Don’t let spiders, rodents, bees and bugs take over your home. Discover how Truly Nolen Pest Control can safely and effectively remove insects, rodents and other pests from your home in Guelph, Ontario. We provide full-service prevention and removal strategies that have a proven track record of success in your community.

Our Safe Process

As part of our commitment to effective, family-friendly and pet-friendly solutions, we use the latest prevention and control strategies that are safe for homeowners like you. Our experienced team uses our proven process that is effective in over 30 countries. We start by inspecting your home and looking for signs of your particular pest issue. Next, we work with environmentally friendly products and strategies to prevent further spread of insects, rodents and arachnids.

After physically removing pests, your home may need to be cleaned. We have a number of safe disinfectant strategies to prevent the spread of disease and unsanitary conditions caused by rodents and insects. Rodents are known to spread diseases, so your home may need professional cleaning to remove feces, urine and other materials.

Our Prevention Strategies

After successfully removing pests from your home, we continue to inspect your home and property and offer prevention strategies that keep you safe. Pest control is only successful if it prevents another infestation, so we work with you to reclaim your home and keep it safe from other intruders. Prevention strategies change depending on your location and the type of pests living in and around your home. We carefully inspect your home in Guelph to identify cracks, holes or other areas where pests may be entering.

Our Pest Control Services

Identifying, removing and preventing pests requires professional experience. As part of our four-season pest control process, we offer a proactive program to remove these pests from your home:

Whether you have a few unwanted spiders or a serious infestation on your property, our team can diagnose the extent of the issue and restore your home. Don’t wait until these pests cause damage to your home or health. Schedule an inspection to understand the seriousness of your pest issue and enjoy our safe, effective process.

Our Commitment

Schedule an inspection today to enjoy industry-leading pest control solutions in Guelph. Whether you’ve just moved in or are living in your forever home, our experts can help you remove unwanted pests and reclaim your peace of mind in your home.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.

As far as insects go, a single ant crawling across the sidewalk appears small and harmless; but hundreds of large ants tunneling through the walls of your home is a different story.

Carpenter ants are one of the largest ant species and can do significant damage to wooden structures.

Identifying Carpenter Ants

There are many types of ants in the Guelph area, but you can distinguish carpenter ants by these characteristics:

Understanding Why Carpenter Ants Are in Your Home

Carpenter ants often start tunneling their way indoors through wood on the outside of your house. They do not eat the wood; they simply plow through it with their large jaws, leaving piles of sawdust behind. They generally prefer wood from conifers or any wood that is damp or decaying. Places they come in can include:

If you have seen only a few carpenter ants, then they may just be searching for food. They are omnivorous, so they will eat anything left out, including pet food. If you consistently see large groups of them, then they are probably nesting inside your home. Nest sites can be virtually anywhere, including inside woodwork, attics, walls, furniture or even Styrofoam insulation. Clues to look for are piles of sawdust, parts of dead ants cleared from tunnels and perhaps the sound of insects crawling inside a wall. When a population has grown too large for one location, you might see winged individuals flying in search of a new area to colonize. These flights typically occur during late winter or early spring.

Calling In the Professionals

If you have carpenter ants in your home, call us at (226) 790-3637 to schedule an inspection. Our professionals can locate nests in and around your home and can help eliminate entry points. We also can recommend treatment, including the most appropriate type of pesticide for your situation. You can trust Truly Nolen to solve your problem as quickly as possible, without putting your family or pets at risk.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.

When you are in need of bed bug control services in Guelph, you can trust Truly Nolen to deal with your problem quickly and thoroughly. We have experience with this common pest and can recommend treatment to help make your home healthy again.

Bed Bug Basics

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are tiny parasitic insects named for their habit of biting people while they lie in bed. Lacking wings or a jumping ability, these reddish bugs creep up bed posts at night, then crawl off to their hiding places before dawn. Their saliva contains substances that numb human skin so that people continue to sleep peacefully during the attack. The next morning, victims typically have bite marks that are small and easily overlooked. Thus, infestations can go unnoticed for a considerable amount of time. Bed bugs do not drink enough blood to do physiological harm. However, people from infected households often will begin to exhibit signs of red, raised areas on their arms, legs and face, and some individuals can suffer allergic reactions.

