If you see a mouse running around on your Fort Worth back patio or a roach crawling across your basement floor, you may not think anything of it. Most people think the occasional pest in their home is no big deal. With some species of pest – stink bugs, ladybugs, gnats, etc. – this is true. However, with other pest varieties, even a few individuals can threaten the health of both people and pets. Not to mention the fact that you occasionally seeing a pest doesn’t mean it’s an “occasional pest.” Seeing one live roach, for instance, could mean you have a significant infestation of roaches – you’re just not seeing them. Some pests are so good at keeping a low profile they can infest your home for long periods without you noticing, sometimes doing significant damage in the process. Rats, roaches, and other pests can spend years living under your roof and eating your food, negatively impacting your health while you’re none the wiser.
More Pests, More Disease
When it comes to spreading disease, the most problematic pests in our area are rodents (specifically mice and rats) and roaches. While fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and some species of ants can carry and spread disease, no other two animals both carry such a plethora of different illnesses and live in such proximity to humans. Roaches and rodents both carry dozens of different illnesses, and they’ve both spent so much time living off human civilizations that some rodent and roach varieties are semi-dependent on us.
Rodents and roaches spread disease through their droppings, their shed hairs and exoskeletons, their saliva, and their dirty feet. In addition, rats and mice can bring secondary infestations into your home. Like most other wild mammals, rodents have fleas, ticks, worms, and all sorts of other parasites. When they take up residence in your home, they bring these secondary pests with them, meaning they can infest your home with parasites and even pass them to your pets.
You’re exposed to illness through multiple avenues when you have an infestation. You could touch surfaces contaminated by these pests and introduce their germs into your nose, eyes, or mouth. You could breathe in pathogens from their shed hairs or decaying droppings. And, of course, you could eat whatever viruses and bacteria they leave behind on the foods they touch.
Pest Prevention Practices
Considering how disgusting pest infestations can be, it’s probably safe to say you want to do everything you can to keep them off your property. Fortunately, when it comes to roaches and rodents, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. That is to say that most roach prevention measures will work for rodents, and vice versa. Do things like:
- Keep foods stored properly, either in airtight, hard plastic containers or the fridge.
- Never leave pet foods sitting out. Feed pets and put their food and bowls away.
- Cover all indoor and outdoor garbage cans with tight-fitting lids.
- Inspect your home for potential pest access points like holes or cracks in its exterior and seal up everything you find with silicone caulk.
- Clear clutter and vacuum frequently to eliminate pest hiding places and food crumbs that could attract them.
- Clean up after meals right away. Never leave dirty dishes just lying around, not even in the sink.
- Call for professional help.
Even when you take all these prevention measures, rodents and roaches still are motivated to access the shelter, warmth, and safety of your home. That means you may need to contact the experts for additional extermination options. Here at White Knight Pest Control, we can handle whatever local pests can throw at us. If you need effective and long-lasting home or commercial pest control solutions, call us at (844) 512-7378 or visit our contact page to get started on your free estimate.