Yearly Archive July 31, 2020

The larvae of cabbage worms can rapidly destroy a cabbage, broccoli, kale or cauliflower patch. Although slugs are often blamed, after a closer look, you’ll see these pale green larvae that grow up to an 2-3 cm and tend to blend in with the leaves or plant stems. White moths with black spots – lay yellowish, bullet-shaped eggs on the undersides of the foliage. You can use insect barrier fabric  in spring as soon as the seedlings are planted to prevent the moths from laying eggs. These barriers can be removed them once the plants are growing well. Planting a variety of flowering plants with vegetables will encourage predators that feed on cabbage worms.

https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/cabbage-worms-ga…ect-pests-series/

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cabbage-worms-garden-insect-pests-series-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Aphids are small sap-sucking insects, common names include greenfly and blackfly. Aphids cluster under leaves and on the tips of flower buds and early shoots. They’re small insects with pear-shaped bodies that can be green, brown, gray or black. These pests damage plants by drawing the juices from the leaves, flower buds and flowers. Ladybugs and lacewings are beneficial insects that eat a lot of aphids. To remove aphids use a garden hose and knock the aphids from the plants with a blast of water. Once they hit the ground, they become prey for ground beetles and other insects. Plants such as the following are attractive to aphids and good for organic aphid control : nasturtium, aster, mum, cosmos, hollyhock, dahlia and a lot more.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/aphids-garden-insect-pests-series-randy-bilesky/?published=t

The key to success against garden pests  is to identify the pest and take action. First, plant plenty of annual flowers and flowering herbs in your garden, these will attract beneficial insects such as ladybugs, hover flies, and lacewings, which can help control pest populations. Most insects your gardens are either beneficial or neutral, in fact, less than 1% of insect species are known to be agricultural or human pests. That means that most of the bugs you find in your garden are causing it no harm, and many are helping you control pests, pollinate flowers, and break down organic matter. Next, use garden covers such as insect barriers, row covers or deer netting, that help to prevent pests from getting at your vegetables.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/garden-insect-pests-series-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Mud daubers or wasps are altogether different, most resemble long, slender wasps about 2 ½ cm in length. They are solitary (lone) wasps, so instead of big colonial nests, they build single-family nests. They also use a different construction materials, instead of wood, they mix their saliva with soil to make mud, exactly the same as mason bees. They then build their nest on the side of a building, attics, soffits or in a hole in the ground. Their nests can be multiple shapes – tubular, round, or rectangular and typically measures 5 cm in diameter. One species of mud dauber actually never builds its own nest rather it steals other mud daubers nests. If a mud daubers nest is attacked, they prefer to move on and build a new nest. 

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mud-daubers-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Paper wasp nests don’t have a protective envelope. They build open-air cells that hang from a stalk. It looks like an open parasol or umbrella from the side but from underneath, you can actually see the honeycomb-like cell structure. They build their nests in protected areas such as under roof overhangs, eves, bush and tree branches, or even inside attics, sheds, and garages. Their nests are typically around 12 cm in diameter.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/paper-wasps-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Yellowjackets are aggressive pests that possess a painful sting and bite. Most yellowjacket workers forage for food within 300 meters of their nest. Their nests are usually built underground, although some species will construct their nests in hollow logs, trees, attics, between walls, or under eaves of houses. They often build massive nests underground with many levels of cells (upwards of 100 levels). Their nests have a thick protecting covering on the outside of the nest and a usually one entrance. The first cell layer hangs from the inside of the envelope and each subsequent layer of cells hangs from the one above.  

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/yellowjacket-nests-nesting-series-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Hornets and Wasps are a immense part of outdoor life this time of year in Delta, and not always so delightful. The long dry and wets summer days are ideal for nest success, but which insects are responsible for what nest? In this series, I will summarize what they look like and what the differences are for our hornet and wasp nests: the different types, how they are built, where to find them, and how many insects to expect per nest. The most common types of nests are made by paper wasps, yellowjackets, bald faced hornets, and mud wasps (daubers). They all make basic type of paper out of chewed-up wood mixed with saliva which they then use to build a nest with multiple cells that are sometimes layered.

https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/hornet-and-wasp-series/ ‎

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hornet-wasp-series-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Varroa destructor is an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on the honey bees and the disease caused by the mites is called varroosis. The Varroa mite can reproduce only in a honey bee colony. It attaches to the body of the bee and weakens the bee by sucking fat bodies. The Varroa mite was introduced to B.C. about 30 years ago. Since then, it has caused major bee deaths and economic losses for beekeepers. Our honeybees have no defence against Varroa mites, so the use of chemicals known as acaricides are used, but they are also variably toxic to bees and can contaminate wax and honey. The rapid development of mite resistance toward chemicals has become another issue.

https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/darth-varroa-des…g-in-their-hives/

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/darth-varroa-destructor-have-bees-shaking-hives-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Insects, especially Carpenter ants need to draw life-sustaining moisture from their surroundings, so they usual avoid dry places and are attracted to moist and rotting wood. If the soil around your house, the foundation and the walls is dry, it’ll be less attractive to insects. Rake moisture-wicking soil, sand, small pebbles and mulch away from low wood trim at the foundation of the house. One sign of carpenter ant damage is the appearance of small, circular galleries on the surface of the wood. The worker carpenter ants will excavate sawdust-like debris around or below the exit holes. Inside the galleries will appear smooth and free of debris.

https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/protect-wood-fro…d-carpenter-ants/

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/protect-wood-from-water-rot-carpenter-ants-randy-bilesky/?published=t

Outdoor and indoor walls appear to be solid but many can be full of minute pest passages. Puny bugs can get through the smallest holes, so making  your home completely bug-proof is difficult, even new homes with bug mesh at the base of the exterior walls still get ants. The larger gaps are the ones that need attention, you know the ones that mice, rats and bigger insects can get through. So, get on the ground, under decks and examine the house exterior with a flashlight and a mirror. Remember the golden rule: mice can get through a crack of 6 mm and rats through a space of 12mm. Take all the time needed to examine every square meter of your house. The crucial areas to examine consist of wall gaps, the foundation, doors and windows , dryer vents, exhaust fans, roof vents and gaps in the roofing materials.

 https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/how-the-pests-get-in/ ‎

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

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-pests-get-randy-bilesky/?published=t