Know Your Enemies
Bedbugs
Bed Bug – The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is the species most adapted to living with humans. Bed begs are parasites that feed on humans. Often mistaken for ticks or small cockroaches, adult bed bugs are reddish-brown or mahogany in color and flat. Female bed bugs have a round body, while males are more oval shaped. Though their anatomy includes primitive wings, bed bugs cannot fly. They grow to about 1/4" long and 1/8" wide, or about the size of an apple seed.
How to spot an infestation
Bed bugs hide in the cracks and seams of your mattress and upholstered furniture.
Look for:
- Tiny fecal stains or blood stains on your sheets, mattress, pillows, or pajamas
- Bites on your neck, face, arms, ankles, or other uncovered skin
- Itchy skin at night or morning
- A musty, sweet smell
- Empty eggshells or exoskeletons left behind during molting
If you spot any of these signs, you have a fight on your hands. Contact us for an immediate inspection because the infestation will only get worse.
Cockroach
German cockroach – Blattella germanica (Linnaeus). Adults are about ½ inch long, light brown in color and have two stripes running lengthwise on the pronotum just behind the head. Immatures (nymphs) have a light colored area on their back. This is a true Commensal roach as they are only found infesting structures. Being nocturnal, they are active at night when other activity is typically low. They are known to carry bacteria that cause food poisoning. They are also known to be one of the greatest causes of asthma-like symptoms in children. Elimination of food, water and shelter is key to the successful management of German roach infestations.
How to spot an infestation
Cockroaches are nocturnal creatures that become more active at night as they search for food. They will eat anything from food, paper, packaging, plastics and fabrics to animal matter (e.g. hamster and rabbit droppings).
Look for:
- A dust of black fecal droppings of varying lengths
- Shed skins in suspected locations (bathrooms, kitchens, basements, laundry areas)
- Irregular-shaped brown smear marks on horizontal surfaces
- Egg capsules
- Unusual signs of food damage
If you spot just one cockroach, chances are there are dozens more in hiding. It takes a specialist to find all the places they can get into the house. Contact us for an inspection because DIY methods can be tricky and ineffective.
Rats and Mice
Norway Rat: Also known as the Brown Rat, this is the giant rat you hear about living in New York City sewers. It can grow to twice the size of the Roof Rat. The Norway Rat is different from the Roof Rat in several ways. Norway Rats have a thicker, heavier body, and a shorter tail. They have a more blunt snout. They are usually more brown in color than the Roof Rats. They prefer to live at ground level, hence their presence in the sewers. They seem to be highly dependent upon people for food and shelter sources. Like all rats, they have poor vision, and rely primarily upon their sense of smell and their highly specialized senses of feel and balance to survive. As with all rodents, their teeth grow continuously, and thus they gnaw on many surfaces to wear down their teeth.
How to spot an infestation
As temperatures drop in early autumn, rodents begin to seek shelter and warmth inside homes and businesses. It’s best to catch rats and mice before their populations grow.
Look for:
- Chew marks on wood, cardboard, and other material
- Musky odor
- Rotting odor from a dead mouse/rat
- Your cat or dog scratching at the walls or behaving in an erratic manner
- Small, dark brown droppings
- Tiny footprints
- Holes in thin walls that identify entry points
- Allergies (which can be lessened by living in a rodent-free home)
- Grease marks or streaks on surfaces they run across
- Noises like scampering, screeching, or gnawing sounds from inside walls, attics, or ceilings
Rodents are hazardous because they can do structural damage to your home as well as carry dangerous contagious diseases. It takes a specialist to identify what kind of rodent is in your home and the best control product. Contact us if you suspect you have rodents because the it's important to determine how big the problem is and how to quickly lessen the potential for serious disease.
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