After eating and sleeping, scratching itself is probably your dog or cat's favorite activity. It's so common that we hardly pay attention to it, but in summer it could be an indication of something more serious - a flea infestation.
Certainly your pet deserves attention as soon as possible to relieve it of discomfort and the possibility of infections from excessive scratching. But although fleas prefer feeding on animals, these blood-sucking insects also nip at humans, causing itchiness that you may scratch until small welts bleed. Humans' allergic reactions to flea bites usually result in hives and rashes.
An easy way to see if your pets' flea problem has infiltrated your home is to put on a pair of white socks and dig your feet into carpeting where your pets usually lie. Fleas can lay anywhere from 20 to 30 eggs in a day, and they'll fall off your pets and hide in carpets and other fabrics. If there's an infestation, the insects will jump onto the socks where they'll be very visible. That will let you know it's time to take pest control measures.
Fleas can carry many diseases that may be transferred to your pets if they're bitten. They also contribute to cat scratch disease, which is an illness your cat can pass on to you. While it's not common, the disease is most frequently passed on by kittens whose claws spread bacteria that come from flea droppings.
For these health reasons, both animal and human, it's a good idea to call a professional pest control service like Abell Pest Control to treat your home as well as outdoor areas where fleas and ticks thrive in summer. They can recommend ways to prevent the problem from happening again.
Beyond the obvious comfort of your animals, excessive scratching can cause your pets to develop a flea allergy or dermatitis, which leads them to bite and scratch so much that their skin becomes inflamed and could become infected. If they don't have an allergic reaction, the biting could continue unnoticed until flea anemia occurs. In kittens and senior cats, this is particularly serious because they may not be able to groom themselves well enough to prevent the flea biting from escalating.
At the first sign that your pets are scratching, licking or biting their fur and skin more than usual - or if you feel stinging bites at your ankles or feet - it's time to begin full-scale home pest control.
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.
