Pest Control Myths Debunked
In Tucson, and really all around the world, when it comes to pest control there are always people who think they know best, but those of us who are smart know the professionals are just that – professionals, and that means they know more than your average Joe about this pest control business. It’s the ones who refuse to believe in this that come up with most of the common pest myths that we think to be true today. We’re here to bring some light to the issue though, and though you may have already known some of these things were untrue it’s good to reiterate what’s right from wrong.
You’ll find a majority of these myths are focused around bed bugs, and that’s because they are one of the most commonly misconstrued pests and it’s pertinent that you understand the importance of using a professional pest control service to treat such an infestation.
So without further ado…
Common Pest Control Myths That You Should Ignore:
- Mice Love Cheese
This one stems from a lot of places, but we can assure you a mouse’s snack of choice is definitely not a hunk of cheese. In fact, mice prefer food with higher sugar content, for instance – peanut butter. If you’re trying to lure a mouse in your home in Tucson, or anywhere else, try peanut butter, dried fruit, or even cereal for bait.
- Bees Only Sting Once
True, but only for honey bees, and only when stinging a species with skin that is sufficiently thick. Any other bees or wasps can and will sting repeatedly if there is a threat posed to their hive. Just because you got stung already doesn’t mean you shouldn’t immediately remove yourself from the situation and tend to the sting as quickly as possible. This is especially important because many bee inject a toxin upon stinging that will release alarm pheromones in order to alert other nearby bees of a threat.
- Boiling Water Wipes Out Ants
Again true, but the problem with this is that boiling hot water is only going to kill the ants it hits while it’s still boiling. As soon as the ground cools it off as it absorbs into it, the ants just get a nice refreshing shower. The queen and the majority of an ant colony are simply too far down for the water to still be hot enough to wipe them out once it makes its way down there.
- Bed Bugs Don’t Exist in Clean Homes
This is an overly common misconception. Bed bugs have no preference for clean or dirty, they simply prefer blood; however, clutter can make an infestation more problematic due to the fact that the bugs will have more places to hide.
- Clean Houses Don’t Have Regular Pests
So you may have read the last myth and thought to yourself, “okay well bed bugs are the exception, but my house is spotless, so no other pests are interested in it.” Wrong. Pests could care less about your cleanliness; they’re just looking for shelter and some place to breed.
- A House on a Concrete Slab is Termite-Proof
We wish this was so, but it’s just not true at all. In fact, even if you have a brick house built on a concrete slab it’s still going to have wooden framework within; and not to mention, termites are professionals at tunneling, so they’ll surely find their way through the smallest of crack in your concrete foundation.
- If Your Neighbor Gets Their House Sprayed, You’re In Trouble
A lot of people don’t really understand that pesticide and insecticides aren’t so much repellents as they are killers. Cockroaches and other pests won’t find a sprayed house and turn to yours instead. What happens is they’ll try to enter the sprayed house, running over the spray in the process, and then die because of it.
- Bed Bug Problems Are Easy to Treat
This myth is the exact opposite of reality, which is that bed bug infestations are the most difficult to treat of all pest infestations. Depending on how bad of an infestation you have and the type of treatment your pest control company offers to solve the problem with, it could take several visits to achieve total elimination.
- Bed Bugs Are Treatable Without Pest Control Professionals
The hint is in the last myth. Notice how we insinuated you would be using a pest control company to treat the infestation; that’s because you definitely won’t be treating much without one. Over the counter treatments are ineffective, and in order to rid your home of bed bugs completely it requires that you do a careful, thorough inspection of all the places in your home that could be harboring the little buggers. A pest control professional, like the ones at Gecko Pest Control in Tucson, should be able to target even the most unlikely hiding spots and upon a full inspection they can offer a feasible treatment and future control strategy. Treating the infestation yourself may only cure parts of your home and you could easily end up with an even worse problem (that will only cost you more to treat now that you’ve realized you should’ve got a professional) not too far down the road.
