In pest control what may seem like a small problem with a quick fix may actually be a big issue needing a complex solution. In this blog we’ll be looking at the more “innocuous” pests that require professional attention.
More often than not when we think of pests we tend to think of the critters that give us a ‘skrik’, such as rodents and cockroaches, or those that annoy us the most – like flies and mosquitoes. What if I told you that some of the more understated pests actually pose the greatest threat, and need a considerable amount of work in order to solve the infestation?
Termites, the $5 billion problem:
Known as “the silent destroyers”, these innocuous looking pests have cost US property owners an estimated $5 billion dollars according to The National Pest Management Association of America. What may initially seem like a little problem may pose a huge financial threat to your business or home. Spotting and treating termites without professional help is no easy feat either as it’s often easier to spot the aftermath of a termite infestation (extensive damage to the structure of a building).
How do you get rid of termites?
One effective way of protecting your business from potential termite infestation is to employ either pre-construction or post-construction termite protection services on your premises. The use of pre-construction termite treatment involves treating the soil with a termiticide during the construction phase of a building, this is very effective as termites are known to tunnel through soil as means to invade a building.
For post-construction termite protection there are several solutions, these options are the application of termiticide directly onto affected areas or in some cases employing structural fumigation. Both methods require a professional pest control technician to conduct a full assessment of the property to advise on which option would best suit that particular building.
Stored Product Insects: pests found in food products:
Also known as SPI’s, the term ‘stored product insect’ covers a number of insects such as beetles, weevils, moths and mites. Often the bane of businesses in the food industry, SPI’s have been noted by The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) to have caused – in 2014 alone – disruptions in businesses that led to an increase of £5.8 billion in operating costs in those countries surveyed. (Business Impact of Pest Report).
To those that aren’t familiar with these pests it may seem that seeing one or two of those little critters crawling out of a box of your favourite cereal isn’t too much of a problem, but anyone in the food industry will tell you that the mere sight of them can cause huge disruptions. An SPI infestation could result in production batches being destroyed, as they contaminate food products, and this in turn poses a health threat to consumers and possible litigation against the business. Furthermore, the production process would have to be paused while professional pest control treatment is being implemented.
How do you get rid of Stored Product Insects?
Should you find pest activity then one of two control methods should be implemented, either small isolated treatments using approved pesticides on affected areas or if its an extensive infestation then the entire premises will have to be treated using space treatments. Often fumigation is done using fumigants (gaseous substances) that kill all life stages of the SPI’s. This is done in gas proof enclosure in order to contain the gas for long enough for it to be effective.
Bed Bugs, the invisible menace in the hospitality industry:
Bed Bugs may be one of the smallest pests but they can ruin a hoteliers reputation – no guest wants to be feasted upon during their holiday. Bed bugs spread easily as they hitchhike with guests, and because they so small (4-5mm long) they are hard to spot with an untrained eye. It takes just 10 to 12 weeks for an infestation to be noticeable and by then you’d have a full epidemic on your hands.
The biggest issue with bed bugs is that over time they have become increasingly resistant to commonly used treatments such as Pyrethoids. This fast evolving pest needs big solutions in order to control infestations.
How do you get rid of bed bugs?
We’ve established that bed bugs can be very difficult to treat, so how do we get rid of them? The technicians at Rentokil suggest a range of innovative treatment solutions, such as implementing either a spray treatment or employing a heat pod treatment which is a chemical-free heat remedy that uses a heat to kill all stages of the bed bug life cycle. This is effective as it targets all areas of infestation where traditional chemicals may not always be able to penetrate. Prevention is always better than cure however, so we’ve put together a bed bug prevention checklist which you can download.
In the pest control industry what may often seem like a small problem could result in huge disruptions for your business, and require solutions based on expertise and experience.
It is therefore imperative that should you spot a pest on your premises you seek professional help, as uninformed quick fixes may lead to bigger issues in the long run. Book a free pest assessment survey with our experts, and one of our trained technicians will provide recommendations based on your unique requirements.
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