Category Archives: Disease

Rats With Wings (Pigeons)

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Pigeon
Pigeons, birds, rats-with-wings. Call them what you will. It doesn’t change the  fact that, unless you are feeding them for twopence in downtown London (like in “Mary Poppins”), those are definitely not creatures that you would want around.

Pigeons are persistent birds and will take over areas by covering them with their  waste, destroying whole areas of landscaping, pooping on buildings, cars,
sidewalks, benches, etc. You name it, they will destroy it somehow.
As if that is not bad enough, pigeons are associated with over sixty diseases:
bacterial, viral, parasitic and fungal. Humans can contract everything from
Histoplasmosis to Salmonella from pigeons. You don’t want pigeons or their poop
anywhere near you or your family.

So, unless you want poop-covered property and the myriads of health-risks these
birds bring, you should get rid of them if they start frequenting your neck of the
woods.

Because pigeons are creatures of habit and they multiply/reproduce very quickly,
you should get rid of them as soon as they arrive (or as soon as you notice them –
and believe me you WILL notice them).

Even though they can be found nearly anywhere (especially in urban settings), they
tend to favour comfortable sunny places that are safe from predators and the
elements with plenty of food and water available. Pigeons also like high places
because they are able to keep a close watch on things and spot predators.

Their nests are built of twigs but quickly become so full of pigeon poop that they
look like a big pile of it with some twigs in it.

When the babies are first born/hatched, they are the color of pigeon-poop, too,
and are perfectly camouflaged in the nest when they are still.

Pigeons access buildings through broken windows or missing vents or other small
opening. Roofs and gutters are some of the most common places to find the little
beasts -err .. creatures. Gutters are dish-shaped and provide great nesting sites
that securely hold the nests. Of course, those nests block the gutters and flood
when it rains, but, pof course, that’s now YOUR problem – not the pigeon’s
problem. Pigeon poop is absolute hell on roofs, so just because the pigeons “are
all the way up on the roof” does not mean that you are safe from their
destruction.

Pigeons nest and roost on and in houses because it gives them a good view of
nearby feeding areas or because they have gained access to the interior of the
building and made your attic their home

Pigeons are very social and welcome new birds. The more the merrier as far as
they are concerned. Very quickly the noise and constant clean-up associated with
pigeons is more than enough reason to have them excluded from your property.

Do not attempt to relocate pigeons, as birds removed even hundreds of miles from a
place they consider home will beat you back to it. It is best to deter them
through repellents, disturb their nest sites and exclude them from roosting areas.
When necessary, lethal methods are used to get rid of these “flying rats” and end
their destructive habits, which cause millions of dollars of damage nationwide
every year.
A temporary solution is to place anti-perching spikes along flat surfaces and wherever pigeons are seen to roost.

Left uncontrolled, damage costs run into thousands of dollars per building in
cleanup and repairs. Pigeon waste damages stone and metal surfaces, including
automobiles. If your building is infested, your neighbors will be affected and
will not be happy about pigeon poop in their swimming pool. Whole neighborhoods
often band together to get rid of pigeons. When people buy a building they want a
home or office, not a pigeon coop.

So, the instant you spot pigeons or suspect in ANY way that you are dealing with a
pigeon problem, you should give us a call IMMEDIATELY, as the longer you wait, the
much worse the problem is apt to become.
Call us at 705.534.7863 or email us at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com.
Or you can Get a Quote.

Kids, Kritters & Pest Control

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Lauralee is beyond cranky!Seriously irked right now.

It’s one thing to let us know you have kids and/or kritters …. we appreciate that, as sometimes, albeit rarely, it does affect the options Ross might choose to use. And we definitely want to know if anyone is or might be expecting, or seriously ill, also. When that is the case, he will often take and/or suggest extra precautions just to be on the even safer side.

But that’s really all you need to do, okay?

A big part of the reason for calling an exterminator in the first place is so that you get the benefit of someone that knows what he’s doing to help you. He did the training, passed the test, got his license …. and he keeps up to date with what is going on in the industry.

More importantly, he actually believes that the environment is important, and that one should do things right. He’s been ‘green’ since long before it was popular; long before most of us ever gave it a moment’s thought. And he actually believes in Integrated Pest Management even when that means less money coming in – and sometimes it does.

We don’t oversell. We don’t string people along and sign them up for more sprays/treatments than they need. We don’t mask problems, we solve them. And we don’t do anything that will harm you, your kids & kritters, or the environment. Not ever.

The Integrated Pest Management approach means that we determine the requirements of your pest problem(s), and the least potentially damaging methods to treat it. The products we use are as safe as they can possibly be, and every effort is made to ensure that anyone/anything that is not supposed to have access to them from getting anywhere near them.

And we won’t use anything at your home, cottage, or business that we won’t use on our own – and yes, we do have pets, as a matter of fact…and grandchildren as well.

