Quit Bugging US!
If there is one thing that can be frustrating at times with cottage
and chalet rentals, it would be the bug activity. I am often asked as
part of the first 3-4 questions, "how are the bugs?" Truth be told,
location, climate conditions, time of year, and environmental
conditions, all play a significant role in bug activity and type of
bugs.
If you are looking for a private, secluded destination, far
deep in the bush, away from noise and any immediate neighbors, in the
middle of acres and acres of forests all around, chances are you will be
"bugged". Black flies and mosquitoes love the woods. It is their
perfect breeding ground. So if cottage and chalet rentals in the deep
woods are your thing, come fully prepared with enough bug repellent to
deal with the annoying little critters.
Considerable amounts of
precipitation, and pockets of still unmoving water pools, small ponds,
rain barrels, bird baths, unused swimming pools, also offer the perfect
conditions for the "larvae" to be laid and wait for the new life form as
they come of age into their next form, mosquitoes or black flies. In
your questions to your cottage rental proprietor, ask about still water
spots. Inquire if they use B.T.I. Briquettes at all to deal with the
problem.
B.T.I. is safe to families, kids, animals and the environment
in reducing the larvae levels in still water with no threat at all to
the Ecosystem of lakes and rivers
Late May and most of June is the
start of the "bug season" in most parts of Ontario, and dies down in
August. Early morning to just before the sun rises will bring them out,
as well as at dusk, you will also see them come out. And at times
through-out the day, depending upon the temperature and moisture levels
of the atmosphere, will also play a part on their activity in your
immediate vicinity and how much you will be "bugged" by them. Wearing
long sleeve clothing and pants, hoodies and bug jackets can help a lot
to keep them from "bugging" you. Giving the sun the opportunity to set
completely can also help in reducing the annoyances of bugs. But also,
light colored apparel will also be helpful. White, ivory and light
colors are in fact a deterrent. Bugs are attracted to dark colors as
they are associated with deer, moose, bears and other forest creatures
that are also dark in color.
Other types of bugs that are also a factor in cottage rentals are hornets and wasps,
and in some instances can be fatal. If you know your child or
family/friend member is allergic to hornet and wasp stings, you MUST
have the appropriate medical treatment with you on your vacation at all
times. In the woods, hornets, bees and wasps have much larger nests and
are usually much more intense in size of numbers. If you spot a nest,
report it immediately. DO NOT make any attempts to dismantle or hit the
nest, especially in day light. There are products in cans that can be
purchased from a local hardware store that contain the right poison to
close the entrance to the next and kill the queen in the fold, without
allowing the members to escape or enter. However, these products come
with explicit instructions on how to use them, and in most cases
recommend the use be during the night hours.
Another little insect
that is a huge nuisance and also carries a bite is the carpenter ant.
Although typically docile, they usually do not bite people, but can at
times. The real threat they possess is what they do to wood and rotten
wood. They nest and burrow in wood, hence the name, and can hollow out
trees, stumps, decks and yes even the frame of an aging cottage and
chalet. Boric acid (basically soap) is what is used to get rid of them,
completely harmless. It's used in the treatment of the nests and
surrounding colonies. The key is to find the nests and get rid of them
first, before they enter the dwelling. Asking about carpenter ants in
your cottage rental queries is not unusual. They were here long before
we came and put a house on top of them. Best practice is to sweep up the
floors and wipe down the counters after every meal in the cottage. The
cleaner the surroundings are, the less food to tempt carpenter ants into
coming indoors and into your food.
Spiders....creepy crawlers
that can be more than poisonous when it comes to their bites are also
something to keep an eye out for when you are vacationing at a cottage
rental, resort or camping. One of the most dangerous would be the female
Black Widow. Typically found around woodpiles or in rotting stumps,
they are black with a very distinctive red hourglass marking on the
shinny part of the abdomen. Their existence is rare in Ontario, due to
climate, though have been found as recently as 2009 in Oakville, Bruce
Peninsula, and some southern parts of Georgian Bay. More commonly found
in cottage country are "Daddy Long Legs" and "Dock Spiders". Both of
these types of spiders can become huge, and do inspire a huge reaction
when seen. Both are not poisonous, though they can be aggressive if
provoked, so it's best to just leave them alone if you seen them. Look
out for webs inside the dwelling and take the appropriate measures to
deal with them to avoid a future problem.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Quit Bugging US!
