Carpenter Ants
Because carpenter ants enter buildings, they are considered to be the
most destructive common insect pest we have in Canada. Two common
species are found, one is all black, the other is black with a rusty red
mid section. They vary in size from one quarter inch to three quarters
of an inch.
Carpenter ants can do considerable damage to wood structures.
Initially, they establish a nest in decaying wood but, once established,
they tunnel into good wood.
These ants usually have a parent colony in outdoor nests, typically
living in dead trees, logs, stumps, firewood, or landscaping wood. Once
the colony becomes larger it can expand into satellite colonies often in
nearby warm buildings.
Many homes on the West Coast are adjacent to forested areas or clumps
of trees such that there are well established ant colonies nearby which
can attack these homes. Carpenter ants excavate in structural beams and
wall studs, and can cause considerable damage to a dwelling, although
not as serious as that done by termites.
Carpenter ants establish nests in both dry and moist wood, but prefer
moist. Therefore, nests are most likely to be found in water damaged
wood around sinks, bathtubs, window and door frames, roof leaks, and so
on. Hollow moist spots in wall voids are common nest spots.
Killing only the visible ants does not cure the problem, as only 10% of
the ants leave their nests in the dwelling. These hidden nests must be
located and destroyed by professionals.
Termites
Termites are Mother Natures way to break down wood and return it into
the soil. Termites eat and work 24 hours a day to accomplish this goal,
which is why you do not want them in your home. They cause more damage
to North American homes than hail storms, tornadoes, winds, and
hurricanes combined.
Termite infestation has steadily increased across Canada. They are
native only to southern British Columbia, but appear across the country.
In Toronto, for example, 10% of the houses have termite infestation.
Termites can go undetected for years, eating away at the wood until the
structure is damaged. They normally build their nests in the walls
where there is a good food supply. A colony of termites can reach more
than a million. They can feed on wood until nothing is left but a shell.
Signs of termite damage include:
- pencil-wide mud tubes for above-ground travel on foundation walls, sill plates, or floor joists
- small holes in wood
- crumbling drywall
- sagging door frames or floors
- small piles of sawdust
- hollow-sounding or damaged-looking wood
- pinholes in walls
- piles of tiny wings
- hard oval fecal pellets
Rats
British Columbia is home to at least 20 types of rodents. Norway rats
are the most common species of rat, and are the ones most commonly found
in British Columbia. Rat bodies are 7 to 9 inches long with the tail
being an additional 6 to 8 inches long. Most rats weigh one-half to one
pound.
Rats and other rodents can carry and transmit diseases via their feet,
urine, feces, or through their bite. The average rat can produce up to
100 droppings and up to 2 teaspoons of urine in a single day. Rodents
can carry ticks and fleas which also spread diseases.
Rodents cause building damage by chewing through wires, wallboard,
siding, insulation, plumbing pipes, and woodwork. They will chew through
storage boxes and food packages, leaving contamination and a mess.
Rodents are easier to detect because of the mess left behind by their
chewing, and because of dark brown rodent droppings. Mouse droppings are
about one-quarter inch long, rat droppings measure up to three-quarters
inch.
Rodents will dig under sheds, garages, and foundations, and also in
between walls. They breed rapidly, so it is important to get rid of them
as soon as you become aware of their presence on your property.
Generally, it is not a good idea to use poison.
Wasps
Paper wasps, boldfaced hornets, and yellowjackets are the most common
types we encounter. Wasps have a slender body, a narrow waist, and are
smooth-skinned and shiny. (Bees have heavier bodies, and black legs, and
are very hairy compared with wasps.)
In early spring, a hibernating queen emerges from a crack, crevice, or
tree bark to look for a new nesting site. There she builds the first few
paper cells of the nest and lays a single egg in each cell. Future
workers assume colony duties such as building and feeding. By late fall
the colony reaches 1,000 to 30,000 individuals. As the weather turns
colder, the nest is abandoned. The queen looks for a new hibernation
site, but the workers all die. In late fall, after the nest has been
abandoned, it can be removed and disposed of with minimal risk.
Wasps can be very aggressive, especially in warm weather. They may
cause severe pain and swelling from their sting. Whereas bees can only
sting once, the wasp can sting a number of times. Wasps are attracted to
moving objects, therefore do not swat at them. The wasp likes to get
inside soda cans and bottles outdoors, which is a good reason to never
drink directly from a can or bottle outdoors. Use a straw or cup.
The best defense is to avoid nesting places, as wasps vigorously defend
their colonies. The yellowjacket frequently nests in voids in walls and
roofs of houses. A colony is begun each spring by reproductive female
and can reach populations of up to 15,000 individual wasps.
The wasps build their nests of paper consisting of fibers scraped from
wood and mixed with saliva. The nest has multiple cells enclosed by a
paper jacket that usually contains a single entrance hole.
As mentioned, wasps become extremely aggressive when their nests are
disturbed. It is best to call a professional to rid your property of
their nests during the warm weather when the wasps are active.
Silverfish
Silverfish are considered a household pest because of their destruction
of property. They consume glue, paper, book bindings, photos, sugar,
hair, coffee, carpet, dandruff, clothing, ear wax, tapestries, cotton,
linen, silk, and even leather. Silverfish can live for more than a year
without eating.
Silverfish require a relative humidity of 75% to 90%, and are found in bathrooms, basements, garages, closets, and attics.
Silverfish are nocturnal, long and flat insects between one-half and 1
inch in length. The abdomen tapers so that they have a fish-like
appearance. Born whitish, they become gray and have a metallic shine as
they mature. They have too small eyes, are wingless, and move in a side
to side motion that resembles a fish. They live from 2 to 8 years.
Bedbugs
Bedbugs are small, elusive insects who live strictly by feeding on the
blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. They are mainly active
at night and are capable of feeding unnoticed on humans or animals.
Their peak feeding period is about an hour before sunrise.
The bedbug pierces skin with two hollow tubes: one for injecting its
saliva, the other for sucking blood. The bedbug feeds for about 5
minutes before returning to its hiding place. Bedbugs normally feed
every 5 to 10 days, but can live for over a year without feeding.
Adult bedbugs are reddish-brown, flat, oval and wingless. They are
shaped similar to an apple seed. They grow to 4 to 5 mm in length and
1.5 to 3 mm wide. They move slowly enough to be observed. Newly hatched
nymphs are translucent and lighter in color.
Bites consist of a raised red bump or a flat welt and are often very
itchy because of an allergic reaction to an anesthetic contained in the
bedbug's saliva injected into the person. Bites may take over a week to
become discernible.
Among other sources, bedbugs can be brought into the home from travel
to hotels and motels, from second-hand or even new furniture, and via
wild birds and household pets. Bedbug infestations in hotels and
apartments can travel from room to room, eventually saturating every
room.
Bedbugs may hide not only in beds, but along pipes and boards,
furniture, carpeting, electrical outlets, inside walls, screw holes, and
even room clutter. The most common hiding place is along the piping
material on the edges of mattresses.