The good old days

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Well, it was almost like the good old days. One out of our typical area call, and we actually managed to get it all done pretty much as planned – so better, mostly – than some of the days we’ve had in previous years.

Yesterday was the first day of this year that we’ve had a full slate of bookings. Down to Woodbridge, one in Tiny (which isn’t, in case you didn’t know), up to Port Severn for a few, then the locals in Victoria Harbour and Port McNicoll. Still mostly rodents, but that won’t last much longer. And it’s mostly mice again, not rats, which is a positive thing (for you, not us, necessarily, but oh well. No one should have to live with rats in their home or cottage!!!)

This weekend we were mostly dealing with mice, but two skunks, as well… they’re a pain in the butt! Especially when most of the issues are skunks that are just wandering through and around in your area. They cover a lot of ground in their travels so may wander through a property frequently, but not actually den there. And of course, the more time they’re there, the higher the likelihood of a mishap, especially if there are dogs also in the area.

While we can trap and remove, unless we fix the things attracting the skunks – or other critters – to an area, they’ll be back. Not necessarily the same critter(s) – but if it was perfect for one, it’s also going to be perfect for someone – or something – else to move into. So, that tends to be our focus wherever possible: convincing the critters that ‘this’ is not a desirable place to hang out. Humanely, of course!

Anyway, much as I like to go on and on about not much in particular, it’s back to school tomorrow and one of us hasn’t finished her homework!! Need to get some assignment details fleshed out and posted so that my almost-ready-to-graduate(!!) students can work on them independently while they’re out on placement(!!). And to make the flood of emails asking for more details about this, that, and the other thing stop already.

Have a lovely spring, and do call or text us at (705)534-7863, or send email to ccpestcontrol@gmail.com; we’re happy to help solve what’s bugging you. Environmentally responsible, local pest control – and hey! We work weekends!

Lauralee

BZZZZZ!

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What? Too early?!

I’m already thinking about mosquitoes, ticks, spiders and all that fun stuff – aren’t you?

Ok, well, I suppose it is a ~bit~ early. But I’m picking up my new-to-me car tomorrow and I’ve been thinking about what I want the wrap design to say.

I’m thinking to focus on things we take pride in:

That seems like a lot to incorporate into a car wrap – but it’s pretty straightforward when it comes to actually doing pest control.

It means that we kill less, not more. The goal of IPM is to monitor and manage pests using the most effective and lowest risk option. For Cottage Country Pest Control that means we do things such as

  • Find it We follow the pee. Also poop, footprints and any other clues we can find to determine where your critters are getting in (& out). Refilling bait stations and signing one up for regular servicing is the opposite of IPM and I don’t like it.
  • Solve it We don’t actually care that the board of health is okay with rats in restaurants as long as there is evidence (bait stations) that they’re trying. Gross!!! – dead rats near my food doesn’t really appeal much more than live ones, thanks.
  • Prevent it When we spot something likely to be a problem in the future, we’ll let you know… and make sure you know what can be done about it.
  • Protect it. When we have choices to make, our goal is always the most environmentally responsible and humane solution. Most pests aren’t actually pests unless they are in the wrong place, and being in the wrong place doesn’t need to be a death sentence (bedbugs, spongey moth caterpillars, and roaches excepted).

Following IPM guidelines is not, actually, all that good for business sometimes. When you’re doing it right, you often manage yourself out of jobs. But it is good for everything that makes Tay, Tiny, Simcoe, Muskoka, and beyond such a great place to visit – and for those of us who are really, really lucky – to live.

Happy 2023!

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Hope you had a great holiday season, and that this year is wonderful.

At the very least, I’m hoping Covid is less of a concern! Both my mom and Ross managed to get it over the holidays. Ross is feeling better – mostly. Ma, not so much. *sigh* Fun times!

We got our issues with Google business sorted out, so we’re back on the map and in search, which makes me happy. Whole thing was ridiculous!! And of course, they, like many others, are still using Covid as the reason for poor customer service. Getting annoyed with that whole song.

