A Demand for Pest Control

Residential Programs

Sawyer Pest Management’s Home Protection Programs and One Pest Service Programs have been specifically designed to eliminate your existing pest concerns, and to protect your home or cottage from future pest infestation. Our pro-active programs include thorough inspections to the interior and exterior of your home or cottage, identification of areas of infestation, as well as areas at risk of infestation, pest identification, targeted treatments, scheduled monitoring and follow-up.

Sawyer Pest Management is committed to doing what is right for your family, home and environment. Our programs only use registered, Health Canada approved products and Licensed qualified technicians. We are proud to be an industry leader, providing our clients with responsible, effective pest control solutions.

Option One:

Home Protection Program

• 2 scheduled services that are customized according to your needs
• thorough interior and exterior inspection of your home
• monitoring devices installed, serviced and replaced as required
• minor structural repairs completed (caulking and sealing)
•  treatment to control and prevent seasonal pests as required
• detailed report identifying findings and treatments completed

Option Two:

Home Protection Plus Program

• 4 scheduled, customized services (spring, summer, fall and winter)
• thorough interior and exterior inspection of your home
• monitoring devices installed, serviced and replaced as required
• minor structural repairs completed (caulking and sealing)
• treatment to control and prevent seasonal pests as required
• gutter inspections and cleaning are completed in the spring and fall to
• remove debris accumulations that could lead to overflow and insect activity
•  removal of insect and vacated bird nests

You are protected against the following pest species when you sign up for one of our Home Protection Programs: Bees, Earwigs, Carpenter Ants,Carpenter Bees, Carpet Beetles, Centipedes, Cockroaches, Cloths Moths, ClusterFlies, Earwigs, Mice, Millipedes, Pavement Ants, Pillbugs, Rats, Silverfish,Sowbugs, Spiders, Stored Product Pests, and Wasps.

One Pest Service Programs

Sawyer Pest Management One Pest Service programs will take care of your current needs by effectively removing the pest causing you concern in an environmentally friendly manner. Please contact us today to schedule your appointment or to have your questions answered.

Prevention solves problem

When it gets chilly outside, we're not the only ones who want to come inside for winter. Both urban and rural homeowners battle critter infestations in autumn - actually, all year round, depending on the animal. But in fall, mice, squirrels and raccoons, in particular, will do their best to pop in for a visit, and stay for the season.

According to Bill Dowd of Humane Wildlife Control, which operates in Quebec and Ontario, we're practically sending them gold-plated invitations.

"We've made it very easy for these animals to flourish in our cities by giving them food sources - our garbage," he says. "A raccoon's idea of hunting these days is not looking to a creek for crayfish, it's climbing out a chimney and tipping over the garbage can."

In more than 20 years in the business, Dowd has seen some nasty stuff.

"The biggest damage is probably electrical fires, $60,000 to $70,000 in property damage due to fires caused by squirrels or mice chewing on electrical wiring," he says.

And an infestation won't just hurt your wallet. There are health risks associated with these furry critters.

"Animals in an attic are defecating and urinating," says Dowd. "We'll go into some attics that are unbelievable. No insulation, mounds of feces. The entire attic is contaminated."

The best medicine, and least costly in the long run, is prevention. There are jobs a homeowner can do, Dowd says, while others require a professional.

If you already have an infestation, getting rid of the critters and whatever they've left behind (disease-laden waste, contaminated insulation, parasite-infested corpses) is a job for the pros, who will determine where the animal is gaining entry, put one-way doors on active entry points, decontaminate, and then seal all the entry points once the animals are out.

If you're confident no one's moved in yet, inspect your home exterior regularly for entry points and seal them..

"The biggest challenge is the proper maintenance of your roof," he says, suggesting it be inspected once a year (before the snow). Look for loose shingles, broken or missing roof vents, animal feces and/or tracks, signs of chewing, and check the eaves troughs, where a build-up leaves not only creates an attractive food source for raccoons, squirrels and birds, but can also create other headaches. If the debris freezes, the ice can cause the fascia to pull away from your roof. "That creates a gap, so you've created an entry hole," says Dowd.

