Pest Problems. How To Identify, And When Do You Need To Call A Professional?
Pest Problems
There are many different pests that can cause problems for people in the Calgary area. These pests can mostly be broken down into three categories: Nuisance Pests, Occasional Pests, and Invasive Pests.
Nuisance Pests
Nuisance Pests are pests that cause minimal impact on health and well being, day-to-day living, or property damage. These pests are often seasonal or circumstantial in nature, and depending on an individual’s tolerance level, they can often be dealt with or controlled fairly easily. Pests that fall into this category include small colonies of ants in the yard or garden, skunks, squirrels in the yard, porcupines, most spiders, carpet beetles, sow bugs (or wood louse), root weevils, and mosquitoes.
Occasional Pests
Occasional Pests are pests that show up suddenly, usually due to some unforeseen problem, change, or addition to the environment or habitat. Some of these pests can be more threatening than others, and some may be easily controlled, while others can prove to be more challenging. Pests in this category usually require a bit more knowledge to properly manage and include such pests as wasps, bees, some spiders, ticks, centipedes, silverfish, larder beetles, rove beetles, flies, some ants, ground beetles, lady bugs, boxelder beetles, pantry moths, flour beetles, earwigs, woodpeckers, sparrows, pocket gophers, ground squirrels, weasels, geese, and badgers.
Invasive Pests
Invasive Pests are pests that can either cause large amounts of damage if left unchecked, or pests that will continue to increase in population unless properly eliminated. Some invasive pests can cause extensive property damage, and some can seriously impact the health and well being of people and/or pets. Invasive pests should almost always be dealt with promptly, and in most cases they should be eliminated by a professional or under the advice of a professional. Invasive pests include bed bugs, cockroaches, some ants (like carpenter ants), squirrels living in the house/attic/soffits, bats, mice, voles, powder post beetles, pigeons, beavers, raccoons, and fleas.
Identifying And Understanding Pests
Understanding the pest you are dealing with is key in determining if you should enlist the help of a professional. As with many other things, there are a lot of myths and misinformation out there about most pests. Proper identification is crucial when deciding the best way to control or eliminate pests. Many nuisance or occasional pests are simple enough to deal with on your own if they are managed properly. Many professional pest control companies will even provide free advice or guidance for dealing with many pests on your own. However, it is important to note that many pest problems can be made worse if dealt with incorrectly. We always recommend consulting a professional before attempting to deal with a pest problem, even if it’s just for some simple advice or guidance, or to get more information about a particular pest.
Any pest that falls into the invasive category, should be handled by a professional. dealing with pests in this category can involve the use of different pesticides, traps, and structural damage that can all carry heavy ramifications when it comes to potential for liability concerns, general heath and safety, property damage, environmental damage, or making the problem worse.
If you are seeing any of these pests inside the house, that is an indication that there is a problem somewhere. It may be a problem with the way the house is sealed, maybe there’s a moisture problem, there may be some deterioration in the structure, there may be a landscaping issue, it may be a problem with a neighbouring or attached unit or property, and sometimes a pest issue is actually an indication of a much larger pest problem. Consulting a professional can not only provide you with some tips and advice, but a professional may be able to help identify or solve much larger underlying issues.
If you have any questions or concerns about a pest issue or potential pest issue, please feel free to contact us and talk to a pest expert.