Wild animals, harmful insects and plants

• It is strictly prohibited to feed wild animals.
• Never approach wild animals or baby birds, even if they are injured or very young.
• Avoid feeding pets outdoors.
• Keep your household garbage in animal-resistant bins.
• Keep your dog on a leash and only walk on marked trails.
• Keep your cat indoors, particularly at night.
• Pick up fruit that has fallen from trees, as it is a food source for wild animals.
• Block access to your property, balcony, shed and garden.

If a wild animal causes damage to your property, you can identify the animal on the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs Web site (in French). If you still cannot identify the animal, the Web site also provides useful tips and photos of each animal species.

There are simple measures you can take to control wild animals. Because these pests depend on resources found around our homes, sealing off access to these resources often solves the problem. To know more, consult the website of the ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs.

As a last resort, to have wild animals captured and removed (skunks, groundhogs, etc.), the Ville de Saint-Lambert suggests you contact L’Arche de Noé at 450 633-0930 or Luc Daigneault at 514 299-7439. There is a fee for this service.

Think you saw a coyote? These animals are known to be present in urban settings. They generally pose no danger because they try to avoid humans. However, to make sure they keep their distance, it is important to follow certain instructions: mainly, do not feed or try to approach them.

How to recognize a coyote?

Coyotes are about the same size as German shepherds. They are usually taller than the height of a person’s knee. Their hair is normally grey and the tip of their tail is black. They are also recognizable by their big ears.

If you encounter a coyote:

• Stay calm.
• Give the coyote the space it needs to move away.
• Never let your dog interact with a coyote.
• Keep your dog close or carry your dog in your arms.
• Move away, but never turn your back on the coyote.
• Always maintain visual contact with the coyote.
• Do not run.

If the coyote does not leave:

• Make yourself bigger by raising your arms, making noise or yelling to scare the coyote.
• Throw objects in the coyote’s direction, without targeting the coyote directly so as not to make it more aggressive.
• Contact 911 in the event of an emergency.

Sightings of many animal species must be reported to the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP) (in French), including sightings of birds of prey, white-tailed deer, coyotes or wild turkeys.

Hygiene tips:

• Never touch a dead animal with your bare hands: use disposable gloves.
• Immediately wash your hands afterwards.
• Disinfect or dispose of any material that may have come into contact with the dead animal.

If you see a dead animal on city property, please report it to us at 450 466-3690 or at travauxpublics@saint-lambert.ca.

Adults, children and even animals who engage in outdoor activities in or near a forest (hiking, biking, tree cutting, wood gathering, camping, hunting, gardening, etc.), and certain types of workers (road workers, camp counsellors, etc.) are more likely to be exposed to ticks.

To lower your risk of infection while you continue to enjoy the benefits of outdoor activities, we recommend the following precautionary measures in tick-prone areas:

• Wear long pants, closed footwear and socks, and apply a icaridin or DEET-based insect repellent, following the instructions on the product label.
• Shower as soon as you get home.
• Look for ticks on your body. Remove any ticks you find as quickly as possible. The risk of contracting Lyme disease within the first 24 hours of exposure is minimal. However, the longer a tick stays attached to your skin, the greater the chance of infection.
• Call Info-santé at 8-1-1 if you have been bitten by a tick. You may be advised to consult a doctor or pharmacist to determine if you should take antibiotics to prevent developing the disease;
• Seek medical attention promptly if you develop any symptoms of illness (fever, headache, fatigue, rash more than 5 cm in diameter) within 30 days of a tick bite. Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics.
• Look for ticks on your animal and contact a veterinary if you find any tick.
• Prevent tick populations from building up around your house by keeping your lawn mowed.

• Le virus de la rage peut se retrouver seulement chez les mammifères. Ceux-ci peuvent transmettre la maladie entre eux et aux humains. Il s’agit d’une maladie du cerveau sans traitement et mortelle pour l’humain.
• Au Québec, les mammifères sauvages (p. ex : chauve-souris, raton laveur, renard, mouffette) constituent la principale source du virus de la rage.
• Heureusement, il existe un vaccin contre la rage, qui, lorsqu’administré après un contact avec un animal infecté, empêche la maladie de se développer.

• La rage se transmet par une morsure ou une égratignure d’un animal infecté. La rage se transmet aussi par la salive de l’animal infecté qui entre en contact avec une plaie non guérie ou une muqueuse (p. ex: bouche, œil, nez).
• Les animaux sauvages peuvent transmettre la rage directement aux humains, ou indirectement en infectant des animaux domestiques qui peuvent ensuite transmettre la rage aux humains.
• Au Québec, il existe 8 espèces de chauves-souris. Dans toutes les régions du Québec, toutes les espèces de chauves-souris sont à risque élevé d’être infectées par le virus de la rage.