Also check for gaps at the bottom of your garage door and avoid leaving the door open unattended; inspect soffits and downspouts to ensure they are still attached properly, and ensure there's no gap between soffits and the house; check weep vents around the base of your home, which should be screened with 1/4-inch screening (don't block them or you'll create moisture problems inside); check for holes in pointing; damaged stove, plumbing, roof or wall vents; damaged or uncapped chimney; roof valleys (where two rooflines meet). Caulk small holes, but larger holes should be screened.

If something's already inside, let the pros handle it, and hire someone who understands animal behaviour.

Dowd warns against covering a hole immediately, for instance, because an animal will instinctively return and make another one nearby.

"It's important to put screening up there initially because they see through the screen, see their den and start tugging, chewing and ripping at our screen to get back in. Eventually they realize they can't get in and they move on, because they'll typically have 10 to 15 den sites in a neighbourhood."

He also tells homeowners to hire someone who won't harm the animal and will ensure family units are kept together. And trapping doesn't work.

"Seventy percent of relocated animals die," says Dowd. "Plus you still have the odour, which will attract other animals and you still have the hole in your roof."

The only long-term solution is prevention by sealing vulnerable areas and being smart - doing simple things like putting your garbage out in the morning, never overnight, rinsing recyclables and putting lids back on.

"Decreased food sources will keep populations down," says Dowd, which proves sometimes, the simplest solutions are the best . . . and cheapest. READ MORE

Facts About Mice

Facts About Mice

Did you Know? List of Facts about Mice Facts are statements which are held to be true and often contrasted with opinions and beliefs. Our unusual and interesting facts about Mice, trivia and information, including some useful statistics about animals will fascinate everyone from kids and children to adults. Interesting Facts about Mice are as follows: ·                     Fact 1 - Definition: A mouse (plural mice) is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails ·                     Fact 2 - Mice belong to the super-family Muroidea which includes hamsters, gerbils and rats ·                     Fact 4 - Lifespan: The lifespan of mice ranges from 1 to 2 years ·                     Fact 5 - Mice have tails that are as long as their bodies. Their tails have scales that help with climbing ·                     Fact 6 - Mice weigh between 1/2 and 1 ounce ·                     Fact 7 - A group of mice is called a mischief ·                     Fact 8 - Mice eat practically anything! ·                     Fact 9 - A mouse can jump down 12 feet without hurting itself ·                     Fact 10 - Mice travel along the same route repeatedly leaving a smudge mark - a buildup of dirt and oil from their fur along walls, pipes and holes ·                     Fact 11 - Mice can transmit a disease called salmonellosis which is a bacterial food poisoning when food is contaminated with infected mouse faeces ·                     Fact 12 - Mice do not travel far from their nest, about 12 to 20 feet ·                     Fact 13 - House mice breed throughout the year ·                     Fact 14 - House mice can become pregnant within 48 hours of producing a litter, so its important to action to rid your house of mice ·                     Fact 15 - House mice can run up almost any vertical surface including wood, brick, sheet metal, cables and pipes ·                     Fact 16 - A Male mouse is called a Buck ·                     Fact 17 - A Female mouse is called a Doe ·                     Fact 18 - Baby mice are called Kittens or a Pinky ·                     Fact 19 - Endangered Species: ·                                             The house mouse has been evaluated but findings show no immediate threat to the survival of the species. ·                                                                     Least Concern - LC (Status: At Lower Risk) - No immediate threat to the survival of the species Facts about Mice Most of these interesting facts about Mice are quite amazing and some are little known pieces of trivia and facts! Many of these interesting pieces of animal information and fun facts about Mice and info will help you increase your knowledge on the subject of animals and the mouse.

Pest Control Tips For Your Home

Keeping Pests Out Of Your Home: 10 Pest Control Tips From Sawyer Pest Management, London, Ontario

There's quite a few pests out there, and they have tendencies to merely annoy us or potentially cause serious damage to your house and your health. We've come up with some tips to help you keep the pesky bugs out of your home.  You're probably familiar with a few nuisance bugs such as roaches, ants, spiders, crickets, and mice. Better seen in the fields or forest than your home!  Please read below the 10 tips we have come up with to help prevention:

Pest Control Prevention Tips

• It is important to make sure the floors are always clean: mop up any spills right away with cleaning solution. It is recommended to clean the house hold flooring at least once per week and the kitchen a couple times per week.

