Lincoln Poulin

The problem comes as little surprise to Lincoln Poulin, manager of Poulin's Pest Control Services, who said bedbugs are becoming increasingly widespread in local apartments, hotels and homes.

Poulin said it's possible to get rid of the vermin for good, but a major infestation could take between four and five months to eradicate.Part of the challenge, he said, is getting tenants to report the infestation early.

Bedbugs tend to be more common in seniors' apartments, since Poulin said residents may not be able to see them until the problem is more severe.Sometimes, Poulin said low-income single families often can't afford to pay to launder all of their linens, garments, and clothes that may have come in contact with the bugs.

"In places where people don't co-operate, you may never get rid of the bedbugs," Poulin said.

Poulin's Pest Control general manager Lincoln Poulin said bed bug calls are up 300 per cent, with five-star city hotels, apartments and even homes on ...

Lincoln Poulin, quality manager with Poulin's Pest Control, says in some cases rain has forced technicians to return to a location two or three times, creating a delay for other customers.

"The weather does affect it, depending on whether we can do treatment or not.Depending on where they are, we might not be able to do outside spraying, or the rain will breakdown the insecticide quicker," he says.

Poulin says waiting listings can be anywhere from six to eight days within the city, longer for homeowners outside of Winnipeg.

Lincoln Poulin, general manager of Poulin's Exterminators, says installing traps now is the only way to prevent your lawn from looking eaten come spring.
...
The condition of a yard has nothing to do with the likelihood of it being infested with voles, says Lincoln Poulin, general manager of Poulin's Pest Control.Unlike other pests, avoiding a problem with voles isn't a matter of cleanliness.

Poulin said the only factor that increases the chances of an infestation is being close to forested areas such as Assiniboine Forest.

While a problem with voles often isn't discovered until the spring, it is in the fall that action needs to be taken to avoid any trouble.

"With voles, breeding activity will start in the fall," Poulin said.
...
When asked the best way to prevent voles from nesting, Poulin recommended installing exterior bait stations along fence lines or the outer walls of the home.The pests will feed on seed-based rodenticides like Poulin's gopher dew and eventually die off before the snow falls.

Some people put glue board in the bait stations and get rid of the voles before they've had time to be poisoned.

The mild weather Winnipeg has been treated to in recent winters has produced some negative side effects, according to Poulin.

"Over the last couple of years, voles have been becoming a bigger problem in the city, and one of the main reasons is the mild winters," he said, adding the voles live outdoors all year and breed more frequently in milder temperatures.

Lincoln Poulin, general manager of Poulin's Pest Control Services, said his company has an ongoing contract with Manitoba Housing but was asked not to discuss the details of how they spray and how much money they are receiving per suite.However, Poulin acknowledged there are persistent problems with the current project.

"I can say there are some challenges," he said.

The condition of a yard has nothing to do with the likelihood of it being infested with voles, says Lincoln Poulin, general manager of Poulin's Pest Control.Unlike other pests, avoiding a problem with voles isn't a matter of cleanliness.

Poulin said the only factor that increases the chances of an infestation is being close to forested areas such as Assiniboine Forest.

While a problem with voles often isn't discovered until the spring, it is in the fall that action needs to be taken to avoid any trouble.

"With voles, breeding activity will start in the fall," Poulin said.
...
When asked the best way to prevent voles from nesting, Poulin recommended installing exterior bait stations along fence lines or the outer walls of the home.The pests will feed on seed-based rodenticides like Poulin's gopher dew and eventually die off before the snow falls.

Some people put glue board in the bait stations and get rid of the voles before they've had time to be poisoned.

The mild weather Winnipeg has been treated to in recent winters has produced some negative side effects, according to Poulin.

"Over the last couple of years, voles have been becoming a bigger problem in the city, and one of the main reasons is the mild winters," he said, adding the voles live outdoors all year and breed more frequently in milder temperatures.