Mice In My House

With the weather changes that September and October bring is usually when you start to notice that you are sharing your home with rodents. As is gets cooler outside many of them will look for somewhere warm and safe to spend the winter. But is your home really a safe haven for them?

Not anymore!

Inspecting Your Home For Rodents

The inspection serves three useful functions:

1. Identifies the rodent species involved.

The most common rodent pests in livestock operations are the house mouse, Norway rat and roof rat. The house mouse is easy to recognize, generally 5-7 inches in length and gray in color. The common Norway rat, a large rodent usually 13-18 inches in length, weighs 12-16 ounces with reddish brown fur. The roof rat, found primarily along the west coast and in the southeastern United States, is a smaller black rat weighing between 6-9 ounces.

Rats and mice have unique behavioral characteristics. By identifying the species you can select rodent control products and strategies appropriate to that particular pest.

2. Determines the severity and location of the problem.

During the inspection, note where you've seen signs of rodents, which include burrows, droppings (rat droppings are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length; mouse droppings are 1/4 inch), gnaw marks, and rodent pathways.

This information helps you determine the size of the infestation and where rodents are living and feeding. In that way, you have a better idea of how much bait to use and where to place it for optimum results. Rats and mice are nocturnal and are most active from dusk to dawn. Seeing them in the daylight usually indicates a heavy infestation.

3. Identifies where sanitation and rodent proofing are needed.

Look for the rodents' sources of food, water and harborage indoors and out, and wherever possible, get rid of them. Also note areas or entry points where rodents are getting into buildings, and, wherever feasible, fix or eliminate these entry points to "build rodents out."

Sketching a diagram of your facility that indicates problem areas is useful for keeping track of your baiting efforts. It'll help you evaluate what is working or where adjustments are needed in your rodent control efforts.

Steps to setting up a baiting program inside barns, and animal living spaces :


Place Rodent Bait Stations every 30-50 feet along the inside walls of all buildings. If necessary, stake or anchor the bait station to the ground or a permanent surface to prevent it from being moved and to keep the bait away from other animals.

Place bait blocks in bait stations.

For mouse problems, you could also place Mouse Bait Stations every 10-20 feet around the inside perimeter of buildings or wherever you've seen signs of mice. Be sure that these bait stations fit flush along walls or in corners with the point directly into the corner. They can also also be placed along walls adjacent to entry ways to intercept rodents as they enter.

Place one single-feeding type bait in each Bait Station. Inspect stations frequently until you have activity under control. Increase baiting in areas that have high rodent activity.

You may need to adjust the placement of the bait stations depending on the level of rodent activity. More frequent inspections and baiting may be required in some areas in the fall when rodents head into buildings for the cold season.

Keep up a fresh supply of bait. Rodents will reject rancid or spoiled bait. Bait securing rods also help bait blocks stay fresh longer by elevating them above the floor of the bait station, away from any moisture build-up.

Burrow Baiting.

Often the best way to control Norway rats is to bait their burrows. Place loose pellets deep in the burrow or crevice where you've noticed rodent activity. Try not to disturb the burrows.

Check burrows in 7 to 10 days after baiting. To monitor activity, close the burrow with wadded-up paper or cover with soil. Return the following day. A re-opened burrow means rodents still exist. Continue baiting. Check burrows periodically as part of your monthly maintenance program.


In Grassy and Weedy Areas.

The inspection may reveal rodent pathways leading to buildings. If you haven't already set up an outside perimeter baiting program, do so to intercept rodents as they move from their burrows or neighboring fields into buildings. Again, try not to disturb the rodents' habitat during baiting or they will migrate to other areas. Once you've gotten the population under control, trim back weeds and grass to get rid of rodent harbourage.

Conclusion:

No matter what method you deploy whether it be baiting or trapping, (I never recommend live trapping rodents) know that it will take some time and won't get rid of them overnight.

For example, last year in my own home I caught nine mice over the course of about three weeks. I used the same methods that are outlined here and they worked as intended.

Happy Hunting.

Wasp Warnings & How to Exterminate Them

A Wasp Warning

by Zeroflex

Aug 15/10

As we enter the dog days of summer and the overnight temperatures remain greater than the day time highs of April and May, it is important to note that temperature affects wasps just as it does humans. The later in the season it gets and the hotter it is, the more aggressive they become.

To compound the problem, that once baseball sized nest in May has now grown to basketball or even beach ball size and has gone from a population of a few dozen to a few hundred or more. What seemed in the Spring as a few docile black and yellow pollinators buzzing about the garden, have become nothing short of warriors defending their nest with kamikaze like attacks on anything threatening.

When a wasp stings it leaves behind a pheromone marker letting the others know where to attack. Multiple stings can be life threatening to anyone even if you are not allergic. If you get stung within the vicinity of a nest it would be wise to leave the area quickly.

So What Now?

Chances are that if you haven't exterminated the nest by now, it's probably not in an area that poses any danger to humans and can be left to die on its own (which they do every Autumn anyway).

However, if the nest is in an area where it poses a threat to human safety, it must be exterminated and you can do it yourself with these tips. (If you are at all nervous about this or your palms are sweating just thinking about it, it would be best to hire a professional exterminator because the margin for error is thin and the results could potentially be catastrophic)

Nest Extermination

If you can not see the actual nest but rather a hole where the wasps are going in and out of (eg. soffit of the roof or wood siding) it is best to call an exterminator because this can be more involved.

If you can see the nest and it's within reach you're already half way done!

It is important to know that I am a professional exterminator and this is the method and techniques I use on most wasp nests but your situation may differ.