We’ve had insurance since day one and not a single claim. Seriously, how long would we be in business if he ran around doing things that would harm anyone? Not very!

Please do let us know whatever we need to know, and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

But please, please, please… if you really feel the need to go on and on about how important it is that I make SURE ….   and if you just can’t refrain from using that talking-to-a-moron voice… call someone else.

If, on the other hand, you want reliable, environmentally responsible pest control solutions for your pest problems, give us a call at 705-534-7863.

 

 

 

Birds: Diseases

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Today’s post is a follow up to yesterday’s post about Birds, however it will be about diseases that can be caused by birds and also HOW they can be transmitted to humans from birds.

 

There are over 60 known transmittable diseases that can be passed to humans from birds and their droppings.

 

These diseases can typically be broken down into categories:

  • Bacterial-examples include: salmonella, paratyphoid, vibriosis and listeriosis
  • Viral- examples include: encephalitis, meningitis and newcastle’s Disease
  • Fungal- examples include: histoplasmosis, candidasis and blastomycosis
  • Protozoal- examples include: toxoplasmosis, trichomoniasis and American Typansomiasis

There are 4 ways that birds can pass disease to humans. The first 2 ways are through food and water contaminated with bird feces. This can occur when birds defecate into food and water sources and it does not necessarily have to be direct contact. Food and water sources may be contaminated through airborne particles that are transferred through the air and settle into the sources.

 

The third way is inhalation of fecal dust. This can happen when dried feces becomes airborne microscopic particles that can contain fungi and/or bacterial that when inhaled by humans can cause illness.

 

The fourth way is through direct contact. This is when fecal dust or actual droppings comes in contact with an open sore or wound. If this occurs, it must be cleaned properly and treated, because if left untreated it could potentially lead to Sepsis, which is an infection of blood.

 

Over the rest of the bird series, we’ll be covering some of the more common diseases specifically, so check back for that information.

 

If you are having a problem with birds at your home, cottage or even business/workplace in Midland, Honey Harbour, Port McNicoll, or any other area of our coverage area, contact us at 705-534-7863 or email us today. We are fully trained in bird control methods and IPM. We are also fully licensed to handle other pest control issues.

Lyme Disease

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In today’s follow up to the post on Ticks from yesterday, today I’ll be telling you a bit of information about Lyme disease. More specifically, what it is, where Lyme disease is found, the stages of Lyme disease, symptoms and treatment.

 

Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to animals and humans through blacklegged ticks. Blacklegged ticks carry this bacteria which they pick up when they bite infected (with Lyme disease) mice and deer.

 

Lyme disease was first reported in the United States in 1975. Currently, Lyme disease infections generally occur in the following areas (in the U.S.):

  • Northeastern states, from Virginia to Maine
  • North-central states, mostly in Wisconsin and Minnesota
  • West Coast, mostly northern California

 

In Canada, the range where there are ticks known to carry Lyme disease can be found in parts of southeastern Quebec, southern and eastern Ontario, southeastern and south central Manitoba, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

 

There are 3 stages to Lyme disease which are:

 

Stage 1: Localized Lyme disease-the infection has not yet spread throughout the body

Stage 2: Early Disseminated Lyme disease- the bacteria has begun to spread throughout the body

Stage 3: Late Disseminated Lyme disease- the bacteria has spread throughout the body

 

The symptoms of Lyme disease include (taken verbatim from It’s Your Health)

 

Although the symptoms and health effects are different from one person to the next, Lyme disease is often described in three stages:

  1. The first sign of infection is often a circular rash, which begins at the site of the tick bite after three days or up to one month later. About 70–80 per cent of infected people get this rash. Other symptoms may include fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint pain.
  2. If untreated, the disease can move into the second stage, which can last several months. Symptoms of this stage include weakness, multiple skin rashes, painful, swollen or stiff joints, abnormal heartbeat, central and peripheral nervous system disorders, and extreme fatigue.
  3. If the disease continues to progress, the third stage of Lyme disease can include symptoms like recurring arthritis, and neurological symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, numbness, and paralysis.

Lyme disease can usually be treated effectively with antibiotics. A rapid recovery is more likely when treatment begins in the early stages of the disease.

If you are having a pest problem, remember it is better to deal with is sooner rather than later as it can quickly become a very expensive problem to deal with. To book an appointment with Cottage Country Pest Control, give us a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

Ticks

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Ticks are a pest that Integrated Pest Management is the best method when approaching how to handle them. If you are not familiar with IPM, then you can go back and read the previous post about what it is and how it works.

 

Ticks are closely related to spiders (ticks are part of the arachnid family, same as mites and scorpions). They are typically 1-5 mm when unfed, but after they have fed on blood they can swell up to 13mm. Adult ticks have a two-segmented body, no antennae and they have 8 legs (they only have 6 legs when they are in their larvae stage). Ticks have to feed on blood during all active stages of their development.