• Nous vous rappelons de ne jamais toucher à une chauve-souris avec les mains, que celle-ci soit vivante ou morte.
• Il faut faire attention à tout contact avec une chauve-souris : une blessure, morsure ou autre causée par celle-ci peuvent parfois passer inaperçues.
• Tout contact physique avec la chauve-souris doit être évalué avec soin. Les chauves-souris peuvent même mordre à travers des sacs et certains gants.
• Les consignes à transmettre aux parents de jeunes enfants : Questionner leurs/les enfants afin de savoir s’il y a eu un contact physique avec un animal sauvage (chauve-souris inclus) ou un animal domestique.
• Enseigner aux enfants les mesures à suivre en présence d’un animal inconnu : ne pas nourrir, ne pas toucher, ne pas s’approcher et signaler la présence à un adulte. Il ne faut jamais manipuler une chauve-souris.
• Faites vacciner votre animal de compagnie contre la rage en consultant votre médecin vétérinaire.
• Consultez un médecin vétérinaire en cas de morsure ou de contact entre votre animal de compagnie et un animal sauvage susceptible de transmettre la rage.
• Prenez des mesures pour ne pas attirer des animaux importuns sur votre propriété (p. ex. : ranger ses poubelles extérieures hors de la portée des animaux).
• Évitez de déplacer des animaux importuns ou indésirables, car vous pourriez propager des maladies telles que la rage vers d'autres territoires.
• Compte tenu des cas de rage présents aux États-Unis tout près de la frontière avec la Montérégie, il est important de signaler tout raton laveur, mouffette ou renard trouvé mort ou qui semble suspect (blessé, malade, désorienté, anormalement agressif ou paralysé.

Pour signaler un raton laveur, une mouffette, un renard malade ou mort, cliquez ici.

Une personne qui a touché une chauve-souris ou qui a été touchée par une chauve-souris et qui ne peut exclure une morsure, une égratignure ou un contact de la salive de l’animal doit :

• Laver la peau exposée pendant 10 à 15 minutes, avec de l’eau et du savon, le plus rapidement possible après le contact;
• Communiquer rapidement avec Info-Santé 811, car une vaccination pourrait être indiquée selon la situation
• Si la personne a été exposée dans un milieu de garde ou une école (ou s’il y a une inquiétude à la suite d’une exposition à un animal), aviser rapidement un responsable de ce milieu qui va contacter la DSPu;
  • Si la situation arrive la fin de semaine, appeler Info-Santé au 8-1-1 pour avoir plus d’information.

• Capturer la chauve-souris de façon sécuritaire pour éviter qu’elle soit en contact avec d’autres personnes et pour la faire analyser, si requis. L’analyse de l’animal permet d’évaluer le risque de la rage et ainsi le besoin de la vaccination.

La rage humaine est une maladie rare. Il y a des interventions précoces à faire en cas de morsures ou griffures d’une chauve-souris ou d’un autre animal, personne n’a eu la rage depuis 2000 au Québec!

The biological cycle of the Japanese beetle has 4 stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The adult beetles are very active for six to eight weeks during the summer. They prefer to feed on hot, humid days and to rest on rainy days.

The females lay their eggs about 8 cm beneath the turf surface. The larvae hatch from the eggs and feed on the grass roots, as do June bugs. The larvae develop and spend the winter in the form of pupae.

The adult emerges at the end of June or in early July and feeds on the flowers and foliage of many plants, including vegetable plants and certain tree species.

Skunks, racoons, and some bird species such as starlings and blackbirds are natural predators of white grubs. Certain species of insects also help control white grubs by feeding on them.

As a general rule, the key to successful prevention is having a healthy, vigorous lawn. It is also the most effective long-term solution.

In the spring and fall

Even if a lawn has been scavenged by skunks or racoons looking for the little insects they love, various prevention measures can be taken, depending on the condition of the turf.:

• Aerate the soil using a carrot-type aerator;
• Add organic matter (commercial compost);
• Diversify the plant species that make up the lawn by including ryegrasses with endophytes (microscopic fungi that live inside some plants and produce substances repellant to certain insects), fescues and forage plants like white clover;
• Reduce nitrogen fertilization (particularly chemical);
• Choose 100%-natural fertilizers whose nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K) content is less than 10 for each element;
• Keep your grass tall: mow the grass to a height of not lower than 3 inches (7.5 cm);
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn (slow-release fertilizer);
• Reduce watering in early June to allow the earth to harden;
• Keep the soil’s pH level between 6.5 and 7.0.

During the summer

• Keep the grass long and dry during the egg-laying period, from July to August (minimum three weeks). Dry soil partially hinders the development of the eggs and larvae;
• Turn off the lights on your property because they attract the adult beetles.

At the end of the summer

The application of nematodes (parasites) is effective from mid-August to mid-September. This is the time when the white grubs are often found at the soil surface feeding off the turf roots. Follow this procedure:

• The soil temperature must be between 15oC and 30oC (preferably around 20oC). It’s useless to apply nematodes in May because the soil is not the right temperature. Also, in May and June, the larvae turn into pupae. At this stage, they are no longer feeding.
• One of the most effective nematodes against European chafer larvae is the Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. It’s best to do the treatment during a long rainy period. Never apply the treatment when it’s sunny because the UV rays are fatal for nematodes.
• Remove the filter from the sprayer or make sure that the holes in your watering can are big enough to let the nematodes through so they reach the soil.
• Shake the solution of water and nematode powder regularly to make sure the nematodes don’t die due to lack of oxygen.

