Over the holidays we opened our homes to friends and family from all over the globe. Many guests came bearing gifts, food, or wine, but some may have carried in a few unwanted guests! Several pests are hitchhikers and will latch on to an unsuspecting host to get a free ride right into your home.
The FIVE MOST COMMON HITCHHIKING PESTS are:
BED BUGS
Bed bugs can be introduced into a home via new and used items such as furniture, clothing, bedding, computers, TV’s, or literally anything. This includes directly being on a person or their clothing who has been an active bed bug infestation. Adults can survive for up to 3 months without a blood meal. When the conditions become not favourable or the host which can be a bird, dog, cat, reptile, bat etc the bed bugs enter a semi-hibernation state a wait for a warm blooded, carbon dioxide breathing individual to enter in their home. Bed bug infestations have been found in transportation vehicles such as boats, trains, airplanes, hospitals and buses as well as in movie theatres where they typically harborage in seats and associated frames. Look for the signs of bed bugs presence of the various nymphal stages, rusty brown to black fecal spotting on yourself or your place where you sleep, discarded exoskeletons, or other evidence that can be found on the Poulin’s website.
ANTS
Ants can gain access to your home through food sources, and cracks or crevasses in your foundation, once inside they will have free reign to every room. Common places ants can be found are near food and water sources, cracks in walls, in plants and flower pots, under appliances, and around window frames. Proper identification is important when it comes to ants as different species have different habitats and behaviors. Control options vary from species to species and our experts can let you know what type of ant you’re dealing with and the proper techniques needed to treat your home.
COCKROACHES
German cockroaches gain entry into structures in bags, cardboard boxes, drink cartons, infested equipment such as used refrigerators, toasters, microwaves as a few examples. They are the most common household insect pest within the United States and Canada and they are on the rise. This pest typically infests kitchens and bathrooms but can will live anywhere inside heated structures with sources of food, water and harbourage. German cockroaches are active at night, leaving their harborage to find food and water. They remain hidden in their dark, secluded harborage areas, such as under or in cupboards, behind cabinets, fridges, stoves, in wall voids, and around motor housings in appliances where they spend more than 75% of their time hiding.
LICE
Head lice are small insects that live in a person’s hair and feed on their blood. Lice glue their eggs to the hair near the scalp, so they can’t get brushed off. They need human blood to live and multiply, and look reddish brown after feeding. These pests do not hop, jump, or fly and can live up to 48 hours off of the human body. They are spread by close contact with someone who has lice, or sharing items that have come into contact with others hair, such as a brush, hat, scarf, pillows, or coats.
FLEAS
Fleas travel on rodents and other mammals, and usually remain on their hosts at all times. Fleas are not able to fly, but they can jump as high as 8”, which is 150 times their own height. Fleas can live on any warm-blooded animal, but most commonly live on humans, cats, dogs, rats and other rodents. They can also be found on shoes, pant legs, or blankets. Their saliva is an allergen that can cause reactions in pets and humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets.
At Poulin’s Pest Control, we’re experts in elimination of pest problems. If you want to take care of the problem yourself, we carry a number of products to assist with many pest problems, and if you need our help, our technicians are standing by. Remember – there’s no foolin’ with Poulin.