So, none of that here 🙂 We have much better reasons for delays! Not really – we try to minimize those. New semester, though, so I am in classes a couple of days a week. But even so, if you don’t get me, please do leave a message and I will get back to you. Or text (same number) and I’ll likely be even quicker.

We’re always happy to help solve your pest problems responsibly – it’s what we do.

ratAnd we do it well too. Probably too well sometimes – apparently the way to be successful in pest control is NOT to solve problems! We should, we’re told, just sign people up for regular visits.

Refill the bait stations, but leave the holes so that you still have to live with rodents and poop?! That’s rude!! Especially when we’ve learned some really effective ways to figure out what’s going on and how to fix it.. We would much rather build our business by solving your problems so well that when you get a chance, you’ll refer others our way.

Anyway … I need to be shutting up and moving on to the work I need to be doing this evening … haven’t yet up written up the note I promised my new first year class. My bad! 

If you have pest problems, please do give us a call or text us at 705-534-7863 and we’ll be happy to help.

And drive safe!!

 

Of course we are still here!

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But Google has disappeared us. I am not amused.

I’m still going back and forth with them, but for the time being, I can’t get a single blessed customer support person that can, apparently, see reason. They just keep telling me that we don’t qualify to be on the map. Which is fine by me!! I’m not TRYING to be on the map, I’m trying to show up in Google search. That’s all.

They say that businesses that go to customer’s homes can appear in Search, which is all I’m trying to do, but apparently, that’s not something they comprehend. I wound up in the Map side of things and all they are concerned about is making sure we don’t appear on the map. Round and round in SO FRUSTRATING circles we go.

I never thought I’d hate Google the way I do right now.

But anyway, we are still here, and available to solve your pest problems in Barrie, Orillia, Elmvale, Tiny, Tay, Port McNicoll, Severn, Gravenhurst, Parry Sound, Oro, and so on and so on….

These days that’s mostly mice, rats, and bedbugs, but still some carpenter ants around. Apparently, they are making some adjustments to their behaviour these days, perhaps as a result of climate change? I’m sure there will be research reports on it sometime soon.

If you’re looking for environmentally responsible pest control, give us a call or text 705.534.7863. Or you can still reach us via ccpestcontrol@gmail.com because apparently, we do exist there.

Yikes! I am a very bad blogger!

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I’m shocked at how long it’s been since I last updated this blog! Pretty sure I sat down to do it at least once or twice over the summer, but apparently I got distracted before I actually finished. My bad. In my defense though, I’ve had a lot on my plate.

Teaching in Barrie, hanging out with the grandson(s) regularly, and solving people’s pest problems – it all eats up a lot of time! But I’m still having fun, so….. guess I’ll keep on keeping on.

Ross is doing well. Pretty much all healed; now just old LOL He turned 70 last month so I suppose he’s allowed to stay retired. Although he definitely still keeps busy! He’s built and insulated a shed for me, moved bunches of stuff around, and cleaned out the house we owned on John St so we could sell it. So glad that is done!

So – pest control! The LDD /gypsy /spongy moths seem to be all done for the time being; hopefully, for the trees’ sake, it’ll stay that way for awhile – but if/when they do make their return, this time we’ll be ready for them.

We started doing mosquitoes & ticks this summer – only a small number so that I could make sure I was pricing things fairly and that our environmentally responsible works as well as I’d hoped. That when quite well, so we’ll do it again next year. Hopefully in 2023 we’ll have enough people signed up in closer proximity that we can lower our prices a bit. Even more if there are multiple people in the same area. Although many other companies are spraying pesticides at every visit, we prefer to limit that to only when it’s absolutely necessary. Not only is it better for the earth and the water, it means there’s still food for the birds and frogs /toads, etc. So those stick around, as do butterflies and bees.

Over the winter, of course, it will mostly be mice and rats, bedbugs, and possibly some bats that didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to leave for the winter. We’ve become really persistent about figuring out where mice / rats / squirrels are getting in and whenever possible, we fix it so they can’t. Much quicker the more we do it, too.