• Remove as many adult Japanese beetles as possible by hand and put them in soapy water to kill them. It’s easier to capture them in the early morning because the dew makes it harder for them to fly. Some people use a small vacuum.
• Attract birds by putting out a birdhouse and food.
• Plant toxic plants in your flower beds. Examples are fescues, ryegrasses, cultivated geraniums, larkspur, castorbeans, and horse-chestnut flowers.
• Spread compost, because white grubs prefer sandy soils.
• Crush the dead Japanese beetles in a little water and spread them around plants. This acts as a natural repellant.
• Spray the patches of infested lawn with a nematode solution. These microscopic small grubs are parasites that feed on white grubs. They are already present in the soil, but you want to increase their density.
• Install light traps, because they attract insects.
• Pheromone traps (controversial for small spaces). According to one study, the female beetles are attracted to the general location of the trap rather than to the trap itself. The waste of the females on adjacent plant leaves then becomes more attractive than the trap for the males looking for mates. See this link for more details: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19610405

You are strongly advised NOT to use chemical pesticides in your vegetable garden. First, the insecticides are never effective in the long term because the next generation of insects becomes resistant. As well, you risk killing beneficial insects like ladybugs and staunch warriors like aphids and flower thrips.

The application of pesticides is also subject to By-law 2006-14 concerning the use of products containing pesticides.

If you want to eliminate ragweed, you have to know where it grows. It loves to grow in clumps in sunny spots. Ragweed has a preference for badly maintained, poor quality soil such as that found along railway tracks, next to sidewalks, on construction sites, on neglected lots, on patches of bare land, where road salt has killed off a lawn, in a corner of the garden, or where soil has been disturbed.

Only individuals who are allergic to ragweed experience symptoms: sneezing, congestion, irritated eyes and throat, etc.

Even if over-the-counter antihistamine pills and decongestants provide some measure of relief to sufferers, this respiratory allergy gives rise to many health problems and carries huge social costs due to medical expenses and work absenteeism.

This problem requires a radical solution: eliminate it at the source—uproot every ragweed plant that you can find!

• Pull up the plants manually or mow them before they bloom towards the end of July and again around the third week of August.
• Use mulch to prevent the plant from growing.
• Improve soil quality (topsoil, fertilizer).
• Plant seeds or other plants to compete with ragweed.

To prevent a wave of allergies and stop the plants from reproducing, it is recommended that you mow them before they flower, which they usually do around the end of July and the end of August.

If you see any ragweed growing on City-owned public land, you can notify our environment agent, by email at patrouille-verte@saint-lambert.ca.

For several years now, the Ville de Saint-Lambert has been taking increased action to reduce the presence of ragweed on its territory and its negative impacts on the health of people who are sensitive to it.

One of the actions taken by the City is the annual assessment of ragweed’s presence on our territory. This assessment provides an accurate picture of the situation and allows us to better target our priority actions. The ragweed map identifies the critical sites with high plant density. The City can then control the presence of this allergen in priority areas through twice-monthly mowing and targeted uprooting campaigns.

Anyone who has been in contact with the poisonous sap can react to poison ivy. The symptoms are: red skin inflammation, strong itching, and the formation of blisters on the affected areas.

• Wear gloves when handling the plant and avoid any contact with the skin.
• Pull the plant up by the roots.
• Place dead plants in garbage bags or bury them very deep in the soil.

Never compost or burn poison ivy. Inhaling the smoke from the burning plant material can cause a severe pulmonary reaction.

Here are a few signs that might indicate a tree is infested. Note that the first signs will be exhibited at the crown:

• Abnormal crown thinning, premature yellowing of foliage, progressive crown dieback, and dead branches at the top of the tree (1);
• Unusual and heavy samara fruit production;
• Growth of shoots in unusual places on the lower portion of the trunk (2);
• Vertical cracks in the bark (3)and S-shaped galleries under the bark (4) caused by feeding larvae;
• D-shaped holes in the bark where the beetle exits the tree (5);
• Irregular notches in ash leaves caused by adult insects feeding (6);
• Increased presence of woodpeckers, who feed on the larvae, and feeding holes.

It can be difficult to identify the signs of an emerald ash borer infestation. Some symptoms may be caused by other diseases.

If you suspect your tree has an emerald ash borer infestation, we recommend you consult a qualified expert (arboriculturist, horticulture specialist, forestry engineer, tree pruner, etc.). You can obtain a list of experts from the website of the Société Internationale d’Arboriculture Québec inc. (SIAQ) at www.siaq.org.

If 30% of an ash tree is suffering from dieback, the infestation is generally considered to be too far advanced to treat and save the tree by treatments such as TreeAzin®. This product can effectively control an emerald ash borer infestation, though it cannot guarantee the tree’s survival and must be repeated every two years.

The tree must be cut down between October 1 and March 15 to prevent the emerald ash borer from spreading. Outside this period, it is strongly recommended to avoid cutting down a tree unless it poses a potential danger, due to the high risk of spreading the infestation.

To cut down a tree, you must generally obtain a permit from the Town Planning, Permits and Inspection Department. They can be reached at 450 466-3277.