Step One: Observing The Enemy
From a safe distance just stand for a few minutes observing the flight path of the wasps as they fly in and out of the nest as if they were using an invisible runway. Never stand in the flight path!

Step Two: Approach With Caution
Approaching the wasp nest from the back side of it is always best as this will put you out of the flight path. If the rear is not accessible approach from the side that gives you the best escape route should you need it.

Step Three: A Time To Kill
How close you should get depends on how much activity there is around the nest. (Once treatment begins there will be an explosion of wasp numbers and at this point there's no turning back). Only get as close as you need to.

I use a Pyrethrin based aerosol can with the red straw attached. The can is attached to a pole (There is a special tool for this but an extendable pole, some tape and a length of string will allow you to make your own) so you can treat the nest from a safer distance.

This is the one I use

Some folks like to treat the entry hole of the nest but I don't. I make my own hole by puncturing the nest at the top with the red straw and fill it with aerosol until the nest is saturated and then clearing the area. You're done!

Successful elimination of all wasps will occur within the next 24 to 48 hours. If activity remains after 48 hours a second treatment is necessary.


A final word:
Time of day, temperature, weather conditions and actions of the exterminator are all factors in the decision of when and how to eliminate a wasp nest. Under ideal conditions this job is done just before dawn or just after dusk when it is cool and clear outside.

In the real world as a professional it rarely if ever happens that way. This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide but rather a view into how a professional exterminator eliminates a wasp nest.

Ant Season Is Here!

First a word of caution.

Many pest control professionals consider Carpenter ants the most difficult pest there is to deal with in the industry. With all the training and experience they have, there are some homes that take considerable time and a number of treatments to completely eradicate these destructive insects. Many homeowners will call in a professional after they have failed to solve the problem themselves. This situation is usually more difficult to deal with because the homeowner randomly sprayed pesticides killing the obvious evidence and scattering the satellite nests. Of course this increases the cost. If you are not prepared to spend hours in your attic and crawl space wearing a respirator, rubber gloves, coveralls and a hat, then you may be wise to call a professional to do the job properly.

The process:


Find all of the Satellite nests in the home. (Read about nests on the identification and life cycle page)
Try to locate the "mother" nests and the queens.
Eliminate conditions that made the home a suitable habitat for the ants.
Treat the satellite nests with a suitable pest control method or product.

Don't:

Don't spray pesticides on ants outside the nests. Use a vacuum cleaner inside your home.
Don't use "ant drops, ant poisons, ant traps". Save your money for something worthwhile.
Don't squash foraging ants. Follow them.
Don't rip apart walls or ceilings to find the nests.

How to:

Finding carpenter ant nests requires a lot of time an patience. With years of experience, a professional will know where these nests are likely to be and will look for evidence of frass, the junk thrown out of nests. This is often caught up in spider webs in attics, crawl spaces, basements under decks and around the exterior perimeter under the soffits and below the siding. Sometimes sawdust excavated by the ants from the structure will be noticeable, but not always.

Following ants outside the nest is the best indication of it's location, but ants will often follow channels hidden from the hot sun, rain and your vision. Less than 10 % of the population will ever leave the nests so at times there are very few to follow. Knowing whether the ant you are following is heading for food, or has already eaten and is heading back to the nest is an indicator that some very experienced professionals are capable of seeing.

Listen for them. If your hearing is good and the home is very quiet you may be able to hear the rustling and chewing noise they make. A medical stethoscope is useful but the sound of a refrigerator or even a clock can confuse the inexperienced ear.

How to find the main nests (and the queens):

In some locations it would be impossible to find all the main nests among the trees, logs, stumps, buried wood and roots. Even if these nests are found, removing them can be a monumental task. All satellite nests remain in contact with the main nest. Workers can be seen carrying mature larvae from the overcrowded queen's home to new or established satellites of the colony. If you find the main nest, try to remove it physically. If you put toxic products into it, they may leach into the ground water and contaminate water supplies or fish habitat some distance away.

If you can not remove the nest, try to eliminate any favorable conditions that encourage them to move toward the home. Tree branches, fences, garden hoses, structural wood touching the soil, landscape ties and utility wires all provide an easy route to follow. A very fine dusting of diatomaceous earth around the perimeter base of the home will discourage all insects from crossing it to gain entry. This is short term and should be repeated frequently in the spring, summer and fall.


Pesticides, Poisons and Secret Formulas.

Toxic Sprays: Most pesticides available to the public will kill any insect that they come in contact with while still wet. Once dry, the residual effect is minimal and has very little effect on insects.

Ant Dusts: Diatomaceous earth is sold in a variety of containers with convincing trade names. The basic product can also be purchased in much less expensive plain plastic bags at most garden stores.

Toxic chlorpyrifos is now off the market and illegal to use in Canada and U.S.A.

Boric Acid dust: It is very difficult to inject into a nesting cavity without proper equipment. Do not put it in exposed areas.

Ant Poisons sold over the counter at most hardware stores have little if any effect on carpenter ants

Ant Traps are actually not traps. The little tin cans with holes in the side contain borax. They have no effect on carpenter ants.

Secret Formulas: If you find one that works, patent it immediately. Scientists around the world have been searching for years for ingredients that will attract and kill or repel carpenter ants. Some things that homeowners have tried include cinnamon, cayenne pepper, moth balls, boric acid and icing sugar.

None of them have been proven effective.







Disclaimer: This web page was compiled by a pest management professional, not an entomologist.

As a result, some of the terms used may not be accurate according to scientific terms of reference.
Our objective is to provide basic and interesting information for the average homeowner.