 

Humans and animals are most likely to come in contact with a tick when walking through tall grass or near bushes, because ticks will generally position themselves on tall grass and in bushes. Ticks are unable to fly and they move slowly.

 

The majority of tick bites are painless and most will not result in illness or disease. Ticks are obligate parasites, which means that they must feed on blood in order to survive and reproduce

 

hard ticks will feed on two or three hosts during their development cycle because each stage requires blood in order for them to reach the next stage. Mated females will lay thousands of eggs on the ground and then die. Adult males die shortly after finishing the reproduction cycle.

 

The eggs hatch into larvae or “seed ticks” and they will attach themselves to a host and feed for anywhere from 2-9 days before they leave the host, digest the blood and moult into the nymphal stage.

 

In the nymphal stage, they will once again attach themselves to a host and feed. Once they are done feeding, they will once again digest the blood and then moult, this time into the adult stage of their life cycle.

 

Some common species of ticks include:

1. Groundhog tick- This is the most common species of tick in Ontario and can be found on humans and pet/animals.

 

2. American dog tick-  this is the second most common species of tick found in Ontario and they are also found on humans and pet/animals.

 

3. Blacklegged tick- this species of tick is the most important vector of Lyme disease and all stages of this species will feed on humans.

 

4. Winter tick- This species is widely distributed throughout Canada. They are most likely to be found on horses, deer, cattle, elk and moose and they rarely feed on humans.

 

5. Brown dog tick- They are recently established in Eastern Canada and all stages of this tick feeds on dogs

 

6. Rabbit tick- They are widely found throughout Canada and their preferred host rabbits, however they will also feed on ground-nesting birds and small mammals. It is rare for the rabbit tick to feed on livestock and humans.

 

Some of the effects on humans from a tick bite include irritation and/or swelling on the skin around the bite. The bite can become infected if any mouthparts are left behind once the tick has been removed and infection can sometimes, lead to blood poisoning although it is rare.

If you are having a pest problem, remember it is better to deal with is sooner rather than later as it can quickly become a very expensive problem to deal with. To book an appointment with Cottage Country Pest Control, give us a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.

White nose syndrome

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White Nose Syndrome is a disease named for the distintive fungal growth around the muzzles and on the wings of hibernating bats. It is a poorly understood disease that has been associated with the deaths of more than 5.5 million bats within North America.

 

The first known case of White Nose Syndrome (or WNS)  was in Schoharie County, New York cave back in 2006. Since that time the disease has rapidly spread and as of 2010 was found all over the United States and into Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The first known case of WNS in Ontario was in March 2010.

 

Since being discovered research has been done and in late 2011 it was shown that the syndrome appears to be caused by a fungas called Geomyces destructans. Unfortunately, despite knowing the cause of WNS, there is still no known treatment or means of prevention. Researchers do have a good idea how how the fungus is spread and that is bat-to-bat transmission. In a lab experiment it was shown that direct physical contact was needed in order for the fungus to be spread, however it is also know that the fungus is a cold-loving fungus that grows in cold temperatures of below 20 C and that it will grow on bats while they are hibernating in caves and mines. So this means that not only can bats get the disease just by hibernating, they can also pass it to each other through direct contact.

Bat displaying White Nose Syndrome

 

As a result of this the mortality rate of some species affected by WNS is estimated at at about 95%. In fact, a once common species of bat (the little brown myotis) has in recent years suffered a major population collapse and is headed towards being at risk for a rapid extinction in the Northeastern United States. Should the population continue to decline as it has been, this species of bat could become extinct within 20 years.

 

Currently, there are 9 hibernating bat species confirmed to have the infection and Big Brown Bats, Northern long-eared bats, Tri-colored bats, Eastern small-footed bats and the Indiana bat have also suffered major mortality. In fact, many of these 9 species are listed on the United States endangered species list.

 

In Canada, caves infected with WNS are displaying a 90-100% bat mortality rate and according to a Department of Environmental Conservation survey, there is a 93% decline of Little Brown Bats in 23 caves.

 

So how is White Nose Syndrome killing the bats? Well bats infected with WNS have been known to display odd behaviour such as waking up from hibernation every 3-4 days as opposed to every 12-20 days and are flying outside during the day. The fungus also damages the connective tissues, muscles and skin of the bats while also disrupting their physiological functions. The bats wake up dehydrated and hungry during the cold winters when there are no insects to eat and unfortunately, about 90% of the bats affected perish due to starvation.

 

The impact that WNS is having and with continue to have is serious. Not only are many bat species facing the possibility of extinction, but because bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects and an individual bat can thousands of insects every night, with such a large number of bats dying there are more and more insects being uneaten, which could lead to crop damage. Insect-eating bats are crucial to a healthy ecosystem and bats play a crucial role in maintaining an ecological balance, which is why researchers are spending so much time trying to find a treatment or cure.