Pest Control Tips:
Holiday Travel and Hitchhikers
I know that many people have heard all of this before, but with the holidays people travel, and with travelers come pest problems. You may never know what crawled into your suitcase or purse until weeks or months after you have returned home. The pests may not have gotten into your home from outside, but from the airport or the hotel, or even the taxicab that dropped you off somewhere en route. You don’t always see the pests that you pick up on your way to visit friends and family.
The number one traveler this holiday season is predicted to be the bed bugs. These tiny creatures are notorious for latching on and taking a long trip. It’s almost like the movie outbreak with these creatures because they are not social insects. Bed bugs have no desire to live with other bed bugs; their sole purpose in life is the next meal. Bed bugs, like fleas, can live for weeks or even months without a blood host, and they can procreate the entire time. One person may pick up a bed bug when they get in and out of a taxi, then carry the bed bug onto the plane where it takes up residence in the seat. Others may carry bed bugs from their home, a hotel or a movie theater.
When all of the holiday travelling is over, there is still the threat of bed bugs from Missouri ending up in New York and those in California, because they travel just as quickly as humans, because we are their mode of transportation. Be sure to keep an eye on your bedding for telltale trails; little rust colored spots are left when the bed bugs bite.
Cockroaches are also notorious hitchhikers. The packages and bags that are shipped each year during the holidays are a haven for the insects. They consume paper and glue because the products come from trees, and cockroaches are both water and wood dwelling insects, like termites. Be aware that when you make your holiday purchases and carry them on a plane or train to visit family members, you may be carrying stowaways in your gift boxes. Some are still eggs that haven’t hatched which makes prompt disposal of packaging a priority. One company in the U.K. actually received a black widow spider and her eggs in a shipment that came from the US. Insect hitchhikers are everywhere.
Termites in Mesa are not great travelers like bed bugs, spiders and cockroaches. These insects may still infest homes many yards from their underground nest. You may never see a termite mound and evidence of infestation can remain hidden if they get into your home from under the ground. Occasionally the first sign of termites is a mud tunnel climbing the outside of your home, but these may actually be hidden inside bricks used for foundations. The one way to be sure you don’t have unwelcome visitors is a free termite inspection from your local pest management professional.
Tempe AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
1753 E BROADWAY, STE #101
TEMPE, AZ 85282
(480) 630-3019