• Keep the trash outside in a bin, and make sure it gets picked up by the garbage truck regularly. It is best to not leave any trash in your home overnight. This means all of them in the bathrooms, bedrooms, and the kitchen.

• Avoid leaving fruit out on the counter, it is best to keep it refrigerated even when it's ripe.

• Make sure the sink is emptied every night, with no dishes left behind. If you can't get to them, fill it with soap and water for the evening.

• Any food that is left out, make sure it is tightly sealed in appropriate containers. Cereal or seeds, grains and bread, keep them sealed either in bags or containers with a locking seal.

• Clean up any leaks in the house or fix dripping water faucets. It is important to keep the house dry and clean up any spills, even splashes of water.

• If you have pets, they need a bath at least once per week. Keep up to date on their flea treatments and make sure the hair brush is clean. 

• Remove any cracks or open spaces in your homes structure; seal up any cracks on baseboards, cabinets, pipes, ducts, and fittings inside the home. Check outside and caulk all door frames, window frames, roof joints and any visible cracks on the exterior surface.

• The outside of the home should be kept as tidy as possible, by making sure any wood piles or leaves are not just laying around in the yard. Trim your plants down to make sure critters can't crawl up into your home. The gutters can harbour insects, and it's a good idea to keep those cleaned out.

• Pay close attention to what you bring into the home the best you can. Many unknowingly bring in insects or insect eggs when buying fruits and vegetables. Boxes or bags used to bring home these items can also harbor pests or eggs. Once they get through the front door of your home, they can multiply and cause infestations. Roaches are especially prone to be brought in this way.

These tips are meant to be a great starting point and not guaranteed to keep out all pests. If you are having problems even after following these tips, then you may want to seek the help of a professional.

If you need professional help with pests in your home call us today for a free estimate 519-661-6886.

Sawyer Pest Management′s team is ready to help you take control of your home. We specialize in Pest control London Ontario, pest management services, pest identification, pest extermination, and we service all of London Ontario plus surrounding areas for pests such as St. Thomas, Strathroy, Ingersoll, Dorchester, Exeter, Lucan, Goderich, Bayfield, Ailsa Craig, Appin, Arkona, Aylmer, Beachville, Belmont, Clinton, Dashwood, Dutton, Glencoe, Grand Bend, Hensall, Ilderton, Kirkton, Komoka, London, Melbourne, Mitchell, Mount Brydges, Nairn, Parkhill, Port Franks, Port Stanley, St. Marys, Seaforth, Springfield, Tillsonburg, Watford, Woodstock, Zurich. The best at Pest Control and complete pest control packages are provided to get rid of bugs. 519-661-6886.

House a honey pit

OWEN SOUND - A Varney, Ont., woman didn't realize the extent her little house has been taken over by bees until cracks appeared in the ceiling and honey began to drip about two weeks ago.

"We don't hear them buzzing or anything. It's just the crack in the ceiling. Like you're standing in the kitchen and you get honey dripped down your hair. It's not pleasant," Loretta Yates said Saturday as she and her husband Kevin prepared to rid their house of the unwanted pests.

"Until we'd seen the massive honey dripping and stuff, I didn't know what we were really dealing with was as big a problem as it's turned out to be," Yates said.

The bees are between the main-floor ceiling and the floor of the upper level over the kitchen and living room. Both ceilings have cracked and are leaking honey.

Upon closer inspection, the kitchen light cover was half filled with honey, she said. An Elmwood, Ont., beekeeper who was called in to investigate figures Yates could have 2,000 pounds of honey up there.

She has two colonies of up to 180,000 honey bees and a nest of nasty yellow jacket wasps, he believes.

The Yates live with their 22-month-old son, Justin, in a 1 1/2-storey cement block house she bought five years ago along Highway 6 in Varney, in Grey County.

Her neighbour runs a garage and the bees are bothering customers there. The bees may have been living there for four years, she said.

Yates isn't sleeping well now. She paces the house at night, concerned about the flickering lights, fearful the ceiling might collapse and the bees could swarm inside.

Monday morning beekeeper David Schuit and his helpers will pull down the ceiling in the kitchen and living room, and remove the honey which he hopes can be saved.