The other task for the winter is to learn the new program I bought to manage jobs, invoicing, etc. I was dithering about spending the money but while I was looking at it, several people emailed me to ask if I might send them one at some point because I hadn’t. I figure for everyone that emails me and asks, there’s probably someone else that doesn’t – so can’t really lose, can I? Hopefully being more organized will mean that I’ll be able to spend more time in my kayak in 2023. At least that’s the plan.

Anyway, time for me to crawl off to bed before I get sucked into another TV show or marking or reading or…. still so much to do, but maybe I’ll find some time while proctoring tests tomorrow. Ha!! Like that’s going to happen.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

And if you had / have mice or other unwanted pests, please do give me a text or call @ 705.534.7863 or email me at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com. We cover most of Simcoe County and Muskoka, Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny and Tay Townships. Happy to stop in to check cottages over the winter as well, by the way.

Holiday Weekend

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You’d think having lived in this area for – geez, is it really more than 20 years now?! – I’d know better!! But in my defense, I was so happy to finally have a full day of nice weather that, even without Jessa, I figured I could work, clear some of the backlog the wet weather has caused.

Jessa pouted – she wanted me to go to Wonderland with her and a few of the day care kids – and honestly, I would have loved to! But backlog. Oh, and a phone call with our real estate agent about the house we had on the market (yay for past tense!!!!). AND we had company, who I totally neglected (sorry!!) and who helped Ross build my shed even though I am a terrible auntie (thank you!!).

But instead, I did a couple of local jobs in Midland Point in the morning, detoured home to hear the offers, then headed off to work some more in the afternoon. Was hoping to get to everyone I still had outstanding, at least in this area – but duh! Went North on the 400 for the first (supposed to be) two jobs. No problem – until it was time to turn around and do the rest of the route (yes, I use a route planner now; don’t know why we didn’t investigate THAT a whole lot sooner; it makes a huge difference).

Had to cut out several jobs I’d hoped to get to in Tiny; my apologies! Fortunately I should have Wednesday afternoon free this week, so hopefully the weather will behave and I WILL get to all those I haven’t yet – well, except for the Orillia /Brechin / Ramara loop, but that too will get done. Soon.

Anyway, much as I’d love to sit here and ramble on, it’s almost time to leave to go spend the day with my favourite Noah. We’re heading off to the zoo to meet up with Jessa and her kids, and shopping to buy his mommy’s birthday present from Pappy (Ross). Hope your day is as fun.

If you’ve stopped by for help with gypsy moths, spiders, mice, squirrels, whatever, do give us a call at 705-534-7863. Or email ccpestcontrol@gmail.com. We’re always happy to help – well, except when we’re stuck in traffic! Doh!

Checked your trees today?

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Well, they’re here – spongy ldd gypsy moth caterpillars are up in the leaves eating as of this week. Jessa and I are a little annoyed that they have reached the leaves before we managed to get everyone that wanted a spray for them done – darn rain!!

We’ve been able to do a few things this weekend, but nowhere near as many as we could have if the weather would have just cooperated!! SO annoying!! But it did mean that we were able to spend some time troubleshooting around squirrels and mice at one home in Tiny. I was pretty darn proud of myself at that one – usually it’s Jessa that finds things but this time I did it!! I found a mouse nest mostly by smell. And then I topped that off by – just as we were about to leave – noticing a (very) split beam that answered the question of how the heck the squirrels got in. Yay me!!

Solving mysteries is a fun part of this gig.

Anyway, just today we saw caterpillars eating in the leaves in Victoria Harbour, Bracebridge, Midland, and Tiny – basically every place we went whether it was about those or not. Was very satisfying to stop by some of the trees we sprayed proactively. No holes in the leaves, no caterpillars…. just as we wanted.

Too late for proactive now – we’ll have to switch to spraying up into the leaves as well as just ’round the trunks – but still able to make a huge difference in how much damage they’ll do and how much (or how little) mess you’ll have to deal with.

We’re pretty booked up right now, and the weatherman is STILL not cooperating too well!! But we are most definitely trying to get to everyone that is outstanding right now. Next weekend is Robin’s Point – if you’re here to sign up for that, there’s a link in the menu bar at the top or you can click right here: Robin’s Point Form.

