Most people cringe at the sight of critters or pests in their home – no matter how big or small. It’s a visceral reaction – even if they aren’t crawling on your person, seeing bugs in your home feels like being invaded. Although the insects themselves are only flocking to where they can fulfill their needs (such as ideal temperature, food source, or source of water) modern humans don’t wish to share their living spaces with such pests.
Even if they are not trying to suck your blood or impale you with a stinger, pests can bring many dangers with them when they come into your home.
Here are some examples of what certain pests can bring into your home, as well as your immune system.
1. Germs and Pathogens
If they secrete saliva, leave waste, or come in from outside, any pest can bring unwanted risks. You cannot tell them to wash their hands, they don’t bathe or use hand sanitizer. It also does not help that most of the time; you do not even know they are there. Touching the same surfaces that a pathogen-riddled pest has defecated on can spread the disease to you, as well as your family.
2. West Nile Virus
Mosquitoes are predators – no more and no less. They don’t do any tasks of value like bees -they bring only misery to humans, and occasionally share much more than itchy, red bumps. Sometimes they transmit serious illnesses, such as West Nile Virus or malaria. The 2012 outbreak has been the largest ever seen in the U.S.,which proves that without exaggeration, mosquitoes can cause serious health issues.
Although it’s almost common to hear about West Nile Virus outbreaks, most cases are mild and only give the sufferer a low-grade fever, and flu-like symptoms such as headaches and body pains. West Nile Virus can, in severe cases, cause death.You should seek immediate medical attention if you notice that you’re feeling excessively and progressively weak, experiencing a high fever and a bad headache, or severe body aches and pains.
3. Itchy Bites
Any critter that lives off blood can cause allergic reactions from bites, plus unsightly itching and rashes. The only good news is bed bugs have not been associated with disease transmission, but they can cause you sleepiness nights, and a world of worry and stress – which is not good for you either.
Bed bug infestations happen very quickly once started, and can be a nightmare to remove. Bed bug problems have become much more prevalent in the past few years and not just in beds. They can be found in movie theaters, schools, offices,and hotels. It is important to know why bed bugs are drawn to us and what implications these blood-suckers pests have on us.
As with any lasting pest removal, if you understand what they like and where bed bugs come from, you can do a much better job of keeping them away – not just dealing with outbreak after outbreak.
4. Tapeworm
Fleas are an itchy annoyance, but removing an infestation can be difficult. Most of these tasks center on proper pet care. Any pets that go outdoors needs flea protection. In severe cases of flea infestation, they can cause severe skin issues for your pet, and can even be a host for tapeworms.
5. Lyme Disease
Carried by certain strains of ticks, Lyme disease can be a serious health threat. Avoiding ticks altogether is the best way to prevent their potentially harmful bites.How can you avoid tick exposure? When spending significant time outside, the more skin you have covered, the better. Clothing is quite an effective barrier between these parasites and your skin.Long sleeve shirts, long pants, and closed-toe shoes are ideal.Also try to avoid walking through tall grass, and take precaution outdoors when in areas that are likely to have ticks.
There are a myriad of repellant sprays that offer good protection against ticks, but their application comes with risks when applied to exposed skin and clothing.The most prevalent insect repellants contain DEET. It has been in use for more than 50 years and is recommended for use with anyone over 2 months of age. The alternative is picaridin and is also effective against mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies.
In order to successfully transmit illness, ticks need to feed for a significant length of time (in many cases, hours.)This makes it important to do a full body tick check after spending time outdoors, especially at hairlines, underarms – they are small and crafty and find warm places to hide.
6. Property Damage
Termites never stop eating. They travel in very large groups, and they eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, meaning damage to wood in your home can happen very quickly. Termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year,often silently eating your largest investment without you knowing about it until there are significant problems.Although you cannot manage termites on your own, pest control professionals can eliminate a termite infestation with a good treatment plan and you can remain pest free once your damage is repaired.
7. Limit the Enjoyment of Your Garden and Yard
Rodents and critters can leave you wanting to stay inside. Who likes ruined vegetables, rats running where your kids play, or being bit by a begging squirrel when you are having a picnic?Humans tend to actively prevent rodents like mice from entering their homes, but even other common backyard wildlife, such as squirrels, birds, skunks, bats and raccoons can cause significant risks to both our health and our properties.
Even the birds can bring illness with them, as carriers of West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and respiratory illness histoplasmosis. Rabies can be spread by common backyard critters, such as raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and bats. Contact with an animal who may have rabies should be treated very seriously, as the disease can is potentially fatal if not treated properly.
8. Anxiety
Dealing with all these issues can be an emotionally trying experience. There can also be stigma attached with negative reactions from friends and neighbors. Even just the fear of infestations, germs, illnesses and bites can lead to emotional distress.
So calm yourself with good information and the good care of pest control professionals when you need it – and everyone and everything in your home will be the better for it.
Budget Pest Control, an extermination company which specializes in the eradication and prevention of spiders, ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, earwigs, wasps, hornets, crickets, centipedes, mice, rats, and other rodents. They utilize the most advanced professional pest control techniques, and teach their clients how to prevent further pest invasion.