He'll clear out the bees and their honeycomb, and attempt to find both queen bees and put each in a wooden hive box which he'll place inside the house.

Each colony is separated by a partition in the cavity above the ceiling. He mustn't disturb that because otherwise the bees won't get along.

"If the queen leaves the hive, the whole hive goes with her. They don't want to stay in the hive without her," Schuit said. "It's really amazing. Bees are fascinating."

He said bees have taught him how to behave to get the job done without causing his stomach to churn with dread.

"Bees are very friendly once you learn how to work with them, he said, adding, "They're also "very protective of each other."

He'll go after the yellow jackets last. They're more aggressive and can sting about eight times in one day and still survive. He doesn't intend to spare them -- he'll spray an insecticide.

"They're very unruly," he said.

Schuit runs a family business called Saugeen Country Honey, south of Elmwood. He has about 1,000 to 1,200 hives and sells various kinds of honey and related products at his store, plus at the Keady Market and at one in St. Jacobs, Ont.

"We're really grateful for him and his help, with Saugeen Country, 'cause I don't know what we would do otherwise," Loretta Yates said. "This is overwhelming and a big project. I'm still hardly believing it. It seems like a dream; a terrifying dream."

Initially, a pest control expert told her he could dust the bees to kill them, but that would leave the honey, which would just attract more bees.

A week ago last Tuesday Yates got an eyeful when she looked outside and saw what Schuit believes was likely a third honey bee colony.

"It was another swarm of bees coming, like another hive of bees coming here, but the house was already full. So they couldn't actually get access into the house, so they just swarmed on the outside," she said.

"And it was just black. You'd hardly believe it was bees. It was just like a blanket," she said.

Yates can't help but joke a little about her bee problem.

She told a co-worker at Saugeen Villa nursing home in Hanover, Ont., where Yates works part-time, "I have honey in my house. I must be the queen bee."

Someone called her predicament "a real sweet mess."

There's nothing funny about the damage and the cost to put it right and her insurance company says she's not covered.

"They've chewed right through the wall, like on the outside top gable end," Yates said, incredulous the insurance wouldn't come through for her.

Since her husband is on the Ontario Disability Support Program, he can access $1,500 to help remove the bees. But the job to do that and repair the house is expected to cost more than double that. READ MORE

Bed bugs bite students - London Free Press

Bed bugs look like this. (QMI Agency file photo)

If you think you don't need to worry about bed bugs in London, talk to the London International Academy boarding school students.

Or better yet, take a close look at them.

It won't take long to find clusters of red bug bites on the students -- whose parents pay $20,000 per year for accommodation at the Park Tower on King St. and pre-university courses at the downtown private school.

"Right here," said one teen yesterday, rolling up his sleeve to show where he was bitten the week before. "My neck," said another, gesturing to a grouping of six angry red welts just under his chin.

Many of the students have arrived during the past month to start school meant to prepare them for Canadian university. Their English is still spotty, but when stopped out front of their residence at 186 King Street Thursday, all were familiar with the term bed bugs.

"Oh yes bed bugs," said one boy, who declined to give his name or have his picture taken. "I've been here two weeks. I was bit three or four nights.

"I don't sleep well."

Another student said he had seen the bugs and killed some, but still he wakes up with bites "every night."

Inspectors with the Middlesex-London Health Unit are aware of the situation at the building, said environmental health director Wally Adams.

He said a health unit inspector called out for something else in August noticed some bed bugs and ordered the building manager to "beef up integrated pest management measures.

When the inspector returned Aug. 23, he was satisfied that the manager had complied.

"The school and landlord are working cooperatively to address this problem," said Adams.

A manager at Park Tower said the building has dealt with "a few isolated incidences of bed bugs, no different than any other residence in London."

She too declined to give her name, but said landlords have a "preventative program in place to proactively manage pests."

She said she was too busy to comment further, but would be available for interviews after September 23. She would not comment on the significance of the 23rd.

Earlier this week the Health Unit said calls about bed bugs have doubled in two years and an official with the London Middlesex Housing Corp. said it's pest control budget has skyrocketed to $300,000 from $25,000 four years ago all because of bed bugs. The housing corp. and health unit have now partnered for a public awareness program and representatives plan to visit every city owned complex starting next week to talk to residents about bed bugs, how to recognize them and how to prepare their units for treatment.

