Happy Hauntings

Happy Hauntings

October is my very favorite month and with that comes Halloween! To me October is apple cider, carving pumpkins, kids dressed up as their favorite characters, scary movies and the beautiful colors of the changing leaves. It seems the stores want to rush us right along to the Christmas season but please, let me enjoy October!

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Spider+House.jpgSpider+House Spider House

Spiders scare me like no other. This house is hard for me to look at. Even though I know that there is nothing real about it.


Vampire+Bat.jpgVampire+Bat Vampire Bat

I absolutely LOVE bats! I think they’re cute and they eat lots of mosquitoes in the summer months. Maybe the reason they are associated with Halloween is because of the Vampire Bat. Yes, there is such a thing.


I’m not sure – but isn’t the original idea of ‘Trick-or-Treating’ that the person gives you a treat or you will play a trick on them? What if the treat was the trick? How would things go over if the treats you were  passing out were actually chocolate covered bugs?!

Bug+Candy.jpgBug+Candy Chocolate covered scorpions, ants and crickets.


spider Vampire Spider

As if the things above aren’t scary enough, let’s not forget the Vampire Spider.


As I mentioned earlier, not everything about October is scary and related to Halloween. There are also the beautiful fall colors and traditions.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM RAPID PEST SOLUTIONS!

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If you find something scary in your house this Halloween…spiders, mice, centipedes, or any other uninvited pests, contact Rapid Pest Solutions. We have a solution to fit your needs.

Because Timing Is Everything!

3 Eco-Friendly Holidays Coming Up In April

3 Eco-Friendly Holidays Coming Up In April

There is a lot more awareness about the environment than there used to be. People are concerned with “Going Green” and helping to make a positive impact on the world around them. There are a couple of days coming up in April that are marked for celebrating green and Eco-friendly holidays.


BAT APPRECIATION DAY – FRIDAY 4/17/15 

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Bats are all around us although you may not be aware of them. I have heard some people call them flying rodents but that is not true. Bats are beneficial to us – THEY EAT MOSQUITOES! And isn’t that something that we can all agree is a good thing? Take a trip to the zoo to learn more about these interesting creatures. Brookfield Zoo has fruit bats in the Australia House or you can visit the Small Mammal & Reptile House at Lincoln Park Zoo. It’s sad to say that half the bats in the U.S. are listed as rare, threatened or endangered. For more Myths and Facts about bats click here.


EARTH DAY – WEDNESDAY 4/22/15

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The goal of Earth Day is to bring awareness and appreciation to the Earth’s environment. If you’re interested in finding out what your ecological footprint is you can take the quiz here. There are many ways to help the environment including recycling, use your cruise control, turn lights off, etc. Here is a list of 50 things you can do to Go Green.


SAVE THE FROGS DAY – SATURDAY 4/25/15

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The Save The Frogs Organization has been around since 2009. They promote a society that respects and appreciates nature. Save The Frogs fights against the extinction of amphibians by petitioning against frogs as food (frog legs), the dissection of frogs in schools and protecting wetlands among other things. Check out the website to see more detailed information.


Rapid Pest Solutions uses Integrated Pest Management – or IPM.

IPM is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management. It involves a combination of practices to control pests with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment. 

Bats – The Facts And The Fiction

Bats – The Facts And The Fiction

Bats are a familiar symbol of Halloween and since that ghoulish holiday is tomorrow, I thought I would take a moment to fill you in on the facts and the fiction behind these very interesting creatures.

Personally I think that bats are super cute. I’m not afraid of them and in general I think they get a bad rap. Take a look at some of the pictures and info below. Maybe I can convert you into a bat lover too.

FICTION

Vampire+Bat.jpgVampire+Bat1 Vampire Bat

  • Blind as a bat – They use echolocation to navigate but they can still see.
  • All bats have rabies – False. Less than 1% of bats have rabies.
  • Bats will drink your blood – Nope. There is such a thing as a vampire bat. They feed off of cows, chickens and other animals. They make a small incision in the skin with their teeth and then lap up the blood with their tongue. They do not swoop down onto a human, bite their neck and suck the blood.
  • Bats are a major pest – Not really. Bats are very beneficial. They help control insects like mosquitoes. And who doesn’t like that?
    • Bats are dirty – They are really fairly clean. Bats                                                                  groom themselves much like a cat.

FACTS

upside down bat Malayan Flying Fox Bat

  • Bats are the only flying mammal.
  • Bats can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes in an hour.
  • Bats live an average of 10 to 20 years but it’s not unusual for a bat to live 30+ years.
  • The largest bat is the Malayan Flying Fox. It weighs about 2 pounds and can have a 6 foot wingspan.
  • The smallest bat is the Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat. It weighs about as much as a dime and has a wingspan of about 6 inches.

Kitti+Hog-Nosed+Bat.jpgKitti+Hog-Nosed+Bat Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat


Is Dracula disguising himself as a bat?

In the past bats and vampires were thought to be combined. The video sequence above shows Dracula changing into a bat in order to make his escape. I don’t think they do this as much in movies anymore but the bats in the picture below make me think they could easily turn into a debonair Dracula style vampire!

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It is possible that a bat may find its way into your attic. If this happens don’t panic. There are companies that will remove the bats for you. Once this is done you may want to consider having some exclusion work done. Exclusion basically means you are making your home ‘bat proof’ and fixing the area where the bats were able to gain access. Poison is not used for bat control. Many species of bat are found in our area and some are protected by state law so contact a professional for help. If you suspect bats call Rapid Pest Solutions.