Pest control in Toronto becomes more critical around spring or summer as the weather gets even warmer. During these seasons there is always an influx of bedbugs, cockroaches, wasps, rodents, ants and more. However, seeking professional Pest Control Toronto service help long before a pest infestation occurs is essential.
Bed Bugs
Toronto has a known reputation for being the bed bug capital of Canada due to the level of bed bugs infestation in the city. Bed bugs are parasitic insects that feed on human and animal blood. They are usually small insects, measuring about 1.5 mm to 6 mm with a brown-red colour. Bed bugs possess an oval-shaped and flat body surface. This makes it easier for bugs to hide in the seams of mattresses, bed frames, box springs, and more. On the other hand, they thrive better at night when a person is sleeping.
One can easily transport bed bugs to the home from public places like hotels, airports, hospitals, and more. The most natural means of transportation include clothing, furniture, luggage, boxes, beddings, etc. Bed bugs reproduce quickly. But it takes five to eight weeks for a bed bug to reach adulthood and cause an infestation.
Though bedbugs do not spread diseases to humans, their bites could result in allergies, skin infections and other health risks to Toronto residents. Frequent disturbance from beg bug bites at night can cause anxiety and stress. While some persons are not allergic to bed bug bites, others might experience hives, blisters or severe itching.
While sleeping at night, a person could be bitten by more than one-bed bug. And these bites could occur around the arm, neck, face, or hands; areas that are typically exposed.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are one of the most common pests in Toronto. Cockroaches usually prefer living in hidden locations like crevices, harbingers, and more. Once in the home, cockroaches go for a moist and serene place. They hide under the sink, in the attic, basement, under the bathtub, etc.
Cockroaches possess six legs, two antennae, and two wings. In terms of length, a cockroach measures approximately 1.3 to 1.6 centimetres. Because cockroaches go through simple metamorphosis, the baby and adult cockroaches possess the same features. The only difference between adult and baby cockroaches is the size. Their life-cycle is from the egg to nymph and then the adult stage.
A single female cockroach can reproduce as many as forty babies per birth. Female cockroaches usually reproduce about four times per year. An adult cockroach has a lifespan of eight months to one year and three months.
Being adaptable and rapidly reproducing insects, cockroaches have been around for about 350 million years. They have a two-central nervous system; one in the head and another in the tail. Cockroaches can survive for up to a month without food but can rarely go past a week without water.
Cockroaches are excellent crawlers. They come out more at night to avoid coming in contact with humans and because they are nocturnal insects. Leftovers on the sink spill on the floor, exposed garbage cans, dirty dishes all serve as food sources for cockroaches.
Ants
During the summer and spring season in Toronto, ants come out in their groves from their hiding places. Common types of ants found in Toronto include the Carpenter ant, pharaohs ants, pavement ants and fire ants.
Some ants possess wings, others are wingless. Smaller ants measure approximately 1/6th to 1/32 inches. Bigger ants like the Carpenter ant are about 13 millimetres or ½ inch long. You will find different colours of ants including black, red, brown, or red ants with most having stripes.
Ants reside more outside the home. They, however, are attracted to the house in search of food, water, and warmth. Common ants found in the home include the Carpenter, pharaoh and pavement ants. Pavement ants, for instance, are fond of wreaking your lawns, pathways, gardens and indoors. Carpenter ants cause structural damage, creating sawdust out of your furniture like cabinets and other wood objects.
House Fly
The Housefly belongs to a broader family of flies and of the order of Diptera. Houseflies are approximately 3 to 9 mm long with two sets of wings. The first pair of wings help for flying. The second pair of wings helps in gaining balance. The housefly has two specially-fitted antennas for smelling food from away.
You see houseflies mostly during the day. They usually perch on ceilings, walls, or floors when indoors. They stay on trees, garbage bins, and compost heaps when outdoors.
Houseflies do not chew their foods; they possess sponging mouthpart used to liquefy solid food for consumption. Their straw-like tongue helps the housefly to suck up the food. Houseflies are attracted to smelly foods, rotting meat, human and animal feces, leftovers, garbage, and carcass.
Rodents Wasps
Toronto Wasps are stinging insects and will sting at the slightest provocation. Wasps are predominant in Toronto during the spring or summer months. During the colder seasons, wasps make every effort to secure warmer places to hide, and that includes your home.
Wasp belongs to the same Aculeata division and Hymenoptera order as bees and ants. Nevertheless, unlike bees, a wasp is a more aggressive stinger. The average wasp measures 1 mm to 35 mm in length.
Rats and mice are fast becoming a public menace. Toronto is one of the most rat-infested cities in Ontario. Rodents are some of the most common mammals and herbivores found in Toronto. The average adult rodent measure 20 to 25 cm long and weigh 0.5 to 1.2 lbs. Some of the most common rodents in Toronto and environs include the Norway rats, roof rats, house and deer mice. Rodents usually come in light to dark shades of brown or grey. Some of them also have a whitetail or feet in addition to the brown or grey furs. Some species of rodents have small ears with others possessing larger ears, like the house mouse.
House mice stay closer to urban centers, but deer mouse lives in buildings close to woodlands or fields. Norway rats prefer burrowing at ground level, building perimeters and crawl spaces. Roof rats are excellent climbers and prefer living on trees, roofs, attic, rafters, vegetation, vines, etc.
Rats and mice get into your home in search of food and warmth. Their meal is not a complicated one as they eat almost anything. Rodents eat bread, starchy foods, eggs, insects, leftovers, uncooked food, plants, trees, and grass when in or outdoor.
