Would you like to enjoy summertime to the fullest? How about leaving all your worries on the doormat when you go on vacation? If this sounds like a great idea then you’ve come to the right place. Truly Nolen is here to ensure that you come back to a safe and clean environment, once your relaxation time is over. In Canada, Truly Nolen is a leading provider of pest control services, helping to prevent an fix pest control problems. Hiring professionals will save you both time and money. This is why we use IPM, an Integrated Pest Management system (in accordance with the pest control regulations of Canada, that can be researched on PMRA* – Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s website). Our aim is to make sure that no centipedes or earwigs will greet you upon return.

What are earwigs?

Insects that hate the dry and sunny areas will clearly search for the moist areas around a home’s foundation. The first time you may notice them is once they are inside and usually only one of them at a time. Earwigs don’t travel in groups as they are not social insects. Their outward appearance may be intimidating, due to the pincers or forceps (depending on the species) protruding from the abdomen. An adult’s size may vary between 5-25mm. Even though they do not spread disease or bite humans, prevention measures should be in place.

How to Prevent Earwigs from Coming Indoors?

1. Make sure the area around the foundation is dry – Remove all dead leaves, moist soil, overhanging branches/ shrubs or any landscaping (timbers, logs, decorative stones). These are all food sources and hiding places.
2. Do not leave cushions outside during the night – they are the perfect place for earwigs to hide
3. Exterior lighting (with yellow bulbs) may help keep earwigs away since they prefer the dark
4. Use dehumidifiers for the basement area, to avoid an inviting moist habitat.

How to Identify House Centipedes?

House centipedes have long yellowish-brown body with dark stripes. They have 15 segments along their body each of them having 1 pair of legs. An adult’s size may vary between 25-38mm. As a female’s lifespan is up to 3 years, invasions should be quickly prevented. Though harmless if not provoked, a centipede’s bite can cause local pain and serious effects if a secondary infection occurs.

Similar to Earwigs, House Centipedes enjoy moist areas. The places they may be found in are similar to the ones earwigs like. With one exception: house centipedes have no restrain to step into your home and live in the kitchen or bathroom, especially around drains. While they can be easily spotted in sinks or tubs, they will attempt to escape by quickly crawling on the floor or climbing on walls and ceilings.

How to Prevent Centipedes’ From Getting Indoors?

1. Indoors

a) Reduce moist conditions: Qualified personnel can provide the most appropriate ways to do this, as they used specific equipment for measuring moisture conditions

b) Kill other pests – this will help avoid food sources; house centipedes are predators and earwigs are the perfect prey

c) Make sure all possible entries are covered

2. Outdoors

a) As for earwigs, clutter should be removed and landscaping oriented away from the near area of the house (see How to prevent earwigs invasion section (point 1) of this article)

b) Keep a dry area around the house foundation.

All the prevention measures proposed in this article may be of help in the short term. In the long run, contacting a specialized pest control company in Canada with an IPM system in place and proper equipment is the best choice you can make. The team will not only offer you immediate assistance but will also help you with a plan for avoiding similar, uncomfortable, situations.

Do you Need Professional Assistance?

Truly Nolen should be your first choice because the company has more than 75 years of experience in pest control. The technicians are highly trained and experienced in both identifying and removing pest infestations from residential, commercial and industrial properties. Contact Truly Nolen today and ensure your pest problem is properly identified and swiftly and safely sanitized.

Once your home is safe from a pest invasion, the summer vacation may begin.