Let's face it, there is a lot of misinformation on the web. There are also many old wives tales and “things to try” from overhearing your coworkers conversation or something you have heard. When it comes to pest management, there is a lot of misinformation and lack of information the public is aware of. Did you know that flies carry more disease-causing pathogens than cockroaches? In fact, the common house fly is twice as filthy as a cockroach, is known to carry more than 100 pathogens, is covered in microorganisms, and a fly deposits bacteria each time it lands, according to the Edmonton Sun.
Truth or Fiction: You will get bed bugs when you walk into a room that has them.
Fiction. You won’t necessarily get bed bugs just by walking into a room where they are present. Bed bugs hate light, sound and commotion. While they are good hitchhikers and can spread by attaching themselves to clothing and luggage, they are generally lazy insects and spend more of their time resting and hiding.
Truth or Fiction: Using household chemicals like bleach, sanitizers and cleaning agents will kill and control ants and other insects.
Fiction. These chemicals will not control ants or insects. They might kill the ones you spray depending on the strength of the chemical, but these household cleaners do not have the active ingredients to serve as a pest control solution. While maintaining a clean home is key to reducing your risk of an infestation, you should not rely solely on household cleaners to solve your pest issues.
Truth or Fiction: Carpenter ants eat wood.
Fiction. Carpenter ants do not have the ability to digest wood as termites do. They only excavate wood and nest in the voids. If your home has a wood foundation that is compromised with moisture or is rotting, work with your pest management professional to implement a program that helps keep this pest at bay.
Truth or Fiction: After eating rodent poison, rats or mice will move out of the house to die outside.
Fiction. A rat or mouse will die anywhere as long as it has consumed a lethal amount of the poison, and regardless of where they die, they will smell. The poison does not dry them out. The degree of the smell depends on the body mass of the rat or mouse, and temperature in relation to decomposition.
Thomas Pest Services has been solving rodent and insect problems for those that live, work and play in the Capital Region and surrounding towns like Chatham, Schenectady, Latham, Saratoga Springs and Queensbury with third generation experience. Working with a pest management professional, like Thomas Pest Services who is licensed in pest control, will educate you on the specific pest threat to your home and family. Contact us via phone at 1-877-518-2847, or schedule a free pest inspection to address your specific pest problem.