If you need help with your spongy moths though – or with any other pests you didn’t bring into the world yourself, please do give us a call and we will do our very best to get there and solve it for you just as soon as we can.

Lauralee

New for 22

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Did you see our newsletter? If not, it may have ended up in your spam folder, or under promotions. It’s not spam though, honest!! I only do one email newsletter a year (if that)!

So if you didn’t get it, you can, by clicking on this link right here.

There’s a link at the bottom of it that lets you set preferences (where you can sign up if you like) and another that lets you unsubscribe (but seriously, it’s only one per year; why would you?! Never mind, don’t answer that, you’ll hurt my feelings).

Spring 2022

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Another year already! Time flies when you’re having fun.

And I have been having rather more fun than I expected to when I took on this pest control gig. I always did like a challenge. And problem-solving. And learning.

So, in spite of the fact that I’m way too old to be crawling under houses or climbing ladders, I do it anyway (only when Jessa isn’t around to do it for me, of course)!!  Don’t know what I’m going to do when she quits on me – now that she’s fully licensed, too, she doesn’t need me for anything, really. Well, except for answering the phone, booking the jobs, ordering the supplies, and paying for everything. Okay, so she ~might~ need me for a bit longer! But it would definitely make a lot more sense for her to be finding bed bug jobs in Oshawa and/or Durham Region and skip the drive.

Anyway …. since Jessa is only available weekends, and working just weekends isn’t going to work for much longer, I’m going to have to find a weekday helper as well. Possibly more than one if the LDD moth caterpillars stick around. Which they likely will, although I think that this should be the end of it for a few years.  Lots and lots of eggs out there, just waiting for the warmer weather….. but this year we’ll be ready for them. And, hopefully, the virus that eventually wipes them out will be that much more prevalent.

In the meantime, though, if you are concerned about the caterpillars, and want to protect your trees, we can help with that – and the earlier the better. If we treat your tree trunks early in the spring, before or just as the leaves are coming in, we can use far less product in a more targeted way, and solve the problem before it starts.

And that is the way we prefer to do pest control around here: the environmentally responsible way.

We’ve already got quite a large number of jobs lining up for early spring – if you are interested in being added to our schedule, the sooner you contact me the better. I’ll try to get a sign up form added here in the next few days – but in the meantime, feel free to email me at ccpestcontrol@gmail.com, or text/call me at 705-534-7863 and I’ll pencil you in.

Not sure whether you’re going to need treatment? Have a look at any trees in your area. Do they have eggs sacs? What about your home or cottage? Some areas that we’ve seen have an alarming number.  If you’re able to reach and remove them, there’s still time to do that – but otherwise, we are happy to help.

Bedbugs in Cottage Country

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Bedbug and eggs

Bedbug and eggs in a small hole in a bedframe. Picture taken by Jessica Batryn.

We sure are getting a lot more bedbugs up here any more. It used to be they happened mostly when families hosted visitors. Now it seems to be a whole lot of short stay renters that are bringing them. We’re getting multiple calls a week these days!

SO unnecessary though! If you going to offer up a cottage for short terms rentals (or long term for that matter) – there are things you can do to protect your property – and your pocketbook!

  • There’s a new product that can be used as a preventative – it’s a lot cheaper to prevent than to treat, honest!
  • There are certain types of bed frames that make a lot more sense than others.
  • And there are mechanical aids (such as proper mattress covers, moats & monitors) that can be used too.

Treating often costs $1000 & up (plus HST) – prevention costs about $200+ materials.

And guess which one involves the fear of bringing home hitch-hikers? And/or bad reviews and lost revenue?

If you have rental properties in Tay, Tiny, Muskoka, Penetanguishene, Port Severn, etc – basically up to about Parry Sound (but sometimes beyond) – and (NEW!!!) now in & around Durham as well, we are happy to help. Give us a call at 705-534-7863, or email ccpestcontrol@gmail.com and Jessa and/or I will be happy to help.