. The media eats this up and the marketing employee gets to work another year. The truth is, Delta does have a rat epidemic which should put Delta right up there with Vancouver as one of the worst rat infested cities and it only continues to get worst yearly. Year over year, Go green Pest Control has received 4 times the number of call outs for rats in Delta. So here are a few rat prevention tips to keep the rats away. Seal all cracks, crevices and holes in your houses siding and foundation. Trim all shrubs and trees at least 6 feet back from your house or garage. Remove all clutter and debris from the base of your house.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/delta-gets-ratted-out-randy-bilesky/?published=t

As the season for spring cleaning, gardening, lawn cutting and general maintenance is in full swing there is always a chance that you may find baby wild animals in a shed or garage. Because these places usually are not to active over the winter, females might decide that your shed, garage or attic may be the perfect place to have her little ones. So if you find a nest of animals living in your shed or garage, it’s best to leave them there until they leave on their own. Don’t assume the baby animals have been abandoned if they are discover on their own. Mothers will often leave babies while they go foraging for hours at a time, depending on the species. If leaving them be for a few weeks isn’t an option, then you may need to set up a similar spot nearby for the mother to rebuild her nest and move her young.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com delta Ladner Tsawwassen BC randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

No they are not super hero’s or villains but they are both parasitic creatures that live on hosts much larger than themselves. Ticks and fleas feed on the blood of their preferred hosts and spread a variety of diseases. Although neither choose us as their prime hosts, both parasites will bite and feed on humans if given the opportunity. Ticks are arachnids that have four pairs of legs although they only gain their fourth pair after molting. Ticks tend to live within the environment of their preferred hosts – be it a forest, grasslands or your home. Fleas have six legs and although some people believe that they can fly – they do not have wings. Because fleas have slim bodies and freakishly long legs they do posses striking jumping skills and uncanny abilities to move through dense fur or hair rather rapidly. Some species of fleas are found mainly in households.  

 https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/fleas-vs-ticks/ ‎

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fleas-vs-ticks-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Bottle flies or blow flies, are the large flies we see in Delta that are a metallic blue or green in color. The adult fly’s are usually seen flying around their food or odorous areas and are typically found outdoors. If you see quite a few indoors there is a good chance that they have established a breeding site. To eradicate bottle flies, it is vital to device strict hygiene procedures, which may include cleaning garbage bins and making sure garbage bin lids are sealed tight. Bottle flies like to congregate around decaying flesh, feces, garbage. A single female fly can lay over 2,500 eggs in it life. The larvae usually hatch within a week and in about two weeks develop into adult flies. Bottle flies breed in damp organic matter.

 https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/the-bottle-fly/ ‎

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bottle-fly-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Skunk season is here again and words of wisdom about the polecat is ‘’spray first and ask questions later ‘’. So the question is how do you do a de-funking after a skunking. Skunks are everywhere in Delta and the lower mainland for that matter. If a skunk is spooked or otherwise threatened, they will turn tail and spray. Although skunks have an excellent sense of smell and hearing, the poor wood pussy can’t see very well, which is why we see so many that have been hit by a cars. Their spray will seriously effect your eye, nose and lips. The most effective method for de-skunking if you or your pet gets sprayed is a rather easy recipe that you probably already have at home: 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide, a couple tablespoons of baking soda and a couple tablespoons of dish soap. Mix this concoction up in a spray bottle and apply to the stinky zone. Be sure to avoid getting the solution in your eyes, ears and mouth.  After letting that sit, wash off and reapply until the smell is gone.

https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-how-do-you-de-funk-after-a-skunking-1.23779169

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C., Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/skunk-season-back-again-randy-bilesky/?published=t

The raccoon is a native animal to Delta, and is one of the most successful animals in our urban environment (next to rats of course). Raccoons have adapted well to rummaging through human garbage for food. The adults are active throughout the year, where males tend to travel in wide areas and females generally remain close to their dens. The babies or kits are usually born from late March into May, usually five babies per year. These animals are problematic to control so the first thing is to realise is that raccoons learn rapidly, and if they come across human garbage then your house will become part of their nightly circuit. All garbage cans should have a well sealed top and shouldn’t be easy to topple over. A general rule concerning all animals this that you should keep all trees and shrubs cut back at least 6 feet away from your roof. Once a raccoon gets on your roof they look for flimsy soffit materials or roofing materials that they can access the attic through. If they get into your attic they can cause a lot of damage. Although raccoons don’t carry rabies in B.C., their feces may contain raccoon roundworm eggs that can be dangerous to people and pets.

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C., Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/raccoons-coming-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Spring has sprung and the biting and stinging insects are out. Any one of these poisonous scary crawlies can ruin your day, should they attack you.  

Wasps: White hot pain – they build small to large nests and defend them forcefully by stinging repeatedly. They eat just about any the moves.

Black widow spider: Really big venom glands – although the black widow spider bite is seldom fatal, it’s the ladies that dole out the venom that is over 14 times stronger than that of a rattle snake  

Fire ants: The sting feels like fire – they should be called dragon ants. These very aggressive ants that will attack animals and can survive in extreme conditions.  

Ticks: They spread diseases like babesiosis – these blood suckers can cause fever, chills, aches, rashes, and serious infection.  

Kissing bug: they carry a disease called Chagas – they transmit it by biting you, sucking your blood and then pooping in the wound to close it.  

Mosquito: They can carry the Chikungunya virus – just don’t walk in the shade and apply a lot of repellent!

https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/deltas-most-haza…chilling-insects/

gogreenpestcontrol.ca insectandrodentexterminators.com Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/deltas-most-hazardous-spine-chilling-insects-randy-bilesky/?published=t

https://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/blog-mason-bee-season-begins-now-1.23666910