The big three bugs to watch out for for any homeowner or business are ants, roaches, and fleas. These three buggers can bring about disaster ranging from disease and illness to lost revenue. That being said, it’s time to look at not only how to get rid of them but also the most important step of pest control, prevention.
These creatures are age old combatants of mankind. They’ve infested human domiciles since the dawn of civilization and even further back. They’re resilient and aggressive and even in today’s digital space age, they’re still pests to be reckoned with. They’re built that way. They’re survivors. Paleontologists will tell you that samples of these insects found trapped in amber that we know to be 100s of millions of years old show little if any change in these creatures. Yes, they’ve outlived the dinosaurs and would probably outlive mankind.
That makes pest control ever the more difficult. Nature has equipped these bugs with super strong and adaptable immune systems, strong exoskeletons and more. They can live extended amounts of time without food and water and exist within extreme temperatures.
Man has a problem with these insects because he attracts them. Fleas follow into the home attached to pets and people. Once they get a foothold, they’re tough to get rid of. The same with roaches and ants. They follow the scent of food and water and other refuse. They can gain entrance into a home or business and get so deeply embedded it would take a major extermination solution to get rid of them.
To battle them first off calls for preventative measures that aren’t too tough. It’s starts off with making sure your living and working areas are clean and neat. Let no crumbs or stains remain for even a few minutes. Make sure all jars and boxes in cabinets are sealed properly and hopefully in plastic bags. Clean up around appliances especially. Ants and roaches will exploit every nook and cranny they can get their antennae on. Make sure kids don’t have those snacks stashed away in their backpacks or hidden in their dressers. Same goes with cooking oils and so on. Next is to seal the home. Look for those access points from the outside. Once ants send out their scouts, those scout ants find openings and food sources, go back to the hive and bring in the troops. Roaches aren’t as regimented but they’ll follow one another and breed like wildfire once they’ve gotten in.
Fleas you have to vacuum the floors regularly. Check pets from head to toe. Don’t leave shopping bags or other items on the ground outside for too long and then drag them into the house. Wiping your feet before entering the home or office is very important. You might be picking up eggs.
If there is an infestation you need to act fast. Call in a professional. Don’t try to do things all yourself as a professional will let you know your next step. They may recommend certain pesticides or other industry products or if worse comes to worse, a full extermination solution.
Either way, pest control starts with you. Know the right steps and you’ll save yourself lots of time and money.
Image credit: kuruneko
Image credit: kuruneko