- Electronic Pest Repellents Keep Pests Out of Your Home
If only it were that easy! Tons of internet sites boast about these devices, which pulse out ultrasonic waves that disturb pests so badly they don’t even bother to stick around your home. Unfortunately, there is zero evidence proving these products actually work. In fact, decades ago the FTC filed suit against six companies who lied about the effectiveness of these ultrasonic devices in ridding homes of insect and rodent infestations. Since then, they’ve been sending out warning letters to such companies reminding them about what happened to the other blatant liars; therefore, you’ll notice the people still selling these products are very careful in their wording, which mostly includes what the device is designed to do, and no longer what it has been proven to do.
- Bed Bugs Aren’t Visible Pests
This is absolutely untrue. Adult bed bugs are about a quarter inch in size and can be spotted with the naked eye. Even their fecal matter is visible, which is often a sure sign of infestation (look for small reddish brown dots on bed linens, or in other places where they might be hiding). Remember, if you have bed bugs, call a pest control professional!
- Daddy Long Legs Are the Most Poisonous Spiders
This one you may already know is a myth, but we figured we’d add it for fun, as well as to bring light to the fact that there are actually two types of “daddy longlegs”. The first is only a close relative to real spiders, and they don’t even have poison glands. The second, which is the most common cellar and garage spider, is able to bite humans, but is not lethal by any means. This not only busts the myth in general (this myth was even “busted” on the popular television show Myth Busters), but also the second part of the myth, which is that daddy longlegs aren’t able to bite humans with their super-tiny fangs – because they definitely can, it’s just a mere prick when they do.
- You Can Take Care of Pests Yourself
This is a great one to wrap it all up. Some pests can be treated with DIY tactics, and others not at all, but bottom line is that, in the end, you’ll most likely be saving yourself time, frustration, and even money by hiring a pest control professional like Gecko Pest Control in Tucson. Would you like to be pest free after a month of trying your own methods, or know FOR SURE you’ll be pest free and not have to put in any work yourself by hiring a pest control professional? Seems like an easy answer to us.
Read MoreHow Pest/Insecticide Label Changes Will Affect Pest Treatments
If you weren’t already notified, didn’t see our other blog post on pesticide label changes, or did see the post and said, “Uh…what’s this jibberish about pesticides got to do with me?” then you may want to read this!
Essentially, what you missed was that, recent label changes in common pesticides and insecticides will be affecting the way we perform termite services, and other pest treatments, for your Tucson home.
Your home pest control services will be affected as follows:
- No longer will Gecko Pest Control be able to apply pesticides to large areas of outside structures, such as patios, regardless of whether or not they are covered.
Instead your pest control expert will modify their application of the pest treatment, and will most likely cover the perimeter of the patio or similar structure, rather than apply the pesticide, or spray, directly on top of the structure. We assure you that your patio and home will still remain protected against unwanted pests and insects.
- Gecko Pest Control will only be able to apply a one inch wide spray line around your doors and windows.
New EPA regulations demand the spray be only an inch wide when applied to parts of the foundation that are above 3 ft. in height. Don’t be surprised if you can no longer identify the chemical application as easily. If this concerns you, you are welcome to follow your pest professional during treatment to ensure you are getting a coat of spray where you might have otherwise thought they overlooked.
Your yard or lawn pest control services will also be affected:
To prevent chemical run off, our pest technicians may ask you to manually regulate your sprinkler system, the day of and possibly after, and have it be turned it off.
Also, treatments may be given a “rain check” in the event there is a high possibility of precipitation on the day you’ve been scheduled for service, as we are obligated to take the necessary steps to prevent run off of our products.
Will your pest treatment’s effectiveness be compromised?
Our pest control treatments will be just as effective, but if an issue arises, or the pest service we provide doesn’t seem to give the results you expected, please contact us within 30 days and we’ll be sure to address the situation accordingly.
If you have any questions regarding your pest control treatment, then don’t hesitate to call or write us, and we’ll be happy to help you with your concerns.
Read MoreWelcome to the Gecko Pest Management Blog!
Welcome to the Gecko Pest Management Blog! We’re excited to see you and excited to share some of our stories about the pesky creatures we find and help remove from homes and businesses in the Tucson area!
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