Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are bed bugs hard to get rid of?

No. But only when an infestation is discovered early, populations are low, preparation and cooperation by all affected residents is excellent, and clutter is either non-existent or minimal.

Yes. Solving most bed bug problems requires a lot of effort on the part of all affected residents and at least two treatments. All affected areas must be inspected, preparations must be fully completed, all areas must be de-cluttered, and the appropriate treatments applied. In multi-unit housing (apartments, condominiums, hotels or duplexes), units above, below and beside the affected units must be dealt with. Bed bug proof mattress and box spring encasements and ongoing monitoring are strongly recommended.

Bed bugs have been feeding on the blood from their human hosts for thousands of years. They do not jump or fly and they enter buildings on people or their belongings. The most common ways they are brought in is in luggage from a vacation, on used furniture or travel between units in multi-unit buildings. Bed bugs were a rare occurrence in the Western world for many years but are now back in force.

3. I’ve seen bed bugs in just one room; can you treat just that room?

No. Bed bugs are excellent at hiding. They do not come out every night and are rarely seen during the day. You probably have not seen all of them. With bed bugs, success demands thoroughness.

4. I’ve seen one mouse, are there more?

Probably. Mice are gregarious, typically living in family groups of 7 to 20. Mice have small territories ranging up to a maximum of 30 feet in any direction from their nesting site. Each mouse produces, on average, 70 droppings and 3000 micro-droplets of urine every 24 hours. One or two traps from the hardware store is usually not enough to solve most mouse problems.

It depends. What time do you hear it?

Noise at Night - This usually means rats. Roof rats are the most common cause of night noises in your attic. If the noise is in your crawlspace or basement, it is likely a Norway rat. Very loud noises could mean a raccoon has moved in. Sometimes raccoons can go unnoticed if your attic is highly insulated. Rarely, a noise at night may indicate the presence of bats.

Noise during the Day - Both squirrels and birds are active throughout the day. They generally leave in the morning, return occassionally throughout the day and return for the evening. Have a look outside your home (look at the roof and soffit areas) early in the morning and again at dusk and try to spot the entry areas.

Insects can occasionally make enough noise in a home to be noticed. A large wasp or hornet nest in a wall or ceiling space will make enough noise to be heard inside when it’s quiet during the day. Established carpenter ant nests also make enough noise to be heard during the day but especially at night (as they are more active at night). The noise is often described as crackling or like crinkling paper.

6. Will carpenter ants eat my house?

No. Carpenter ants excavate galleries in the wood for their nests but they do not eat wood. However, they are a serious structural pest that must be dealt with properly as they damage and weaken structures.

Termites eat wood. The Western Subterranean Termite is prevalent in Greater Victoria. These termites consume wood, build mud tubes connecting their food and nesting areas and are considered a very serious structural pest. Pacific Dampwood termites are very common throughout the West Coast but only damage wet or decaying wood. They usually occur outside and are typically not a serious structural pest.

7. Are winged ants carpenter ants?

Maybe. Winged ants are the reproductive phase in all ant species, not just carpenter ants. The presence of winged ants indicates that colonies are mature and attempting to expand. Mating flights of these winged ants (called swarms) usually do not result in the establishment of successful new colonies. Most winged ants die within hours of leaving their nest.

If you see “big black winged ants” on the West Coast, they are likely carpenter ants. Camponotus modoc is the largest and most prevalent carpenter ant species in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. The winged female of this species is the largest winged ant we encounter. However, size and color are not definitive. There are 10 different species of carpenter ants and many others here on the West Coast. Carpenter ants are polymorphic (they have 3 sizes of workers and 2 sizes of reproductives), they are a variety of colors and can often resemble many other ant species.

Plugging the entry hole will not solve the problem. The wasps will try to find another way out, which may be into your living space.

If the hole is on the outside of your structure, and it is safe to do so, unplug it. If it is unsafe to unplug or you are not comfortable doing this, wait for our technician to arrive. If the hole is on the inside and was plugged to keep wasps from coming in your living space, do not unplug this. Some nests will break through interior walls or ceilings as they enlarge late in the season (usually late August/September). This can be dangerous. Close off the room and call us immediately.

9. What safety precautions are necessary or are taken when providing service?

We practice Integrated Pest Management and for many services, no special precautions are requied on your part. Our technicians follow appropriate safety precautions as legislated by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), the Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Workers Compensation Board (WCB).

When vacating your home is necessary, we require vacating times longer than Health Canada recommends, adding an extra margin of safety. When pesticides are required, we use the least toxic materials and application methods that will be effective against your specific target pest.