Traditionally, the health unit does not get involved in situations regarding bed bugs because they are considered a "nuisance," not a "health hazard."

But the problem has become so widespread, that the health unit is asking the public to phone in reports of any infestations.

E-mail jennifer.obrien@sunmedia.ca, or follow OBrienatLFPress on Twitter. Read More

Pest control

Pest control refers to the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person's health, the ecology or the economy.

History

Pest control is at least as old as agriculture, as there has always been a need to keep crops free from pests. In order to maximize food production, it is advantageous to protect crops from competing species of plants, as well as from herbivores competing with humans.

The conventional approach was probably the first to be employed, since it is comparatively easy to destroy weeds by burning them or plowing them under, and to kill larger competing herbivores, such as crows and other birds eating seeds. Techniques such as crop rotation, companion planting (also known as intercropping or mixed cropping), and the selective breeding of pest-resistantcultivars have a long history.

In the UK, following concern about animal welfare, humane pest control and deterrence is gaining ground through the use of animal psychology rather than destruction. For instance, with the urbanRed Fox which territorial behaviour is used against the animal, usually in conjunction with non-injurious chemical repellents. In rural areas of Britain, the use of firearms for pest control is quite common. Airguns are particularly popular for control of small pests such as rats, rabbits and grey squirrels, because of their lower power they can be used in more restrictive spaces such as gardens, where using a firearm would be unsafe.

Chemical pesticides date back 4,500 years, when the Sumerians used sulfur compounds as insecticides. The Rig Veda, which is about 4,000 years old, also mentions the use of poisonous plants for pest control. It was only with the industrialization and mechanization of agriculture in the 18th and 19th century, and the introduction of the insecticides pyrethrum and derris that chemical pest control became widespread. In the 20th century, the discovery of several synthetic insecticides, such as DDT, and herbicides boosted this development. Chemical pest control is still the predominant type of pest control today, although its long-term effects led to a renewed interest in traditional and biological pest control towards the end of the 20th century.

Causes

Many pests have only become a problem because of the direct actions of humans. Modifying these actions can often substantially reduce the pest problem. In the United States, raccoons caused a nuisance by tearing open refuse sacks. Many householders introduced bins with locking lids, which deterred the raccoons from visiting. House flies tend to accumulate wherever there is human activity and is virtually a global phenomenon, especially where food or food waste is exposed. Similarly, seagulls have become pests at many seaside resorts. Tourists would often feed the birds with scraps offish and chips, and before long, the birds would become dependent on this food source and act aggressively towards humans.

Living organisms evolve and increase their resistance to biological, chemical, physical or any other form of control. Unless the target population is completely exterminated or is rendered incapable of reproduction, the surviving population will inevitably acquire a tolerance of whatever pressures are brought to bear - this results in an evolutionary arms race.

Types of pest control

Biological pest contro

Main article: Biological pest control

Biological pest control is the control of one through the control and management of natural predators and parasites. For example: mosquitoes are often controlled by putting Bt Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis, a bacterium that infects and kills mosquito larvae, in local water sources. The treatment has no known negative consequences on the remaining ecology and is safe for humans to drink. The point of biological pest control, or any natural pest control, is to eliminate a pest with minimal harm to the ecological balance of the environment in its present form.^[1]

Mechanical pest contro

Main article: Mechanical pest control

Mechanical pest control is the use of hands-on techniques as well as simple equipment, devices, and natural ingredients that provide a protective barrier between plants and insects. For example: weeds can be controlled by being physically removed from the ground. This is referred to as tillage and is one of the oldest methods of weed control.

Elimination of breeding grounds

Proper waste management and drainage of still water, eliminates the breeding ground of many pests.

Garbage provides food and shelter for many unwanted organisms, as well as an area where still water might collect and be used as a breeding ground by mosquitoes. Communities that have proper garbage collection and disposal, have far less of a problem with rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies and other pests than those that don't.

Open air sewers are ample breeding ground for various pests as well. By building and maintaining a proper sewer system, this problem is eliminated.

