Page 12 - Chicagp Fall EXPO 2019

12 THE CHICAGOLAND COOPERATOR —FALL 2019 CHICAGOCOOPERATOR.COM CONT... unpredictable,” says Armando Martinez of Pest Control Chicagoland in Chicago. “Weather plays a big part. In the fall, we see an increase in occasional invaders such as centipedes, millipedes, silverfish and spiders. Rats and mice are occasional invaders, too, and often move indoors in the fall.” They don’t live in harmony though, he explains. “You can see both in one building but not in the same part of the building.” Rodents, on the one hand, are warm- blooded animals.They don’t want to be out in the cold, so they seek shelter often in homes and buildings for the winter. Insects crave a consistent water source, so they will seek that source inside in both cold and hot conditions, but espe- cially during dry periods. Then there is the matter of nesting. Though birds evolved in nat- ural environments that pro- vide cover and a food source, not all birds live in forests or the countryside. Any city dweller will easily recognize a pigeon.While that pigeon may live an urban lifestyle, it will still instinctively seek out environments for nest- ing that mirror its historical nesting environment, such as ledges, overhangs and other nooks and crannies shielded from the elements. Rodents are similar; while the country mouse may burrow in a grassy field or forest, its citified cousin will seek out en- vironments that mirror that field or for- est in an urban landscape. Winged Nuisances Speaking of pigeons, many city dwell- ers have a love-hate relationship with the hearty, ubiquitous birds.Though they are often seen as a symbol of the urban landscape and grudgingly admired for their ability to survive just about any- thing the city can throw at them, they’re alternately referred to by many as ‘rats with wings.’ Native to Europe, pigeons were introduced to North America in the early 1600s and, like their ancestors, seek out window ledges that mimic the rocky cliffs of their original habitats. Dan Wollman, the CEO of New York City property management firm Gum- ley Haft, reports that he has encountered problems with pigeons at several proper- ties in Manhattan. Those issues particu- larly occurred in the early autumn, which marks the beginning of their nesting sea- son. “We had a building with a large inte- rior courtyard on the Upper West Side,” seal up your property.If you treat the offers a unique, though old-fashioned, says Wollman, “and we had to place a net home properly, you may still have open- across the entire courtyard at the roof ings in the roof, etc., which they can ally three burrows,” she says, “one main level. There are certain elements in the crawl through. So, it’s difficult to get rid entrance, and two egresses, so they can courtyard that attract roosting pigeons. One appears to be shade.In another airtight. Gaps or cracks are how they get rows, smash up some glass and place the building courtyard we had a sidewalk in.” bridge in a tight space, and the pigeons started roosting under the ledges where the bridge stood.They tend to roost in lar pests, both unique and unsavory. One done it, and it works!” the shaded parts of buildings. In that that gets particularly pesky in the au- case, we used three rows of plastic spikes tumn are stink bugs. They are actually glued to the windowsills so they couldn’t native to East Asia, and were introduced spray residual insecticides, used both in- land safely.That was non-harmful and to the United States accidentally in or side and outside,” says Martinez. “Spray non-toxic to the pigeons.” Tropical Troubles Based in Pembroke Pines, Florida, when crushed. Bob Michaelson of BBM Pest Control has been treating pest issues for over is overwinter,” says Sue Larson of the in pest control is whether the chemicals 15 years. He fights the same pests year Haskell, New Jersey company Abarb used to repel or eliminate pests are safe round, but sees an increase in two types Pest Services. Overwintering means they for humans and pets. Truthfully, the door of insects in the early autumn: bees and nestle themselves into your windows and is still open on this subject, but much palmetto bugs. “Bees,” he says, “increase infestation leviate the problem, fall is the best time question, he proposes, is whether one is activities that time of year due to rain.” to have your doors and window frames willing to accept mice running around He says he receives five to six calls a day treated to prevent this. The treatment is a to avoid using possibly harsh chemical that time of year for bees, while he might dusting that goes around the window and methods to fight them. He recommends receive only two during the entire winter. door frames, and when the stink bugs a number of simple actions that can be According to Michaelson, the bigger come in contact with it, they die.” problem in the autumn is palmetto bugs, which are something of a euphemism: the development of treatments to fight ing access to your apartment by adding these are essentially giant cockroaches, ants have moved from repellents to at- never a pleasant thing to encounter. Mi- chaelson explains that palmetto bugs the market that employs pheromones to between dropped ceilings and overhead come into homes lured by the promise of attract the ants to it; the bugs contact the joists have been known to harbor every- just the right amount of moisture. “Later gel, then bring the poison in it back to the thing from mice to feral cats, and even in the autumn, when there is little rain, nest, killing off their little buddies. they are so deep in the ground that when it rains they have to come up or drown become particularly problematic in New ticular pest issue – the refrain from the – so they tend to come into houses,” he Jersey are mice and groundhogs. Larson pros remains largely the same: make your says. “Older buildings are more prone to has advice for dealing with those kinds home and property less attractive to the palmettos than newer ones, because of of varmints. “Mice can become a major pest critters in your region. Treat an in- changes in plumbing technology.” Michaelson says that palmettos are the ing to escape the coming cold, and they you’ll be less likely to turn on that kitch- hardest member of the cockroach fam- ily to fight, because when they drop an a dime – so you have to plug up every come face-to-feelers with an uninvited egg sac, they don’t tend to stick around. hole. Seal everything up.” She notes that guest. “They leave, they go somewhere else, they will also try to come inside during and when we catch them we never know intensely hot days as well, so winter isn’t where they left the babies.” He has even the only time it pays to have a properly- seen them infest a car. “The only way to control them is to of them permanently if the home isn’t escape if need be. When you find the bur- Stink Bugs, Ants, and Other Varmints New Jersey has its own set of particu- around 1998. They are called stink bugs residual insecticides contain components because they give off an unpleasant odor that can kill both on contact and later, “What stink bugs do in the autumn the nest.” One big consideration overall doors and emerge in the spring. To al- Larson also mentions that advances in attractive to rodents, including reduc- tractants. There is now a gel product on ing drop ceilings if possible. (The spaces Two major furry-footed pests that can pest in the fall,” she says. “They are try- can contract their bodies to the width of en light at two o’clock in the morning and sealed house. When it comes to groundhogs, Larson way of dealing with them.“There are usu- smashed glass in the burrow and pour a bottle of hot sauce on top, then drop dirt back into the hole and stamp it down. I’ve Are Treatments Safe? “The best control for these pests is by after the insects bring them back into depends on the type of pest that’s being eradicated, the concerns of the residents, and the approach of the exterminator. For his part, Wollman takes a broad view. “If you look at the chemicals used to control ro- dents,” he says, “the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has outlawed many which now can no longer be used – but that were effective. That’s led to a proliferation of rodents.” The undertaken to make your dwelling less door sweeps on all doors, and eliminat- the occasional raccoon). Whatever the season – or your par- festation the moment it’s discovered, and n A J Sidransky is a staff writer for The Chi- cagoland Cooperator, and a published novelist. “The best control for these pests is by spray residual insecticides, used both inside and outside. Spray residual insecticides contain components that can kill both on contact and later, after the insects bring them back into the nest.” — Armando Martinez AUTUMN... continued from page 1