Ant Exterminator in Oshawa
If you need an ant exterminator in Oshawa, AstraHive Pest Control identifies the ant first, baits the colony and applies an interior and exterior barrier, backed by a 90-day warranty. This page uses Health Canada's ant guidance, Oshawa's by-law and Oshawa's own climate normals to show when ants are a problem here.
What Health Canada says about ants in Oshawa homes
Health Canada lists the ants known to invade Canadian homes: the carpenter ant, the little black ant, the odorous house ant, the thief ant and the pharaoh ant. Its advice is practical. Find the nest by looking for anthills in the yard or following ant trails back, place bait stations directly in the path of foraging ants and out of reach of children and pets, and do not use chemical sprays while a bait system is working, or the bait will not work. Spraying indoors where trails are seen may cut off food and water to an indoor nest.
Carpenter ants are the structural concern, since they destroy wood to make room for their nests. Indoors, Health Canada suggests storing ant-attractive food in glass jars or containers with snap-tight lids.
Oshawa's warm months: when ant trails run
Bait depends on ants foraging, so timing follows the weather. At the Oshawa WPCP station, 4.3 km from Oshawa, the 1981 to 2010 normals give an annual mean temperature of 8.1 °C and 872 mm of precipitation a year. The mean temperature stays at or above 10 °C from May to September, and a year adds up to about 1190 degree-days above 10 °C, most of them in July and August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean temperature (°C) | -4.8 | -3.6 | 0.4 | 6.6 | 12.3 | 17.6 | 20.6 | 20.0 | 15.9 | 9.5 | 4.2 | -1.2 |
| Degree-days above 10 °C | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 88 | 227 | 327 | 309 | 181 | 40 | 3 | 0 |
Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals, 1981 to 2010, Oshawa WPCP station (4.3 km from Oshawa). A station is the nearest one with a full set of normals, not a reading from your street.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals 1981 to 2010, Oshawa WPCP station. More degree-days means more warm-season heat.
That is the window when trails appear on counters and patios. It does not mean winter is safe: indoor colonies can be active outside that window, which is why we identify the species before we choose a treatment.
Ants in your Oshawa home or building?
Our licensed technicians start with an inspection and a clear plan for your property.
Call 905-925-8427How AstraHive Pest Control gets rid of ants in Oshawa
- Identify the ant. The species decides the treatment. Tiny yellowish ants are Pharaoh ants, which must never be sprayed because spraying splits the colony and spreads it.
- Bait. Granular bait or bait stations let workers carry the product back and kill the colony. For Pharaoh ants we use gel bait only, over 3 visits about 2 weeks apart.
- Interior and exterior barrier. Inside we treat baseboards, cracks and the paths ants travel. Outside we apply a perimeter barrier around the foundation, doors and windows that lasts about 90 days.
- Follow-up. We check progress and treat again where needed.
All products we use are Health Canada approved and applied according to the product label. Our technicians are licensed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). Our ant work is backed by a 90-day warranty.
Ants, owners and tenants under Oshawa's by-law
Section 5.12.1 of Oshawa's Property Standards By-law 1-2002 requires all properties to be kept free of pest infestation, including insects, and of conditions that may promote it. Section 4.5.2 requires garbage receptacles to be watertight, to prevent the entry of insects and rodents and to stay closed. For tenants, Durham Region's guidance is to tell the landlord, superintendent or property manager and to use licensed pest control companies only. We treat the whole path: bait for the colony, interior treatment where trails run, and an exterior barrier around the foundation, doors and windows.
Frequently asked questions: Oshawa
Can I spray ants while using bait?
Health Canada says not to use chemical sprays to kill ants while using a bait system, or the bait system will not work. Spraying indoors where trails are seen may cut off food and water to an indoor nest.
Which ants are common in Oshawa homes?
Health Canada lists the carpenter ant, little black ant, odorous house ant, thief ant and pharaoh ant as the species known to invade homes in Canada. Tiny yellowish ants are Pharaoh ants and need gel bait, not spray.
When are ants most active in Oshawa?
The climate normals for the Oshawa station show a mean temperature at or above 10 degrees Celsius from May to September. Expect outdoor trails in those months, and indoor colonies can show up outside them.
How do I know if it is carpenter ants?
Health Canada says carpenter ants destroy wood to make room for their nests and can cause structural damage. Piles of wood shavings and ants emerging from wall voids are reasons to book an inspection.
Whose job is it in a rental?
Oshawa's by-law requires every property to be kept free of insect infestation. Tell the landlord or property manager, who should use a licensed pest control company.
Sources
- Health Canada: Ants (pest control tips) . species, bait, spraying, carpenter ants
- City of Oshawa: Property Standards By-law 1-2002 . sections 4.5.2, 5.5.4 and 5.12.1
- Region of Durham: Tenant rights in Ontario regarding bed bugs . landlord and tenant roles, notice, licensed companies
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010 . monthly temperature, precipitation, frost days and degree-days