DON’T BE FOOLED BY THESE PEST CONTROL MYTHS

Do you have some tricks up your sleeve for April Fool’s this year? Or are you usually the butt of the joke? This April Fool’s Day, we want to ensure no one is tricked by false pest myths and information that would cause unwise pest control decisions. Below are some of the most common myths in the industry.

MYTH: Cheese is the best bait to attract mice.

Especially for those who grew up on classic Saturday morning cartoons, this message has been reinforced by many TV programs over the years, but it is not entirely true. Mice like other foods better, and in face, the fattier and sweeter the food, the better it will be at attracting them. Save the cheese for yourself and try bits of cereal, candy, cookies, marshmallows, pet food, or peanut butter to entice the mice instead.

MYTH: A clean house would never get bed bugs.

While cleanliness can help with some pests, there are many that just do not care, including bed bugs, termites, carpenter ants, and those looking for a warm place to stay for the winter. Bed bugs are sneaky hitchhikers and all they care about is having a place where sources of food, which in this case is human blood, is available to them. While bed bugs do not care about the cleanliness of a household, a cluttered home does create more of a challenge to eliminate the issue as the clutter provides more harborage areas for them.

MYTH: My cat is the only rodent control I need.

While cats or even dogs may scare off a mouse or two, the truth is, domesticated cats are not always even interested in being in charge of the pest control. Often cats and dogs will not see mice as a threat they need to eliminate. In addition, rodents can easily avoid your pets by traveling on surfaces and spaces your pet cannot reach. We will leave this with one thing that is true – most rodents are often attracted to homes by their pet’s food and droppings rather than being scared away by them.

MYTH: Bug zappers solve your mosquito problem.

The buzz noise may give you some satisfaction, and while you may kill off some mosquitoes with this device, a University of Notre Dame study found only 4 to 6 percent of the dead bugs zapped are mosquitoes. Even worse, you may be doing the exact opposite of your goal when implementing a bug zapper in your backyard. The study also found people were bit 10% more often than people who did not have a zapper. This is because the device actually attracts mosquitoes and then does not successfully kill most of them!

MYTH: It is not possible for a house with a concrete slab to have termites.

While this is a nice thought, it is not true. As long as your home has a wooden framework, you are at risk for termites. Termites can and will squeeze through cracks in the foundation and even build tunnels to get to a food source, in this case being wood.

MYTH: My homeowner’s insurance will cover the damage.

Many homeowners assume many things about their insurance policies that may or may not be true without ever digging deeper to know the truth. Often when it comes to termites and other pest damage, homeowners are not covered. Most of the time homeowners do not realize or find this fact out until after the fact that there is thousands of dollars to be had in repairs. Due to most homeowners insurance policies excluding termites and other pests just makes it that much more important to have regular termite inspections and pest control before the damage is done.

MYTH: I don’t need pest control unless there’s an infestation.

Waiting until your home or office is occupied with pests is actually the worst thing you could do. The most effective pest control is actually preventing the issue before it becomes an issue, and proper inspection of your house on a regular basis is the best way to prevent pests from the beginning. Anyways, even if you don’t see the pests yet does not always mean they are not there (prime examples = termites and carpenter ants!)

As mentioned, we do not want you to be the one tricked this April Fools! If you have been a long-time believer of these myths, it is time to change your thoughts on pest control. Call Black Diamond at 877-DEAD-BUG (877-332-3284) to set-up a year-round pest control plan, such as our Exterior Service Program or No Problem Plan, so you won’t get stuck dealing with pest issues.