"Insects are the silent storytellers of the natural world, narrating tales of survival, adaptation, and coexistence."
~Mary Jane West-Eberhard
What The Bug?
Tick? Flea? Bedbug? Something else?
Unless you are in the field of Entomology (the scientific study of insects), it is highly likely that any bug you find in your home or office will give you the "ick." Insects are a natural part of our environment, found on all continents and in every environment. There are some insects that you just do NOT want where you live.
Bio-One Columbus does not provide extermination services, but we do run into bugs in many of the homes where we work. Here are some of our suggestions on how to identify a few of the most common insects and what to do!
Fleas are small, wingless blood-sucking parasites that live on the exterior of their host. Adult fleas feed only on the blood of warm-blooded hosts, preferring the body temperature of dogs or cats. While they feed on non-humans, they may bite humans. Bites from fleas look like small red dots and may occur in two or three groups or clusters around feet, ankles, and legs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a four-step process to combat a flea infestation, including sanitation of the areas where fleas breed, treat every pets in the home, use a licensed pest control application, and follow-up frequently to prevent re-infestation.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the CDC, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) all consider bed bugs a public health pest. However, unlike most public health pests, bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease. Bedbugs prefer to feed on humans and can hide in spaces the width of a credit card - not just mattresses but seams of couches, electrical outlets, under wallpaper, or even doorframes.
Every year termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage, and property owners spend over two billion dollars to treat them. Termites rarely emerge from soil, mud tubes, or food sources through which they are tunneling. Most people are not aware they have termites until they see a swarm or come across damage during construction. Many termiticides are highly toxic, making it critical to follow label directions with added care. Pest management professionals have the knowledge, expertise, and equipment as required by the label, which minimizes risks and maximizes effectiveness.
Midges and gnats are common names for a large number of small, non-biting flies. Many species look like mosquitoes and may form annoying swarms or clouds in the air but they do not bite. The immature stages develop in water in pools, containers, ponds, clogged rain gutters, or in some cases, wet soil or seepage areas. Most feed on living or decaying plant matter or food remains. It is helpful to know if the flying bugs in your kitchen are drain flies, fruit flies, biting gnats, fungus gnats, or midges before you choose an extermination method.
So Wait.....
If Bio-One Columbus doesn't exterminate infestations of bugs, why is this part of your newsletter?
Great question!
Extermination of all life-stages of insects (adult, juvenile and egg) requires that the treatment reach all surfaces and areas where the bugs live. If a home is filled with possessions, cluttered with deep filth, or has biohazardous material that is a source of nourishment for the insect, extermination will not be successful. We can come in and expose surfaces for treatment, remove food sources for the insects and safely dispose of heavily-infested possessions.
Did You Know?
- Ticks can grow from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a marble.
- Insects have been present for about 350 million years, and humans for only 300,000 years.
- Blow flies are the first kind of insect attracted to an animal carcass following death.
- There are about 91,000 different kinds (species) of insects in the United States. In the world, some 1.5 million different kinds (species) have been named.
- Fruit flies were the first living things in space: Fruit flies were the first living creatures to be sent into space.
- Termite queens can live for decades: Queen termites can live for 25 to 50 years, making them the longest-lived insect.
Bio-One of Columbus is a leader in crime scene cleanup and biohazard decontamination services in Columbus. Our technicians are highly skilled and have been trained on OSHA's safety standards. Bio-One of Columbus continues to be the most passionate and caring company in the cleaning services industry.
For more information, visit us at https://bioonecolumbus.com/
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