Home Inspection

During the early stages of infestation, knowing whether you have bed bugs is not as easy as you may think. Adult insects are only 4.5 mm long, and the young are even smaller. Unless you are specifically looking for them, bed bug bodies are easily mistaken for dirt or debris. Clues to their presence can include the following:

Our professionals at Truly Nolen know what to look for and can determine if your Guelph home has indeed been invaded by bedbugs.

Treatment

There is little you can do to combat bed bugs on your own. Unlike some pests, these insects are found in clean houses just as often as dirty ones, so a thorough cleaning is not enough to rid your home of them. Moreover, because they spend the day hiding in the tiniest of cracks, they do not respond to the same types of treatments commonly used for pests like cockroaches or fleas.

Truly Nolen can assess the severity of your home’s situation and advise you on potential treatments. Special misting apparatus often is required to penetrate crevices where these insects hide. These treatments kill eggs, juveniles and adults, and can help end your bed bug problem. No matter if you have a full-blown infestation or are simply worried about the possibility, tell us about your bed bug concerns at (226) 790-3637.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.

Of the 200 mammals in Canada, 68 belong to the rodent family. Most rodents — innocuous species such as porcupines, ground squirrels, beavers, and chipmunks — are content to live outdoors, pose for pictures, and grace the fonts of postcards. A few members, however, embrace lifestyles that give the family as a whole a bad name. These are the rats and mice that infest our homes.

Differences Between Rats and Mice

It is not easy to tell the difference between mice and rats. Besides being larger-bodied, rats have proportionally bigger, arrow-shaped heads and smaller ears and eyes than mice. Mouse droppings are approximately 6 millimeters long and pointed, whereas rat droppings can be up to 2 centimeters long and have blunt ends.

Types of Mice in Ontario

There are 13 species of mice in Canada, but only these three are known as household pests:

• House mouse or field mouse (Mus musculus)
• White-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)
• Deer mouse (Peromyscus keeni)

House mice are small and uniformly brownish in color. They were originally native to Asia but are now found worldwide. White-footed and deer mice are extremely difficult to tell apart at a distance. They are both Canada natives and can be distinguished from house mice by their white bellies and feet and their two-toned tails. All three species thrive in natural areas but will not hesitate to make their homes inside human domiciles if given the chance.

Types of Rats in Ontario

No rats are native to Ontario. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), also known as the wharf or brown rat, was once native to China, but is now distributed worldwide. This species constructs tunnels around human habitations and tends to stay near the ground floor. Roof rats (Rattus rattus), also known as black rats, use their climbing skills to enter attics and top floors of homes where they create nests.

Diseases Carried by Rodents

Rodents are notorious for spreading disease. Illnesses associated with each species include the following:

• House mouse: lymphocytic choriomeningitis, rickettsialpox, and leptospirosis
• Deer mouse: hantavirus
• White-footed mouse: Lyme disease, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Powassan encephalitis
  
• Norway rat: Weil’s disease, toxoplasmosis, salmonella, and trichinosis
  
• Roof rat: plague, typhus, and leptospirosis

What To Do

A female rat can have a litter of up to 12 babies every two months, and a mouse can have even more. If you suspect rodents are living in your house, don’t wait for a population boom to get help. Call Truly Nolen in Guelph at (226) 790-3637 for a home inspection and help evicting these furry, unwanted residents.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.

Ontario’s bees and wasps perform the important tasks of pollinating crops, destroying insect pests, and recycling organic materials. However, they also can pose a danger to humans and pets when overly concentrated around residential areas. Control methods vary based on the type of insect, so it is important to know which kind you have.

