Jan 25, 2013 | Pest Control, Wildlife
The NPMA recently posted an article on their website that explained the dangers that rodents can cause to your home and your health. We often talk in our blogs about the unsanitary conditions and the property damage that a rodent infestation can lead to but we rarely discuss the health risks that are involved.
Rodents, such as mice and rats, can leave droppings that can spread bacteria, contaminate food, and cause allergic reactions. Droppings can also spread diseases and viruses such as the following:
- Hantavirus – “Hantavirus is a potentially life-threatening disease transmitted to humans by rodents—primarily, the white-footed deer mouse. People become infected through exposure or inhalation of infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva, and the chances increase when people are near spaces where rodents are actively living.”
- Bubonic plague – “…is usually spread by the bite of an infected rodent flea and can cause fever, headache and painfully swollen lymph nodes.”
- Salmonellosis – Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning spread by rodent feces, especially through the consumption of contaminated food. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.”
- Rat-Bite Fever – “Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a potentially fatal infectious disease spread by infected rodents or the consumption of food contaminated by rodents.”
To read the full article or get more information on the diseases above click HERE.
Please don’t take chances with the health of you or your loved ones. If you have rodents in your home, call a licensed exterminator, Northwest Exterminating, to get rid of the rodents in your home.
Source: http://www.pestworld.org/news-and-views/pest-articles/articles/health-threats-posed-by-rodents/
Mar 28, 2012 | Pest Control
It is Spring Break time here in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. It’s a time that parents and kids both look forward to. A lot of people will be going out of town this spring break and staying in hotels. I’m sure you’ve seen media reports of bed bug outbreaks across the US. Hotels are being hit pretty hard with bed bug infestations and it is something that travelers need to be aware of. The truth is that you are more than likely not going to experience bed bugs in your hotel room or home but it is always best to be educated and aware!
Many wonder why the number of outbreaks has risen in recent years, it is suspected that increase in travel, less effective household pesticides, resistance to pesticides and lack of awareness are among the main reasons. The key to avoiding bed bugs is early detection. Make sure you are checking mattresses and other upholstery items when traveling. Know that bed bugs are not a sign of a sanitation issue with the hotel; they are often brought in by other guests.
Bed Bugs on a mattress cover
What to Look For:
- Brown or chestnut in color
- Size of a pencil eraser
- Eggs are several millimeters and clear to whitish in appearance
- Droppings and dead skin of bed bugs
How to Search Hotel Rooms for Bed Bugs:
- Simply call the hotel. They may not always be forthcoming in their answer but it’s worth a shot. A lot of hotels will be honest and tell you if they have or haven’t had experiences with bed bugs.
- Check The Bedbug Registry. This free data base is a place where bed bug sightings are reported.
- Pack clothes and shoes in air tight bags in your suitcase. Keep your items packed away in Ziploc bags inside of your suitcase to protect them from bed bugs.
- Inspect the bed. Pull back the sheets and check the mattress, concentrating heavily on the mattress seams, for droppings or skin that has been shed. Also check the headboard, footboard, sheets, comforter, and pillows for signs of bed bugs.
- Use the luggage rack. Do not put your luggage on the bed or on the floor. Hotels usually provide a luggage rack, if not; place the luggage on a tile floor where it is easier to see bed bugs moving if they are present.
- Bites on body. Bed bug bites are not dangerous but do cause allergic reaction. Bed bugs often bite in a straight line on the body. You can tell the difference between mosquito and other common pest bites and bed bug bites by the area on your body you have been bitten. Mosquitoes mainly bite on the arms, legs or other body parts that are left uncovered. Bed bug bites can be found throughout the body.
The thought of bed bugs and their bites are unnerving to say the least. However, you may find comfort in knowing that bed bug bites are not dangerous because they do not carry human diseases. All of that being said, you want to be sure that you do not carry these pests home with you from vacation. Bed bugs are not only difficult to treat but can be an expensive treatment.
Tips for returning home:
- Keep luggage in the garage or outside until you can unload your suitcase fully.
- Wash and dry everything on the hot cycle immediately. The hot temperatures will kill any bed bugs that may have made the trip with you.
- Vacuum out suitcase once emptied.
- Take precautionary measures with your own furniture. Get a bed bug proof mattress case for your mattress and add traps on the legs of your bed.
- Inspect frequently.
At the end of the day, we want you to have the best time on your spring break or other vacation. We just want to make sure that you are not bringing home anything that wasn’t supposed to come home with you. As we said earlier, the key is to be educated and aware.
If you have more questions on bed bugs or think that your home may have bed bugs, call Northwest Exterminating. We have a dedicated team of experts that specialize in bed bug treatment.
Other Additional Links:
https://www.callnorthwest.com/pest-control/bed-bug-control/
Dorm Rooms and Bed Bugs
https://www.callnorthwest.com/learning-center/identify-your-pest/bed-bugs/
NPMA Releases Bed Bug Best Management Practices for Pest Professionals
Feb 24, 2012 | Community News, Pest Control, Termite Control, Wildlife
We’ve recently discovered a useful tool that has helped us both inside and outside of the office. iPest is a mobile app that is beneficial not only for pest control technicians but homeowners, building managers, etc. The iPest app is a guide that was developed by researchers at the University of Florida. The app is a great tool to identify and educate yourself on common pests that are found in and around homes and businesses. iPest contains 3 series, a search tool, and color photos that can help you quickly find a particular pest.
Series:
iPest1 – cockroaches, flies, occasional invaders, and urban pest and wildlife droppings.
iPest2 – ants, beetles, termites and wood destroying insects.
iPest3 – biting, stinging, and bloodsucking arthropods.
This app has been a great tool in and outside of the office and we think it would be great for our customers as well.
Go to you app store and purchase iPest for $1.99
Feb 23, 2012 | Company News, Wildlife
Technician Tales
As you can imagine, there is never a dull moment in the pest control industry. It is our privilege to be able to help our customers keep their homes and businesses healthy and free of pests. Along the way, we get ourselves into some pretty interesting situations. Sometimes we get a good laugh about them around the different offices and thought that we would share our stories with our readers. Technician Tales will be stories from our ladies and gentlemen out in the field or in the office who have found themselves in some very interesting predicaments. For your enjoyment:
Technician Tales: There’s a boa in your refrigerator
Recently our representatives went on a call for a German cockroach infestation. The area was crawling (no pun intended) in cockroaches. There were roach droppings covering the floors, walls, and naturally, surrounding the refrigerator. As a team of technicians were treating and vacuuming up the roaches, one of the technicians had pulled back the refrigerator and was treating around the area. The technician was working his way around when he all the sudden jumped back and screamed, “SNAKE!!!!!!”. Everyone hurried to see what he was yelling about. When they looked at the bottom of the refrigerator, curled up at the bottom was a 4 foot long boa constrictor!!!! Our technicians went to find someone at the location to let them know what they had found only to be met with the response “We’ve been looking for him”!!
Now THAT was a technician tale that we just had to share.
