The Orkin Blog

Summer is the perfect season for entertaining. Longer days equal a more relaxed atmosphere, allowing customers and residents to head outside and enjoy warmer weather. But nothing ruins outdoor get-togethers like uninvited guests. Drawing guests out is one thing, but keeping them outside takes a bit of forethought regarding pest control.

Summer is here and the outdoors are calling, but pests can ruin your poolside, lakeside or backyard fun. What‘s burger flipping to you can look like an act of aggression to specific pests, causing them to bite or sting to defend themselves and their homes. The resulting welts can be itchy and uncomfortable—and sometimes, even dangerous.

Did you know that mosquitos are found everywhere in the world (except Antarctica)? Every year, these annoying and harmful insects take flight and make their way into your backyard. And nothing is worse than gathering friends and family in your beautiful outdoor space, only to get eaten up by these sneaky blood-suckers.

Rats can be a nuisance for any homeowner to deal with. As these pests can transmit diseases and can even cause damage to your home and property, thereby compromising the structure and potentially even creating possible fire hazards. Don’t worry, as Orkin Canada is here to help. Using our extensive experience, we’ve put together a list of the six most effective ways to get rid of rats in your home.

As a healthcare professional, you know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The same is true when it comes to pest management. Since pests are capable of spreading germs and diseases, it’s critical to take a proactive approach to preventing pests to help protect the health and safety of your patients, staff and entire healthcare environment.

Because ant species behave differently, it’s important to properly identify the type of ant on your property. Some ants, like carpenter ants, are most likely to cause structural damage around your home by chewing through wood to make their nests. Other ants, like pavement ants and European fire ants, can be aggressive and are more likely to sting humans. From the sidewalk to the laundry room, these innovative insects are able to build nests in all sorts of places. Potential hot spots for ant activity include the kitchen or pantry, protected places like wall voids or spaces under appliances and warm or humid places near drains, pipes and wiring.

While ants may be small in size, their colonies can grow to more than 500,000 individuals. With this many soldiers marching around your property, it’s no surprise they can be notoriously difficult to control. That’s why prevention is key to keeping an ant introduction from turning into a full-scale invasion.

When patients visit your facility, the last thing they want to see is a bed bug, cockroach or rodent. Negative news travels fast, and a healthcare facility’s reputation can plummet in an instant if pest control issues get out of hand. But more than that, pests can lead to unnecessary health risks to patients, especially those with weakened immune systems. All healthcare facilities have one goal in common, getting and keeping their patients healthy. And even with the highest level of sanitation, pests can easily find their way through the front (and delivery) doors daily.

Earwigs are attracted to lights and can become a nuisance on porches and patios, cause damage to plants in gardens and flower beds, and even inside your home. Earwigs also prefer cool, damp areas and being excellent climbers, may enter your home during extended dry periods. Eliminating any potential hiding spots and entry points is key to controlling earwigs.

How much do you know about the wildlife you share your surroundings with? Around the world, wildlife captivates with their extraordinary behaviours. But with these activities, comes unpredictability, which can cause disorder or worse. Whether you see them or not, wildlife is all around you, and as it finds its way into cities, it’s important to know how to identify their signs for the health and safety of your home or business.