Certain spectrums of LED light can "disrupt insects’ breeding."^[2]

Poisoned bait

Poisoned bait is a common method for controlling rat populations, however is not as effective when there are other food sources around, such as garbage. Poisoned meats have been used for centuries for killing off wolves, birds that were seen to threaten crops, and against other creatures. This can be a problem, since a carcass which has been poisoned will kill not only the targeted animal, but also every other animal which feeds on the carcass. Humans have also been killed by coming in contact with poisoned meat, or by eating an animal which had fed on a poisoned carcass. this tool is also used to manage several caterpillars e.g.Spodoptera litura,fruit flies,snails and slugs,crabs etc.

Field burning

Traditionally, after a sugar cane harvest, the fields are all burned, to kill off any insects or eggs that might be in the fields.

Hunting

Historically, in some European countries, when stray dogs and cats became too numerous, local populations gathered together to round up all animals that did not appear to have an owner and kill them. In some nations, teams of rat catchers work at chasing rats from the field, and killing them with dogs and simple hand tools. Some communities have in the past employed a bounty system, where a town clerk will pay a set fee for every rat head brought in as proof of a rat killing.

Traps

With the many traps available on the market today you can easily remove mice and rats from homes. You must first know what rodent needs to be removed, you can then decide what type of trap is the best suited to your needs. The snap trap is the most widely used, it utilizes a trigger (sometimes shaped like cheese) to hold bait, and kills the rodent by striking it behind the head with a wire rod or jaw. In some instances you may wish to use glue traps also called glue boards. This type of trap requires the mouse or rat to attempt to cross the trap so the glue can hold the rodent. After a catch is made you can euthanize the rodent and dispose of it trap and all, or some glue boards will release the catch when you pour vegetable oil on them, as the oil reacts with the glue to lose its grip. The last type of trap are live catch traps, this type of trap is typically a repeating style so more than one animal can be caught at a time, they can also be released from this trap in a new location if desired.

Pesticides

Spraying pesticides by planes, handheld units, or trucks that carry the spraying equipment, is a common method of pest control. Crop dusters commonly fly over farmland and spray pesticides to kill off pests that would threaten the crops. However, some pesticides may cause cancer and other health problems, as well as harming wildlife.^[3]

Space fumigation

A project that involves a structure be covered or sealed airtight followed by the introduction of a penetrating, deadly gas at a killing concentration a long period of time (24-72hrs.). Although expensive, space fumigation targets all life stages of pests.^[4]

Space treatment

A long term project involving fogging or misting type applicators. Liquid insecticide is dispersed in the atmosphere within a structure. Treatments do not require the evacuation or airtight sealing of a building, allowing most work within the building to continue but at the cost of the penetrating effects. Contact insecticides are generally used, minimizing the long lasting residual effects. On August 10, 1973, the Federal Register printed the definition of Space treatment as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):^[4]

“

the dispersal of insecticides into the air by foggers, misters, aerosol devices or vapor dispensers for control of flying insects and exposed crawling insects

”

Sterilization

Laboratory studies conducted with U-5897 (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) where attempted in the early 1970s although these proved unsuccessful.^[5]Research into sterilization bait is ongoing.

Another effective method of soil sterilization is soil steaming. Pest is killed through hot steam which is induced into the soil.

Destruction of infected plants

Forest services sometimes destroy all the trees in an area where some are infected with insects, if seen as necessary to prevent the insect species from spreading. Farms infested with certain insects, have been burned entirely, to prevent the pest from spreading elsewhere.

Natural rodent control

Several wildlife rehabilitation organizations encourage natural form of rodent control through exclusion and predator support and preventing secondary poisoning altogether.^[6]

The United States Environmental Protection Agency agrees, noting in its Proposed Risk Mitigation Decision for Nine Rodenticides that “without habitat modification to make areas less attractive to commensal rodents, even eradication will not prevent new populations from recolonizing the habitat.”^[7]

Repellents

• Balsam fir oil from the tree Abies balsamea is an EPA approved non-toxic rodent repellent.^[8]
• Acacia polyacantha subsp. campylacantha root emits chemical compounds that repel animals including crocodiles, snakes and rats.^[9][10]

READ MORE