Bees in Ontario

All 400 bee species in Ontario fly but can vary in the following aspects:

• Colour: Most species are black and yellow, but they can be other colours like green or all black.
• Defense: Only females sting, and only honey bees die after stinging. Some species do not sting at all.
• Social tendency: Solitary bees live alone or in small aggregations, while social bees live in large colonies.
• Diet: All bees eat nectar and/or drink pollen from flowers. Other food items can include fruit, dead insects and animals, secretions from aphids, and honey.
• Hibernation: Some bees become dormant during the winter, while others die.
• Nest location: Some make a traditional hive. Others live in holes, sometimes sealed with mud.

Wasps

Wasps can be fairly diverse but share many of the following characteristics:

• Appearance: Most wasps have a slender waist, compared to the thick waist of a bee. They come in a variety of colours, including black and yellow.
• Defense: Females of all wasp species can sting.
• Social tendency: Like bees, wasps can be solitary or social.
• Diet: Some wasps will eat nectar and pollen, but most prey on other insects. Many parasitize caterpillars by laying eggs inside them. When the eggs hatch they burst out of the caterpillar, killing it in the process.
• Hibernation: Most male wasps die from lack of food during winter, while the queens hibernate, sometimes in human homes.
• Nest location: Wasps have specialized mouths to make nests from paper or mud. Social wasps often construct large paper hives in trees or beneath overhanging structures like roofs. Others live in holes.

Bee and Wasp Removal

Do not try to remove a bee or wasp nest on your own. Stings are painful, and can cause severe reactions. Sensitivity to stings can increase throughout a person’s lifetime, with reactions becoming progressively worse with each sting. Call Truly Nolen in Guelph at (226) 790-3637 to identify the type of bees and wasps on your property and to have them professionally removed.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.

Many different types of spiders live in and around homes in Guelph and surrounding areas. While these spiders can be bothersome, and even frightening, it’s important to remember that the majority of spiders are harmless to humans. Even though most spiders in Ontario have fangs that are too small to bite humans, it’s a good idea to have a spider control plan in place to keep them out of your home. The most common spiders found in Guelph include cellar, common house and wolf spiders. Below you will find helpful information on these three spider species plus tips for preventing infestations.

Cellar Spiders

Are you worried that you have cellar spiders in your home? If so, there are some things you can do to remove these common pests and prevent future infestations. Cellar spiders tend to make webs, where they often keep their egg sacs, so it is important to clear webbing away on a regular basis with a broom or a low-powered vacuum. You will also want to seal any visible cracks around windows and doors with caulking or insulation. Reducing humidity in your home can also help get rid of cellar spiders. You can reduce humidity by consistently using your air conditioner, using ventilation fans and fixing leaking pipes.

Common House Spiders

Common house spiders, like cellar spiders, make webs. Clearing away any webs on at least a monthly basis will help eliminate these types of spiders in your home. You will also want to fix any window screens that have holes and plug up any small cracks in windows or doors with caulking. Certain strong smells, including essential oils, may also be used as a deterrent to help prevent spiders from entering your home in the first place.

Wolf Spiders

Wolf spiders don’t make webs, but they are attracted by debris and dark spaces. Therefore, you will want to regularly inspect your attic, garage and basement for leaves, mulch, firewood and other types of debris that spiders may find inviting. Vacuuming rooms, especially rooms that are not used on a daily basis, will also help deter wolf spiders. Finally, ensure your house is properly lit, either through natural or artificial light, to prevent wolf spiders from nesting in dark corners.

Truly Nolen is experienced in pest control and can help you come up with an effective spider control plan. Whether you need one treatment or regular maintenance to prevent infestations, Truly Nolen will provide you with effective, affordable services. Truly Nolen’s team of experts are experienced in all types of spider control methods and technologies. Call (226) 790-3637 today to schedule an estimate. Our estimates are always free, timely and accurate.

Proudly Serving: Ariss, Aberfoyle, Brucedale, Corwhin, Maryhill & Rockwood.