Some Common Pest Myths Debunked

Throughout our 70 years in business, we’ve heard and debunked plenty of pest myths in central Illinois. In order to dismiss more of these myths, we’ve put together this handy post that lays out some of the most common ones we hear:

• Pest treatment is a DIY job: Proper pest control requires professional treatment, not just a can of Raid or a similar product. Pros use safe chemicals that create a protective barrier around your home for all sorts of pests. If there is an infestation, exterminators can safely remove the threat and protect your family.
• Mice love cheese: The easiest way to catch a mouse is to lay a piece of cheese on a mousetrap, right? Not quite. Though mice go for pretty much any food left laying out, you’ll be more successful catching them with something sweet, like dried fruit.
• Moles are blind: Though they’re only used to sense light, moles do, in fact, have eyes. Moles use all of their other senses for navigating below ground. Avoid dealing with any moles by calling our pros to treat your yard!
• Clean houses are pest free: One of the bigger pest myths in central Illinois is that a clean home is always pest free. While it’s true that a clean house is less likely to be infested, pests will live anywhere that provides shelter. Along with tidying up, we recommend having your home treated to prevent any pests from coming inside.
• All rats are dirty: We tend to think of rats and other rodents as dirty creatures. While they can and do spread harmful diseases, rats actually spend about 60 percent of their time cleaning themselves and other rats. Despite this fact, you still don’t want them hanging around your house. Call our extermination team at the first sign that you have rats or rodents in your home.
• Moths damage clothing: This one is only partly true. While adult moths don’t damage the old clothes hanging in your closet, their larvae will, so be sure to toss some mothballs in with your clothes to keep those larvae at bay.
• Boiling water destroys ants: It’d be nice if you could dump a pot of boiling water down an ant hill to kill them all. However, this solution will only get rid of the ants at the top of the nest. By the time the water makes it down to the rest of the colony and the queen, it won’t be boiling anymore, and it won’t be effective. Your best bet is to hire a pro to take them out with powerful chemicals.
• Bed bugs are only found in cheap motels: We hear a lot of horror stories of bed bugs being found at cheap roadside motels or hostels. The scary truth is that bed bugs can be found anywhere! Removal and treatment of bed bugs must be handled by a professional, so be sure to call us if you see any signs of an infestation.

Avoid the need to ponder any of these and other pest myths in central Illinois by calling our team at Crist Termite and Pest Solutions, Inc. From pest identification to eradication, we’re the experts you can trust!

Categorised in: Preventative Pest Control