No matter the time of year, pest infestations are a bummer. However, they’re the biggest bummer during the transition between winter and spring. When you want nothing more than warmth and relaxation, a bunch of bugs are not welcome guests. Avoid the spring blues this year by staying ahead of potential problems. Learn about the most common potential winter infestations with a little help from us.
1. All-Season Bed Bugs
They may be little, but what they lack in size they make up for in smarts. Hiding during the day in baseboards, mattresses, picture frames, furniture and electrical switchplates, bed bugs wait until we tuck ourselves in for the night before crawling out of their hiding places to put the bite on us. In fact, bed bugs are so smart they’ve evolved a type of anesthetic saliva to instantly numb the area they bite. That way they can feast on your blood to their heart’s content and not interrupt your REM sleep.
2. Roach Rage
Not only are roaches winter pests–they are also spring, summer and fall pests. Roaches are the ultimate “bionic” insect. They can survive without their heads because they breathe using their body segments. Submerge a roach underwater for nearly an hour and guess what? It’s still alive because it can hold its “breath” better than humans. Finally, imagine 1000 cockroaches (a relatively small infestation) scurrying through your facility at three miles an hour, spreading bacteria and dirt with every little step they take. Now imagine 500,00 roaches…
3. Invasion of the Rodents
Sounding like the title of a grade Z horror movie, invasion of the rodents is exactly the kind of nightmarish scenario facility managers often experience during winter. Left untreated, pest problems involving rats and mice can lead to destruction of property and expensive repairs when spring arrives. In the NYC/New Jersey area, there are more cases of deer/house mice and Norway/roof rats than any other winter pests. Moreover, rodents like these can carry numerous bacterial and viral diseases, chew through almost any material, and breed endlessly.
4. …and the Ants Go Marching One by One
Although they don’t carry diseases, ant infestations can damage a restaurant’s reputation or possibly impose fines on food facilities with visible ant pest problems. Facility managers can perform all kinds of pest-proofing procedures to prevent ants from entering their building but these six-legged soldiers are so tiny and stubborn that “ant-proofing” usually don’t work. Additionally, ant colonies are HUGE, comprised of hundreds of thousands of strong-willed ants that have one goal in life–to provide for their queen. And they’ll stop at nothing to give her a life of luxury.
Avoid the spring blues by contacting Assured Environments today and asking about how our integrated pest management solutions can make a difference for your business.