Some bugs thrive in gardens, lawns and trees. Others invade food storage areas of kitchen cabinets in homes and warehouses that supply markets and restaurants. But few are as insidious as bed bugs.
While they spread rapidly and cause major infestations in commercial or institutional settings, from college dormitories to nursing homes, they can also inhabit the bedrooms of a private dwelling. Usually in the latter case, they've come from an accommodations site like a hotel and infested a traveler's suitcase, which then gets emptied in the person's home.
Whether they emanate from bedbugs in hotels or between properties that are right next to each other, the effect is the same. They'll keep multiplying and infiltrating items like carpets, furnishings and wall mirrors until they're put to a stop.
Often, that requires the help of a commercial pest control service like Abell Pest Control, which has the resources to attack the pest issue head-on. By analyzing the scope of the problem, coming up with a treatment program and educating the homeowner or business owners of preventive steps, Abell can help halt future infestations before they begin.
Pest management experts have seen an increase in bed bug infestations that can be attributed to a number of factors, including more global travel by people from locales where bed bugs are thriving. As pests develop resistance to certain insecticides, new formulas have been devised, but often they're not as potent as previous pesticides because of environmental concerns.
However, those factors don't change how to respond to a bed bug problem if you find the pests have invaded your residence. Clothes and bedding that may have been infected should be immediately washed in hot water. Luggage can be vacuumed and sprayed with alcohol. Items that can't be laundered right away should be sealed in airtight bags until they're washed, and the bags should be resealed and put in the trash immediately.
The reason bed bugs are so pervasive in some settings is because they feed on human blood. As a result, large housing complexes, whether they're apartments, hotels or institutional settings, provide a captive community for their nourishment.
That's why it's important to be mindful of the possibility that bed bugs can travel to your house from a vacation spot or develop from a source closer to home. Either way, homeowners have to be diligent about checking for signs of bed bug populations in their own houses and consider where they may have originated.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
