Pest Control, Schmest Control?
In May, we posted a blog post about “Why Pest Control is So Important”, so today we thought we would talk about some scenarios that have occurred in local news since then that may help people understand why we need pest control. We have checked news sites, local blogs and city agency websites and complied 4 reasons that why pest control is needed. If you understand it the first time around, now we will have you understand a little more specifically why pest control is of so much importance.
- The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an agricultural pest that was introduced into the United States in the late 90s. The Stink Bug (What its called for short) is responsible for millions of dollars of lost crop yields annually. Having these pests introduced into your locale could mean a great drop in revenue and loss of money in the local economy. In recent news, Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) was alerted by a home owner, who lives close to a farm, that they found a stink bug in their home. This tip concerned the ISDA and caused a full investigation. The ISDA believes these Stink Bugs were brought into the area from a resident who recently moved from Maryland. The investigation lead to no other findings but the ISDA will set pheromone traps all around the Boise, ID area in the spring to determine if the population has increased. Imagine that, one single bug causing a full government involved investigation!
- Until recently, Bed bugs were nothing but a pesky nuisance. Biting their victims at night and causing an annoying itch. They were always understood as non-disease transmitting, but still annoying enough that they got a bad reputation as a parasite until now. A recently published article in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene says otherwise. In a lab setting the scientists found that bed bugs were able to transmit Trypanosome Cruzi, which is a parasite that causes Chagas Disease, to lab mice. Not to alarm the public, there have been no proven cases from bed bug to human, but it is concerning as Chagas Disease can show no symptoms for a long period of time. This can now cause bed bug treatments to be seen as more of a public health issue since disease spread is possbile.
- Its no secret to outsiders that New York City is home to a very large rat population. A new study suggest that there is a population of 2 million rats, in a city with 8 million people. Because of that high population Pest Control is very important is NYC to keep these rat populations at a lower level to prevent disease spread. Scientists at Colombia University’s Center for Infection and immunity were curious about what diseases rats were carrying in NYC. The scientists trapped around 133 rats from different neighborhoods in manhattan. They used saliva, feces, urine and skin samples to test for bacteria and disease. The diseases that the study revealed were that three main disease causing bacterias were found in the rats. They were E.coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium Difficile. If a human is bitten by one of these rats or costumes food with a small amount of fecal, it could lead to sickness & hospitalization.
- Roaches are known to trigger asthma, allergies and lead to many medical problems for children who are around active roach infestations in their homes. But did you ever think roaches could ruin your lively hood and close down your business? Many restaurant owners sometimes forget that the health department will close your business down if their are evidence of vermin found in your place of business. Just ask a few restaurant owners in the Tampa, FL area. Read more about the story here
If you weren’t convinced last time how important pest control is, hopefully this time your convinced. As pest control technicians we prevent the spread of disease and sickness. We are at the forefront of the sanitation and increasing public health. We improve living conditions and make it possible for many crops to grow. Without us, the world could be overrun by pests, hunger, and disease.
